Finally free in death, the Taraskans wake up in a nightmare worse than where they came from: watching their hell happen all over again to a peaceful kingdom that has no concept of war.

How does one coexist with another who can’t imagine a life of blood and torment? The battle-hardened Taraskans have to move fast to seal borders that aren’t their's, training a species that walks on all fours and thinks they're safe behind millenniums of powerful magic.

Unable to relate or warn their new neighbors, monsters thought to have been left behind quickly regain their strength and do what they do best: spread without fear or mercy.

It takes a broken man to fit into two worlds. Raiden will not only have to save both countries, but also himself from truely being the King of the Dead.

Not all monsters are of metal and teeth. The Taraskans are caught off guard when these beasts suddenly start using tactics...and trauma. 

One menace roams the world who doesn’t fight with magic or weapons. He walks without a name but lurks behind every corner. His mind is his weapon and his words drive the will of these fiends. Without compassion and without blunder, it seems that the harder the Taraskans fight, the further they achieve his plan.

Raiden and company must work quickly to logically deduce how to combat an enemy who fights like no foe they’re ever encountered, while breaking free from the reckless anger that’s kept them alive for generations. 

Raiden may lead most of his people, but his friends hold him together more than he thinks. Lucretia was almost discarded at birth and despite her muscular dystrophy and dyslexia, became known as the most brilliant tactician the Taraskans have. When swords dull and supplies are limited, Emeris’ silver tongue can make or break the morale of his choosing.

As they slowly run out of time, resources and troops, each country must start deciding on what their priorities are.

Other tags:
-Structured scifi that spans multiple genres such as gene manipulation, time travel and alternate dimensions.
-Complex romantic relationships between two broken individuals
-Psychological thriller problem solving
-Interspecies romance and how real humans would react to it
-Complex characters and villains
-Vast backstory and worldbuilding
-Detailed infantry tactics and fightscenes
-Enjoyable comedic scenes
-Intense war scenarios
-heartbreaking depictions of torture
-occasional DBZ-like magic combat

Author's Note: KOTD is finished and I'll be uploading one of the final four chapters every day before marking it complete, starting from the 26th to the 30th of May

Author's note #2:
"King of the Dead has been a large pot for me to pour stuff into. I wanted readers to empathize with mental health. I wanted them to understand the paranoia and emotional fatigue that I do with my PTSD. I wanted readers to see a character with weaknesses and flaws, who gets tired, who gets emotional, who gets irrational and watch him pay for those flaws. I wanted a female character who doesn't hide her femininity but doesn't upplay it either. I wanted characters who solve a lot of their problems with their minds and strategy, not brute force. I wanted romance that was complicated and tiring. I wanted the woman in Raiden's life to understand why he's so broken, but not tolerate his toxic behavior. I wanted an antagonist who was overwhelmingly powerful, intelligent and extremely manipulative. I wanted characters who had to use good old detective work to fight against magic they had never seen before."
Accepted into
The Good HiEgroup

Side stuff:
I paid to use the cover image, it is NOT available for free use under the artist.
This story is based around half way through season 5, with the Mane 6 away on a mission.
Special thanks to Thesixthguardian, TenaciousLotus and Boardgamebrony for all your help!
Original artist: http://chevsy.deviantart.com/