.:~=*@####                                          ####@*=~:.
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.
..:::=*%##                                          ##%*=:::..
.....:~*%#                                          #%*~:.....
...~===%@# 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.       #%=~:.....
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.
...~==*@##                                          ##@*==~...
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.
.:~=*%@###                                          ###@%*=~:.