,,,.~:$@## ##@$:~.,,,
,,.~:$@### ###@$:~.,,
,.~:$@#### ####@$:~.,
,,.~:$@### ###@$:~.,,
,,,.~:$@## ##@$:~.,,,
,,,,.~:$@# , , , #@$:~.,,,,
,,,,,.~:$@ , , , , , , @$:~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:$ . . . . . . . . $:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:$ :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: $:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~:$@ @$:~.,,,,,
,,,,.~:$@# 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. ###@$:~.,,
,,,.~:$@## ##@$:~.,,,
,,,,.~:$@# :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: #@$:~.,,,,
,,,,,.~:$@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ @$:~.,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:$ . . . . . . . . $:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,,,.~: , , , , , , :~.,,,,,,,
,,,,,,.~:$ , , , $:~.,,,,,,
,,,,,.~:$@ @$:~.,,,,,
,,,,.~:$@# #@$:~.,,,,
,,,.~:$@## ##@$:~.,,,
,,.~:$@### ###@$:~.,,
,.~:$@#### ####@$:~.,