###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###
###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###
#&&%$$=~,. .,~=$$%&&#
##&%$=~... ...~=$%&##
###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###
&&&%%$=~,. . . . .,~=$%%&&&
###&%$=~,. . . . . . . .,~=$%&###
####%$=~,. , , , , , , , , .,~=$%####
###&%$=~,. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .,~=$%&###
#&$$=~,... ======================================== ...,~=$$&#
###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###
##&$===~,. JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA .,~===$&##
###&%$=~,. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED .,~=$%&###
###&%$=~,. AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .,~=$%&###
#&&&%$=~,. LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE .,~=$%&&&#
#&%=,,.... 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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##&%=,.... ....,=%&##
###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###
###&%$=~,. .,~=$%&###