...:~=^¤££                                          ££¤^=~:...
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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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....:~=^¤£                                          £¤^=~:....