“What the fuck did you two do?”

Andrew’s voice pierced Mila’s ears. She made a heroic attempt at moving, but her stomach lurched in protest, so she stopped.

“Hey, I am talking with you.” Andrew didn’t stop. “Mila? Isabel?”

Mila tried to open her eyes, but the light almost gauged them out. The whole world seemed to swim. She felt something soft pressing on her back and a breath on her scalp.

Now that Mila spent a little time thinking about it, there were also arms wrapped around her.

“Hello? I know you both are awake.” Mr Crow’s piercing whistle accompanied Andrew’s annoyingly loud nagging. “How much did you both drink? Holly fuck does it smell here.”

There was a small part of Mila’s brain still functioning, and it wondered where ‘here’ was. It was quickly silenced by a louder part that wanted to know where the toilet was. Too bad her body refused to move.

“There is chaos out there,” Andrew didn’t shut up.

Mila felt Isabel groan behind her. She didn’t feel good either, so Mila joined.

“Is that blood?” Andrew questioned. “Doesn’t look like it’s yours. Are you two injured? No? That’s good. Wait, why is your cloak soaked in it?” He asked Mila.

What the hell was Andrew even speaking about? Mila didn’t care. She just wanted to sleep.

“Holly fuck, it was you two who did it!” Andrew exclaimed.

Did what? Mila and Isabel had just spent some time together. They hadn’t done anything. Maybe. Wait, didn’t they leave their room at the end? It was all foggy. And why was the bad so hard?

Wait! Didn’t that ghostly fuck in her head also nag her about something? What was it? Her condition was terrible. Did she even do her nightly training in the dreamscape? She didn’t… think so?

All important questions. Mila decided to check and tried to fall asleep.

“Oh, no, you don’t. We need answers! Do you even know what kind of chaos you two raised?” Andrew refused to let them sleep.

Mila really wanted to punch him. But there was another person here who shared the feeling.

“Shhuuuttt uuuuppp…” Isabel drawled.

“Getting up yet?”

“Nnoooooo….”

“Yeah, seems about right. Okay, listen, I’ll go see if healers have something for hangover. You two… Don’t go anywhere. Okay?”

That sounded promising. Mila was ready to drink just about everything if it meant the pounding between her ears would stop. She heard Andrew move around the room before leaving.

It was probably better to at least attempt moving. The promise of a magical potion for a hangover was enticing, but Mila’s dry mouth needed simple water first.

But first! Mila tried to sleep. The waves kept moving her up and down, but she refused to let them win. She wouldn’t puke. Not when Isabel was next to her.

Despite trying her best, Mila failed to fall asleep. Soon enough, the racket resumed as Andrew barged back into the room.

“Oh, wow. They are sleeping on a table.” Cecilia happily identified Mila’s and Isabel’s position. “That’s a lot of bottles.” She commented.

“If you are here, then help. Here.” Andrew didn’t sound happy. “I can’t believe they managed to drink this much.”

“Well, they are strong and capable.” Cecilia’s voice was no closer. “So I just pour this in her mouth?”

“That’s what the doctor ordered.”

“And she won’t be mad?”

“Mila will likely be livid,” Andrew admitted. “When she can move again, that is.”

“Yeah, you know, how about we switch?”

“You think Isabel is better? Did you hear what she did to those guys next to that Inn? The one with the big pig sign above the doors.”

What had Isabel done? Mila wanted to know. It sounded kind of important.

“Oh, yeah… I heard guards are still looking for some missing limbs.”

That sounded all kinds of wrong. Mila attempted to ask about it. “Waaat…” It was close enough.

“She, she wants that brew,” Andrew immediately translated.

“Yeah, I don’t think she did. Whatever, here it goes… Hopefully, she won’t puke it out.”

Mila felt someone, likely Cecilia, grab her chin and force her mouth open. A moment later, a liquid was poured down her throat. She struggled to swallow it and keep it down - a monumental task by all accounts. She heard Isabel grunt unsightly as she received the same treatment.

“How long until it works?” Andrew was curious.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Normally? Like ten minutes?” Cecilia wasn’t sure. “They did drink more than should be possible. It must be some kind of record.”

Mila burbed.

“Oh, it is working,” Cecilia announced with too much cheer. It grated against Mila’s ears.

A bubbling, bloated feeling replaced the sinking, gurgling one in Mila’s stomach. She burped again.

“Now, this is top-notch comedy,” Andrew remarked. “Too bad I can’t take pictures. I have never seen Mila burb. Or fart or make a mess besides with blood.”

“... gonna… get you…” Mila managed to push out a few words.

“I think it’s time for me to leave.” Cecilia suddenly realised. “I don’t want to be here when they start moving. Come visit me later, Andrew. I have this amazing cheese that a passing merchant from Antil gave me. You have to try it!”

“Not interested.” Andrew shut her down immediately.

“The offer stands.” Cecilia wasn’t dissuaded. “We can eat and share a story or two. I have quite a few I can share.”

