§**«...... ......«**§
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@§§*««.... ....««*§§@
§*«««..... .....«««*§
@§****«... . . . ...«****§@
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#@¶§%**«.. . . . . . . . . ..«**%§¶@#
¶§*«...... « « « « « « « « « « « ......«*§¶
§**....... **************************************** .......**§
§**««..... .....««**§
#@¶§%**«.. 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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