¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨¨¨ ¤¨¤¨¤¤¤¨¨¤
¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¨¨¤ ¤¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¨
¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨¤¤ ¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨
¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤ ¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨
¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤ ¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨
¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤ ¨¨¨~~~;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;~~~¨¨¨ ¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨
¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤ ¨~; 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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