.##..#.... #.##...#.#
.###..#... ..###.....
.#.##..#.. ..#.##....
...###..#. ....###...
...#.##..# ....#.##..
.....###.. . . . ......###.
.....#.##. . . . . . . #.....#.##
#......### , , , , , , , , ##......##
##.....#.# - - - - - - - - - - - ###.....#.
###......# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ #.##......
#.##.....# ..###.....
..###..... 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. ##..#.....
.....#.##. .##..#....
.......### ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ .###..#...
.......#.# - - - - - - - - - - - .#.##..#..
.........# , , , , , , , , ...###..#.
.........# . . . . . . ...#.##..#
#......... . . . .....###..
.#........ .....#.##.
..#....... #......###
#..#...... ##.....#.#
##..#..... ###......#
.##..#.... #.##.....#