March

Duth waited for nightfall, waited for this man to open his eyes. In that time he had his troops pile the dead bodies in one messy stack. He used a bone trap and SM to create a twisted throw out of some of the bodies. Whilst the rest acted as the backdrop. Then he had those very same troops step out of the area to keep guard.

He waved out hundreds of soul mass to the winners. An action he nearly forgot. Those buffed up gave off a strange crackle before stumbling off. There was an odd energy about them.. Though perhaps it was due to the fact he maxed out how much he could give?

The man did eventually wake. Much to Duth's glee. He gave him no time to take a gander. It was dark enough for the man to see not where he was. Only to smell the strong copper, faintly recognize the burning eyes of the dead and finally to make out a pile of corpses.. Somewhere in front of it shifted to look at him.

"Good, you're awake."

"Wha.. Why.. Why..wh..why did you leave me alive you DEMON!-" 

The man spat blood!

The lich mere inches from his face, the sudden shift in the atmosphere made his pores bleed. His nose began to drip blood. Yet he wouldn't notice. Only the rolling blue flame with flickers of sickly green.

"Im no demon little man. Your people.. They hurt us, trampled on us.. You dare.." Duth' s hissing voice made the mans ears bleed, whilst he couldnt speak under the cracking. Only whimper, Duth tilted his head. "No matter, your sanity isnt what i need." 

He dropped the man. Whose bones groaned. Giving him a moment to catch his breath. Duth held up his hand. A green flame whisking up into a roar. 

"You see.. I always wandered. What would happen if I used [Raise Horde] then [Group Harvest]?"

Duth turned on this man. "Raise Horde, is said to raise the dead. But it doesnt specifically say in which state you have to be in. Whereas Group Harvest doesnt care. There is another thing.. You see, i can share this.. With the dead.." Duth flicked his wrist, a liquid seeping from his shadowed body. "It can empower them, but what about a human?"

The man didnt know what was being said. But each step the lich took, with a sort of strange madness.. Only made him want to and eventually scream louder.

"Say away from you you Damned Demon!"

"Relax it shouldnt hurt.. Too much- hey stop moving!"

"Nooo leave me alone! Guh!"

Duth inserted over a thousand SM. Letting it course, before casting. [Raise Horde] and [Group Harvest] back to back to stave off the possibility of a-

¡BANG!

###

Duth burned off the festering flesh. Turning away from the grisly sight of a blood mist. Organs, guts and mush spread about.. 

"Perhaps.. I added too much?"

Guh.. He would forget about this for the time being. He expected a human to withstand at least ten times the SM than his dead. After all they could as skeletons only handle barely a hundred and thirty plus. 

So why not? It appears that isnt the case. Too soft perhaps.. Bah.. 

"Prepare the armies, we march by dawn."

Duth didnt need the city. If anything he wanted this kingdom's capital. Imagine the size of their graveyards.. Only one word came to mind.

Legions

Each city was a treasure trove, the dead buried in almost every nook and cranny of any large establishment. Though he left this city in ruin, though he left the dead that still dwell in the ground. He did not worry.

If one thing wasnt apparent. The soul realm with each of the dead brought back drew closer to the area. When he raised his first legion, the pull was enough to thin out the areas spatial stability. Therein without his intervention. The dead would rise in due time, each city would become a vocal point to the soul realm. Allowing more than its energies to take up the dead. It is likely in the future that ghosts would come from that realm. Their underlying rage gives them an unstable ethereal body to walk the mortal plane.

Duth glanced at the gathering forces. With an addition that replenished his losses and then some, he estimated he had a count close to or surpassing four thousand. 

Amongst them were a few interesting points of interest. Like the Death knights returning with a named knight that held the same luster they came to him as. Yet by a rough look. The four death knights had decreased in level by five! Where as the new knight named "Adilen" was standing at a level twenty.

The cost was.. Worth it, but not again would it be worth the trouble. Less they weaken every further. 

His eyes lingered on them. Glancing only then at the next. There were four companies that seemed to have a different look to his army. A quick systematic look tolf him all he needed.

After his dead reached their max, they would undergo something akin to an evolution! What do they need to max out?

Soul Mass, of course!

Each one of them were slightly stronger, well it would take five skeletons to kill one. Or two to three humans.. He deemed them Wights. That would fit their strange leathery skin, pale blue eyes and degraded equipment. 

There were also the adventurers he rose. Yet aside from some good gear and a sure fire strength exceeding a wight they werent much compared to the death knights.. 

Though perhaps its wrong to compare to "Advanced Undead" something he hasn't the qualifications to make.

"Ha.. Due time.."

Now.. He turned away, the armies were prepared, he pointed to the rising sun and whispered a hushed, yet thunderous word. 

"March"

--

Added and changed some aspects of lore. like what you see?