The first smells she is going to observe are bronze, iron, and blood. She'll hear the clash of weapons and armor (bronze on bronze and iron on bronze) and the shouting of armies (two different ones, and in fact three).

When she looks around, the obvious thing is above her. Very above. That's - probably a li tall. Entirely stone, looks like, and an odd black stone she probably hasn't seen before. It's like a column holding up an invisible roof.

At its base, there is a fortress, its walls currently broken, which surrounds the tower, made partially of the strange black stone and partially of more ordinary granite. It has multiple rings of defenses and wouldn't be out of place around a minor Manse, though it's mundane to most senses.

The armies are currently fighting around and within the fortress at the Spire's base.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, it seems.

That tower is- she's never seen anything quite like it. It could be from the tales about Chiaroscuro, if its builders had worked in obsidian instead of stained glass. But... if it's worth fighting over, then it must important. Valuable. Powerful. Worth controlling.

Diving straight into an active battle isn't really her style. Is there perhaps a ridge or other vantage point she can slink over to that will facilitate further observation?

Not one that can see over the walls - they're fairly high. But from a rise outside the walls she can see some of the fighting. The two sides seem to be:

- A smaller but disciplined force kitted out in iron and decorated in purple uniforms, who mostly fight in a shield-wall phalanx. Some of them in purple cloth hoods are manipulating stone magically.

- A larger, unruly force, wearing bronze or leather, with minimal consistency other than a lot of red paint, blood, and scars. They seem to outnumber the other side four to one, but their bodies are more like seven to one. The most visible magic on this side is a lot of fire being thrown around.

- (Sharp eyes may pick up that a third force was previously here, with bronze and light blue in their uniforms. None of them seem to still be alive on this side of the walls.)

Hmm. She doesn't recognize the livery, but it could be some cadet house through together a half-baked legion against what, some Threshold barbarians? Looks like Dragonblooded on both sides though, which is strange-ish. This whole place is strange, so she shouldn't necessarily assume the same conventions she's used to apply.

Is either side obviously defending?

No, they're both attacking. There's a shattered gate in the wall, where there are more of the red horde, and a large break in the wall, with more of the purple legion, but they're both pointing inward through the gaps as much as toward each other. (The third type of corpses were defending, and they're accordingly denser on the ground the further in you look. There weren't very many of them, though, even the purples outnumber them.)

(The ethnicities of the people she can see look pretty odd, especially for Dragonblood - mostly pale (not Abyssal-pale, but white) or leathery brown, taller than usual, and wide eyes. But there's a mix, she might not notice if she's not thinking about it.)

Right then. With two competing factions, she doesn't really want to favor one over the other just yet. Better to wait til one side prevails and then have been allied the whole time. So while they sort that out amongst themselves... Celes will turn into a hawk and wing her way over the battle to the upper levels of the fortress which is its object. Any unguarded doors or arrow slits she can slip through?

It doesn't much go up, actually, despite the enormous tower. It's like the walls were built to protect something at the very base.

But the main yard where the burned gate opened up has an open doorway in, and there's arrow slits in the most central ring, which is about three stories.

Inside, there are:

- some more fights between purple and red, but not much, and purple is winning

- many more of the third faction's corpses

- a smell of not-quite ozone which may be regognizable as high concentration of magic, growing in intensity and coming from within

There's an obvious way forward and inward, a tangle of hallways but they lead toward a large doorway set in the side of the tower itself.

Ha, exactly what she was looking for. Navigating the hallways is no problem, she'll switch to a small snake form to stay more inconspicuous.

Has anyone beat her to the tower door?

Yes, they have. There's a group of defenders (the ones in bronze and light blue), and a mixed group attacking them. The attackers have:

A scarred, mohawked, wiry woman in leather armor with blood-red decorations, with a pair of swords at her sides and a bow in her hands

A huge suit of armor, tangled and spiky with what looks like multiple sets of iron and bronze armor twisted together, wielding an iron sword and shield.

A white-bearded, skinny man with a glowing magic staff and a large quill-like dagger, who is tracing symbols in the air and causing spells to take shape

And a large dark-skinned man in black and gold armor, also with a sword and shield, intermittently calling out directions to the others.

(Among the defenders is a middle-aged woman with bright white hair, wearing dark blue cloth held together with large ropes knotted like ship's lines. She is casting magic to support her side, but it doesn't seem to be working well.)

