&&&&§^:~~. .~~:^§&&&&
#@#&§^:~~. .~~:^§&#@#
&§§§^:~... ...~:^§§§&
#@#&§^:~~. .~~:^§&#@#
&^::~..... .....~::^&
@@#&§^:~~. . . . .~~:^§&#@@
#@#&§^:~~. . . . . . . .~~:^§&#@#
#@#&§^:~~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~~:^§&#@#
@##&§^:~~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~~:^§&##@
@&^^^::~~. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .~~::^^^&@
##&^:~~~.. ..~~~:^&##
#@#&§^:~~. 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. .~~:::^§§&
@@#&§^:~~. .~~:^§&#@@
@##&§^:~~. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .~~:^§&##@
#@#&§^:~~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~~:^§&#@#
##@#&§^:~. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .~:^§&#@##
&§§::~.... . . . . . . ....~::§§&
@&^^~~.... . . . ....~~^^&@
###&§^:~~. .~~:^§&###
#&§^^:~~~. .~~~:^^§&#
#§^::~~... ...~~::^§#
@@#&§^:~~. .~~:^§&#@@
##@&§^:~~. .~~:^§&@##