#@##%**«~, ,~«**%##@#
#%*****«~, ,~«*****%#
#%***~~,,, ,,,~~***%#
#**~,,,,,, ,,,,,,~**#
@##**~~,,, ,,,~~**##@
#@##%**«~, , , , ,~«**%##@#
#**«~,,,,, , , , , , , ,,,,,~«**#
#*****«~~, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,~~«*****#
#@##%**«~, « « « « « « « « « « « ,~«**%##@#
#%*~~~~,,, **************************************** ,,,~~~~*%#
##@##**«~, ,~«**##@##
##@##%**«~ 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. ,~«**%####
##@#%**«~, ,~«**%#@##
#@##%**«~, **************************************** ,~«**%##@#
##%**«~,,, « « « « « « « « « « « ,,,~«**%##
@@##%**«~, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,~«**%##@@
#%*«,,,,,, , , , , , , ,,,,,,«*%#
##*«,,,,,, , , , ,,,,,,«*##
#%**«,,,,, ,,,,,«**%#
#@##%**«~, ,~«**%##@#
##@##**«~, ,~«**##@##
##@##**«~, ,~«**##@##
##@#%**«~, ,~«**%#@##