Ah, boo. More fighting.

She doesn't see any anima flux, though, so none of these people are actually Dragonbloods? She would strongly expect them to be flaring in this caliber of fight. The only hiccup with that is the mages, but still, no anima flux.

This does seem like a relatively contained situation, and a critical point, though. To get into the tower, she has to go through here, so...

She'll lend her weight to the attackers' side. She maneuvers to a flanking position and sheds her animal disguise, drawing her tessen from the sleeves of her white dress and laying into the defenders with the steel cases.

The archer reflexively turns to shoot the sudden newcomer -

But the commander calls "Save it, Verse. She looks to be helping us. Thanks, newcomer."

"Thank me when we're on the other side of this door," she responds, as her arm bends in at least two more places than an arm should bend to deliver a rib-shattering strike around an upraised shield.

He nods at the words, then blinks at the motion. "Certainly, ah, Archon?"

They were already winning, this won't last long with her help.

Hopefully she won't need to try too hard, then.

She will not. The spellcaster is stripped of her staff and falls, and in a few moments only one other is left alive - a woman with some rank insignia who's bloody and on one knee, with the walking armor holding a blade near her neck.

Kohl kicks the (large, but wooden, not stone) door in, and Ascension Hall is revealed. There's a large round chamber with sandstone-like walls and a neat tiled floor (whitish stone, not like the internal or external walls). On the far side of the room, between the two largest inner pillars, sits an empty throne.

Stepping into the room reveals no other doors; the one they've just stepped through is flanked by pillars similar to those up against the throne. There's no ceiling - it just disappears into the darkness.

The smell of not-ozone is even thicker here, and a buzzing you can feel in your back teeth has grown sharper. (The Edict can feel its conditions approaching.)

Doesn't quite match the vague mental picture she had...

Celes shakes the blood off her fans, pocketing one and flipping the other open to cool herself off a little. (The design on the leaf shows the phases of the moon from full to empty over a burning mountain.) She saunters over to examine the throne, deliberately casual despite the humming magic in the air.

(That won't be enormously recognizable; the phases of the moon always occur in the same places in the sky here.)

"If you don't mind, I'm going to do the formalities before we investigate Kyros's newest territory."

"Formalities?"

"Ending the Edict of Execution. Seeing as we're now in Ascension Hall and can claim it in Kyros's name as directed."

It's confusing that she could get here without hearing about it, but he's not going to potentially insult an unfamiliar Archon by pointing that out.

"Seems like a waste of potential," she muses.

"If the Oathbreakers rise again, I'm sure Kyros will give us another Edict to proclaim. Maybe the Edict of Darkness, 'until all who did not see the light of order and fully submit to Kyros are dead' would be a fitting punishment."

"Why wait for word from an absent ruler? Power stands before you."

"If I believed that... I might. But the Overlord won't be denied. And of course, 'Unless Our representative holds the Hall of Ascension by Our Day of Swords, all in the valley of Vendrien's Well shall perish.'" The words create eddies in the magic that sits around the Spire; not magical themselves, but reminding the magic of the Edict that this voice spoke the words once before.

"Three days to spare, but I'd rather not chance it."

It's hard to read the expression of a suit of armor, but Barik is managing to express displeasure with his nonetheless.

Lantry looks curious, and his quill hand is twitching like he is barely resisting the urge to start taking notes.

Eb, who's been tugged into the room alongside the other prisoner, is kneeling on the floor with a look of absolute disgust. As is Captain Tarkis Arri, the other prisoner.

Verse just looks interested.

Hum. "I see room for interpretation in those words."

"Oh? And - should we be introduced? I apologize that I don't recognize you, my Lady - Archon? I am Fatebinder Kohl, chosen to proclaim this Edict on Kyros's behalf, and these three are Barik, Verse, and Lantry. Under my command, and thence Archon Tunon's."

"You may call me Celes, Kohl. And I will draw your attention to note that the clause 'in Kyros' name' was lacking from that... Edict."

"Ah, so if I am a representative - I am - my intentions do not matter. Interesting. Shall I test it?"

"Just when I thought things might get boring... Go for it, boss."

"It should prove enlightening either way." (She's more interested in the demonstration of the method than the particular details of implementation. But convincing a servant to forsake their current master is the first step to acquiring them for one's own, so- Two birds, one stone.)

