..:-=*&¤¶# #¶¤&*=-:..
...:-=*&¤¶ ¶¤&*=-:...
....:-=*&¤ ¤&*=-:....
.....:-=*& &*=-:.....
......:-=* *=-:......
.......:-= ...:::============================:::... =-:.......
........:- .:= 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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