*Note - For people who care about it, I'll be making a page solely about what each stat does because I do not want to make a chapter consist solely of windows about stats. So let's just assume it's the same as the ones in the game and he already knows about them. It's also a convenience for me so I don't mess up his status page and for consistency (the first status window during the intro was completely random numbers which is why I didn't include stats). Also I'll usually use DDO as an abbreviation for Death Defiance Online from now on.

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More than sadness or pain or despair what I'm feeling now is just plain old embarrassment, the kind like when you wet your pants despite being more than old enough that you should have outgrown that. Floating about 2 meters off the ground I am now staring at what used to be my body impaled upon the sword of a recently deceased bandit leader. Not even a minute into the "game and I am already dead. If the people back in DDO saw this I would be a complete laughing stock, although it seems I did kill the leader since I got a level up window after I died. Well I assume he is the bandit leader since he was in the lead of three other guys who seemed like they were in the middle of attacking a small merchant's wagon when I teleported above him.

"Umm... sooo Karen, what happens now?"

....................

"There's got to be a second chance or redo system right? I mean I was literally thrown onto this guy's sword!" I complained as I pointed at another translucent floating form. Bob (I decided to call him that) was staring down at his own body in shock, although he has yet to notice me apparently. I would be too if I were him, one minute he was attacking a merchant, his one guard and a girl, the next he was crushed by a random body that came out of nowhere.

This is quite a disappointment and also quite an unfortunate accident, however seeing as your soul is still here I assume you have a skill that you can revive yourself with.

"Then what about that guy?" Again I pointed at Bob who finally got over his surprise and was now looking around.

It would appear that you are not visible to him, I do not know why he is still here though.

A thought suddenly came to mind as I watched Bob trying to peak under the skirt of whom I assume to be the daughter of the merchant that he was attacking earlier. Why am I so calm, normal people would have freaked out right now either over their death or the growing pool of blood on the ground. Yet I am floating here analysing everything like I was just reading a book. A single reason came to mind along with a very dangerous realization. I am treating this like a game...

"I'm not quite sure whether that's a good or bad thing."

What is?

"Oh, sorry was just thinking about how I am so calm during a situation like this and how apparently used to death I am."

Considering how you have 1995 deaths on record in DDO it is not surprising that you are used to death, as for whether it's a good or bad thing, at least you can think clearly during these situations.

Now if you don't mind I think you should look at your skills list. It is quite.... Interesting.

I raise an eyebrow, something that interests Karen? As far as I know she was just a strict business only person. Skills. like with the status menu a skill menu immediately showed up when I gave that command with my mind.

Sense Magic (Passive) - You are able to sense magic and magical beings within a certain area, higher levels of the skill will increase the range.

Novice 1 - 0%, Able to sense magic and magical beings within a 5m radius around you.

Spectre Vision (Passive) - You are able to see beings of magic and souls within a certain area, higher levels of the skill will increase the range.

Novice 1 - 1%, Able to see weakened beings of magic within a 5m radius around, able to see souls.

Language of the Dead (Active) - Allows you to communicate with souls and the undead.

Aura of Death (Active Aura) - You create an aura of death around you intimidating everyone around you, higher levels of the skill increase aura range and power.

Novice 1 - 0%, Intimidates weakened beings in a 5m radius around you, costs 5 mana per second.

Chosen of the Reaper (Passive) - Being the chosen of the Reaper grants you +1000 reputation with all undead and -1000 reputation with all holy beings. You are immune to most advanced mind controlling effects.

Undead Endurance (Passive) - Being the chosen of the Reaper grants you undead like endurance reducing all stamina costs, higher levels of the skill further reduces stamina costs.

Novice 1 - 0%, Reduce Stamina costs by 10%.

Dreamless (Passive) - Due to being the chosen of the Reaper you no longer have dreams and the amount of sleep your require is reduced, higher levels of the skill further reduce the amount of sleep you require.

Novce 1 - 0%, Reduces sleep required to 8 hours.

Ashen Taste (Divine Passive Curse) - Due to being the chosen of the Reaper you no longer require food to function, however consumed items will no longer affect you.

Death Defiant (Divine Passive) - Upon dying you may consume a nearby chained soul or a soul from a soul stone to restore yourself, amount restored is determined by quality of the soul consumed.

Rejected by Life (Divine Passive Curse) - You must consume a sentient soul within a period of time or you will die. You are unable to naturally regenerate Health, Mana, or Stamina. Quality of consumed soul determines length of time before next meal is required.

Soul Reaper (Passive) - Nearby deaths will chain the souls of the fallen to their bodies for a period of time, higher levels of the skill will increase the range and duration.

Novice 1 - 10%, Chains the souls of nearby fallen beings within a 10m radius for 10 mins.

