Conquest of the Globe

Holding the middle tiers was not enough; true authority demands the summit. I scaled the vertical wooden framework of the bookshelf, hauling myself past rows of encyclopedia spines until I reached the highest tier. Dominating this apex was a brass-mounted desktop globe, tilted upon its axis like a celestial sphere awaiting a conqueror. I braced my armored greaves against the polished mahogany, planted my trident shaft against the curved metal armature, and struck the orb with an open gauntlet. The sphere spun rapidly upon its spindle with a smooth metallic hum, continents and oceans blurring beneath my steady gaze. When it slowed to a halt under my iron grip, this entire charted realm stood claimed.