The blue flame huffed out in irritation. He understood that it was irresponsible to abandon his post, and this hotheadedness was unbecoming of a spirit guide. Shouldn’t he be used to Their immature antics by now? Yet still, he would flare up at every single provocation.
Those throw-away comments of Theirs hadn’t used to bother him. But over time, Their barbed words grew like an itch you thought too hard about.
Death truly did drive one mad.
He snorted at his clever wordplay, before stopping in his proverbial tracks and grew deadly silent.
They were right. He truly was becoming more and more influenced by mortal concepts. Exclaiming in human euphemisms was one thing. Getting caught up with trivial affairs was an entirely different beast. This petty behaviour was indicative of inferior lifeforms.
But it was only natural, considering his sole other contact besides his infuriating coworker, was with humans. Zeus-knows-how-long he was shackled to Them. It was nigh impossible to go without being afflicted in some way.
— Was how he justified it to himself.
Maybe he should consider retirement soon… But there were only 200 more souls to be collected until his pension was available for payout — a single stater of electrum. Half gold, a bit less than half silver, the remainder being copper (the Elysium monetary dispensary was growing sparse in gold, so had to skimp). A white-gold coinage emblazoned with the seal of the Gods. While its material worth was mediocre at best, its true worth was immeasurable.
Only this coin could be exchanged as toll to passage across Styx.
The damp breeze inherent to places near water clung onto his form. He hated how it diminished his being. He hated his colleague. He hated how his colleague made him feel. He hated it here. Alas, the reminder of wage compelled him to turn back.
While dejectedly backtracking, a murmuring noise began whispering in the distance. He ignored it even when it crescendoed to a hushed buzzing. All at once a great sound thundered throughout the air. Locusts swarmed the skies above, surging like limbs with free reign over their host. Like headless snakes, he thought in awe while remembering his chance encounter with Medusa a lifetime ago.
He spotted it then, chariots of black that sucked in all light. Mares of dusk galloping, taking with them a certain associate of his.
Snapping out of it, another very mortal term was let loose as he swore under his breath.