At the far end of the hall, a staircase spiraled upward into the fortress. Garrett climbed, his breath coming in labored gasps, his chest tight with the effort. The stairs went on and on, past floors filled with empty rooms, past armories that still held weapons of strange design, past libraries where books turned to ash at the slightest touch. Finally, after what felt like hours, Garrett emerged onto a platform at the top of the highest tower.