"Well then, Celes," he says, stepping forward into the center of the room and checking that both prisoners are watching. "I, Kohl, representative of Kyros, claim Ascension Hall. Let us be free of this Edict."

The buzzing in the teeth vanishes, the ambient magic swirls more and more intensely, and it seems to invisibly surge inward toward Kohl, wrapping itself around him and pushing upward, lifting him ten feet into the air, glowing visibly, nearly obscuring his features completely.

Then the spirals of power burst.

And crash downward.

The floor shatters.

Underneath it, sitting between the throne and the center, is a large pattern of clear crystals and lines. Some of those lines and crystals are glowing with that same light.

And a smaller circle, big enough to stand in, sitting dead center of the circular hall, is glowing as well, with a steady blue-white light.

(This floor matches the inner walls.)

But - all in this same long instant - this doesn't make any of them lose their footing.

Because they're not in Ascension Hall any more.

(For miles around, everyone looking to the sky sees a brief burst of light, and then a slow crawl of amber snakes of light, spiraling up the outside of the Mountain Spire.)

Everyone in Ascension Hall is now standing in the same relative locations, a half mile higher and slightly west. The air - windy, chill and thin - is immediately evident.

Also evident is a strong sense of age - the Mountain Spire, standing alone and unsupported, but not weakened by time or tide.

Another human-sized circle of light glows behind them, where the door would have been.

In the center rests an abstract stone sculpture, something like a pair of antelope horns, curving slightly inward toward each other, except that they also spiral counter-clockwise, so that the point where they almost-meet at the tips is nearly at a right angle to the point where their bases oppose each other.

Lantry bows to temptation and starts scribbling on his arm with his quill, writing down the sensations before they pass.

"That's... more than expected."

"Merciful Kyros, what happened? Are we atop the Spire?"

"Completely unprecedented! No records whatsoever! I could stay here for a week just chronicling it... Just so long as I don't look down."

"What were you expecting?"

"Claiming the base of the Spire, like many upstart kings and lordlings, and ending the Edict, which I'm told has substantial significance. Having the Spire respond and bring us to the top- Well, I'm glad I did."

His thoughts are tending in a dangerous, even hubristic, direction.

Eb is smirking, muttering "Wonder if even Kyros has seen the world from up here?" to herself.

"If I threw a rock from up here, I wonder if it would cave in the helmet on one of Ashe's silly-looking Iron Guards. Want to bet, Barik?"

"You disgust me," he shoots back, before turning back and looking out and south, glimpsing the Storm that created his body off toward the ocean in Stalwart-that-Was.

"It seems you have hidden potential."

"If I didn't yesterday, I certainly do now," he says wryly, "Kyros only knows why. ...If that."

"I don't think you need to appeal to absent authority for explanation." She smirks. "Only to finding the courage to take the step."

"Oh, I don't expect an explanation. But I do wonder whether I'm a pawn in a plan he devised."

"Does the thought that you are worry you?"

"Of course. The First Corollary always applies - 'Your life is not yours to discard, the Overlord has plans for you.' But it is disconcerting to become someone where he might exercise that right."

"If you wish to not be a target, the obvious thing to do is amass enough power to make any move against you foolish."

"Ah, but that is a classic - the Archon's dilemma. If you amass half that much, you are very much a target. So have you shown disloyalty, you shall soon meet Bleden Mark. I can't say I dislike power, but I like not being assassinated in the middle of the night more."

"Then you need powerful friends as well."

"And numerous ones. You think like an Archon, my lady Celes. I am not so lofty."

"We're literally loftier than anyone on Terratus."

He gives her a dark look. Not now, Fury.

"She makes a good point. You find yourself in a unique position at this moment. It would be wise to take advantage while you can."

"I know too little. For all I know, I'm a child in a thatch cottage, scaring everyone else out by lighting it afire. Sure, I could exult in commanding the whole building myself - but it may be about to collapse on my head. How do we even get down?"

"That I can answer, Fatebinder. If you look closely, there's an image of Ascension Hall visible in that glowing - portal? Don't know how stable it is, of course, but the alternative is jumping."

"You see? Power presents solutions. I could survive the fall, of course, but now you need not test yourself there."

His eyebrows raise. "Could you? Remarkable. I wouldn't have guessed anyone could, except perhaps a master mage of winds, who I'm told can nearly fly."

"Flying is easy. Growing wings is the trick."

He blinks. "That's possible?"

