..,,,;*###                                          ###*;,,,..
.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.
.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.
.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.
.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.
....,;;**# 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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.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.
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.,~;†*####                                          ####*†;~,.