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####...#..                                          ###..#.###
....#..##.                                          #..#.###..
....##.#.#                                          .#.###..#.
....#.####                                          .###..#.##
#...###... IN   THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE ##..#.###.
##..#..#.. CRYSTAL WHITE PLAINS... WE  TRUDGE ALONG #.#.###..#
..#.##.##.   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  .####..#.#
#.###.##.# SNOWED OVER,  IN THE  STILL HOURS  SINCE ##...#.###
.##..##.##          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          #.#..###..
.#.#.#.##.                                          .###.#..#.
.#######.#     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ##..###.##
##......## GROUND.  RIFLES ATTACHED TO  OUR  WRIST, ..#.#..##.
#.#.....#. SHARING  IN OUR  BLOODSTREAM.  MY HUSKY, ..####.#.#
.###....##      MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW...      #.#...####
##..#...#.                                          ####..#...
#.#.##..## THE  FIRST  FIVE  SHOTS  YOU  CAN  SPEND #...#.##..
#####.#.#. INDISCRIMINATELY, THEY HURT BUT DEAL  NO ##..###.#.
#....##### LONG  TIME  DAMAGE  TO THE SHOOTER.  THE #.#.#..###
.#...#.... NEXT  FIVE YOU MUST  SPEND WISELY,  THEY ######.#..
.##..##... WILL  TAKE DAYS TO HEAL. THE  FINAL FIVE ......###.
.#.#.#.#.. YOU    MUST    NOT    SPEND    AT   ALL. ......#..#
#########.                                          ......##.#
.........# WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE WEAK  AUTUMN DAWN, #.....#.##
#........# IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING IS .#....###.
##.......# BURNING   WITH  A  DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, .##...#..#
..#......#       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ##.#..##.#
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