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^~:....... : : : : : : : : .......:~^
%^~:...... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ......:~^%
$%^~:..... ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .....:~^%$
#$%^~:.... ....:~^%$#
##$%^~:... JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ...:~^%$##
###$%^~:.. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ..:~^%$###
####$%^~:. AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .:~^%$####
###$%^~:.. LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ..:~^%$###
##$%^~:... SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ...:~^%$##
#$%^~:.... DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ....:~^%$#
$%^~:..... WATER. .....:~^%$
%^~:...... ......:~^%
^~:....... ~~~~%%%%%%%%~~~~ .......:~^
~:........ ~~%% %%~~ ........:~
:......... ~~~~~%% 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 ......:~^%
$%^~:..... FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS .....:~^%$
#$%^~:.... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ....:~^%$#
##$%^~:... DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ...:~^%$##
###$%^~:.. ..:~^%$###
####$%^~:. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .:~^%$####
###$%^~:.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..:~^%$###
##$%^~:... : : : : : : : : ...:~^%$##
#$%^~:.... . . . . . . ....:~^%$#
$%^~:..... . . . .....:~^%$
%^~:...... ......:~^%
^~:....... .......:~^
~:........ ........:~
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