@§**~.,,,,                                          ,,,,.~**§@
¶@§**~.,,,                                          ,,,.~**§@¶
#¶@§**~.,,                                          ,,.~**§@¶#
##¶@§**~.,                                          ,.~**§@¶##
#¶@§**~.,,                                          ,,.~**§@¶#
¶@§**~.,,, 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.       ,,,,,,,,.~
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~.,,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,,.~
*~.,,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,,.~*
**~.,,,,,,                                          ,,,,,,.~**
§**~.,,,,,                                          ,,,,,.~**§