##**-..... .....-**##
@@@@***--. .--***@@@@
###@***--. .--***@###
@*------.. ..------*@
###@***--. .--***@###
#@****---. 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. ...---**@#
@@@@***--. .--***@@@@
####@***-. .-***@####
###@***--. .--***@###
@******--. .--******@
#**-...... ......-**#