The Endless Spire: Tasi

Since the moment that she had heard of the tower that had arisen from where the Ravenous Beast fell, Anastasiya had been lured towards the spire. After fully recovering from the loss of her first life, she had found her feet walking towards it, waking from a sleeplike haze to find herself walking, Senàn beside her, the slightest glint of worry in his eyes. She had resisted at first, walking back to the broken hunting lodge that had been her home for a while, but eventually she could no longer be persuaded otherwise. She had to see this place, had to see what wonders it held. 

Perhaps it would hold treasure, enough to solve her money problems. She had eventually met with her investors and invested what gold she had, but it would take time for those investments to give her enough to live off of. If she went to the Tower and explored it, perhaps she could make off with whatever gold and treasures it held and sell them at a profit. She knew Silvanus could likely set her up with buyers for magic objects, and that would provide her enough gold to get papers forged, a history made for this new face. And if it went against the Order and the Archon's Witchfinders? Even better. 

Finally, donning a pale cream robe, edged with silver borders and embroidery that she had taken from the clothesline of some noble's estate, she packed her meager belongings, nodded at Senàn, and took to the skies. 

It took a day for them to reach the Tower, flying hard in order to make it by nightfall so that they might sneak in undetected. It would be difficult to get past the Order's henchmen, she was sure, but if the rumors surrounding the Tower were true, then once she was inside, she would be home free, able to explore unimpeded and make off with whatever she could. Perhaps there were caverns full of gold and jewels, or meticulous libraries with unnamed magical delights. 

Either way, she would find her fortune there. 

As the sky darkened, they landed unseen in the jungle's embrace, only yards away from the Spire's walls. She nearly gasped before drawing the sound back inside, her sharp eyes cataloguing the structure. It reached towards the sky, and as she watched she could see floors being added to the top- not by worker's hands, but by the Spire itself. The tower was made of creamy stone, smooth and lacking seams, as if it had been made from one piece of limestone or marble. Impossible, of course, for anything but a magic tower. 

A snort from Senàn caught her attention, as her gaze was forcibly dragged away from the mesmerizing structure. She then saw what had caught his attention- guards. Tens of them, perhaps even a hundred, some bearing the Order's robes that were given to enchanters, some bearing armor and weapons and the hard, heavy glares of Witchfinders. They argued by what was probably the main entrance to the tower, the mages of the Order doing their best to keep the Witchfinders out. She gave a soft snort of her own, then. At least she could count on the Order to keep the Witchfinders out- for now. But with their argument so close to the entrance, how was she to get around them to enter and explore?

Lost in her thoughts, it took several tries for her wyvern to get her attention. 

-swear to the patrons that be, Anastasiya, are you deaf?

Shaking her head, she brought herself back to the present, shoving the thoughts and planning away to deal with her troublesome beast. "What, Senàn?"

He merely pointed his head towards the side of the Spire closest to them. Look.

She turned her head, and there it was- an opening in the seamless stone that hadn't been there before. The tower was dark inside, but it was there- an opening, one they could slip inside undetected as the argument at the main entrance continued on, distracting the patrolling guards. Turning her head back to Senàn, she nodded, and they both dashed for the opening, wings tucked in tight for her, his straining to hold his balance in the muddy soil. 

Once they were both fully inside, the Tower shut the entrance, leaving them in the dark. There was a moment of panic, of the building of a scream inside her chest, her feathers ruffling and her jaw straining to hold back the cry, before she was able to think logically and light her hand ablaze. Before her eyes, a maze formed from the darkness, the tunnels just barely wide enough to accomodate Senàn's girth and wingspan. It seemed that he would have to follow her, and she would lead. 

Which way do you wish to tread, Child of Fire?

She looked around her, seeing the path ahead that eventually dipped to the left, the path to her left that faded into darkness, and the path on the right that had the slightest bit of light at the end- perhaps to the exit, or a room with windows? She wasn't sure, but she knew that walking right out the main entrance right now would be the worst possible thing to do. 

"Left," she said, placing her hand against the stone and turning up her heat as far as it would go, leaving a seared handprint in the stone. It was shallow, and bore no ashes or soot to mark it in the walls, just a faint indentation that could only be felt by rubbing one's hand against the wall. It would work for her to find her way back to this spot, and pray that the tower would open up the second entrance again. 

