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##¶§$†=~¨¨ = = = = = = = = = = = ¨¨~=†$§¶##
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##¶§$†=~¨¨ ¨¨~=†$§¶##
###¶§$†=~¨ JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA ¨~=†$§¶###
##¶§$†=~¨¨ THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED ¨¨~=†$§¶##
#¶§$†=~¨¨¨ AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE ¨¨¨~=†$§¶#
##¶§$†=~¨¨ LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ¨¨~=†$§¶##
###¶§$†=~¨ SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE ¨~=†$§¶###
##¶§$†=~¨¨ DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK ¨¨~=†$§¶##
#¶§$†=~¨¨¨ WATER. ¨¨¨~=†$§¶#
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##¶§$†=~¨¨ ==$$ $$== ¨¨~=†$§¶##
#¶§$†=~¨¨¨ =====$$ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. $$===== ¨¨¨~=†$§¶#
##¶§$†=~¨¨ ==$$ $$== ¨¨~=†$§¶##
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#¶§$†=~¨¨¨ 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. ¨~=†$§¶###
##¶§$†=~¨¨ ¨¨~=†$§¶##
#¶§$†=~¨¨¨ †††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††††† ¨¨¨~=†$§¶#
##¶§$†=~¨¨ = = = = = = = = = = = ¨¨~=†$§¶##
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