.......... .#........
########## ...#######
########## ##..######
########## #....#####
#########. ..##..####
########.. . . . #......###
#######... . . . . . . ..####..##
######..## , , , , , , , , ...##....#
#####....# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ##....##..
.###..##.. **************************************** ...##.....
..#....... ##....####
....###### 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. .##..####.
#..##..### ......##..
........## **************************************** .####.....
#######..# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..##..####
######.... , , , , , , , , #......###
#####..### . . . . . . ..####..##
####....## . . . ...##....#
###..##... ##....##..
.#......## ...##.....
...####... ##....####
.#..##..## #..##..##.
.......... ..........