The spirit world is broken and in desperate need of a restoration. True heroes and ancient beasts that once walked are now a thing of the past. Between the empty spaces of forgotten treasure halls there are whispers of one who has returned. One lege...
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Sun Ritsu hadn't noticed that Anari had left the group to order a cute consultant at the nearest welcome booth. He was still holding a half-conscious monk while he stood before a construction site that was mostly taped off from the public.
Ham Song whimpered at Ritsu's heels. "Don't get too close, Ritsu. Something about that bridge doesn't smell right."
"It's only half a bridge," Ritsu said under his breath as he scanned the area. The structure was not made of wood or stone, nor did it branch off from the main landing deck where the tourists gathered right before they crossed over onto the next giant. The material that made up the bridge could probably be a metal, but something about it was incorporeal. As if it didn't entirely exist on this plane.
The heart of the construction site was oozing something that did indeed stink. It also gave off a neon, putrid sort of aura. There were a few spirits with hard hats picking their way around the debris. Most of them looked like dog spirits, but unlike the canines Ritsu had encountered so far, none of them appeared to be of a recognizable breed.
Ham Song called out to the closest worker. "My good mongrel!"
The dog spirit of an indiscriminate breed ambled in their direction. He stopped where the yellow tape divided the construction site from the paved pathways.
With a low chuff, the dog said, "You two should move it along."
"What's that smell coming from under the bridge?" Ham Song asked without missing a beat. He looked up at the dog expectantly and nudged Ritsu a little closer to the tape.
The construction worker's eyes darted from left to right before he finally said, "If anyone asks, they were volunteers. Unfortunately for them, they weren't really skilled enough to work on this project. They got trapped under the bridge. That's their essence you're smelling. The spirits are rotting there."
Ritsu raised an eyebrow. "Volunteers? What's that supposed to mean?"
The dog lowered his voice, his lip coming up over his canines in a snarl. "It means, Mr. Monkey, that the victims were actually prisoners. Cute offenders of the worst sort." Ironically, he added, "You know how it is around here. You gotta pay the price if your behavior's not up to code."
Ham Song stomped his foot to get the dog's attention. "How could their essence possibly still be attached? Those spirits should have moved on to the Lake of Ninefold Darkness by now."
The dog's snarl dissolved into something more pitying. "You would think. But that bridge isn't a normal one. Some big shot organization is behind the whole thing. They want to build highways all over the Ninth Heaven. Standardize the way of travel between the giants and all that."
Ham Song blinked. "It makes sense."
Sun Ritsu, who, don't forget, was an idiot, admitted that he didn't understand.
