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¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¤ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¨ ¨.: THE SPIRE ~:¨ ¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¤
¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¨ ~:.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:~. ¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¨¨
¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¨ :~. ONCE UPON A TIME, THERE WAS A :.~ ¤¨¨¤¨¨¤¨¨¨
¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤ :.~ BENEVOLENT SPIRE, TOWERING WELL .:~ ¨¤¨¤¤¨¤¤¨¨
¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨ .:~ ABOVE OUR TALLEST TREES. IT WAS .~: ¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¤¨
¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤ .~: CLAD IN WHITE SCALES, AND SHAPED ~.: ¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¤¤
¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¤ ~.: LIKED A MUSHROOM. ~:. ¤¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¨
¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¨¨ ~:. WE LOVED IT DEARLY. :~. ¤¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¨
¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨ :~.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:.~ ¨¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¤
¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¨ :.~ IT PREDATED US BY MANY YEARS, .:~ ¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¨
¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¤ .:~ AND WE DID NOT KNOW ITS ORIGINAL .~: ¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¨
¤¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ .~: BUILDERS. THEY HAD USED ITS ~.: ¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¤
¨¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤ ~.: HOLLOW BODY FOR MANY STRANGE ~:. ¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¤
¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¤ ~:. PURPOSES - A WOMBLIKE PLACE OF :~. ¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¤¨
¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¨ :~. GESTATION, A STORAGE OF STRAGE :.~ ¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¤¤
¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¤ :.~ FLUIDS, A TEMPLE TO SOME KIND OF .:~ ¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨
¨¨¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ .:~ ARCANE DEITY. .~: ¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¨
¨¨¤¤¨¨¤¤¨¤ .~:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.: ¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¨¤
¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¤ ~.: WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR ITS ~:. ¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¤
¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¨ ~:. PRESENCE, AND HONORED IT THE :~. ¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¨¤
¤¤¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¤ :~. ONLY WAY WE KNEW HOW: BY :.~ ¤¨¤¤¨¨¨¨¤¤
¨¨¤¨¨¨¨¨¨¤ ¨.~ BREAKING IN. .~¨ ¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¨
¨¨¤¤¨¨¨¨¨¤ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¤
¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¨¨¤ ¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¨
¤¤¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¤ ¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¤
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¨¤ ¨~: THIS PLACE WE CALLED OUR CITY: .:~ ¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¤¤ .:~ WAVY AND FRACTURED, WITH EACH :.~ ¨¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¤¨ :.~ COURTYARD ON A DIFFERENT HEIGHT, :~. ¤¤¨¤¤¨¨¨¨¤
¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ :~. ROADS BECOMING ROOFS BECOMING ~:. ¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¨¨¤
¨¤¨¨¨¨¤¤¨¤ ~:. DRAINS. AND SOME PLACES, LIKE ~.: ¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¤
¤¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¤ ~.: THE SPIRE, NOBODY HAD ACCESSED .~: ¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¤
¨¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨ .~: FOR MANY YEARS. ONCE ITS WALLS .:~ ¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¤
¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¨¤ .:~ ARE JUST TOO HIGH, AND THE :.~ ¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¨
¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¤ :.~ INTERNAL ROUTES TO LABYRINTHINE, :~. ¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¨
¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¤¤ :~. A PLACE AMONG OTHERS IS EASILY ~:. ¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤
¨¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¨ ~:. OVERLOOKED. .~: ¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¨
¨¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¤ .~:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.:~ ¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¤
¤¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¨ .:~ SO, BASICALLY, THAT SUMMER THE :.~ ¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¨ :.~ FOUR OF US SNUCK AND CLIMBED AND ~.: ¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¤
¤¨¨¨¨¤¨¨¤¨ :~. CRAWLED FOR WEEKS, SEARCHING FOR ~:. ¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¨¨¨
¤¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¤¤ ~:. A SECLUDED PLACE TO DO DRUGS AND ~.: ¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¨¨
¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨ ~.: PLAY MUSIC ON OUR HANDHELDS. .~: ¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¨
¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¨¤ .~: INSTEAD WE FOUND VAST LUNGS .:~ ¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨
¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¨¤¤ .:~ DRAINED OF THEIR CATALYST :.~ ¨¤¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨
¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¤¨ :.~ SLUDGE, AND A BIRDS-EYE VIEW TO :~. ¨¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¨¤
¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¤ :~. MAKE SENSE OF OUR ROAMINGS FOR ~:. ¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¤
¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¨¨¨ ~:. YEARS TO COME. ~.: ¤¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¤¤
¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¨¨ ~.:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.~: ¨¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨
¨¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¨ .~: A CENTRAL SPINE, A STAIRCASE .:~ ¨¨¤¤¨¤¤¤¨¤
¤¤¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨ .:~ AROUND IT, THE SEVEN TOROIDAL :.~ ¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¤
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¤¨ :.~ LUNGS STACKED OUTSIDE, AND THE :~. ¤¨¤¤¤¨¤¨¤¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ :~. CONTROL ROOM ON TOP. THE SOCKETS ~:. ¨¤¤¨¨¤¤¤¤¤
¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¨¤ ~:. FOR ITS EYES. THE SMALLER SPIRES ~.: ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¨¨
¤¤¨¨¨¨¤¨¤¤ ~.: FOR RADIATING CONSCIOUSNESS .~: ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¨¨¨
¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨ ¨~: INVITATIONS. .:¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¨
¤¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¤ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¤¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¨
¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¤ ¨¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¨¤¤¨¨¨¨¤¤¤
¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¨ ¨.: IN TWENTY FOURTEEN, THE TOWER IS :~. ¤¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¨¨
¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¨¤ ~:. TOPPLED AND EATEN BY MACHINES. :.~ ¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¤¨
¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¤ :~. AFTER A WHILE, SOMETHING NEW IS .:~ ¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¨ :.~ CONJURED IN ITS PLACE. IT'S A .~: ¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¤
¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¨ .:~ TINY MAW AT FIRST, SHORTER THAN ~.: ¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¨¨
¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¨ .~: US, AND WE LET IT BE. OUR ~:. ¤¨¨¤¨¨¤¨¨¨
¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤ ~.: JOURNEYS STILL END AT ITS FEET. :~. ¨¤¨¤¤¨¤¤¨¨
¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨ ~:.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:.~ ¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¤¨
¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤ :~. BUT THEN WE ARE BETRAYED. THE .:~ ¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¤¤
¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¤ :.~ NEW TOWER EATS US. OTHERS ARE .~: ¤¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¨
¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¨¨ .:~ SUCKED INSIDE. NEW BUILDINGS ARE ~.: ¤¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¨
¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨ .~: MANIFESTED OVERNIGHT, ONLY TO ~:. ¨¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¤
¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¨ ~.: DISAPPEAR IN THE EVENING FOG. :~. ¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¨
¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¤ ~:. FOR A WHILE ITS SOME KIND OF :.~ ¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¨
¤¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ :~. TIMESHARE SCAM. GOONS ARE PLACED .:~ ¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¨¤
¨¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤ :.~ OUTSIDE, AND WE GET BEATEN UP A .~: ¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¨¤¤
¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¤ .:~ FEW TIMES, AND STOP GOING. ~.: ¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¤¨
¤¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¨ .~:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:. ¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¤¤¤
¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¤ ~.: IIRC IT'S CURRENTLY OWNED BY :~. ¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨
¨¨¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¤ ~:. SOME ENERGY DRINK BARON WHO USES :.~ ¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¨
¨¨¤¤¨¨¤¤¨¤ :~. IT TO HOLD ALL HIS FOURTY EIGHT .:~ ¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¨¤
¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¤ ¨.~ CARS..... .~¨ ¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¤
¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¨ ¨¨¨...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::...¨¨¨ ¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¨¤
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