Sol was sent back to Yggdrasil, except this time he felt more in control of his body. Still, he walked to the building, not another soul in sight. He felt blissfully ignorant, not a care in the world. He just gazed upon the beautiful sky and endless branches, appreciating it more with every step.

He reached the building again, went inside and weighed his heart.

“Hel,” the voice said, which sounded feminine rather than neutral like before.

Sol decided to take his time now that he had more free will here. He walked around the building, admiring its architecture. No comment came from the voice.

He again went to walk into the portal, but he couldn’t pass through.

Sol opened his eyes, he didn’t gasp for air this time.

“Anything?” Mercy asked.

“Grown stronger, doubled actually,” the doctor said as he read from a screen. “I still can’t see anything, but his affinity for it has grown tremendously- opened it up actually.”

“Again, until we figure this out,” Sol said, completely determined.

Sol died over and over again, experiencing the same thing every time. He began to admire Yggdrasil even more, the beauty of it, the sheer size of it. And the building, he adored the building.

He forgot how many times he died before a figure was standing in front of the portal. It was a woman with enormous black wings. She was blonde and beautiful, and wore a black embroidered dress. She was thrice his height; a god.

Sol weighed his heart on the scale and walked up to the woman.

“Hello,” Sol said, surprised he could speak.

The woman stared at Sol- not at him per se, but at his heart, looking deeply into his soul.

“Interesting,” she mused. “Why do you keep coming back? It seems… pointless.”

“I… I’m sorry,” Sol spluttered out. It was his first time seeing such a beautiful yet powerful person- like a god.

Eventually he mustered up enough confidence to speak again. “I suffer from affinitous, they are trying to awaken something in me,” Sol said.

The black angel shrunk down to human size and walked up to him. “Yet you have already found it and still come back.”

“I’m sorry, again- truly, they need more information. Are you the Hand of Death?” Sol asked with a quake in his voice.

“Indeed I am. Thanatos as your people know me. You don’t seem afraid? Most seem flustered, they panic and run,” she said.

“I am a little- a lot, but why would I be, I can’t die?” Sol questioned as he met her eyes, she was really beautiful.

“You are correct, yes. But you forget who I am,” she said. “I’m the hand that guides you here. I only want you here when your time is right, not for your soul to be transferred back.”

“I apologize again, I’m only trying to figure out my affinity, I really need to. If I don’t then my family will suffer.”

“You do not need this to support your family. I’ve seen your heart a hundred times, yet you think you need to protect your sisters. You want revenge, you need power,” Thanatos said.

“Even so, it is what I want,” Sol said.

Thanatos looked to the side for a moment, before Sol was reawakened once more.

“I met her,” Sol said, hurriedly.

“The Hand of Death?” the overseer remarked.

Sol nodded. “Yes, and she’s angry,” he said. “Send me back.”

“That is not a wise decision. To anger the Hand of Death is to anger a god.”

“Send me back!” Sol shouted, a desperation in his voice.

An invisible force sent the overseer and Mercy flying into the wall. Black mist exploded around Sol, completely blinding the entire room. The black mist settled and the Hand of Death was in the room leaning over Sol. The aura of everlasting vanished, even though the crystal was still activated.

Everyone froze. A God had entered Gaia.

“Are you scared now?” she asked.

Sol met her eyes. “No.”

“Interesting. Even without the aura, do you still not fear death?”

“No,” Sol repeated. “I’ve been through Hel and back, put through the toughest training, done nothing but look after the ones I’ve loved. Even if I die now I think it would be worthy from the Hand of Death herself.”

She stared into his soul to check if he was lying. He wasn’t which she found strange. She had seen his heart hundreds of times now, and each time he was scared to leave his sisters. But now he seemed adamant, he wanted power, almost corrupted by it.

“A man who does not fear death is considered a warrior, but even they have doubts,” she said.

Sol’s gaze didn’t leave her eyes.

“I’ve died a hundred times now. That place doesn’t scare me and neither do you!” he exclaimed.

“A man who does not fear death is not ready to die. There is something yearning inside of you, yet it is hidden, trapped beneath you.”

She leaned over to his head and kissed him gently on the forehead.

You received the curse Kiss of Death from Thanatos, Hand of Death.

You cannot die, you are now immortal.

You will always regenerate upon death.

Your mana, health and stamina will all be regenerated.

For a man to question death herself, he must be willing to die already.