###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
#§$$*~.... ....~*$$§#
###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
#§§§$**=~. .~=**$§§§#
###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
§§$$*=.... . . . ....=*$$§§
###§$**=~. . . . . . . .~=**$§###
#$$*==~... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ...~==*$$#
§*=....... = = = = = = = = = = = .......=*§
§$*====~~. **************************************** .~~====*$§
###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
####§$**=~ JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ~=**$§####
§$$*===... THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ...===*$$§
§$**=..... AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE .....=**$§
#§$*====~. LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE .~====*$§#
###§$**=~. SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE .~=**$§###
§§*===.... 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 ..~===*§##
###§$**=~. BLEEDING FROM A THOUSAND WOUNDS. AS .~=**$§###
#$**~..... THEY DRINK FROM THE DARK WATER, IT IS .....~**$#
####§$*=~. IN TURN DRINKING THE ANIMALS BLOOD. .~=*$§####
###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS .~=**$§###
#§§§$**=~. DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES .~=**$§§§#
###§$**=~. DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. .~=**$§###
§$*==~.... ....~==*$§
###§$**=~. **************************************** .~=**$§###
####§$**=. = = = = = = = = = = = .=**$§####
###§$**=~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. . . . . . . .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. . . . .~=**$§###
###§$**=~. .~=**$§###
##$$$**=~. .~=**$$$##
§§§$$**=~. .~=**$$§§§
§*===~.... ....~===*§
§**==~.... ....~==**§