###@¤%=;~. .~;=%¤@###
##@¤%=;~.. ..~;=%¤@##
#@¤%=;~... ...~;=%¤@#
@¤%=;~.... ....~;=%¤@
¤%=;~..... .....~;=%¤
%=;~...... . . . ......~;=%
=;~....... . . . . . . .......~;=
;~........ . . . . . . . . ........~;
~......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .........~
;~........ ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ........~;
=;~....... .......~;=
%=;~...... 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. ....~;=%¤@
¤%=;~..... .....~;=%¤
%=;~...... ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; ......~;=%
=;~....... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .......~;=
;~........ . . . . . . . . ........~;
~......... . . . . . . .........~
;~........ . . . ........~;
=;~....... .......~;=
%=;~...... ......~;=%
¤%=;~..... .....~;=%¤
@¤%=;~.... ....~;=%¤@
#@¤%=;~... ...~;=%¤@#