Ed was respawned back into his orc body after a 10-minute timer. It was nothing but the usual. He got up from his bed after stretching his tired muscles and found out that not much time had passed.
He wanted to return to the crypt and strengthen his skeleton body but being respawned as an orc first works out for him.
'How should I excuse myself though?' Should he tell Sharog that he was going to go on a journey to regain his life's purpose? That was bound to raise some eyebrows. Ed dismissed the idle thoughts and focused on preparing instead.
He could just say he was leaving and to wait for his return. If Sharog asked then he would answer. Until then, it was best to pack up.
Ed approached his desk. There laid his book as well as some other small things. He sent them all into his storage space without a second glance.
'I should get some other resources as well' The crypt only had a bunch of old furniture and rusted weapons. It wouldn't do to assimilate such things. If he wanted to make the most of his skeleton body then he needed to get it the best resources.
His ultimate goal wasn't to get stronger though. Ed planned on using the skeletons as test subjects. He wanted to find out if it was possible to create either skeletons or golems that housed 'life'
Ed left his house and went to find Sharog. He asked around and was told she was currently inside of her house. While he was at it he also made sure to inquire about Duma's whereabouts and Shel's condition. The situation on that end was still the same.
Ed walked for a bit admiring the scenery. The orcs were hard at work putting out the wall fire as well as gathering any loot. The adventurers were all kitted with decent sets of armors and fine weapons.
He planned on acquiring of couple of those for himself, especially the sets of armor. Those wouldn't fit on the orcs so nobody would complain if he were to take them.
'I should try to learn some smithing' If he did he could make armor for both the skeletons and the orcs. With his craftsperson skill, it just might be possible. The only issue would be creating a suitable workshop.
'The forge inside of my mind might work…' Ed pondered on this for a bit as he caught sight of Sharog's home.
The last time he tried to take items from his storage space into the outside ended in failure. The book hadn't made it into the hallway and instead fell onto the ground.
'Maybe it only works with materials' Ed shrugged off the matter and politely knocked on Sharog's door. He waited for 30 or so seconds before Sharog's figure was in sight.
"I didn't expect to see you here so soon" Sharog spoke her mind.
"We can only move forward." Ed told her casually. Sharog nodded somewhat doubtfully. Ed didn't mind her reaction and proceeded to address some matters.
"On that topic, I will be leaving. You don't have to worry though. I'll be back so just wait patiently. Until then I hope you can take reign of this settlement." With the absence of Duma, the settlement was lacking any leadership.
"I can't do it. Everyone probably thinks it's better for you to take that role" Sharog decisively turned down the huge opportunity.
Her words were logical though as it was true that everyone would prefer to have Ed in power. He had demonstrated immense battle prowess by holding back Samuel alongside great spellcasting skills. With him in charge, the tribe would likely rise to success.
"I can't either though… I promise I'll return and you shouldn't need to worry about my safety." This floor was rather large but it wasn't impossible to travel in its totality. That meant that Ed wouldn't be able to simply disappear. And safety need not be mentioned.
Sharog still seemed extremely unwilling but she decided to acquiesce.
"Alright." She responded.
She was supposed to be nothing more than an ally of this tribe. It seemed that she would now somehow end up absorbing it though. Which speaking of...
"Wait… What is this tribe called?" Sharog asked in realization.
There were two tribes that had lost their leader. Vorgarag had died and Duma was missing. Durgash had already trained his successor so there was no need to involve his tribe in this. Regardless, those were still 3 potential tribe names.
Ed thought about it before he came up with something.
"Sanctuary" He had at first considered names with meanings related to defense but decided against it. What he was planning on creating here wasn't a military fortress. What he wanted to make was a place for the orcs to happily reside in.
'That'll do' He nodded inwardly.
"What's that? It doesn't sound like a tribe name..." Sharog asked confusedly. Her latter words were muttered with a bit of disapproval.
'I guess the orcs don't have a corresponding word huh…' It might have something to do with no such place existing within the entire floor.
They didn't know if their tribe would have something to eat the next day and they didn't know if they would die in battle. Of course, apart from the leaders and a few special ones none of the orcs considered this. Still, it was a sad thing to think about.
"Then it won't be a tribe. It will be a city, a town. This will be a place where food is never lacking that will be known for its abundance in resources and skills. This will be a place that leaves a permanent mark in the history of this dungeon. It will be the start of a kingdom." Ed spoke sincerely and grandly. His eloquence was in no way slacking off.
Sharog on the other end felt more confused. A city, town, dungeon? There were some foreign words in Ed's speech but she chose not to make a fuss over it. She did understand that their tribe would be the start of something extraordinary.
"Sharog, the sooner I leave the sooner we accomplish this. Please handle matters until I get back." Ed said trustingly. His eyes which peered into Sharog's own left no trace for doubt.
"I will wait for you to return patiently then." Sharog didn't dare reject him. Even if he said he would never return there was nothing she could do about it.
Ed was smiling bitterly in the inside though. Truthfully, he never had any intention to handle tribal affairs. He didn't want to be the leader but…
'Since I plan on making a stronghold in the crypt and essentially become the overlord of the skeletons what's the problem with becoming the orcs' leader?' This train of thought led to his arguably rash decision.
He couldn't run away from a position of power, those with power should wield it. And when they do, they must do their absolute.
He also owed it to Vorgarag. He was his apprentice, wasn't he? If not him who exactly was supposed to take over the Angakok tribe?
'I'll leave a mark from now on' Every floor, every race, wherever he went in the dungeon, it would become his own.
'Since you are being nice enough to provide me such a nice growing environment I should use it wisely right?' Ed addressed the dungeon.
The dungeon wouldn't lose out from this as the adventurers would be sure to have a hard time if things do go the way he wished them to. If the kingdom's of many races isn't enough to handle the adventurers, then what would?
Ed also held an ulterior motive. If he could figure out how the consciousness worked and how the dungeon controls its monster than he could use these civilizations against it. He intended to become a double-edged sword.
Ed turned around to leave with a self-deprecating smile. He could still vividly remember his words of rebellion towards the dungeon and its decrees. He would now work in its favor. The only difference was that they would both be using each other.
Ed left to gather some armor, trees, anything he found necessary for assimilation. He would only leave once he filled his storage to the brim.
***
The mountain sight was ever-alluring. The night sky twinkled with bright stars and the radiant full moon illuminated a particular home.
This was Eon's house. He was sitting in front of a desk and writing on some parchment using candlelight. His quaint house was otherwise entirely dark and tranquil.
"Cough Cough" Eon's dry coughing was the only sound in the vicinity. His disciple Shia had long since gone home. Nobody was around to hear him scribble furiously on yellow parchment.
The life of a sage. This was what he was writing about. He was writing about his own life and what it feels to reach the ceiling of space magic. What it felt like it to pound at it with your bare fists to no avail.
This was an autobiography of regret and sorrow.
Eon was a powerful man due to his innate ability to sense distortions in space and interfere with them. This was what it meant to be close to reaching a new realm. To take your elemental affinity to the next level!
Using this he managed to create the black hole spell which he would send to his only capable disciple, Ernest. His talent was high and his steadfast personality was particularly admirable.
It would be a horrible tragedy to have his life's work dissipate in the face of history. Even if his spell ended up turning the world upside down he would still choose to selfishly leave it at the hands of others.
So he wrote a separate letter. One that held his earnest thoughts. This one was dedicated to all of his disciples. And another that was only for Ernest's eye.
He stroke his beard after finishing his writing and looked out into the starry sky.
"Cough Cough!" He covered his mouth and saw traces of red blood.