##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
####@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@####
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
#¶¶#@=\=-. in  the   endless  winter  day,  on  the .-=\=@#¶¶#
¶¶#@\==... crystal white  plains... we trudge along ...==\@#¶¶
##¶#@=\=-.   the train tracks... themselves slowly  .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-. snowed  over,  in the still  hours since .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.          the last supply train.          .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.     bell-like sounds of the blinding     .-=\=@#¶##
###¶#=\=-. ground.  rifles  attached to  our wrist, .-=\=#¶###
#@@==..... sharing  in  our bloodstream.  my husky, .....==@@#
#¶¶#@=\=-.      my warm-coffee-in-cold-snow...      .-=\=@#¶¶#
##====---.                                          .---====##
##¶#@=\=-. the  first  five  shots  you  can  spend .-=\=@#¶##
####@=\=-. indiscriminately, they  hurt but deal no .-=\=@####
##¶#@=\=-. long  time  damage to  the  shooter. the .-=\=@#¶##
¶#===..... next five you  must spend  wisely,  they .....===#¶
##¶#@=\=-. will take days  to heal. the final  five .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-. you   must    not    spend    at    all. .-=\=@#¶##
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
¶@\====-.. weeks earlier, in the weak  autumn dawn, ..-====\@¶
#====-.... in  the  blue-gray fog...  something  is ....-====#
¶@@@\--... burning  with  a  deep  crimson   flame, ...--\@@@¶
####@=\=-.       untameable by water or wind.       .-=\=@####
¶¶¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶¶¶
##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##
¶##@\=....                                          ....=\@##¶
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##¶#@=\=-.                                          .-=\=@#¶##