....-\†$&# #&$†\-....
.....-\†$& &$†\-.....
......-\†$ $†\-......
.......-\† †\-.......
......-\†$ $†\-......
.....-\†$& . . . &$†\-.....
....-\†$&# . . . . . . #&$†\-....
...-\†$&## . . . . . . . . ##&$†\-...
..-\†$&### - - - - - - - - - - - ###&$†\-..
...-\†$&## \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ ##&$†\-...
....-\†$&# #&$†\-....
.....-\†$& 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. &$†\-.....
......-\†$ $†\-......
.......-\† \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ †\-.......
......-\†$ - - - - - - - - - - - $†\-......
.....-\†$& . . . . . . . . &$†\-.....
....-\†$&# . . . . . . #&$†\-....
...-\†$&## . . . ##&$†\-...
..-\†$&### ###&$†\-..
...-\†$&## ##&$†\-...
....-\†$&# #&$†\-....
.....-\†$& &$†\-.....
......-\†$ $†\-......