..~«=%%### ###%%=«~..
.~«=%%#### ####%%=«~.
..~«=%%### ###%%=«~..
...~«=%%## ##%%=«~...
....~«=%%# #%%=«~....
.....~«=%% . . . %%=«~.....
......~«=% . . . . . . %=«~......
.......~«= ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ =«~.......
........~« « « « « « « « « « « « «~........
.........~ ======================================== ~.........
.......... ..........
.........~ 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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......~«=% %=«~......
.......~«= =«~.......
........~« «~........