You touch a creature and grant it a measure of protection from death.

The first time the target would drop to 0 hit points as a result of taking damage, the target instead drops to 1 hit point, and the spell ends.

If the spell is still in effect when the target is subjected to an effect that would kill it instantaneously without dealing damage, that effect is instead negated against the target, and the spell ends.

Casting this abjuration, you visualize death as a colossal doorway, a black expanse between life and the unknown. The gateway swings open for all living things, accessible while life endures. In a daring move, you step towards this passage, akin to dreamers venturing in sleep. However, death typically seals the door behind departing souls. With this spell, you playfully wedge your toe to prop it open, if only momentarily.

I Cast Death Ward
Channeling protective magic, my hand rests on my ally, weaving an incantation against the grasp of death, albeit temporarily. A chill courses through my hand as I delve into the threads of fate, focusing on shielding my comrade. With the final syllable, an unsettling surge taints my senses—a bitter taste and a gut-wrenching ache. Guarding against death demands a toll, extracting its due in an ominous exchange.