,,,,~***$# #$***~,,,,
,,,,.***^@ @^***.,,,,
,.~*^$@#@# #@#@$^*~.,
,,,,,.*^@@ @@^*.,,,,,
,.~*^$@#@# #@#@$^*~.,
,,,,~^$$@@ , , , @@$$^~,,,,
,.~*$@#@## , , , , , , ##@#@$*~.,
,.~*^$@#@# . . . . . . . . #@#@$^*~.,
,.~*^$#@## ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ##@#$^*~.,
,.~*^$@#@# **************************************** #@#@$^*~.,
,.~*^$@#@@ @@#@$^*~.,
,.~***$$@# JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA #@$$***~.,
,,,,.**^$# THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED #$^**.,,,,
,,,,~~~*$@ AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE @$*~~~,,,,
,,,,,..*$@ LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE @$*..,,,,,
,.~*^$@#@# SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE #@#@$^*~.,
,,,,,.~*$# DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK #$*~.,,,,,
,,,..~~*^@ 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 @@^^^~,,,,
,.~*^$#@## DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ##@#$^*~.,
,.~*^$@#@# #@#@$^*~.,
,.~*^$@#@# **************************************** #@#@$^*~.,
,,,...~*$# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #$*~...,,,
,.~*^$@@## . . . . . . . . ##@@$^*~.,
,.~*^$@@@@ , , , , , , @@@@$^*~.,
,.~*^^^$$@ , , , @$$^^^*~.,
,.~*^$@### ###@$^*~.,
,,,,.~^@#@ @#@^~.,,,,
,.~*^$@#@# #@#@$^*~.,
,.~*^$@#@# #@#@$^*~.,
,,,,,.*$@@ @@$*.,,,,,