"Not for everyone."

"I would have said not for anyone. Never even heard of an Archon who could do something like that."

"Here I am."

"You certainly are. But for the rest of us, that portal seems helpful. Barik, would you mind being the test run? We ought to tell the Iron Marshal what happened, and you can return - I think. I saw a portal like this, glowing, before we were sent up here."

"Certainly, Fatebinder. What should the message be?"

"That - hmm. That ending the Edict seems to have woken the Spire in some way, and under the circumstances I'm claiming it and the Hall itself, in the name of Tunon's Court. At least until we understand it better. Capturing the outer rings of the fortress were her work and those can of course be Disfavored territory if she or the General wish it. Details can be worked out later."

"I doubt she will be entirely pleased, but it seems a reasonable division. Very well, I will tell her." He starts to walk to the portal, but the light in it vanishes when he's two paces away.

"Ah. A problem."

"Looks like it doesn't like you."

Lantry slowly traces a large sigil in the air, then peers around. "No, I think it's something else. The energies are fading, drifting toward the center."

Kohl tilts his head, like he's trying to hear a distant song better. "And toward me, am I right? The statue is - singing." He takes a couple steps toward it.

(Celes doesn't actually have any special advantages in discerning magical flows. She'll just see how this plays out.)

Lantry nods. "I would advise caution. A great deal of magic is moving, here, and I understand almost none of it. On the other hand..."

"...should perhaps trust the new instincts? You may chronicle my explosion, if not."

He reaches out to the sculpture. "What is this thing?"

"...is this thing...", comes an echo, though who knows from where. It sounds a bit like there are multiple voices in faint harmony.

In a few moments of silence, the currents of magic swirl further, then with a pulse-

Kohl's eyes open, refocused. "I felt the Spire like my own body. And heard other Spires calling out to it."

The air has grown suddenly warmer and thicker, like it was merely the top of a hill, not twice the height of mountains. All the braziers on the low walls and small pillars that surround the Spire's top are lit, flickering, and so is the portal, much steadier than before.

Has the apparent distance to the ground changed if she looks over the side?

Not at all. When right at the edge, even tiny gusts of wind seem to bring air that's slightly thinner and chillier, though, 

Some kind of climate control enchantment, then. Maybe a security measure? Secondary check?

"Next time you'll know what to touch to keep the door open."

"I suppose I will. If they all have one of these."

"Shall I pass the message?"

"Please. But add that I seem to be bonded to the Spire in some way. Thank you."

He nods, and vanishes into the portal.

Captain Arri coughs, and spits blood. She's looking very close to death.

"...Our prisoners. If you surrender," Kohl tells her, "we could still heal you."

"Fuck that, tyrant. I'll die free."

"Better to wish to live free, I'd think. But if you'd prefer it this way, I can oblige." She strides over behind the kneeling woman and snaps her neck in a swift motion. Plucking a small knife from her sleeve, Celes thrusts it into the fresh corpse's chest with a crunching sound, through the heart. Withdrawing it, she brings the blade up to her face to admire for a moment, before licking the tip clean of blood.

"I've given you plenty of reason to kill me, but unlike the captain I'd rather serve than die. Spare me and I'll swear myself to you."

"Changed your mind? You were chasing a futile death. Energetically."

"Your armies crushed us even divided. I have no allegiances left. You beat me personally, and seem decent enough. And I kind of want to see where the winds take this woken Spire thing. That's new."

"You understand you're beaten, and knuckle under. I respect that. I'm inclined to accept your fealty. Thoughts, anyone?"

"I can respect a will to live. But don't expect that this one will keep her loyalty to you if your circumstances become similarly dire."

"I'll have to watch - Eb? - but I accept that risk. I won't be hypocritical; I did the same, once. When my Beast-mother died."

"She's tough. I say take her. And if she doesn't stay in line, I'll take care of it."

"Right. Your oath, then."

She rises to her knees and inclines her head. "I, Eb of the Tidecasters, do hereby pledge my life and loyalty to Fatebinder Kohl. I will serve and obey so long as you have need or want of my skills."

"I accept that pledge." He offers a hand to help her rise.

"What's next?"

"You should ensure your new domain is secure. No leftover rats skulking in the cellars, for example."

"There's not much more to see up here. Back down to the Hall, then. Where power did stand before me after all."

"As I said it did." Through the portal?

