¨¨¤¤¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¨¤¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¨¨¨^^^////////////////////////////^^^¨¨¨ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨^/ 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..... ^=¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¨¨¨^^^////////////////////////////^^^¨¨¨ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¤¤¨¨¤¨¤ ¤¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤
¨¤¨¨¤¨¤¤¨¨ ¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤¨¤