| abstract | - The power over life and death is a form of magic that lies at the very heart of the Old Religion. It can be used either to revive people who are dying or to create a new life, as long as a life is given in return. One of the most important laws of magic is, in fact, that life cannot be mirrored without giving anything in return and to save or create a life there must be a death for the balance of the world to be restored. Once someone enters into a life-for-a-life bargain, it cannot be undone. This power can be used to allow a barren woman to conceive. This form of magic is very powerful and can only be achieved by powerful and experienced sorcerers, those who serve the Old Religion and, thus, hold dominion over life and death. Only two known individuals have mastered this power: Nimueh, former High Priestess of the Triple Goddess, and Merlin. It is presumed that all High Priestesses carry this power, though Morgana and Morgause have not been shown to demonstrate it. The Questing Beast also carries this power. This is a very dangerous power to use because of its fatal and potentially unpredictable effects. For example, when Uther Pendragon asked Nimueh to use her powers to help his wife, Ygraine, who could not conceive, Ygraine's life was taken. Uther blamed the Old Religion itself for this and he started executing anyone who practiced magic. Its unpredictability was shown when the Old Religion almost took the life of Merlin's mother, Hunith, instead of his, though Merlin believed it was not the Old Religion that did this but Nimueh. When Gaius decided to sacrifice his life to save Hunith and Merlin, the young warlock killed the High Priestess Nimueh, and so the balance of the world was restored. There are many ways with which the Old Religion, or those who serve it, have control over life and death: Nimueh (and probably all the other High Priestesses) used the Cup of Life, both to revive the dying and and to kill the intended sacrifice. The Old Religion can also be called upon by the High Priestess to strike a sacrifice with incurable disease. When Nimueh chose to use this power to sacrifice Hunith, Merlin called upon the gods to gather the clouds and strike the High Priestess with lightning, with her death reviving Gaius. (Le Morte d'Arthur).
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