It took more effort than she would have considered to tear herself away from the scene but with the chamber outside darkening by the moment, it was only prudent that she return the way she came before navigation became impossible. One final loving glance found its way to the shrine before a barely perceptible click broke the spell, the ground rolling violently as her legs decided that remaining upright was more effort than they were willing to contribute. Cold stone rose to meet her hands as she struggled to regain her feet and get away from whatever fury tore through the ground beneath her. Was it this room alone that roared? The tower? The city itself? Maybe she shouldn’t have tampered. Maybe it was more than she could-.

Shifting color in the newly illuminated chamber forced her out of the panicked speculation as the impact of a strange golden club struck her hard in the shoulder. The statues. The bloody statues, no longer content to keep stoically to their silent post moved into the chamber with a fluidity she’d never have expected, given their long sleep. A luminous sphere, invisible in the prior dimness radiated power within the chest of each sentry. Not that she had time to admire their glow up given their seeming commitment to crushing her bones. Or making the acquaintance of her internal organs as the nastily curved blade swung toward her suggested. Through sheer luck, reflex, or some combination of the two Tempesti managed to dodge the blow, rolling out of the thing’s reach toward the door as the tremors came to a stop. Sparks flew as the sentry’s blade dragged across the stone of the floor. Scrambling to her feet Tempesti hurled herself forward, driving her uninjured shoulder into the back of the construct before it could regain its balance. Caught by surprise, if a machine could be described as such, the force of the collision pitched it forward in a cacophony of almost indignant clattering. The chamber deigned to fulfill Tempesti’s hopes as the ground beneath the now prone sentry resumed its convulsions.

“Harrowing Storm!”

Wind and lightning battered the sentries, who while they put in a valiant effort to resume their duties of ejection and/or dismemberment, were perhaps a bit worse for wear after centuries of disuse and collapsed to the ground. Breathing hard, Tempesti looked around, maybe just a bit frantically, to make sure that she wouldn’t encounter any other members of the welcoming committee. Whatever her power had done to the sentries, the cores within them still glowed and she had no desire to see if they were interested in going another round. Hurrying across the threshold she was relieved not to encounter any more pressure plates or disgruntled statues. Not that she had any idea how to actually shut the door behind her.

She would just.
Have to.
Head out quickly.

Her pace increased with every step until she was practically flying across the bridge and into the palace beyond.

As Tempesti heaved shut the bronze doors to the Primordial Tower she felt a smile spreading across her face, cracking into giddy breathless laughter. She did it. She did it! It was the base of the Tower and it had awakened some less than friendly residents, but she could worry about them later. If it woke them up then maybe it could wake up something more. Maybe it could help bring more life back to this no longer quite empty world. The spirits’ candles drifted peacefully through her mind and she sank contentedly against the cold palace wall, the palace’s silence oddly comforting with the tremors of awakening power from the other side of the doors. “Proof of concept” wasn’t a phrase she used often, and to be perfectly honest she wasn’t sure she was using it correctly, but the reanimation (a macabre sounding term, but suitable) of the Primordial Tower’s guardians seemed undeniable evidence that the path she’d chosen was correct. A reassuring truth despite the knowledge that she was unprepared to continue her ascent today. Her energy and supplies both expended, she would have to weather the two torturously long weeks before she could return.