I was shrouded in darkness, then a light entered my unending darkness. It was a small red orb that shined scarlet, moving around me slowly it was a interesting development from the darkness. "You wouldn't happen to know the way out, would you?" the orb stopped moving the moment I spoke.

I felt something in my mind it was like telepathy. "I am Coral, Curator for the equalizers." Corals voice was masculine and monotone almost like an elder Pixie. "I Must inform you of your station and evaluate your competence, please fallow me." the orb flew off some distance waiting for me.

Stupefied I fallowed, after some time I saw a slab of land with many corpses on it. the orb lead me to a platform its smooth metal surface seamed out of place on this scarred earthly land. The orb waited a moment before talking again. "You are charged with balancing the worlds species. You must become a undisputed threat to all living things. We will now start the Raise Dead test, please raise 15 undead."

I was not willing to argue with this orb, I could feel a power inside of it that far surpassed my own. Raising my hand I cast Raise dead 3 times. the undead were armed like town militia while undead were not smart they could operate slightly complex weaponry like Bows or Crossbows. 12 of them were armed with shields and swords the other 3 had crossbows.

"You are the equalizer, as such you must create fear and hatred towards yourself. Raising the dead of freshly slain combatant's mid battle is a effective way to unsettle or in rage your enemies." suddenly 8 soldiers appeared rushing at the undead I ordered them to attack, after some time 5 of my undead were slain while only one of the enemy was killed, taking what Coral said I raised him and attempted to raise the fallen corpses of my undead. 2 of my undead got to their feet again along with their new friend.

The soldiers were reluctant to fight their fallen friend causing one of them to ignore my undead crossbow men getting himself slain. I promptly raised him and again attempted to raise the fallen undead however none of them got up except for my initial target. "You may not raise an undead whom is injured to such a degree, Undead whom have lost their head or more than 3 limbs are unable to raise. When you are lacking corpses, Conjure bones is an effective way to acquire bulk forces."

Casting conjure bones three times I felt that the bones were magical in nature, "Conjure bones is a racial skill of the Skeleton King, Your conjured bones are permanent until risen and slain. Undead created this way will be slightly weaker than their counterpart's but with numbers this can be mitigated." Nodding my head I raised the 15 skeletons and ordered them to pick up weapon's from the ground and flank the soldiers whom were beginning to retreat.

The skeletons were faster than the zombies and thus stopped the 6 soldiers from falling back, soon they were surrounded and slain by the horde. "Excellent, now we will Test your personal combat skills." after a moment the field was cleared and instead of a battlefield filled with corpses and undead, a arena was placed. 4 half naked gladiators stood 25 feet away. I was garbed in my Black armor with a black shield and a Steel short sword.

The gladiators charged me, two with swords and shields, one with a spear another with a Bow. I charged the two swords men with practiced ease, I slid onto my knees and thrust my shield into the shin of one man while cutting the legs of the other, using the momentum from my slide and abrupt impact, I summersaulted forward and landed on my feet. bringing my shield up I felt it thud with an arrow.

Swinging around I let go of my sword and grabbed onto the spear that was thrust at my side. Tugging on the spear he was sent forward, I bashed his skull with my own sending him unconscious another arrow took flight, aimed at my legs crouching my shield landed atop the arrow sending it fluttering away harmlessly. I readjusted my grip on the spear and sent it flying, the spear was unbalanced but it flew straight and true piercing the bowman's through the throat. I then bashed the end of my shield into the unconscious spearman's neck snapping it.

I turned just in time to meet one of the two swordsmen, this was the man I had shield bashed in the shin. Brining my shield up I blocked his attack and bashed into his chest sending him back, the wounded man whom I had cut soon entered with a small limp using his imbalance, I leaped at him grabbing his sword hand and snapping it releasing the sword I twisted his arm and sent him to the ground I then stomped on his neck destroying his wind pipe.

I then threw my shield at the last gladiator he was furious that I had shield bashed him twice, the shield slammed into his own, I had charged the moment my shield was flung using the opening from the shield throw I thrust at his side. This man was more skilled than I had gauged, blocking my thrust with his sword. I instantly grabbed his shield and tugged sending him off balance. I kicked at his already bruised knee, buckling under the blow he fell to his knee swiping his sword at me. I promptly severed his hand then with a quick slash cut his throat. kicking his chest he was sent to the ground ending the melee.

Taking no hits I was satisfied the fight lasted 15sec. Turning to Coral I bowed, "You have succeeded, now I will test your tactical skills." the field once again changed I was seated in a tent filled with magic mirrors and other officers I was In the largest seat so I assumed I was the general. Looking at the Mirrors I saw a battlefield my forces were garbed in white steel while my enemy was garbed in red. I noted my forces were outnumbered 10/1.

We had 250 mages, 500 warriors, 300 archers, 300 Calvary, and 15 paladins. The enemy had 650 mages, 3000 warriors, 850 archers, 500 Calvary, and 25 paladins. I was stationed on a small hill with my soldiers closely packed, I had the mages erect T3 barriers, and an Anti magic barrier my forces were smaller so having them all close together and casting defenses would make the most sense.

I then ordered the archers to ready arrows and be placed just behind the warrior line. I had the Calvary and Paladins group up in the back. Paladins were a special class of warrior whom could heal and cast light magic's acting as shock troopers, each was mounted on a warhorse. Each paladin was worth 150 warriors so sending them to the front would be wasteful.

The red see began to descend on us, I knew I would lose but I would at least take out the enemies mages, Ordering my mages to cast defensive magic's first allowed them to regain their mana and cast attack spells. ordering my mages to cast Arrow one on the Calvary and one on the archers. the remaining fifty would ready Divergence and lesser arrow. Using divergence they could control any spell similar to their own Using lesser arrow I would be able to diverge the two arrow spells right before they hit to target their mages.