Create Soul Stone (Active) - Creates a crystallized stone of mana that can trap souls within amount of mana used determines the quality of the soul stone, higher levels of the skill increase the capacity of the soul stone.

Novice 1 - 0%, Consumes x Mana to create a soul stone that can store 1 soul.

Consume Soul (Active) - Consumes a soul to restore Health, Mana, Stamina and to increase your own power, quality of soul determines restored amount; higher levels of the skill further increases amount restored.

Novice 1 - 0%, Restores 100 Health, 100 Mana, 100 Stamina and grants 100 EXP in addition to amount given by the soul devoured.

Create Soul Contract (Active) - Creates a contract bound two souls, a contract made between souls is absolute, higher levels of the skill reduces the costs. Contract requires consent from both parties involved.

Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 100% Mana, 100% Stamina, and 10 souls to create a contract.

Enslave Soul (Active) - Enslave another beings soul to force them to do your bidding, you orders are absolute; higher levels of the skill reduces the costs.

Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 99% Health, 100% Mana, 100% Stamina, and 10 souls.

Soul Summon (Active) - Creates a physical form for a soul to affect the physical world, summoned souls cannot regenerate health, once killed they are removed from existence; higher levels of the skill reduces costs and increases power of the created body.

Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 500 Mana to summon a soul at 50% power, costs an additional 20 Mana per second. Increasing initial Mana input will further increase the power of the soul.

Summon Lesser Undead (Active) - Revives a suitable corpse to fight for you, revived corpses cannot regenerate health or mana and cannot use magic, however they have unlimited stamina; higher levels of the skill increases power of summoned undead, variety of undead you can summon, and reduces Mana costs.

Novice 1 - 0%, Costs 100 Mana to revive a corpse into a Shambler.

Gamer's Will (Passive): Novice 1 - 0%

Questioning (Passive): Novice 1 - 24%

Insulting (Passive): Novice 1 - 5%

... Those are quite some game breaking abilities, although Rejected by Life concerns me.

[windown]It has been 1 minute and 47 seconds since you have died, unless you want to wait until your skill runs out and you truly die I suggest you consume the buffoon over there who is trying to grope that girl[/window]

I looked over at Bob and as Karen stated he was attempting to fondle the girl's average chest and failing miserably as his hands phased through. Can I truly kill him though, sure I did technically kill him in the first place but it wasn't intended and I wasn't even really aware of it. The answer I found scares me... a cold dark Yes.

Just then the living started moving again, a short skinny one ran up to Bob's body, turned me over (I was surprisingly intact) and started pulling at the blade that was stuck inside of my body. Meanwhile the merchant and his daughter retreated into the wagon as their guard carefully watched the bandits, knowing he was unlikely to make it out of this alive.

The bandit let out a cry as he finally dislodged the blade wiping it on my clothes, I hope my skill restores my clothes.

"Haha!! Now that Bob is dead I'm taking over, anyone who disagrees can eat a blade up their arse! Now lets git back to lootin before anyone else shows up."

Oh the random name I gave him was actually his real name?

Though they were mumbling some terrible insults the other bandits complied and turned their attention back to the guard. But that's about all they did, non of them were eager to take the risk of attacking the guard straight on.

Hate to remind you while you are watching this awfully boring scene but you are on a timer here.

"Oh right, sorry was busy thinking about my skills, they are rather evil but really strong for starting skills. Actually so strong some of them are game breaking."

They are gifts for being chosen by the Lord Reaper, I for one am glad you have those skills, at least you won't be dying... at least not permanently for a while. Also Bob is doing something I rather not see, ever.

I looked over to see what Bob was doing and immediately regretted it, I mean why would you do that, you can't even touch her. Enough was enough, Consume Soul. At that prompt Bob started dissolving into blue particles which then floated towards me. As the particles melted into me I felt... I felt POWERFUL!!!

Soul Consumed, 50 Health Restored, 10 Mana Restored, 20 Stamina Restored. Now Reviving...

Then I blacked out.

I opened my eyes and saw the sky, some time seems to have passed since I heard some swords clashing, some shouting, some sobs and a lot of cussing. Rising up I saw the guard fighting one of the bandits but he had a large bleeding cut on the left side of his stomach. The other bandit was on the ground bleeding with a cut across his chest either unconscious or dead. The new leader was just screaming insults at both combatants oblivious to me who had stood up. I looked down at Bob's corpse and a wicked smile started to form on my lips, it was time to test another one of my skills.

*Note: I promise this is the only time you'll see all those skills clustered together like that, unless he is looking at the skill itself they will be in simplified list form like the 3 previous skills from now on. Also I apologize if there wasn't much action (I realize I'm cramming a bunch of info in at once), there will be some in the next one.