"The Black Spire" is a short story that was published in Myths & Fables. The story was authored by George Mann, illustrated by Grant Griffin, and published on August 6, 2019.

Plot summary[]

According to legend, long ago a family lived on Batuu. The father died during a supply run accident leaving his wife and four children to run a grain farm.

One day while the four children were playing by edge of the Surabat River Valley Anya's brother went missing. The girls searched for their brother until dusk but they could not find him. They eventually went home hoping that he was there but he was not. Anya's Mother had warn the children not to play by the valley but had not told them that it was because the slaver Sampa Grott would sometimes abduct people from the valley and put them to work. Knowing that her son was lost forever Anya's mother fell into despair.

However the girls still had hope and the next morning Anya's oldest sister left for Black Spire Outpost armed with her late father's farming sickle to search for her brother. That night having not returned it seemed that the oldest sister had also be captured by the slavers and the mom fell deeper into despair. The next morning however the middle sister made the decision to leave to search for both her brother and sister. Leaving Anya to look after their mother the girl left armed with her late father's blaster. But that sister did not return. Anya not able to endure her mother's cries fled into the goods and began to sob.

A robed man, having heard the crying and wishing to help, approached Anya in the woods. Initially afraid of the man, thinking he might be another slaver, Anya eventually told him how she lost her siblings. After hearing the tale the man encouraged Anya to go after her siblings believing she was the only one that could save them. Since Anya did not have a weapon the stranger fashioned a small wooden dagger from a fallen branch. After that the man disappeared into the woods.

The next morning Anya left for Black Spire Outpost armed with her dagger. Eventually while searching the Outpost Anya over heard a Gran and a Ithorian talking about Sampa Grott. The Gran has recently been tricked by Sampa and was about to head over to Sampa to confront him. Anya followed the Gran to the hidden junkyard, Sampa's Cradle. Once there she seeing that Sampa Grott was big brutal man that could not have been easily beaten in a fight Anya decided she had to come up with a more clever plan to save her siblings.  

Anya found Sampa's house and hid under his bed and waited for him to return home. After Sampa fell asleep Anya crept up and put her wooden dagger to his throat. Feeling the tip of the dagger, Sampa's eyes opened but did not move fearing that his throat would be cut. Anya having disguised her voice told Sampa that she was an assassin and was sent to kill him. Sampa begged for his life and Anya told him if she released the three children she would let him live. Sampa quickly agreed and Anya left the house and headed home. The next morning her bother and two sisters had both been returned. Sampa was rumored to have fled into Wild Space where his enemies couldn't find him.

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