¨¨¨--=;;$@ @$;;=--¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@@@ @@@¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨¨¨-;*¤@ @¤*;-¨¨¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@@ @@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@@ ¨ ¨ ¨ @@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤¤@@ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ @@¤¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨¨¨=;;*¤ - - - - - - - - ¤*;;=¨¨¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# = = = = = = = = = = = #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨-=**$@@ @@$**=-¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨-;**$$@ AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE @$$**;-¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤¤@@ LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE @@¤¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@@ DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK @@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@@ WATER. @@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# ====********==== #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# ==** **== #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# =====** FAIRIES LIVE HERE. **===== #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$$¤@@ ==** **== @@¤$$*;=-¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨-;$¤ ====********==== ¤$;-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨-=;***$@@ @@$***;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@## THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, ##@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$$¤¤¤ URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH ¤¤¤$$*;=-¨
¨-=;**$$¤@ LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT @¤$$**;=-¨
¨-=;*$$$@@ TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT @@$$$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨¨¨-=*¤@ 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. ¤*;-¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨==*$@@ @@$*==¨¨¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨¨¨-;;;*¤@ = = = = = = = = = = = @¤*;;;-¨¨¨
¨-=;*$@@## - - - - - - - - ##@@$*;=-¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨=*¤ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¤*=¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨---;*$¤@ ¨ ¨ ¨ @¤$*;---¨¨
¨-=;*$¤@## ##@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;$¤@@## ##@@¤$;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@@# #@@¤$*;=-¨
¨-=;*$¤@## ##@¤$*;=-¨