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Drake's arms wrapped around Hel's hips as he gazed up into her striking red eyes.
"Thank you for everything you've done so far, Hel… I doubt I could have managed this alone. I'm truly grateful for your love too. I've been through so much, and no matter how hard I try to appear strong…"
"I know," Hel murmured softly. "We all suffer. We all feel. We all endure pain. As the ruler of a Realm of the Dead, I understand this deeply, my dear king."
"You do…?"
"Of course. Millions of souls seek my guidance, yearning for love, for peace—something to ease their torment. They suffer endlessly, unable to pass on. Accumulated trauma and resentment cloud their judgment, filling their souls with darkness—Nether. This is what transforms souls into ghosts, specters, or allows them to possess corpses, creating skeletons and zombies."
"I see… I never realized there was so much more to this world. But… do you know what the Afterlife truly is?"
"Oblivion."
"What?!"
