There is glory in conquest, that is well known,
in the shining shield wall, in bloodshed and strife
or in the long war, in the most sacred of struggles
against the world's secrets, against the unknown.
That war is the noblest, it surpasses the rest
in what triumph attains, in how all people gain.
Spires, if you can recall all you have seen
the moments of triumph, as knowledge advanced
by the work of the great Skypainter's daughter,
Almay of Hallifax, the society's glory.


She had been tutored in the flower of youth
by truth-finding Halon, he who had loved her
as his own child, her mind had impressed him,
won his affection, and all the attention
he could spare from his work to train a young mind.
After some time she passed from his care
when he set out from the spires to the unknown,
and she sought out new teachers that she might learn
those highest laws that rule over nature itself.
She found her first teacher, he taught her well
and his name was Tahlo, he was highly esteemed
as a builder of wonders of glass and of jewels.
From him Almay learned of the harmonic power
of form and of function, and beyond that
geometric transcendence, of might and of grace.
She learned quickly and well, her mind was quite quick,
but these studies bored her, she felt no wonder
and so she moved on then to learn from another.
She found a new teacher, a rightly-famed lady
from an old house, she was called Failee
and virtue and skill were wed in her mind.
Almay learned both, she learned all of the laws
of time that were known, but she learned far more
and of greater importance for coming days.
Failee was diligent, and Failee pressed on
against slumber and sloth, she worked without ceasing.
Almay saw that, and took it as her example
strove to live the same way, to serve just as well.
Still she moved on when she had learned all she could
sought a new teacher, and looked for new wonders.
She met another, and Lekok was his name,
he worked in the greenhouse, surrounded by life
and made it grow as he wished, he was the master
and he made nature tame, made plants grow for our sake,
what once had been wild, was civilized by his skill.
That amazed Almay, and she found a great pleasure
in learning that skill, in taming the wild
and putting it to good use for our city's sake.


Once some time had passed and she had learned quite well
only one task was left, only one trial remained
before the inquiring caste would be open to her
a test of her skill in the traditional way,
she had but to find some yet unspoken truth
a wonder unseen, that she could bring into sight.
Almay considered the matter, and then she resolved
to turn her attention to the flowers which kill,
the life-stealing blossoms of every type
which were often carried by our shadow-clad foes
and stole many good men from the Collective's embrace.
She went forth to the Sentinels standing the long watch
gave them her petition, called for their aid
that they might grant her that which they had taken
from those they had slain, they they might give her
the tools of a traitor that they returned to the wheel.
To this they consented, they knew it was their duty
to render aid as they could to the inquisitive caste.


They gave her seeds that would grow to be fatal
and gave her a guard to watch over their growth
lest they be stolen and put to an ill use.
With great gratitude Almay went to her work,
planted the seeds, and she tended them well
and plucked the blossoms when they had finally grown.
Then she called for servants, called the condemned
and made her mind ready for the grim task to come.
Then her true work began, she turned to the first
a thief and a scoundrel, condemned to die by the law
but a man still alive, with fear in his eyes.
Almay's heart stood against her, she forced it aside
made her thoughts sovereign, made her heart submit,
turned her soul into steel for the sake of the truth.
She pulled his mouth open, gave him a small dose
of the fatal blossom, and then she awaited
his dying moment with a quill in her hand.
She noted each detail as his soul left his flesh
the fear in his eyes, the heat leaving his form
the pulse growing weaker, the breath fading away.
Then she cut into his body, looked at the damage
which organs had failed, which could still function
in their proper manner, then she set him aside.
She shed a small tear for what had to be done
then turned to the next, who had been condemned
as a deviant and traitor, she gave him his dose
a little larger than the first, then she waited.
Thus did she work for a single long night
helping traitors to serve even as justice was done.


Her pain soon faded, her sorrow soon ceased
only duty remained, and the wonders of truth.
Her education had ended, that was the last lesson.
Her mind at last was prepared, her heart was still
and she could thus find the truth, thus her duty was done.
She presented her findings, gave the full account
answered all questions, gave the full report
and she was rightly lauded for what she had found
the nature of death from the ruinous bud
and thus how it might be treated, she ended the threat
and brought truth into the world for the common good.
She was then a full member of the inquisitive caste
and she was ready to serve, nothing could dissuade her
from unending toil, the work of a pure mind
from facing all truths, from bearing all pains.
She was a scientist then, and would not turn from the path.