,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~= =~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:% , , , %:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:%% , , , , , , %%:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:%%§ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ §%%:=~,,,,
,,,~=:%%§@ = = = = = = = = = = = @§%%:=~,,,
,,~=:%%§@@ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: @@§%%:=~,,
,~=:%%§@@# #@@§%%:=~,
,,~=:%%§@@ 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. %:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~= :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: =~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ = = = = = = = = = = = ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,~ , , , , , , ~,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,~= , , , =~,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,~=: :=~,,,,,,,
,,,,,,~=:% %:=~,,,,,,
,,,,,~=:%% %%:=~,,,,,
,,,,~=:%%§ §%%:=~,,,,
,,,~=:%%§@ @§%%:=~,,,