Lefty walked up to join Ol Blu. The two of them watched as the deepun’s wagon drove into the distance and then disappeared around a bend in the road. “Huh.” Said Lefty. “Well that’s not good”.

Blu’s ears twitched as he suppressed a curse. Lefty really had a knack for stating the bloody obvious at the most annoying of times. The kicken turned and glared at his companion, preparing to say something rude… but to his surprise, Lefty actually seemed to notice his mood and spoke up first.

“I mean… it’s no good if he’s right… but who knows? Maybe he's an idiot? Or lying? Or he… forgot? Or something?” The young man didn’t speak with confidence, but it was nice to see him trying to be a good friend. He was improving. And that was enough to soften Blu’s disposition. Plus, Lefty was making a good point, regardless of how unsure he sounded.

Ol Blu, took a deep breath to collect himself. “You’re right.” He said with a sigh. “We shouldn’t despair over a single stranger’s words. Maybe he misspoke. Or we misunderstood. He did say “The dam” was a couple hours away. Even if it’s not the Master Dam there should be something up ahead. The only way to find out for sure is to continue onward. Go ahead and get dressed, lad. Might as well head out now.”

“Eh.” said Lefty standing in the shorts he had slept in. “I think I'll just go like this.” He lifted his arms and then let them drop to his sides. “It's hot as a box out here. And the air is all… wetly.” He said with some disgust in his voice.

“The word you’re looking for is humid,” corrected Ol Blu. “It’s very, very humid out here.”

Before long the two had packed up their camp onto the back of their squirrel and were continuing on in the same way they had been for days now; riding down the road at slow trotting pace. As Lefty sat there in the saddle, eating a breakfast of slightly stale bread and dried meat, he told Ol Blu about the dream he had last night, and how the deepun had interrupted it right at the most critical moment.

The elderly kicken was surprised at how fast his human friend was progressing despite a complete lack of formal training. Usually it took hundreds of dreams to obtain the kind of lucidity that Lefty had obtained in just three. Perhaps the boy had a gift after all. Blu didn't tell him that of course. Nothing ruins potential faster than a big ego. But he did encourage the young man, praising his accomplishments without letting him know just how special that dream of his had been.

Eventually the discussion of magic fizzled, and turned instead towards their rapidly changing surroundings. The swampland they had been traveling through was finally beginning to dissipate. To their right the ground dried up, showing dirt for the first time in days, while on their left the seemingly endless swamp coalesced into a wide river, with a noticeable current and a dry shore off in the far distance.

Before long the sound of running water became a companion on their journey, joining in their conversation with its constant soft babbling and the occasional splash. The pair of travelers were just becoming used to their new companion when the water began to sink below the horizon. The previously shallow shores quickly became a deep canyon of dirt and mud with dangerously steep walls, hiding sight of the river about fifty hands below the road.

To the ignorant Lefty, this simply seemed like another quirk of the environment; just one more strange thing among the myriad of strange things he had seen since leaving the desert. Ol Blu, however, recognized what this change in the river meant. The sheer muddy walls represented the previous height of the water, which had dropped significantly in recent years. Clearly the river had once been held back by some large obstruction, perhaps a dam, which was now absent.

Ol Blu didn't share this information with Lefty, both because he didn't want to worry the boy and because he hoped that perhaps he was wrong. Maybe this swampy canyon was natural. Maybe the deepun merchant was wrong. Maybe everything will go according to plan. That wasn’t very likely, but he could hope… right up until he and Lefty came upon the remains of the Master Dam.

At first they didn’t quite know what they were looking at. From afar it appeared to be a strange bridge… because it was a strange bridge. The large wooden thing curved across the river in an arc, and was supported by a lattice of pillars that seemed far too long and elaborate for such a simple structure; as if they had once been the foundation for something much larger that was no longer there.

The sensation that something was missing extended to the area around the bridge. The trees had been cleared, the road had been widened significantly, and the ground was surprisingly flat and barren. It was obvious that people had worked to develop this area… but nothing was there. It was as if a painting had hung on a wall for years and then been removed, leaving a dusty outline where it had once been. Except, instead of a single piece of furniture, it was a whole town. Lefty and Blu had never been here before, and yet they could almost sense the ghostly image of the buildings that had been removed.

