Clouds of smog rolled over the marsh where the once-proud tower had formerly stood, tainting the air with the grimy scent of mud and rotting earth. Faint lights flickered on and off in the gloom, pervading the area with a sense of eeriness, making it impossible for a traveller to follow any accurate path through the murk.
Then, rising out of the smoke emerged a single stone. It jutted awkwardly, as if hurled there by a careless hand, lodged deep where stagnant water met with squelching land. Mists parted around it, revealing countless more bricks and stone, creating a tangled mess of debris to where the foundations remained. The first floor, the grand atrium, once polished to a gleam in the rising sun and now covered with grime and ivy, faint webbed cracks the only damage to this single standing level.
A boom echoed throughout the swampy plain. With a hiss of steam and the cackle of demonic laughter, the great double doors swung open to what had once been the home of the Beacons of Hope.
Villains had been busy since their nefarious traps had led the great tower to ruin. The immense entrance, nearly three stories high, had been transformed into a solid labyrinth. Winding passages, no more than a few yards wide, riddled the greatest portion of the room. Chipped, faded tiles along the floor gave hint to their former grandeur, still sparkling in odd places when caught by light from the torches hung in iron brackets along the wall. The ceiling, held in place by some arcane magic the villains had yet to undo, sloped up and down across the hallways. Here it would soar to the full height allowed, a few yards later it would dip to just enough space for someone to crawl through.
At the four corners of the former atrium, however, the labyrinth ceased. Here, where the four pillars once stood proud, the villains made their bases and carried out their evil experiments. Initially, the four open spaces mirrored each other, the ancient magic of the pillars fighting to maintain their glory. Slowly, though, evil infused with the air, ground, and even pillars themselves, twisting each section into its own unique horror.
Moving counterclockwise, the first section reached announced itself with a sudden drop, the floor bottoming out to form a deep, open pit. Here the ceiling swooped down low, forcing any who wanted to continue into the depths themselves. Light sparkled from below, soft and golden, but it illuminated space very briefly before being ripped away by blackness. Sheer cliffs marked the descent, smooth save for a lone rope ladder enabling the villains to work uninterrupted. Stalagmites jutted out from the floor of the pit, waist height yet deadly sharp, making it hard to move towards the deepening shadows unhindered.
The former Pillar of Light, now corrupted by Darkness.
Continuing onwards in the winding circle, the roof once more soared to its full height upon reaching the next open area. Strange gasses billowed near the ceiling as the splashing sounds of a gentle waterfall resonated down the corridors. Turning the corner revealed, not water, but a sickeningly green liquid, rushing from a high up ledge to form a bubbling pool, emitting an eerie glow. The pool spread to cover huge sections of the floor, islands and rock bridges protruding here and there to enable crossing.
The former Pillar of Water, now corrupted by Poison.
Onwards again, paths twisting along themselves, before the next section was revealed, barren of anything save a strange flat light, from which no shadow fell and no source could be detected. The walls of the opening seemed to bend away, as if straining under some great load. Peering closely, however, faint ruins could still be made out. Spots of floor burned away to hide the makings of a once beautiful mural, more skillfully set than any other.
The former Pillar of Mastery, now corrupted by Failure.
Completing the loop, now in the final corner of the floor, physics and reality seemed to vanish from the plane as the last area revealed itself. Chunks of floor and wall hung suspended midair, some fully motionless and others constantly whirling about, following no pattern as the ricocheted off floor and ceiling. A high pitched whine buzzed through the air, making it near impossible to concentrate in the vicinity.
The former Pillar of Balance, now corrupted by Chaos itself.
Long years had the villains toiled, each to their own devices, turning the once sacred home of honor and hope into a pit of despair. Now came the single breath of fresh air as the doors swung open, and a lone hero once more had the chance to reclaim the ruins for good.