..,«*%*¤@# #@¤*%*«,..
...,«*%*¤@ @¤*%*«,...
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
.....,«*%* *%*«,.....
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
...,«*%*¤@ . . . @¤*%*«,...
..,«*%*¤@# . . . . . . #@¤*%*«,..
.,«*%*¤@## , , , , , , , , ##@¤*%*«,.
..,«*%*¤@# « « « « « « « « « « « #@¤*%*«,..
...,«*%*¤@ **************************************** @¤*%*«,...
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
.....,«*%* 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. *%*«,.....
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
...,«*%*¤@ **************************************** @¤*%*«,...
..,«*%*¤@# « « « « « « « « « « « #@¤*%*«,..
.,«*%*¤@## , , , , , , , , ##@¤*%*«,.
..,«*%*¤@# . . . . . . #@¤*%*«,..
...,«*%*¤@ . . . @¤*%*«,...
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
.....,«*%* *%*«,.....
....,«*%*¤ ¤*%*«,....
...,«*%*¤@ @¤*%*«,...
..,«*%*¤@# #@¤*%*«,..