....^~=†@#                                          #@†=~^....
....~=†$$#                                          #$$†=~....
.^~=†$@###                                          ###@$†=~^.
.^~=†$@###                                          ###@$†=~^.
....~=†$$#                                          #$$†=~....
...^~=$$$@ IN   THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE @$$$=~^...
.^~=†$@### CRYSTAL WHITE  PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG ###@$†=~^.
.....^=$$@   THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY  @$$=^.....
....^~=†@# 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 ####@†=~^.
.....^=$$@ YOU    MUST    NOT   SPEND    AT    ALL. @$$=^.....
.....~=†@#                                          #@†=~.....
.....~†$## WEEKS EARLIER, IN  THE WEAK AUTUMN DAWN, ##$†~.....
.^=†$@#### IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING IS ####@$†=^.
.....^~=$@ BURNING  WITH   A  DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, @$=~^.....
.^~=†$@###       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       ###@$†=~^.
...~==$@##                                          ##@$==~...
...^^=†$@@                                          @@$†=^^...
.^~=†$@###                                          ###@$†=~^.
....^^==$#                                          #$==^^....
.^~=†$$@##                                          ##@$$†=~^.