..«*%&@¶## ##¶@&%*«..
...«*%&@¶# #¶@&%*«...
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....
.....«*%&@ @&%*«.....
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....
...«*%&@¶# . . . #¶@&%*«...
..«*%&@¶## . . . . . . ##¶@&%*«..
...«*%&@¶# . . . . . . . . #¶@&%*«...
....«*%&@¶ « « « « « « « « « « « ¶@&%*«....
.....«*%&@ **************************************** @&%*«.....
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....
...«*%&@¶# 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. @&%*«.....
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....
...«*%&@¶# **************************************** #¶@&%*«...
..«*%&@¶## « « « « « « « « « « « ##¶@&%*«..
...«*%&@¶# . . . . . . . . #¶@&%*«...
....«*%&@¶ . . . . . . ¶@&%*«....
.....«*%&@ . . . @&%*«.....
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....
...«*%&@¶# #¶@&%*«...
..«*%&@¶## ##¶@&%*«..
...«*%&@¶# #¶@&%*«...
....«*%&@¶ ¶@&%*«....