Interlude: Quest Target

Being assigned guard duty in the Great Elroe Labyrinth was one of two things: Either the most boring job around, or the most stress inducing thing on the planet. For the men who were tasked with keeping their eyes on the gates allowing entrance to and from it on both sides of it, this was the fact of the matter. Most of the time it was the former. The Labyrinth was so well used for travel and trade as the sole connection between Kasanagara and Daztrudia that guard duty tended to be little more than keeping reports of the monster population in line.

Tell travelers and their escorts which paths to take, which ones to avoid due to recent activity, so on and so forth. If things weren't suddenly abuzz because a strong monster was making a grab for territory this was the usual routine for the guards.

Now was certainly not one of those stressless times.

"None of these routines make any damn sense! It's like the damn thing works without any rhyme and reason to it!"

"Plus, there's that report of that Taratect we got the other day."

The head guard groaned as he sat down before a map spread across the room's table. It wasn't unusual to get reports about monsters that stood out from adventuring parties that came and went. That was business as usual. It was through those reports that requests could be posted for adventurers and soldiers to take care of said cases before they could become a problem for trade caravans.

The other day, one group had come back with a report of an unusual Taratect they had found. They were unable to kill it due to it possessing unusual speed, escaping down an old pit that led deeper into the Labryinth. Taratects were by no means terrible monsters, they were small fry so long as it was the juvenile breeds. And if there was an unusual one, if it was able to mature there was no telling how dangerous it could become to those passing between continents. For now though it was likely out of their reach.

"If the Taratect ended up in the Middle or Lower Stratums, there won't be any knowing when it can be dealt with." The head guard looked instead to the markings across the map. "The other concern should be the one that is around. What are those adventurers calling it again?"

"They started calling it "The Shadow of the Labryinth." Hell of a name." His companion said. "We already know it's killed one adventurer, or at least they think it was this monster. Nobody is sure just what species it is, but some people assume a Basilisk. It's got a few tells from what people have gathered. Mainly uses Earth and Fire Magic along with petrification. The few guys who've seen it have guessed it could be B rank."

"The hell kind of Basilisk uses Fire Magic in the Upper Stratum?" The head guard brought a hand down his face. "No wonder everyone is confused. Must be some kind of Wyrm. Stealthy bastard too if it's earned a nickname like that. Doesn't explain these weird sighting placements though!"

The man slammed his hand on the map. The marks didn't follow what could be called a set pattern. Most of them hovered around the Kasanagara entrance, which was concerning. The ones that fanned out didn't follow a trail either, meaning if the thing did have a nest, there wouldn't be any pinning it down in a quick and easy manner. Even odder were along with the reports of this "Shadow" were that it's usual haunts were marked. Some men had found them first some weeks ago. Low to the ground and made at regular intervals, certain walls in the Labyrinth were mysteriously marked by gashes that a creature with a build like a Basilisk or similar monster could make.

But that was the problem. Monsters don't mark their paths intentionally. It was a behavior akin to that of a human, leaving a sign of where you had been in order to find their way back later. It was such odd behavior people were assuming this "Shadow" had to be the cause since it's behavior came off as just as strange.

"So, we're putting out a hunting request yeah?" The other guard asked. "It's already killed someone, and if it's a B ranked threat, with how odd the thing supposedly is, leaving it be isn't a good idea as long as it's hanging around the Upper Stratum."

"That would be the best option to take. If they can't exterminate it, then drive it somewhere far away from the entrance. Hovering around this section is unnerving all the guards. Some of them swear it feels like something is watching them every now and again."

"It always feels that way in this place."

"Can't argue that."

It was about an hour after this conversation that the request board outside of the Labryinth entrance had a new sheet stamped onto it with even more being sent out to other halls.

Request to all able-bodied adventurers: Hunting the B Rank Monster, "Shadow of the Labryinth." Drive off from its territory or exterminate it. Reward for proof of routing: 100 gold pieces.

It wasn't long after it was up that there was a sudden buzz to claim the job and take out this mysterious Shadow of the Labryinth. Among them was a group that had before consisted of six men. A group that wanted some revenge.

"We'll take it!"