The attack went smoothly only 48 mages survived the attack, I then had my mages retreated to rest for later, the mages casted Higher Magic barrier on the Calvary and Archers leaving themselves without mana, their forces were moving so casting defensive spells with AOE would be wasteful as they would soon leave the defensive spells zone. their archers entered our line of fire and I had my archers return fire, the shield held for a time but the exchange was half of their archers dead and 3/5s of mine slain.

I then had the mages with higher regeneration cast another arrow sending all the remaining archers into oblivion. I was now entering the melee of the fight with my Calvary and Paladins playing chicken with theirs, The remaining archers had free fire to attack the 3000 warriors, losing around 296 before reaching our lines, I had my paladins act as healers for my troops. The mages would be ready for another arrow spell shortly, I lost 350 warriors in the skirmish and 52 Calvary to mages.

The arrow spell slew 1000 of the 3000 warriors. along with losing a total of 600 soldiers to arrows and T2-3 mage spells, I had the mages use their own discretion to fight, just like the archers. My paladins rested to regain their mana, with the help of the mages I had slew almost all of the 3000. but I knew this would not be the end. I had noted that 5000 more warriors and 600 Calvary were coming over the hillside. I lost the remaining warriors but finished slaying the enemies warriors, mages, and luckily the Calvary that were harried by the mages.

Reforming my battle lines I noted that the paladins returned to their new forces I contemplated how I could possibly inflict the most damage. I couldent come up with anything, until I thought about my other tests, checking my stats I noted that I was still a Skeleton king and had access to my abilities. Leaving the tent I began to raise the enemies soldiers in mass, allowing my soldiers to be cremated or carried off the field. My actions shocked the remaining soldiers but they remained loyal after witnessing my tactical capabilities I saw the paladins were the most distraught by my actions but I Ignored them.

Raising the dead I noticed that the Mages made lesser liches and they themselves began to raise their own undead, I casted conjure bones and rested allowing the liches to use the skeletons to bulk up their forces. I now had an army of 250 liches, 4802 undead with my remaining forces. leading the battle I mounted a undead horse and began to lead the assault. My undead clashed with their battle lines, having one of my liches contact the mages I informed them to launch two arrows when able onto the Calvery and warriors.

Soon after the Calvary were mulched by arrows I raised half of them before needing to rest the hostile paladins began to assault our undead lines causing havoc. One was quickly killed by three liches. I had my undead attack their mounts, having them fight on the ground would slow their advance. I witnessed the Liches cast Death bolts and other spells killing mass amounts of warriors. the mages launched their arrows spell killing many of the remaining warriors.

I had not engaged in melee but soon I was trapped between two paladins I attempted to fight back but was thrown off balance when one of my own paladins cast a Light spear into me. I fell feeling light, soon the world froze and all was still. Coral hovered over me, "As the Skeleton King you have a unique Skill -Undying Lord- and -Death Bound Conviction- While not stated when you are physically slain you will enter this plain of being known as the ether. You may return to your throne and recuperate their retaining your levels, you may also choose to enter the physical plain as a spirit."

I Wondered what I would look like in spirit form physically. Thinking about my body I felt a tug and soon entered the battle field as a 12 foot tall apparition. Coral was still linked to me, "In your spirit form you take all the power from Previous Skeleton Kings and contort them into this form, The cost being your levels resetting you to level one, losing all your stat bonuses. Choosing to take this form you will gain no experience."

I felt my body filled with strength and power I grabbed hold of something familiar a giant mace I also felt a spiked gauntlet on my hand, "The Mace was the Previous Skeleton Kings weapon of choice, made from the bones of a dying Dragon. The Spiked gauntlet is from the first Skeletal King allowing him to steal the souls of the living to become Physical. The Dragon mace is a ethereal weapon meaning It may enter the physical realm for a time, The Gauntlet is a Soul Reave artifact and will not physically kill the target but drain them of Vitality and Mana while weakening their soul."

Feeling this power I swept the mace sending many warriors flying, I then grabbed the paladin next to me with my gauntlet He began to gasp and claw at his throat I lifted him slightly and felt his Life leave him, When you had no mana left you would begin to suffocate and your soul would leave your body. I watched his soul being sucked into the gauntlet His pain and agony filling me with life.

He soon went limp and cold, tossing his body aside I began my mindless slaughter of the living around me. My mind went blank with the thoughtless slaughter. I soon turned on my own forces slaying them, I noted that the ones I killed turned into zombies, while the drained became ethereal ghosts that clawed through the living.

Soon I was no longer in control of myself and watched as my body became more physical until all the humans were dead. The undead then screeched and fell over limp their souls entering my body filling me with life. I was then back into my Skeletal form equipped with my armor and claymore, Coral came from the sky and began to hover at eye level. "When in Wraith Form you will lose control of your self killing indiscriminately, Only by absorbing the souls of 1000 beings can you return to your physical being, Conjured undead do not have souls."

I felt the world change again but this time I was sitting in the black throne, Coral was hovering above the room acting as a light source. "Rest, When you are ready I will take you to the War room and we may start." a ray of red shot out from Coral hitting me, I felt extremely tired once again entering the Darkness...

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I saw a woman dragging me away from a corpse, She had blond hair and gray eyes. Her armor was stark white and she carried a blade of silver. I saw her cast several light spears killing soldiers charging at us. Tears streamed from my face as I was dragged away from the man I screamed, once we left the building she mounted a horse carrying me. She then whispered in my ear "Rest." I felt a sharp pain on my head and soon everything was dark...

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