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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. ^^««««« §£^*«~....
.....~«*^£ ««^^ ^^«« £^*«~.....
......~«*^ ««««^^^^^^^^«««« ^*«~......
.......~«* *«~.......
........~« 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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