"Oh man, what the hell did I do last night?" Ozzy had little recollection of the party, and no idea what they had been drinking that could give him such a hang-over.

In fact, he couldn't remember any details, but it must have been one hell of a night.

The bed was cold, so Suzette was already up.

The smell of coffee beckoned.

He needed coffee badly.

His kilt was next to the bed.

Wait...not his kilt.

This one was a different color, all grey and black.

Coffee was calling, he put on the kilt and staggered to the door.

The room was familiar, but it wasn't his.

Didn't matter.

Coffee.

He pulled open the door and realized where he was.

He was dead.

Again.

But there was coffee on the table waiting for him.

There was a too-small mug and a large pot.

He made the decision that in an emergency it was ok to skip the mug.

Not the first time he'd had to drink straight from the pot.

Only after he had poured a half gallon of near boiling coffee down his throat did he relax and look at the other people at the table.He nodded to Hades, "Thanks for the hospitality."The god of Death was in the same chair as before.

Hades just nodded back and took a sip from his own cup.

It was a large earthen-ware mug that said "World's Best Tax-Collector" on the side.

"It's a rather strong blend they grow in the mountains to the south of the Empire.

Good for waking people up in the morning.

Right Hermes?"Hermes looked worse than Ozzy felt.

He was leaning back in his chair, and barely awake.

Both eyes were black, and his nose was swollen - might even be broken.

He was holding an icepack on his head with one hand.

"Shhhhhh!! people trying to sleep here.""That's what you get for standing too close to a fight," The speaker was the fourth person at the table- an athletic looking woman that Ozzy remembered being among the people attending the trial.

She had very short, blond hair and was dressed in a knee-length, white tunic and leather sandals.

She was scratching the head of a hound with one hand and sipping from a bull's horn.

A crystal bottle with some golden liquor was in front of her, "You should really have a glass of ambrosia; it will perk you right up." She poured a small amount of the bottle into a cup and pushed it over to the suffering god.Hermes closed his eyes, "No, need the suffering to feel better.

I like the contradiction.

And pain helps to teach me things." He pushed the glass over to Ozzy, "Here, you take it.

I think you earned it."The lady with the bottle started to say something, her eyes going wide.

"Wait mortal...that vintage is rather strong.

It might even kill you again."Ozzy picked up the glass, "Will it make my head stop hurting?"Hermes smiled weakly, "One way or another."Hades tossed a gold coin in the center of the table, "I say he dies."Hermes leaned forward, took the ice off his head, and put a double handful of gold coins in the center of the table.

He looked from Hades to Ozzy, "You always bet that people will die.

He's a big boy, I wager he lives."Ozzy looked back at the room, "Not like I have a lot to lose.

It's a short walk." He took the smallest sip.

It tasted wonderfully of honey and summer.

The feel of sun on his back.

It also burned his tongue and made his lips tingle.

"Not bad," He tossed back the rest of the drink.It was like the sun exploded in his mouth and burned its way down to his stomach where it expanded into a ball of fire, the heat forcing itself into all parts of his body.

Ozzy fell forward onto the table, smoke coming out of his ears and mouth.

When even death himself bets on you dying, maybe you shouldn't be taking a drink of unknown liquors given to you by strange women! You have gained 500 experience in Fire Eating and 500 experience in CONFire Eating is now Level 6You have advanced to Level 8.

You gain +200 Health, +600 Stamina, +200 Mana