The Law of Life dictates that all living beings possess a finite amount of life energy, which can only be exchanged or transformed but never created or destroyed. Life follows a singular progression from birth to death, and no magic can reverse this natural cycle. The energy of life, once expended, cannot be restored or reanimated through any form of Aetheric manipulation. This law underpins the natural limitations of life and death within the universe.
- Finite Life Energy: Every living being is imbued with a set amount of Aether that represents their life force. This life energy sustains them throughout their existence but is gradually depleted over time. Once fully expended, life comes to an end.
- Irreversibility of Death: Life progresses along a one-way path, and once a being has passed from life to death, there is no way to reverse this process. Attempts to resurrect or restore life violate the natural order and result in severe consequences, if not outright failure.
- Exchange, Not Creation: Life energy can be exchanged or transformed, as seen in acts of healing or necromantic manipulation. However, these processes do not create new life energy—they simply redistribute or manipulate existing energy. The amount of life energy in the universe remains constant.
- Healing and Necromancy: Healing magic operates by redistributing life energy from one source to another, aiding in the recovery of the injured. However, healing someone does not create new life energy—it merely shifts existing energy. Similarly, necromancers may manipulate the residual energy of the dead, but they cannot restore true life to a corpse, only a facsimile.
- Limitations of Resurrection: The Law of Life explicitly forbids resurrection. Even the most powerful magic or Aetheric manipulation cannot restore life once it has passed, as the life force that animated the body is gone forever. Attempts to do so can result in monstrous consequences, such as the creation of undead or entities lacking true life.
- Life Force Manipulation: While life energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can be siphoned, transferred, or manipulated. Certain dark arts, such as sanguimancy or soul magic, exploit this principle to draw energy from living beings, but at a high moral and physical cost.