.......... ..........
.......... ..........
........., ,.........
........,~ ~,........
.......,~/ /~,.......
......,~/% . . . %/~,......
.....,~/%$ . . . . . . $%/~,.....
....,~/%$@ , , , , , , , , @$%/~,....
...,~/%$@# ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ #@$%/~,...
..,~/%$@## //////////////////////////////////////// ##@$%/~,..
.,~/%$@### ###@$%/~,.
..,~/%$@## 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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