......~*@#                                          #@*~......
....~~*@@#                                          #@@*~~....
.~=*=@@@@#                                          #@@@@=*=~.
.~=*=@#@##                                          ##@#@=*=~.
.~=*=@#@##                                          ##@#@=*=~.
....====@# 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.       ###@@=*=~.
....~~==#@                                          @#==~~....
...~===*@#                                          #@*===~...
....=*@##@                                          @##@*=....
.~=*===#@#                                          #@#===*=~.
..~~~~==##                                          ##==~~~~..