...^»*§$#@ @#$§*»^...
..^»*§$#@# #@#$§*»^..
.^»*§$#@## ##@#$§*»^.
^»*§$#@### ###@#$§*»^
.^»*§$#@## ##@#$§*»^.
..^»*§$#@# . . . #@#$§*»^..
...^»*§$#@ . . . . . . @#$§*»^...
....^»*§$# ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ #$§*»^....
.....^»*§$ » » » » » » » » » » » $§*»^.....
......^»*§ **************************************** §*»^......
.......^»* *»^.......
......^»*§ JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA §*»^......
.....^»*§$ 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 $§*»^.....
......^»*§ DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. §*»^......
.......^»* *»^.......
......^»*§ **************************************** §*»^......
.....^»*§$ » » » » » » » » » » » $§*»^.....
....^»*§$# ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ #$§*»^....
...^»*§$#@ . . . . . . @#$§*»^...
..^»*§$#@# . . . #@#$§*»^..
.^»*§$#@## ##@#$§*»^.
^»*§$#@### ###@#$§*»^
.^»*§$#@## ##@#$§*»^.
..^»*§$#@# #@#$§*»^..
...^»*§$#@ @#$§*»^...