“Yeah, no thanks.” Andrew was still blunt, and seeing Mila was moving, Cecilia quickly exited the room. “Okay, do I have to be even ruder to her for Cecilia to leave me alone?” He asked, but there was no answer. Only another couple of burps. “Nice advice. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Mila felt Isabel stir behind her.

“...uck you…” Isabel managed to let out almost a sentence. “Ass.”

“I thought you were into Mila?” Andrew pretended to be surprised. “Thank you for the offer, but I’ll decline.

“...dick…off…” Isabel didn’t manage much better this time.

It was up to Mila to explain what her girl meant. “...snap your dick off…” She translated.

“Youch. That’s nasty.” Mr Crow chirped in agreement. “Need anything else? Food? Water? A bucket? More booze? Badies to kill?”

“Water…” Mila demanded.

“Bucket…” Isabel joined.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Regretfully, Andrew was right back. Mila wished he would have lost on his way back and ended up back in whatever noise-producing hole he had crawled out of.

“So? Do you feel better?” Andrew still refused to quiet down.

Did he need to ask? Of course, Mila felt… Better? She discovered - yes, she did, in fact, feel better. Her brain moved from power-saving mode to booting up. She could even move her fingers without the sluggish struggle against the air.

It appeared Isabel was also faring better. Mila felt her girl roll on her back. “...Aaandrew you ass… So loud.”

“Just get up. I brought you the bucket. If you want to puke, then do it. It will make you feel better. You too, Mila.”

With great difficulty, Mila forced her eyes open. The light she recalled to be blinding just a while ago was now manageable candle gleam. The image of the surroundings beamed right into her brain, making it stall again.

It took Mila another five minutes of slow, deliberate and trembling movement before she was sitting on the same table they had been sleeping on.

They were in the same room Mila remembered making out with Isabel. And drinking. She groaned. This was what she got for her curiosity. Mila felt Isabel lean on her, almost making them both fall. “What?” She still struggled to speak in complete sentences.

“Head hurts.” Isabel shared. “Why didn’t you warn me?”

“Didn’t know.” Mila didn’t want to admit she wanted to experiment. Sure, her memories promised some suffering, but this was far worse than she had ever expected.

“So?” Andrew stood in front of them like a judge presiding over a courtroom. “Care to explain?”

“Can’t speak.” Isabel refused and flopped back on the table. “Want to sleep.”

“And you?” Andrew addressed Mila.

“What?” She didn’t understand. “We didn’t do…” Mila took a few shallow breaths to keep the contents of her stomach down. “...anything.”

Andrew facepalmed. “Damit, Mila. You both went on a rampage! I heard Barcy happily sing after he learned you two raided two of Hally’s smaller bases. Isabel hospitalised twenty people in a brawl. I heard it was because of someone trying to extort the Inn’s owner. It must have been Isabel. People claimed the woman had been impervious to any attacks. At least you both wore masks.”

And Andrew wasn’t done. “And then you went to Hacho’s place and raided that one too.”

“Who?” Mila couldn’t place the name.

“Okay, Mila. Do you remember those guys who tried to have their way with Cecilia?”

“The rapists?”

Andrew winced. “Yes… Do you have to be so blunt? It feels icky to use those words.”

Mila would have shrugged in indifference, but that involved moving, so she elected to stare at the void instead.

“Well, anyway, I am not sure where you got the information on where the guy is living-”

Oh, but Mila could. She did have some vague memories of sneaking into Naran’s office to get information on something.

“-but from the rumours, Isabel charged right through the gate while trashing everyone in her path. She screamed about justice and retribution.” Andrew paused. “Did she?”

“Noooooo-” Isabel’s suffering voice denied the rumours.

“So, yes?”

“Oooooo, way…” Isabel finished.

“And while you beat up the henchman, Mila appeared on top of the house with Hacho’s head in hand.”

“What’s that?” Mila blinked, momentarily forgetting her condition. “That can’t be right… I wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t think there are many girls with your stature, blood-soaked cloak, and mask running around murdering people. It must have been you.”

“Oh, no…”

“And then you announced Hacho’s death for the sin, and I quote - ‘of being a rapist ashole.’”

Mila collapsed on top of Isabel, who retched from the impact.

“And there was a lot of commotion. Naran’s men arrived at that time. Barcy said there were a lot of questions about who you were. Isabel kept rampaging down the street while escaping guards. And then you spoke.”

Mila blankly looked at the ceiling. She felt numb to Andrew’s words. What had Mila and Isabel done the last night? She didn’t remember anything! It sounded so wrong! At least they were back in safety and uninjured. It couldn’t get any worse.

“You said that you will punish those who abuse those unfortunate.” Andrew dropped a bomb on Mila’s head.

“...No…” Some memories seemed to return. Mila had a terrible feeling. It hadn’t been all she had said.

“And then you said-”

“Stop.”

“And I am not shitting you-”

“Please.”

“That and again, I quote - ‘this Blood-Soaked Maiden will have your souls.’ Like, holy fuck! That is hardcore and extremely corny. Do you have shame or not?”

Mila lamented being alive. Maybe she should find a way to destroy the city. There had to be a way to silence these rumours and accounts. Surely, no one will miss Stilag.