Chapter Ninety-Two

The tent itself was built out of what looked like boar skin, though it was much darker in color and covered in a thin layer of frost. The tent had two entrances: one on the north side and the other on the south side. A single skeleton guard guarded both entrances, though Edward expected that the man inside the tent was stronger than both of the guards combined.

As they walked inside, Edward looked into the tent's exterior and whistled in surprise. The chieftain's tent wasn't as large as Edward thought it would be. If he compared it to Earth, the chieftain's tent was roughly the size of a family room in the average suburban household.

The other side of the boar skin, acting as the tent's walls, was soft and warm. Every inch of the ground below was covered in several dark blue rugs, each heavier than the one underneath. The rugs, combined with the tent's soft walls, made Edward feel that the chieftain must have been a fan of a comfortable lifestyle. Had it not been for the blue candles illuminating the inside of the tent, Edward would've compared the environment of the tent's interior to that of a fireplace.

There were only three pieces of furniture in the tent. The bed, a large table, and a single chair. 

The bed wasn't that large compared to many others Edward had seen on Earth, but it was completely unused. The pillows and blanket were undisturbed and unwashed, allowing a thick layer of dust to coat its entire surface. Edward knew that undead creatures didn't have to sleep, but Edward was still surprised to find the mattress abandoned at the level it was. Perhaps the chieftain had used it before the yetis came—back when he was still able to manipulate shadows. 

The table, contrary to the bed, was often used. A large map was placed in the center of the table, showing the layout of the entire floor. Upon it, Edward saw several colored mini-figures representing the different parties fighting each other throughout the floor's dark halls. Most of the figures were purple—perhaps representing the skeleton champions that were always trying to encroach into the clan's domain. The only other figure that didn't share the same purple coat was blue, though it was much larger than any of the others. This was located near the edge of the map perpendicular to both the entrance and the main boss room. Edward didn't know how the skeletons managed to map out the entire dungeon floor in such a short amount of time, but he was glad they did. Then again, with Brandon's help, he wouldn't need this map anyway.

The final object, the chair, was ordinary and plain. It was the type of chair that would be placed amongst hundreds in a large banquet hall. However, what made it stand out was the skeleton that sat on it. Unlike the skeletons guarding the tent and the hundreds he saw throughout the encampment, this skeleton wore armor that looked brand new. It was made out of plate metal rather than leather, but it still shared the same dark hue. Considering how much of the skeleton's body was covered by the armor, Edward almost mistook the skeleton for an ordinary man. Had his helmet not been missing, and thus exposing his skull, Edward would've assumed this skeleton was human. 

By the skeleton's side, Edward saw a large halberd leaning against the table not far from the skeleton's right hand. As Edward and Aelor walked in, the skeleton looked up from the table and slowly stood up before he leaned against the table in front of him. His chair remained still as he stood, thanks to the distance between the chair and the table itself, although the table seemed to shift as the skeleton lightly placed his knuckles against the table's edge.

"Sir," Aelor spoke as he slowly bowed, his fist put up against his chest in a salute. Edward saw Aelor move and decided to assume a similar bow, though he didn't salute the skeleton chief like Aelor did. After a moment, Edward heard a grunt from the chieftain. Hearing this, Aelor rose back to an upright position, "This is Edward Colt. I believe he is capable of dealing damage to the champions, so I've decided to bring him to you. With his help, we will be able to push them back, perhaps to the edge of the dungeon floor."

The chieftain watched Edward in silence, perhaps judging him in the process. Edward took that opportunity to appraise the silent skeleton standing before him and was surprised at the result.

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Balaegon - Frozen Skeleton Soldier (DEFEATED FLOOR BOSS) (NAMED MONSTER)

Lvl 26

HP: 1000 | DMG: 146 | DEF: 226

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'Damn!' Edward thought to himself, 'Not only is his health high, but his damage isn't lacking, either! He's almost as strong as the gorilla, even after it was empowered! That's crazy strong!'

"Don't you know it's rude to snoop, boy?" the skeleton spoke. His voice startled Edward, as it was much deeper than any of the other voices he had heard today. His back immediately straightened, and his face became tense. For a moment, Edward felt as though he was standing in front of his late grandfather, a man renowned for his strict mentality and harsh demeanor.

A moment later, though, that thought was crushed as soon as the skeleton chieftain began laughing. His chuckles were light, much lighter than his voice had been only a moment prior, causing Edward to look at him with a confused expression.

"Sorry, sorry," The chieftain smiled. He pushed against the table. Then he grabbed his helmet and placed it on his head before walking around the table, "I just wanted to play a little prank, that's all. It's nice to meet you, Edward. I've been waiting for somebody like you for a very long time. Come, let's talk."