¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤
¤¤¤¤¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¤¤¨¨¨¤¤¨
¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¤
¤¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¨ ¤¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¨
¤¨¨¤¤¤¤¤¨¨ ¨¨¨^^^\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\^^^¨¨¨ ¤¤¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨
¤¤¨¤¨¨¨¨¤¨ ¨^\ 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..... ^«¨ ¨¨¤¨¨¤¨¨¨¤
¨¨¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¤ ¨¨¨^^^\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\^^^¨¨¨ ¤¨¤¤¨¤¤¨¨¤
¤¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¨¨ ¨¤¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¨¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¤¨¤¤¤¤
¤¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¨ ¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¨¨
¤¨¤¨¨¤¨¨¤¨ ¨¨¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¨
¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¤¤ ¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¤¨