to trade."
"Well, I'm all out of cash," I said, "and probably about to be kicked off the boat once word spreads that I shouldn't be here in the first place."
"They've got no reason to kick you off," he said. "Even if you were still mortal, that would make you unusual but you wouldn't be breaking the house rules."
"And what are they?"
"Few and far between. Hell is not a place that thrives in a restrictive atmosphere. There's really only one firm rule onboard this boat..."
"Well, look who it is," said a voice, interrupting the old man. The doors to the casino had opened to release both the desperate mixture of rattling chips and chatter and the floating figure of Axionus. "The poor loser." "Don't trust him," said the old man. "He may not look like much but he's a poisonous little shit."
Axionus was flanked by two lumbering heavies. They were both smartly dressed in three piece suits but their faces ruined the effect. Flat and charming as tombstones, they were dominated by the teeth in their lower jaw which jutted out making them look like walruses who had got a job in a bank.
"I was just thinking to myself," said Axionus, "what brings a mortal to The Bristle?"
"I just love a game of cards," I told him, looking to walk off up the gangway and find a bit of privacy again.
"Don't be rude," the baby-faced bastard said, one of his henchman moving to block my way. "I'm just interested in a little chit-chat."
He hovered in front of my face, his gently-beating wings stirring the foul-smelling air and serving it up to my nose.
"I don't meet a lot of mortals," he said, "not these days. Even during The Fastening they don't tend to end up in these parts. They stick to the tourist areas I guess. Here? The Bristle tends to be more for locals, you see the same old minor deities, demonic orders and corpses. So, how did you find yourself beating such an untrodden path?"
"Like I said, I was after a game or two. Nothing more to it."
"And what a game, eh? Didn't work out quite as you hoped, I know. That Agrat, she's a tricksy little thing isn't she?" He fluttered in even closer, an almost overpowering scent of mould and decay seeping from him. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she had cheated. A big no no here of course but if anyone has the chutzpah to try it and succeed it's her. Still, what are you going to do if you have no proof, eh?" "Live forever apparently."
He laughed at that. It was like a toddler choking on its food. "Live forever, yes. It must seem that way to a mortal, but she won't leave you hanging for too many centuries I'm sure.
From experience, mortals really don't get the hang of longevity. After the first few hundred years they tend to find a cave to go slowly mad in. I'd say you'll be at your financial peak in say... three hundred years time? I'm intrigued though, what was it you wanted from her that was so valuable you were willing to gamble such a fate?"
"None of your business."
"No, no... I suppose not. But I want to know anyway, I am an insatiably curious little thing. Besides, I am not without power you know. Anything you might have wanted from Agrat is likely within my power to deliver. Tell me what it was, maybe we can cut a deal."
"He's lying," said the old man. "He's nowhere near powerful enough to do what we need, he's just fishing."
"That really is between me and her," I said. "Now if you'll excuse me I think I'll go back inside and get myself a drink, maybe watch some of the show."
I tried to push past him but the same heavy that had blocked my path earlier now raised a hefty, cloven hand and pressed it against my chest, pushing me back a foot or two.
"There a problem here boys?"
I looked over my shoulder to see the dancer I had been talking to earlier. She was now, thankfully, without her suckling attendant.
"There wasn't," sneered Axionus, "but now there seems to be a foul smell in the air."
"That's no way to speak to a lady," I said, without really thinking. I mean, this particular lady
"Well, I'm all out of cash," I said, "and probably about to be kicked off the boat once word spreads that I shouldn't be here in the first place."
"They've got no reason to kick you off," he said. "Even if you were still mortal, that would make you unusual but you wouldn't be breaking the house rules."
"And what are they?"
"Few and far between. Hell is not a place that thrives in a restrictive atmosphere. There's really only one firm rule onboard this boat..."
"Well, look who it is," said a voice, interrupting the old man. The doors to the casino had opened to release both the desperate mixture of rattling chips and chatter and the floating figure of Axionus. "The poor loser." "Don't trust him," said the old man. "He may not look like much but he's a poisonous little shit."
Axionus was flanked by two lumbering heavies. They were both smartly dressed in three piece suits but their faces ruined the effect. Flat and charming as tombstones, they were dominated by the teeth in their lower jaw which jutted out making them look like walruses who had got a job in a bank.
"I was just thinking to myself," said Axionus, "what brings a mortal to The Bristle?"
"I just love a game of cards," I told him, looking to walk off up the gangway and find a bit of privacy again.
"Don't be rude," the baby-faced bastard said, one of his henchman moving to block my way. "I'm just interested in a little chit-chat."
He hovered in front of my face, his gently-beating wings stirring the foul-smelling air and serving it up to my nose.
"I don't meet a lot of mortals," he said, "not these days. Even during The Fastening they don't tend to end up in these parts. They stick to the tourist areas I guess. Here? The Bristle tends to be more for locals, you see the same old minor deities, demonic orders and corpses. So, how did you find yourself beating such an untrodden path?"
"Like I said, I was after a game or two. Nothing more to it."
"And what a game, eh? Didn't work out quite as you hoped, I know. That Agrat, she's a tricksy little thing isn't she?" He fluttered in even closer, an almost overpowering scent of mould and decay seeping from him. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if she had cheated. A big no no here of course but if anyone has the chutzpah to try it and succeed it's her. Still, what are you going to do if you have no proof, eh?" "Live forever apparently."
He laughed at that. It was like a toddler choking on its food. "Live forever, yes. It must seem that way to a mortal, but she won't leave you hanging for too many centuries I'm sure.
From experience, mortals really don't get the hang of longevity. After the first few hundred years they tend to find a cave to go slowly mad in. I'd say you'll be at your financial peak in say... three hundred years time? I'm intrigued though, what was it you wanted from her that was so valuable you were willing to gamble such a fate?"
"None of your business."
"No, no... I suppose not. But I want to know anyway, I am an insatiably curious little thing. Besides, I am not without power you know. Anything you might have wanted from Agrat is likely within my power to deliver. Tell me what it was, maybe we can cut a deal."
"He's lying," said the old man. "He's nowhere near powerful enough to do what we need, he's just fishing."
"That really is between me and her," I said. "Now if you'll excuse me I think I'll go back inside and get myself a drink, maybe watch some of the show."
I tried to push past him but the same heavy that had blocked my path earlier now raised a hefty, cloven hand and pressed it against my chest, pushing me back a foot or two.
"There a problem here boys?"
I looked over my shoulder to see the dancer I had been talking to earlier. She was now, thankfully, without her suckling attendant.
"There wasn't," sneered Axionus, "but now there seems to be a foul smell in the air."
"That's no way to speak to a lady," I said, without really thinking. I mean, this particular lady
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