...^~=§$@# #@$§=~^...
..^~=§$@## ##@$§=~^..
.^~=§$@### ###@$§=~^.
..^~=§$@## ##@$§=~^..
...^~=§$@# #@$§=~^...
....^~=§$@ . . . @$§=~^....
.....^~=§$ . . . . . . $§=~^.....
......^~=§ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ §=~^......
.......^~= ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ =~^.......
........^~ ======================================== ~^........
.........^ ^.........
........^~ JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ~^........
.......^~= THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED =~^.......
......^~=§ AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE §=~^......
.....^~=§$ LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE $§=~^.....
....^~=§$@ SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE @$§=~^....
...^~=§$@# DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK #@$§=~^...
..^~=§$@## WATER. ##@$§=~^..
.^~=§$@### ###@$§=~^.
..^~=§$@## ~~~~§§§§§§§§~~~~ ##@$§=~^..
...^~=§$@# ~~§§ §§~~ #@$§=~^...
....^~=§$@ ~~~~~§§ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. §§~~~~~ @$§=~^....
.....^~=§$ ~~§§ §§~~ $§=~^.....
......^~=§ ~~~~§§§§§§§§~~~~ §=~^......
.......^~= =~^.......
........^~ THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, ~^........
.........^ URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH ^.........
........^~ LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT ~^........
.......^~= TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT =~^.......
......^~=§ THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE §=~^......
.....^~=§$ WATER CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE IT DRAWS $§=~^.....
....^~=§$@ THEIR BLOOD. CLOSER TO THE POND, THE @$§=~^....
...^~=§$@# SLOANE CAN GROW TALLER, BEING ABLE TO #@$§=~^...
..^~=§$@## HIDE ALSO IN THE JUNIPER. ##@$§=~^..
.^~=§$@### ###@$§=~^.
..^~=§$@## THE FAIRIES WILL BECKON THE ANIMALS TO ##@$§=~^..
...^~=§$@# PUSH FORWARD, TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE #@$§=~^...
....^~=§$@ ALMOST AT THE WATER, THAT THEY MAY @$§=~^....
.....^~=§$ DRINK SOON. AND THEY WILL TUG ON THE $§=~^.....
......^~=§ SLOANE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THORNS CUT §=~^......
.......^~= DEEP. WHEN THEY FINALLY FIND THE PATH =~^.......
........^~ DOWN BETWEEN THE ROCKS, AWAY FROM THE ~^........
.........^ BUSHWORK AND INTO THE CLEFT, THEY ARE ^.........
........^~ BLEEDING FROM A THOUSAND WOUNDS. AS ~^........
.......^~= THEY DRINK FROM THE DARK WATER, IT IS =~^.......
......^~=§ IN TURN DRINKING THE ANIMALS BLOOD. §=~^......
.....^~=§$ $§=~^.....
....^~=§$@ THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT @$§=~^....
...^~=§$@# CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO #@$§=~^...
..^~=§$@## FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS ##@$§=~^..
.^~=§$@### DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ###@$§=~^.
..^~=§$@## DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ##@$§=~^..
...^~=§$@# #@$§=~^...
....^~=§$@ ======================================== @$§=~^....
.....^~=§$ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ $§=~^.....
......^~=§ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ §=~^......
.......^~= . . . . . . =~^.......
........^~ . . . ~^........
.........^ ^.........
........^~ ~^........
.......^~= =~^.......
......^~=§ §=~^......
.....^~=§$ $§=~^.....