A Psychopomp Anthology

Flower boy

The concept of death is as old as the Gods themselves. Not even a God can avoid ones fate. This troubled a lot of them as they were unable to save those mortals they care about. But one stands out more than the rest. Apollo. He's lost many a mortal lover but next to none ever come to the underworld. As it stands Hades is indifferent to this as at least the God of music preserves there beauty in the form of flora. But an issue arose when the boy Hyacinthus was taken by the winds of the west. His beauty remained as a beautiful flower that was widely admired throughout both his kingdom and Olympus. But, to put it plainly, Hades was annoyed that the boy wasn't taken to his dark safe walls. Being the God of the underworld wasn't exactly sought after and the God found himself quite depressed. To have a contender against the beauty of his own wife, Persephone, would be interesting and would have given a lighter feel to the otherwise dark halls.

In an act of rage, Hades had asked Thanatos to go and retrieve the next prettiest boy to lighten the halls of the underworld. The God of death was uncomfortable with the notion. He would carry the bodies of the dead through the gates of hell but he had never gone looking for his victims who don't deserve it. However he did as anyone would do to please his master. He went to the God Aphrodite for advice.
"You are looking for the fairest in the lands?" she had pushed her servants who were tending to her hair to the side. She did a small dance around Thanatos's stoic frame "Tell me what would a person such as yourself do with such a boy?"

"You mistake my intentions for another" He crossed his arms "Hades has intentions with the boy."

"becoming unfaithful like his brothers I assume" She sat back down in the lush cushions that showed her figure. Eros was called by his mother.

Giant crimson flames carried the God of Love into the room. Eros was told to take Thanatos to the next beauty through hushed words. Aphrodite was up to something, as she always was, but Thanatos couldn't bring himself to care. Eros looked intrigued if not uncomfortable. The fire bird flew off out the windows. Thanatos moved to follow "No you stay here." The Goddess ordered, twirling around Thanatos, her dress brushing his ankles. "You intrigue me. Tell me. Have you loved?"

"That entirely depends on your perception of love." Thanatos crossed his arms "I've found people I'm fond of but I don't feel a fondness of lust towards anyone."

"you poor soul." She sat back on her sheets and Eros reentered the room. He gave Thanatos a small flower wrapped in a sheet. A narcissus.

"Hades will understand."

Thanatos made a hasty retreat to the gates of hell. On his way down how could feel the painless stab of an arrow entering his right leg. It was logged above the ankle. A warm sensation ran along his finger tips and he could feel the glowing golden arrow at work "I hope that you have a plan set in mind for this Eros." He knelt down and pulled the metal from his leg "I'm not the type to go around falling in love."

"Believe me I do"