..-=%*@#@# #@#@*%=-..
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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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