.~~=*$#£## ##£#$*=~~.
..~~=*$#£# #£#$*=~~..
...~~=*$#£ £#$*=~~...
....~~=*$# #$*=~~....
.....~~=*$ $*=~~.....
......~~=* . . . *=~~......
.......~~= . . . . . . =~~.......
........~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~........
.........~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.........
........~~ ======================================== ~~........
.......~~= =~~.......
......~~=* JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA *=~~......
.....~~=*$ 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. #$*=~~....
.....~~=*$ $*=~~.....
......~~=* ======================================== *=~~......
.......~~= ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ =~~.......
........~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~........
.........~ . . . . . . ~.........
........~~ . . . ~~........
.......~~= =~~.......
......~~=* *=~~......
.....~~=*$ $*=~~.....
....~~=*$# #$*=~~....
...~~=*$#£ £#$*=~~...