"Yes, you were entirely correct. By whatever means. If you please, avoid courting treason so openly before Barik or the other Disfavored; they're not flexible or forgiving in disposition."

"They should open their minds a little, I think."

"Their traditions are a big part of their power, quite literally; 'Graven Ashe protects' all the better because he knows every soldier's name and lineage. Keeping the tactics and mindset of the beginnings of that lineage is all part of it. Boring, maybe, but practical."

A weakness she'll keep in her back pocket.

"Not quite as bad as it could be, if it works."

"The ultimate test, yes."

And then they step up to the portal, and as quickly as they rose, they are all back in the center of Ascension Hall.

It's much as they left it, if you include the shattered floor, portal in the center, and glowing pattern on the under-floor toward the throne in 'how they left it'. Barik is speaking with a purple-armored woman with a flared helm and a completely-covering faceplate. A few other Disfavored soldiers stand behind her at the doors.

"Fatebinder! The Marshal has sent birds to the General and Tunon, conveying our victory and your achievement. I was about to return above."

"Excellent. Rapid replies ahead, surely. Concerns, Marshal?"

"Fatebinder! Thank you for the assistance of you and your team, our victory would have been considerably more difficult without you. The Chorus fled when the Spire flared, so they will be running to Nerat's skirts as we speak. For concerns: minimal ones only. While I appreciate you offering the outer fortress, we'd actually prefer not to garrison it. If you claimed the entirety - or even the whole valley - as Court territory, that would reduce our patrol needs and let us focus on the main camp at Iron Hearth and bottling the Chorus up into the Stone Sea."

"The fortress, certainly; I hereby claim the Mountain Spire, Ascension Hall, and its fortress as a Fatebinder's Court; let all blades be sheathed and all vendettas be suspended within. For the valley... I will consider it. I assume you need a few days to withdraw in good order?"

"That's reasonable. If you reach a decision, let myself or the General know."

Some politics at play here she should investigate at some point. So the remaining faction is the Disfavored, which makes the ones in red the Chorus. Fatebinders as representatives of the Archons who more or less embody the law, it seems, all under this Kyros. Kohl is a Fatebinder who serves Archon Tunon, as do these Disfavored, apparently. And the Chorus are for... Nerat? Presumably another Archon, apparently not all is harmonious under the reign of Kyros. Good, she can use that.

Not quite correct, but she'd probably have to admit not knowing to get someone to straighten it out for her.

"I will. Meanwhile - I introduce Tidecaster Eb, willingly sworn Kyros' subject under me, and the terrifyingly effective Celes, who assisted us just outside Ascension Hall. Please avoid aiming friendly fire at them."

"We will... clear out the oathbreaker's kitchens and barracks. Then rest until missives and orders arrive."

"Of course," she nods, though her gaze rests on Eb for a few moments.

The kitchens aren't enormously full, but there's enough for a very satisfying meal for six people who've been fighting all day.

Are there any oathbreakers lingering? Celes may be able to help clear them out, if so.

No, they were pretty thoroughly slaughtered. They think there are still some Scarlet Chorus scouts hiding nearby to spy, though, and would appreciate help tracking them if she's skilled in that vein.

She has some small talent, yes.

Excellent! They'd like some captives, but they're not expecting to learn much from interrogating any, so no need to take any risks for it. This part of the area they're relatively confident is clear; this other direction there are probably still some spies.

She'll see what she can do.

Starting from the top of the spire, so they have less of a chance to see her coming.

Some of them are looking up. There was that whole 'Spire flashed with light and then had spirals of light climbing it' thing. But they're not expecting anyone to be looking at them from above, so several aren't hidden at all from a bird's eye view.

In an hour or so, she can find eight scouts scattered around the area.

A hawk dives down, a snake slithers away, and shortly a scout tips over, paralyzed by a snakebite to the ankle. She'll be generous and leave two for interrogation- the others, she eats their hearts and claims their faces.

The soldiers are pretty pleased to have some prisoners! Thanks, Celes, you're a cool and helpful probably-Archon.

She is, rather.

What are the other important people up to?

Eating dinner, mostly.

Also sniping at each other, mostly over past rivalries, with varying degrees of heat to the comments. If you'd listen, you'd learn

- Barik and Verse have history beyond just the Disfavored/Chorus rivalry but don't like talking about it

- There were significant grudges between Lantry's mage-guild (Sages) and Eb's (Tidecasters), and Eb is not willing to let them go at all

- Eb may have sworn to be loyal, but she's going to shit-talk both Chorus and Disfavored endlessly anyway

- Verse thinks Lantry is weak and useless

Not exactly perfectly harmonious. Less contentious than some, still.

