.......... ..........
~......... .........~
:~........ ........~:
=:~....... .......~:=
@=:~...... ......~:=@
¶@=:~..... . . . .....~:=@¶
@¶@=:~.... . . . . . . ....~:=@¶@
#@¶@=:~... . . . . . . . . ...~:=@¶@#
##@¶@=:~.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..~:=@¶@##
#@¶@=:~... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ...~:=@¶@#
@¶@=:~.... ....~:=@¶@
¶@=:~..... 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. .........~
.......... ..........
.......... :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ..........
.......... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..........
~......... . . . . . . . . .........~
:~........ . . . . . . ........~:
=:~....... . . . .......~:=
@=:~...... ......~:=@
¶@=:~..... .....~:=@¶
@¶@=:~.... ....~:=@¶@
#@¶@=:~... ...~:=@¶@#
##@¶@=:~.. ..~:=@¶@##