Only two things stood in that vacant clearing. The first was a large sign that simply read “The Master Bridge”... and then underneath it in smaller text “Formerly the Master Dam.” Blu read it out loud in grim silence. This time Lefty didn’t make a quip. Instead he just walked numbly towards the only other thing of note.

Not far from the sign, near the entrance to the bridge, stood a monument of sorts. Six tall trees had been transplanted into a large circle, their limbs and tops sawed off so that they resembled thick wooden pillars. Carved into their bark of these tree pillars, were hundreds upon hundreds of names, all arranged in careful lines that spiraled up the surface. And at the top of each one, a fresh sapling had been grafted into the stump; a new life growing from lives that had been literally cut short.

A plaque attached to one of the trees explained it simply. It read:

“Dedicated to all those who lost their lives in the great fire. We build onwards in your memory.”

Needless to say, the sight was more than a little disheartening. Neither adventurer said anything at first. Ol Blu opted to sit in the shade of the grim monument, while Lefty paced aimlessly around the clearing. Both were solemnly trying to weigh their options, neither wanting to even glance at the shimmering waters of Lake Allende, which was now visible in the distance.

They were so close. Somewhere in that lake, lying just below the surface, was the Drink Tabernacle. They could probably reach it tonight if they wanted to. But they were almost out of supplies, and had no easy way to replenish them. While it’s true that Lefty had been trained to forage for food, he was not particularly good at it. He could scrounge up some nuts and berries in an emergency, maybe hunt down an animal, but he could not sustain himself that way indefinitely… At least, he couldn’t do it and dedicate time to overcoming the tabernacle.

The mere thought of food made his stomach growl, so Lefty decided to sit and eat lunch with Ol Blu near the memorial. Dried meat and stale bread was all they had left at this point, and it did little to lighten their mood. The situation seemed bleak. The Drink Tabernacle was already supposed to be impossible, what hope did they have of conquering it alone and without a solid base of operations? Ol Blu was wise and intelligent, but physically he was nearly useless. If Lefty were to injure himself out here, so far from civilization, it would undoubtedly be the end of him. The nearest town was nearly fourteen hours away by squirrel. To even attempt it would be suicide…

But at the same time, would turning back be much better? Titus was the only person in The Capital willing to listen to them. How would the old grumpster react if they returned to him empty handed? If they were lucky he would curse up a storm, accuse them of being lazy, and kick them onto the street where they would have to beg for food. Most likely he would accuse them of fraud and demand they pay him back for all the cash he spent. If that happened they could end up in a debtors' prison, or worse, indentured to Titus. Lefty didn’t hate the old man… but he would rather take his chances with the tabernacle than work as his servant for the next decade.

In the midst of pondering these questions, their meal was suddenly interrupted by the sounds of grunting, and the wet slapping of flesh on mud. It was coming from the Master Bridge. The pair stood up and looked over towards it, just in time to see a furry deepun hand pop over the muddy ridge near the entrance. Seconds later a head emerged as well, sporting messy hair and a strained expression as it tried to climb up the steep muddy wall.

“Hey!” Said the deepun as he spotted Left and Ol Blu, giving them a frantic little wave. “Hey, could you give me a hand here!?” He asked desperately.

Lefty dashed over without hesitation, grabbing the stranger's arm and hauling him up with relative ease. The young deepun fell to his hands and knees with a deep sigh of relief, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath.

He was a stocky little guy covered in dark brown fur, which was currently messy and smeared with mud. He wore pants and a vest made of some dark colored leather, as well as a belt that held various metal tools. They jingled and jangled as he brushed some of the mud from his chest, and then stood up on slightly trembling legs. Finally he looked up at the human who had helped him, and smiled wide.

Stolen story; please report.

“Thanks mang.” He said, extending his fist for Lefty to bump. The naive young human was unsure of what to do, and so he tentatively placed his palm around the fist and shook it up and down.

The deepun burst into laughter. And to say his laugh was distinctive would be an understatement. The man had a high pitched, weezing, cackle that was so full of mirth and so infectious that Lefty couldn’t help but chuckled as well.

“Not from around here, eh?” The deepun said as his laughter died down and as he took back his hand. Lefty was still too busy laughing to respond, but he nodded.

“Well I'm glad you came by when you did. Rope broke half way down,” He said pointing to the entrance to the bridge. One end of the thick fibrous cable was still wrapped around a sturdy beam, its frayed edge laying slack against the ground. “Might have taken me a while to get up on my own.”

