Chapter 271 Back from patrol 2 (1/2)
”Then we were fighting th.e.s.h.e monsters and they are like freaking s...o...b..es, I'm tellin' you. No matter what I hit them with they just don't shtay down. Finally I burn the shtoopid thing so much it falsh down and this ugly a.s.s bug breaksh out of iz back and jush crawlsh off!”
”Donnelan, I think you've had enough. I can't understand what on earth you're saying.”
”I'm….. FINE!”
”You are not fine, you've been trying to drink out of the bowl of nuts for the last fifteen minutes!”
”… Maybe I'sh had enough.”
”I thought you mage types were supposed to be smart. You had enough an hour ago you moron. You're juicier than a fiddler at festival time. I bet you can't even walk.”
Donnelan's eyes go blank for a moment as he sways from side to side, testing his balance.
”Yous right!” he declared. ”I cantsh walk.”
Mirryn grunted with irritation. She'd been happy to join in and have a few drinks but she was quick to realise that the spirits they brewed down here were several levels more intense than anything they'd drunk on the surface. So she'd slowed down her pace, enjoyed the convivial atmosphere and watched the various races and social grouping here in Railleh mixing within the venue.
Donnelan had just wrecked himself and complained.
”Is he going to make it home?” rumbled the barkeep as he approached.
The enormous Golgarin male had kept a watchful eye on his business all night but hadn't had to flex his size on anyone, something that Mirryn was quite grateful for. Easily seven feet tall and quite literally looking as if he'd been carved from a mountainside, the man looked as if he could crush two human heads in one of his ma.s.sive palms.
Mirryn had heard that the Golgarin weren't actually made of stone, just that their skin was so dense and, combined with the greyish texture, gave the appearance of rock.
”I'll give him a shoulder” she a.s.sured him, ”he'll be okay.”
The barkeep grunted and stomped to the other side of the bar, ready to serve another customer who was prepared to continue deep into the morning.
”Come on Donnelan, up you get” Mirryn urged, grabbing her friend by the shoulder.
”Ey! Eashy!” he mumbled as he staggered to his feet.
An hour later Mirryn walked out of Donnelan's room in the barracks, loud snoring rumbling out the doorway already. The moron had staggered and stumbled each and every step, not to mention a few stops on the way to expel the worst of his drinks, causing the journey to take four times as long as it should've. The second she'd thrown him at his bunk, he'd been out like a light.
”Big night?” a quiet voice found her from the dark corridor.
Turning to her left she found Tribune Aurillia approaching from the officers' quarters, further down this wing of the barracks. All of the Liria branch trainees who had been recently promoted, along with their officers had been bunked together in one wing of the barracks.
”Ah” Mirryn coughed awkwardly, ”bigger for some that for others.”
Aurillia laughed. ”I'm not surprised. Young Donnelan always struggled to deal with stress. Considering how much has changed for him lately, this was only to be expected.”
”Well, as you say, we've had our lives turned upside down. We don't even have a home on the surface anymore” Mirryn pointed out, a little bitterness leaking through. ”It shouldn't shock anyone that some people can't cope.”
Aurillia only nodded and walked towards the far younger woman, placing a hand on her shoulder.
”We have all lost our homes and family above. We can only hope and pray that some of them have survived and fled. Until the mana levels recede, our duty is to hold the Bulwark and prevent even greater destruction.”