“ Isn't it a little late for you to be drinking Danzagg, my boy?” 

The proprietor of the Hyena’s Laugh looked at Onarr worryingly as the midget poured his fifth cup of fermented black Danzagg down his helmet. Unlike normal Danzig, Danzagg had been stored within an oaken barrel for over a period of five moons. Onarr had mistaken it once for real Danzig and had drunk an entire cup when he was 10 years old. By the time he was seeing wyrms emerging from his skin and his hair being lit on fire, he realized he’d made a horrible mistake. 

“ What are you talking ‘bout?”  Onarr belched out a gassy burp. “ It’s never too late to drink Danzagg! Another one!” 

The proprietor of the bar shook his head as he refilled Onarr’s glass. Onarr’s reddened complexion was hidden under his helmet, the kitten huddling underneath his coat. Sounds of loud partying and riotous celebration drowned out any chance of peace in his helm as the alcohol burnt in his gullet. His thumb flicked against the spoon that was buried into his now cold plate of beef stew like a flagpole. 

 Others around him were buried in the throes of discussion, speculation about the future of Joru and what Yibozo’s new position meant for the future of their country. Unbridled optimism and nationalism suffused the air around him like the inside of a fishwive’s tent, its aroma blinding and intoxicating. Onarr could hear the tenets of Joruban rationality being exchanged around endlessly between his folk like conkers whilst manic whispers of more extreme plans wormed around, waiting for the right time to strike. 

So, was he the mad one here? If every Joruban around him was excited, why didn’t he feel victorious? Wasn’t Joruban rationality what he had been aspiring to for his entire life?  Or was another man’s rationality just another man’s insanity? 

“ Hail to Yibozo, brother!” 

Onarr turned his head around to see a classmate, an older one by the looks of it. He’d somehow manage to accomplish what looked like a Joruban salute, even in his drunken state. Onarr returned it in kind but with two fingers behind his back. 

“ Hail to Yibozo, brother.”