"Celes! What were you up to?"

"Making new friends and killing them. Not necessarily in that order."

His eyebrows raise. "Anyone we know?"

"You tell me." And she shifts into the form of one of the scouts.

He startles, as does Eb

...and Verse. Who looks a mixture of shocked, disgusted, and afraid.

"Your gang, Verse?"

"No. Just reminds me of the Voices."

She shifts back to her own face. "I see."

"He takes minds. And voices, obviously. He's a monster. And completely insane."

Barik nods emphatically.

"I am not completely insane, of that I can assure you."

"Extremely reassuring," he says dryly.

"Agreement! The matter is therefore settled."

He snorts and shakes his head briefly.

"I have been considering what to do with the civil war that is escalating. It doesn't seem the Disfavored and Chorus are going to break off the hostilities. I - we - could support the Disfavored as they expect, but there are other options."

"Such as?"

"Stay out entirely. Persuade Tiersmen to join Kyros under me or the Court, who haven't been killing them. Go looking for paths into the Spires to see if they respond like this one."

"I would favor looking to control other Spires, myself."

"The same. Though it mixes well with any other."

"Except, perhaps, for staying out of the conflict."

He raises a hand near his face and picks them out on his fingers.

Index finger: "Sunset Spire: Lethian's Crossing, north Haven. Forge-Bound, sworn to Tunon. Neutral."

Middle: "Ocean Spire: western Blade Grave. Disfavored present, thinly, attention elsewhere."

Ring finger: "Aurora Spire: west end of the Stone Sea. Chorus base exists; Earthshakers present somewhere. Cairn's Beasts around. Likely tricky."

Pinkie: "Dawning Spire: east end of the Stone Sea. Closer to Chorus; probably further from Beasts and Earthshakers. Also tricky."

"Two of four not entangled. Good starts."

"The Sunset sounds like the best starting point."

"Definitely. I expect to head there regardless starting tomorrow afternoon, after I see whether Tunon has orders for me."

"What will you do if the orders are to surrender control of this Spire?"

He shakes his head dismissively. "Don't borrow trouble."

"You ought to consider it."

"It might be impossible, and Tunon ordering it would shock me. And planning for it seems likely to incite trouble."

"You would know the Archon's mind, I suppose."

"Moderately; he is not hasty. Order me to account for myself? Possibly. And if my account was not good enough, maybe then."

Hum. "Time to react, then."

"Tomorrow. Tonight? Soldier's wisdom. Never skip a chance to sleep, or to eat."

"Fair enough."

She's earned a bit of a break.

They all have. And most of them need one more than her.

And by the next noon, a number of messages have arrived.

Kohl is sitting in a study-like room off the kitchen, looking at one on less fine parchment, in a precise but informal hand. It reads

My dear Kohl,

The Court is all abuzz with the news of the civil war. Representatives from the Chorus and the Disfavored are having little shouting matches in front of Tunon, the petitioners to the Court seem swept up in talks of who will crush whom and if and when Tunon will bring down the gavel and stop the fighting.

What has me more intrigued is the OTHER story out of Vendrien's Well... Tunon sends you on what I thought was going to be a one-way trip to the Well and not only do you live... you somehow claimed the Mountain Spire. And you broke Kyros's Edict too! Such things make a little civil war seem so trivial in comparison... at least to those who can separate the message from the noise.

Tell me, what was it like to break the Edict? And how it is you took control of the Spire?

-Fatebinder Rhogalus

 

"Jealous admirers already?"

"Curious ones, at least. Tunon's also ordered me back for an honest accout of what happened. Considering his other sources, I'm not concerned.  Yet."

"That does seem to constrain your options somewhat."

"We should have time for the Sunset Spire without judgment for tardiness. If nothing else interrupts. Irritating to Tunon, but not in violation." 

"Satisfying Rhogalus's curiosity, though... I am unsure what is wise."

"Always leave them wanting more. And perhaps a guard on the Spire."

"A wise rule. And... who can I spare? Barik? A fine guard, except it's Disfavored who most need to be kept out. Lantry will learn something about it if he waits, but likewise I want his knowledge at the others. A bored Verse is an unpredictable one. Eb I best not let out of my sight for the time being. And I doubt you're an option."

