,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,,,,:*%%## ##%%*:,,,,
,:=*%%@@## ##@@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@@## ##@@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### , , , ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### , , , , , , ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### : : : : : : : : ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%%%## = = = = = = = = = = = ##%%%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### **************************************** ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,,,::*%%%@ 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. @%*=:,,,,,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### **************************************** ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@@@@ = = = = = = = = = = = @@@@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### : : : : : : : : ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@@## , , , , , , ##@@%%*=:,
,:====**%@ , , , @%**====:,
,,,:*%%%@@ @@%%%*:,,,
,:=*%%@@## ##@@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,
,:=*%%@### ###@%%*=:,