“What were you doing climbing down there?” Asked Ol Blu as he came fluttering up from behind Lefty.

The deepun’s eyes widened for a second, but he took the question in stride, turning to address the kicken. “Inspecting the bridge. Got to check it every week, make sure all the joints are still sturdy. Guess I should have been inspecting my rope instead, ay?! He broke into another loud cackle that made Ol Blu laugh despite himself.

“I'm Jose' by the way,” he said, turning back to Lefty, this time extending his hand for a traditional handshake. Lefty returned the gesture, giving his name in return and offering up Ol' Blu's as well

“Eyy! I've never met a kicken before.” Jose said, turning his attention back to the little guy. Crouching down, he extended his hand to Blu as well. “Thanks for bringing the king.”

“What?” Stammered Ol Blu as he awkwardly tried to shake the deepun’s hand with his wing. “The king?”

Jose chuckled. “Well I had heard you guys only hang out with rich people and kings. And I can tell just from looking that you guys ain’t rich.” He said ,looking between the shirtless, sweaty, disheveled young man who had just saved him, and their old squirrel resting by the monument, its back laden with a mess of hastily stacked camping equipment.

“So… what's a king doing all the way out here? If you don't mind me asking.” He added with a grin, holding back another laugh as he stood back up and put his hands in his pockets.

Ol Blu spent the next several minutes recounting a slightly edited version of The Legend of Lefty, as it existed back then. Jose got quite a kick out of it, laughing out loud at several moments and letting out his loudest cackle yet when he learned that Lefty did indeed have kingly aspirations. Eventually his story reached the present, with Ol Blu explaining their pressing supply problem, and their disappointment upon learning that the Master Dam had burned down.

“Oh..” Said Jose as the tale finished. “Well… we built a new dam not far from here.” He chuckled as he said it, but that quickly grew into another fit of wheezing laughter as he saw excitement explode across Lefty and Ol Blu's faces, the human actually jumping with excitement at the news.

“I thought everyone knew about it.” He said as he regained his composure. “It's been done more than a year now.” “I can take you there if you want, I'm heading that way anyway.”

Thirty moments later, the three of them were strolling down a wide road paved with interlocking wooden planks, enjoying the shade provided by a whole canopy of trees. Jose' was sitting on the old squirrel, resting his strained legs while the young human walked alongside him with Ol Blu on his head.

To think they almost turned back. Not half an hour from the Master Bridge and there were signs of deepun civilization all around them. The forested roadside was dotted with small domed houses made of earth and wood; each one a homestead with a garden and several outbuildings. Deepuns themselves were everywhere, the furry brown ones and the hairless green ones mixing and mingling as if there was no difference between them. Some were making their way along the road with tools in hand, while others simply hung out in yards, chatting with neighbors or holding little parties. The smell of grilled fish was omnipresent, sharing the air with the sound of flutes, lutes, and drums.

Also… there was a mountain rising in the distance, barely visible through the thick trees that separated the road from the shores of Lake Allende. It was strange to be sure; a sole peak among otherwise flat forests… but that hardly registered with Lefty. He had seen mountains before. They were nothing new. He was more fascinated by the wondrous sights around him, and the words of his new acquaintance.

“So the green deepuns aren’t half thulhan?” Lefty asked Jose’, making Ol Blu cringe with embarrassment. Titus had often said that “the deepuns were in bed with the thulhans”, implying that there was a conspiracy between the two races to undermine human interests. Lefty had apparently taken that phrase literally, thinking that the green skinned deepuns were some sort of hybrid race.

Fortunately, their guide found Lefty’s ignorance more comical than offensive. The question sent him into another bout of cackling laughter, so infectious that even passersby were affected by it.

“No no no mang. The sapos are amphibians. They come from the swamp. They like the water. They’re deepuns!” Jose’ said, gleefully explaining basic knowledge to the young human. “Thulhans are like… eldritch or something. They have more in common with the pentoids than us deepuns.”

“Huh.” Said Lefty. “So you’re an amphibian too then?”

Jose cackled again. “Some king you are! Doesn’t even know his own subjects!”

He looked up at Ol Blu on Lefty’s head, pointing a finger as he said. “I’m blaming this on you old man. You said you were educating him!”

