House of The Dragon-A God Amongst Men-Chapter 165: Maegelle and Drakken III

(Drakken's POV)

"Can I ask you a question?" Maegelle asked as I stood over the table, working on some trinkets, "My Lord?"

"Hm?" I said as I had some pliers on this metal prism in my hands, "What is it?"

"H-How does your Death ability work?" She asked

I glanced at her, she was sitting on a chair a few meters away. She was holding a cup of wine in her hand, and on the table next to her, there was a small cake on a plate. We were in the sub-basement level of Harrenhal, and I was working on a couple of things while Mya and Daranne were checking on the boys.

For some reason, Maegelle decided to stick with me while I worked.

"My Death ability?" I asked

She nodded, "I have been curious." She said, "When Mother told you that you could not bring Jocelyn and Aenys back.....the way you spoke....it was as if you could....but....the truth is, I have not seen you bring a long-dead person back from the dead."

"Hm." I said as I looked back at the prism, "It is not as simple as you can imagine."

"I would like to know, regardless." She said

"Souls." I said, "Do you believe in them?"

"Souls...." She said, "Well, yes...."

"I have noticed something in this world....and that is that the soul and mind is separate." I said as I was pulling on the prism, "In mine, the Soul contains the Mind as well....it's a sealed package. So if the Soul leaves the body, so does the mind. But one can pull the mind out of the Soul.....well.....it's a bit complicated."

"Oh." Maegelle said, "So....when someone dies....they lose their souls?"

"It is the same here...." I said, "But in Infernis....when a person dies....their Souls are automatically siphoned into an unseen vortex of power that transports them to their Afterlife. Each race has its own Afterlife...when they die, that is where they end up in...."

"Afterlife...." Maegelle said softly

"But sometimes.....the souls do not get siphoned." I continued as I managed to pry off a piece of the prism, "They are stuck on the other side.....still in the same plane....but....unseen....the Unseen Plane....The Other Side.....the Veil.....That is how spirits and ghosts are born. The Soul lingers too long in the Other Side, and they gain a bit of power....Ghosts and Spirits should not be able to interact with the physical plane, but when they gain enough power, they are capable of doing so. They typically linger in the place they died, tied to that area because of some Soul and Plane situation. I really didn't understand Viktor's explanation.....I am immortal after all."

"So if a person dies....they either pass on to the afterlife....or they become spirits....." she said, "And....what of their bodies?"

"Well, they decompose as usual. Just like here. The body is dead, after all." I said as I placed the prism down and set the pliers aside, "The way my Death works....is that I can prevent anyone from dying, making them immortal....for as long as I desire. But not only that....even if they are not immortal, if they die, I can immediately bring them back, as if they never died at all. But the thing is....if the souls leaves the body....while I can bring them back, all I can do is return the soul to its body and breathe Life in it.....there could be effects."

"Effects? Like what?" She asked

I looked at her while I wiped my hands with a rag, "When a soul is separated too long from their body, when they are brought back, there are notable differences." I said, "In personality, in memory... if it has been too long, the person will not be the same. You see, the longer they stay dead.....the less they are themselves when they return. Sure, with time and treatment, they can restore themselves to their original state...but it is too risky. There is a chance that the Soul could be distorted, and what is brought back is something more....monstrous....or the most common thing is that the soul was corrupted by a Demon. That is why Necromancy is banned.....and my power does not work like Necromancy."

"Demon...." She said as she looked down, "T-They are real in your world?"

"Oh. Very real." I said, "Bunch of fucking pricks, that lot."

"So...what is the difference in this world?" She asked me with a curious look

"The mind and soul are separate." I said, "Which is strange. The mind acts as the consciousness while the soul acts as the life force. And like my world, the longer the person stays dead.....the more different they could be should they be brought back. Unless...."

"Unless what?" She blinked

"The mind is perfectly preserved....in lets say....something that is specifically made to be made out of psychic power...a location that is a mental plane, acting as a sort of afterlife that converts said minds to magic power to fuel someone or something." I said as I crossed my arms freewёbnoνel.com

"The Dark Shade." She said with widened eyes

"The Dark Shade acts as an amplifier for the minds....the consciousness...." I said, "It expands them, basically, while keeping the original base intact...and then it pulls off the expanded bits and converts them into power. While said Minds are in their afterlife.....their rooms...they are being siphoned off for power. Let's say I have someone's body, completely repaired and lifeless....all I need is to do is pull the Mind from the Shade....and place it back on the body, and using my Death to pull the soul back in. While it could be a bit shaky at first, that person is successfully brought back from the dead....."

"I see..." She said, "But if they are not preserved in the Dark Shade?"

"I can pull their minds and souls from the void and slap them back on the body." I said, "I just need something physical to work with, you know? They won't be the same, however, if they've been gone for too long. To prevent death is one thing, it is expected of me....but to restore the dead? It's unnatural....everything is meant to die....and if they do, well, too bad. In my world, those who aren't meant to die....well, they're Gods...."

"If you have a skeleton...or a piece of bone belonging to a long-dead person..." She stood up and walked over to me, "Can you restore their body completely?"

I tilted my head, "It'll take some time....because if it's been too long, the factor that makes people what they are has been degraded." I said, "Almost to dust. But yes, it is possible. In my current state, it will take longer than I would like, but yes."

"And you can just pull their mind and soul towards it and bring them back." She asked

I nodded, "Yes."

"Amazing." she said, her eyes bewildered, "That....that is truly a divine power."

I smirked slightly and patted her cheek, "Such curiosity from you." I said, "You are beautiful when your eyes have that look to them."

"So to answer my Mother's question...." She said softly, "You could bring them back. But you won't."

"That's right." I said as I pulled away, "Punishments are meant to be harsh."

"I understand...." She said, "I....well....I cannot tell you what to do....but if Aemon does something for you, is the possibility of bringing them back on the table?"

I looked at her, "What could he possibly do?"

"It's just a thought." She said, "You like making deals."

"Hm..." I said, "You're starting to make me think you have a scheme."

"No, no scheme." She said with a smile, "I was just curious. I try to understand you, Lord Drakken."

"Drakken." I said, "You can just call me Drakken."

"Oh." She said, "Well, alright.....D-Drakken...wait.....if you can bring anyone back.....have you thought of bringing your Mother back? Back in your world?"

I turned around and placed my hand on the pliers again, "I never said I didn't." I said softly, "But like I said, being dead too long causes dire effects."

"Oh." She said, "Well.....I won't...I won't speak much on it...."

"I am sorry."