"I died," he says simply. There's no way to stretch the revelation into something gentle or palatable. "Though it's not that simple, really - the Rift likes to complicate things."

He looks skyward, briefly, tracing the walls that reach up endlessly. "I'm on another plane. I'm not sure if - it's really the same for you. Whatever happened." His gaze drops back to the other man, drawn and conflicted. "But you're not really - tethered, you know?"