“No! No!” Said the kicken with a grin of his own. “I said I’ve been trying to educate him. It hasn’t exactly been easy.”

Lefty grumbled and looked down. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t know things. He was trying! Blu agreed and immediately jumped to his defense. “Not that Lefty hasn’t been an excellent student! He’s doing great! He… just has a lot to learn, is all.” Lefty’s head lifted a bit.

“It doesn’t help that he has another teacher I… don’t quite agree with…” Ol Blu added. And… well… to be honest, I don’t know much about the deepuns myself. Pentoids I’m an expert on. But I’m afraid I haven’t had an opportunity to learn much about your people Jose.”

“Ah, well you’ve been missing out! Deepun history is crazy interesting. Let me fill you in on the basics. You see a long time ago, the sapos and the castors, they used to fight over everything. Mammals versus amphibians. Slime versus fur. Two tribes. Always competing; never cooperating.

And then Allende came along. Smart man. Very brave man. Dedicated to peace at all costs. He stopped the fighting… showed us that we are all deepuns. One tribe, working together against a common enemy.”

“The Humans?” Said Lefty, making Ol Blu groan.

Jose shook his head, grinning despite the solemn story.

“No my friend. The swamp itself! The floods. The diseases. The predators. They were killing more deepuns than anything. But we were too busy fighting each other to deal with them. Allende convinced us to stop the fighting. To team up against our natural threats. And together, we tame the swamp, then we tame the forests, we build dams, then farms, then roads; everything!”

Jose smiled and looked up towards the sky. Despite his silly laugh the man was clearly proud of his people and their ways. As he continued to explain deepun history to Lefty and Blu, it became clear that maintaining the Master Bridge was not just his job to him; it was a way to honor the philosopher king who had laid the foundation for their entire society. The Great Allende wanted only for the deepuns to build, cooperate, and live in peace. Generations later, people like Jose continued that legacy through their actions, crafting a world they were happy to live in.

Now, I can’t repeat everything Jose said here, because he ended up talking for quite a while as they made their way to the new dam. Needless to say, he answered many of Lefty’s burning questions about deepuns, and corrected much of what Titus had claimed. All you really need to understand for now, is that the conversation was so fully engrossing for both Lefty and Blu, that they didn't even notice the marvelous thing looming up ahead of them until they reached it.

The group emerged from the forest, the canopy of trees giving way suddenly to an utterly flat and deforested area at the edge of the lake that was still cast in shadow despite the lack of foliage. Ol Blu went quiet first, stopping mid sentence as they found themselves at the foot of that once distant mountain they had glimpsed from afar.

“My word…” said the kicken. “It’s not a mountain…”

Jose' grinned wide at the reaction, the man practically glowing with pride. Lefty tilted his head in confusion, before turning to see what Blu was talking about. “What do you mean it’s not a mooouuuuuahhh…”

The young man lost his voice. He had dismissed it as part of the environment earlier. Now he could not ignore it. He craned his head, trying to see the top, tilting back farther and farther until he actually stumbled backwards and fell onto his ass. The giant mountain by the lake... it was a dam.

To say that this structure was gigantic, doesn't do it justice. Even Ol Blu, who had seen quite a lot in his centuries of life, couldn't help but whisper an awestruck curse as he took in the sight. It was a huge multi-level pyramid topped with a dome, seemingly made entirely of straight wooden beams arranged in a complex lattice of triangles and spirals. It was taller than The Capital's walls. It might have been taller than the Grungle Mountains. To say it was massive would have been an understatement.

Titus could not have been more wrong about the industriousness of the deepuns. Not only were they not lazy, not only were they capable of great feats of engineering, but those feats were greater than anything humans or thulhans had ever made. This was the single largest structure in all of Att… and it had been constructed by deepuns.

The group stood awe struck for nearly a moment, Jose enjoying Lefty and Ol Blu's reaction, his eyes glistening with civic pride. He had helped build this after all. Every deepun had. It was the crown of their civilization.

“...What is this?” Lefty finally asked, not taking his eyes off the structure, still trying to explore every intricate part of it.

“A home to replace the Master Dam.” Said Jose, repeating the speech that had been given when construction first began. “A structure to rival the heavens themselves.”

“We call it... the God Dam.” He said breaking into another high cackle.