#¶&*$=-~.. ..~-=$*&¶#
¶&*$=-~... ...~-=$*&¶
&*$=-~.... ....~-=$*&
*$=-~..... .....~-=$*
$=-~...... ......~-=$
=-~....... . . . .......~-=
-~........ . . . . . . ........~-
=-~....... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .......~-=
$=-~...... - - - - - - - - - - - ......~-=$
*$=-~..... ======================================== .....~-=$*
&*$=-~.... ....~-=$*&
¶&*$=-~... JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ...~-=$*&¶
#¶&*$=-~.. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ..~-=$*&¶#
##¶&*$=-~. AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .~-=$*&¶##
#¶&*$=-~.. LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ..~-=$*&¶#
¶&*$=-~... SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ...~-=$*&¶
&*$=-~.... DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ....~-=$*&
*$=-~..... WATER. .....~-=$*
$=-~...... ......~-=$
=-~....... ----$$$$$$$$---- .......~-=
-~........ --$$ $$-- ........~-
=-~....... -----$$ 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 .......~-=
$=-~...... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ......~-=$
*$=-~..... DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. .....~-=$*
&*$=-~.... ....~-=$*&
¶&*$=-~... ======================================== ...~-=$*&¶
#¶&*$=-~.. - - - - - - - - - - - ..~-=$*&¶#
##¶&*$=-~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~-=$*&¶##
#¶&*$=-~.. . . . . . . ..~-=$*&¶#
¶&*$=-~... . . . ...~-=$*&¶
&*$=-~.... ....~-=$*&
*$=-~..... .....~-=$*
$=-~...... ......~-=$
=-~....... .......~-=
-~........ ........~-