¤¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤ ¨¨¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¨
¤¤¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¨ ¨¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¨¤
¨¤¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¨ ¨¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¨
¤¨¤¨¨¨¨¤¤¤ ¤¤¨¨¨¨¤¨¤¨
¤¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¨¨ ¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¤¤
¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¨¨ ¨¨¨---****************************---¨¨¨ ¤¤¨¨¤¨¨¨¨¨
¨¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¨¨ ¨-* 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..... -=¨ ¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¤¨¨
¨¨¤¤¤¤¨¤¤¤ ¨¨¨---****************************---¨¨¨ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¨
¨¤¨¨¨¤¤¨¨¨ ¨¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¨¨
¤¤¨¨¤¨¤¨¨¨ ¤¨¨¨¨¨¨¤¨¨
¨¤¨¤¤¤¤¨¨¤ ¤¨¨¨¨¨¤¤¨¤
¤¤¤¨¨¨¤¨¤¨ ¤¨¨¨¨¤¨¤¤¤
¨¨¤¨¨¤¤¤¤¤ ¤¨¨¨¤¤¤¨¨¨