,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^^^%@# #@%^^^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,,~~--\\%@ , , , @%\\--~~,,
,~-\^%&@## , , , , , , ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\%&@### - - - - - - - - - - - ###@&%\-~,
,,,,~-^%&& \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ &&%^-~,,,,
,~-\^^^&@@ @@&^^^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## 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. ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@@@ @@@&%^\-~,
,,,,-\^&@# \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ #@&^\-,,,,
,~-\^%&@@# - - - - - - - - - - - #@@&%^\-~,
,,,,~\\%%@ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ @%%\\~,,,,
,~-\^%&@## , , , , , , ##@&%^\-~,
,~\^%&@### , , , ###@&%^\~,
,~-\^%&&&@ @&&&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&&@@ @@&&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,~-\^%&@## ##@&%^\-~,
,,,,,,-^^& &^^-,,,,,,