The pair walked, Anastasiya leading the way with her fire, and Senàn following close behind. The darkness grew deeper, touched with hints of menace, as they continued down an ever-winding path. She felt watched, and not by Senàn, but by the darkness itself. Perhaps it was the tower, judging her mettle and seeing what it could throw at her before she fled. 

A hiss was all the warning she got before the floor dropped from beneath her, revealing a pit of spikes. An overused trap, but effective- if she didn't have wings. Senàn pulled up, backing up to keep himself from falling into the pit, and Anastasiya took to the skies as best she could- the passageways were a tad too narrow to fly comfortably. Landing on the other side, she looked back at her wyvern, who most definitely could not fly in this cramped space, not when the bulk of his body just barely fit through the hallways. Making a motion with her hand, she watched as he faded from view, called back into herself, as every familiar could be. Perhaps it was better to keep him this way, and release him if he was needed.

The saddlebags that she had made for him hung off of her frame, summoned back to her with the beast's body. They were far too large for her to carry, but for now, it would have to do.

Let me out, Child of Flames. I can help you.

No, Senàn, she thought, her mental voice strong and firm. You don't fit through these hallways. I can handle the saddlebags for a while.

She felt him grumbling, and she readjusted the straps, tightening them around her hips and shoulders, the excess leather hanging from the back of her frame, trailing along behind her with the robes' fabric. It was certainly cumbersome, but there were likely to be more traps like that. It didn't make sense to have to go through this process over and over again. Her hand lit brighter than before, to give her excess warning time, she continued on. 

More traps were laid before her as the path turned upward, the muscles in her legs beginning to strain themselves. Arrows shot from unseen chambers, a dose of poison gas that she had to spend half an hour healing from, tripwires, pressure plates, and more spikes. There was even a room that shot fire at her, which luckily wasn't difficult to counter. Every time a trap revealed itself, she felt Senàn's grumbles intensify, his worry for her palpable. Finally, she could hold him back no longer. She was tired, the saddlebags were heavy, and she was done with this Spire's traps and threats. She felt him leave her well of magic and he appeared before her, his eyes cataloguing her appearance- a tad disheveled, covered in sweat, and her limbs beginning to shake from exhaustion. 

Come, child, he murmured, wrapping his head around her body as she finished placing the saddlebags on him. Let me walk a ways. You need the rest. 

"But you may need me. You can't fly in these passages."

She still let herself be lifted onto her familiar's broad back, relishing in the relief her feet and legs got from no longer carrying her weight, the joy she felt at being able to simply rest. 

I can handle it, Child of Fire, he said, giving her one last soft nudge to center her perfectly on his back. I believe that the Spire shall not test us much more. Hopefully it will lead us to what we need to survive.

And so she rested, her heavy eyelids drifting shut as Senàn carried them further upwards, claws gripping into smooth stone, his mouth lit with flames to light their way. She might have even taken a catnap or two, for when she opened her eyes again, there was light at the end of the tunnel. The new chamber they entered had open windows, and the sky there was beginning to lighten- dawn was approaching, and Anastasiya had never felt more tired than she did now. But the shock- the fear of being seen as they fled- woke her up instantly. "We have to hurry, Senàn," she spoke, sitting fully upright. "We need to find whatever we can and leave, before they spot us."

Fret not, child. We are close to something.

Indeed they were. They rounded a corner and there was a chamber, built into this floor of windows and the beautiful sky. Lit within by torches, lay a collection of all things shimmering and sparkling. It was practically a dragon's treasure trove- gold and silver and gemstones were everywhere. A smile lit Anastasiya's face- this was exactly what she needed. Money to create a new image for herself, to create the backstory she wanted, that would make her appear credible and let her lend her powers to help other mages in need. 

Scrambling down from Senàn's back, she opened the saddlebags, targeting the so many shiny things that lay within her reach. A few hummed with magic, and she left those behind- the last thing she needed was a curse from one of them. No, the gems and coins would do nicely to restore her to her former glory; she needed not the scrolls of forbidden knowledge and the weapons of potentially dangerous magics. 

Once the saddlebags were full, she closed them, buckling them tightly so that nothing could escape. She needed every cent in order to make her dream a reality. The pair left the chamber, which still had plenty to spare, and walked over to a window. It would be a tight fit for Senàn, but they would make it work. They had no time left- the sky was lightening faster, now, the sun only moments from appearing. Sharing a nod, Anastasiya flew from the opening in the stone first, followed by Senàn's bulk, and together, they took off into the sky, flying hard and fast for their broken home before anyone could come to stop them.