"Then you'd better be sure to lock the doors behind you."

"Hah. ...Close the portal, maybe? Worth checking."

"If you can then reopen it at your leisure. It seems unlikely that whatever unique confluence of circumstance and person enabled your claim will reoccur soon."

"Unlikely," he agrees, "I'll get Lantry."

A minute or two later, they're in the hall itself, their voices echoing off the cavernous ceiling.

"Now, this is unmapped sea, so of course I can't be certain. There is a thread of energy running up the center, thin and directly ending at the portal; based on the lean, it probably ends at the other portal as well. There is also a substantial pool of energy sitting just below the floor here, and more channels, much wider, spiraling through the walls of the Spire. It clearly isn't relying on the portal."

"First try... widening it," Kohl says, and then sits cross-legged next to the portal. Can he sense this? Manipulate it?

It takes a minute, and he gets the sense he should have stayed standing. But yes, he can. He feels a thin wavering 'spinal cord' flowing between the solid, spiraling cylindrical 'spine', and he can grip it and let it strengthen itself, pulling up from below him.

The lights in the hall flare, the rune of crystals luminescing in several colors before returning to its steady blue-white.

"It looks about... three times the volume, Fatebinder," Lantry confirms, "And it came from below, not above."

"Enough surety to try closing and reopening?"

"I am reluctant to make any claims that are remotely confident... But I can't think of anything that would make me more confident it would work, other than trying it and succeeding."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

"Weeeelll, it may be that the portal does permanently close. I'd be shocked if the bond Kohl formed with it was affected, and with sufficient study I think we could probably learn to reopen it as long as that is intact, buuutt it might be the work of years and we do have this civil war busily affecting things. I think it's probably fine, but the worst could always ensue, as it often does."

"But the scenario you describe sounds eminently recoverable, in a way that the utter destruction of the Spire as a herald of the collapse of a key linchpin of the defense that prevents the world itself from sliding back into the primordial chaos beyond the edges of existence there to dissolve along with the inhabitants in the cacophonous agony of every possible existence at once would not be."

"...I have never heard of that theory of the purpose or creation of the Spires. I'd think Kyros would claim it in propaganda, rather than merely saving us from ordinary mortal chaos."

"But yes, that would be worse."

"No matter how bad things get, they can always be worse." She smiles sweetly.

"Alas, true. I'll try closing it."

He stands next to it, closing his eyes and reaching for the thread he widened. In a minute or two, he found it, and pinched it off from the bottom.

He opened his eyes, and saw that the portal was dark, but the runic array still lit.

"Success?"

"...looks like it. Hanging from above, swaying like a thin rope in a breeze."

"Excellent."

"I had every faith in you."

"Appreciated," he says, slightly tartly. "That's sorted, then. I'll send a short reply to Rhogalus, and then we can be off to Lethian's Crossing."

"A chance to see the world. How exciting."

"This corner of it, at least."

He sends Rhogalus a sketch of the sculpture and a terse statement whose most informative piece is 'I seem to have bonded with the Spire', and a promise that he'll attend the Court within three span, most likely two, after he follows up a lead in Lethian's Crossing.

Then he gathers his increasingly-large retinue and they set out north and west, across the mountains and then along the Oldwalls. On foot; travelers will see ox-drawn carts and, in the field, plows, but not riders; the roads here aren't good enough for chariots, and no one has yet invented the saddle.

How primitive.

And dull, quite frankly. How populated is the area?

Vendrien's Well has lots of farmsteads, though they're a little under-strength from the two rounds of war that have blown through recently.

Haven and the Bastard Tier look like they used to be more thinly populated, but weren't hit hard by the war so that may not still be true. Some farmsteads, but there are a lot more sheep than before; guess there are herders around.

Nothing even fun to look at while they travel so excruciatingly slowly.

Celes is going to verify with Kohl the path he intends to travel, and then she is going to split off from the ground to make her own fun.

"Can I keep up with you? I bet I'm just as bored."

"Depends on what your idea of entertainment entails."

"If it involves drawing blades, I'm probably in."

"Wasn't planning on it, but we can work that in."

"Don't have to change your plans too much for me, it'll still probably be more interesting than marching."

"We'll see."

And so they two can split off from the rest of the group. Celes's plan for entertainment, such as it is, is to seed some odd happenings amidst the farmsteads. Omens.

Huh, like what?

Rains of blood, blighted or mysterious bountiful crops, livestock behaving in unexpected ways, visions, prophecies...

Verse is making a lot of mental notes about what Celes can do. Will she pass them to anyone? Who knows. Not her, that's for sure.

She also adds a couple weird livestock mutilations to the assortment.

"You're sure you're not an Archon?", she'll mention along the way at some point, "Because this is a lot of magic you can do that I've never heard of. And all sigil-less."

"Who said anything about actually doing all of that? It's much easier to make people believe something happened than it is to cause something to happen."

She quirks an eyebrow. "Visions and prophecies, though? Even if they're not true visions. Also I'm fascinated how you are going to convince anyone of a rain of blood."

"A good story told well can be infectious."

"I may cramp your style but I think this will be fun to see."

Then the first step is to find some people to talk to. Ideally a gathering or a small group, not too busy.

Well, they're peasants, they're all busy. But here's a couple farmers, pausing at the edge of a field to talk before going back to planting.

Hello hardworking farmers, would you like to chat with the most beautiful woman you've ever seen in your life? Don't bother answering, she knows you would. And she has the most fascinating stories to tell.

They are happily distracted by the pretty foreigner!

Verse is not immune to extremely pretty foreigner but is managing to be a little disconcerted about it on the side.

That makes it more fun!

She won't spend much more than a half hour on this little gathering before moving on in search of her next victims.

They will be chattering about the stories for much longer than that! Also about the woman who told them.

A while further, there's some fishermen repairing nets and setting them in a stream.

They'll want to be careful with those. She's heard about some underwater monsters that might be moving in...

(Verse, if she's looking carefully, may notice faint silvery tattoos appearing on Celes's skin, shimmering and shifting in the light.)

Oh dear! Well, they do need the fish, but that seems worth being careful about, they'll... only cast them when there's someone behind them to pull them back if a monster tries to grab them? Thanks for the warning, stranger!

Celes clearly likes being mysterious. But she does want to ask. ...A little later?

Perhaps while she's looking for the next set of victims?

She'd been thinking after she saw a little more of what Celes was up to. But actually she's curious

"Where'd you get the tattoos? They look good, but I can't imagine getting tats that elaborate was fun."

"You might be surprised. I hid my skin from the sun for seven days and bathed naked in a pool of liquid moonlight for seven nights."

"Huh, liquid moonlight? Sounds bad for your health. I always heard gravelight* is - sinister, hungry, parasitic." She gestures toward the full moon of Terratus Grave, sitting on the western horizon.

*The moon is called Terratus Grave and its light 'gravelight'. 'Moonlight' is a less-used synonym that includes light from the small Interloper.

Sneer. "Not that pathetic imposter."

"Where's the real one hiding, then?"

A shining silver crescent appears on Celes' forehead, argent light spilling forth bright and pure enough to cast shadow.

"Here, perhaps."

Verse holds a hand up in the light and turns it back and forth, looking at the color. "Almost the same, but not quite... Like gravelight but - healthier. ...You're really something."

Smirk. "I know."

"Is it just you, carrying moonlight in your skin? Or are there others just as dangerous and" pretty "charming?"

"I am in all ways unique."

"We'd probably be overwhelmed if you weren't."

"Then it's a bit of luck for you that things have shaken out this way."

"Yeah," she says, smiling a little tentatively, "I guess it is. What's next, boss?"

"Next," she says, "we are going to add some credibility to the rumors of monster sightings."

"If we want somewhere seen from far off by a bunch of people, that hill seems good." It's not high, but has an eye-catching stand of young trees.

"Oh, yes it does."

It will be very picturesque when said stand is destroyed by a fifty-foot giant snake monster.

...Damn!

Verse is now much less conflicted about inexplicably caring that Celes is pretty. That was hot.

"Note to self: don't piss you off," she says, admiringly.

"Doing so is likely to number among the last mistakes you will make."

"Yeah. You want that trick kept secret, or can I do some bragging on your behalf? Because, damn, that was some beautiful destruction."

"Bragging to who?"

"Kohl's gang, Chorus if I'm back in their camp, the bar at Lethian's Crossing... You know, people who shoot the shit about this kind of thing."

"Hm. I think that would be fine."

"Cool, that's a story worth telling. Well, what's next, boss?"