Dark waves lapped up at the side of the vessel as it glided across the ocean surface unsteadily. Lightning arced across the deep black sky, revealing the maelstrom below in greater detail. On board, oarsmen rowed furiously against the deadly waves with all their might. The boat continued forth, occasionally tumbling as a rogue wave nearly sent it careening into the abyss.

On the harbour edge, two soldiers were watching the spectacle in awe. Behind them stood a figure in a flowing white robe. A red cape flung over his shoulders kept the stormy winds at bay. Stroking his long grey beard, he looked on pensively. Many boats came to the harbour at Knossos, but no self respecting trader, diplomat or indeed military commander would deem it fit to travel in conditions such as these. He glanced at one of the soldiers cautiously.

"Hold your position. There's only one person who would dare to travel on a night as is this."

The soldier glared up questioningly. "Dare we challenge a man that brave?" He queried with a nervous undertone to his voice.

The robed man shook his head. "Foolishness and bravery are not worlds apart. This man has only the former in droves. You won't need to challenge him, only his pride."

The boat careened towards the harbour, furiously. It began to slow and managed to stay upright against the odds. Before it had even ceased moving, a man leapt from the top, landing firmly on the dock. Dressed in elegant silver armour from head to toe, his long golden hair blew away from his face dramatically in the stormy weather. He glared at the soldiers and gave a sly grin before unsheathing an enormous decorative sword from his back and spinning towards them in a flurry.

Bracing themselves, the soldiers held their own swords aloft. The first of the two brought his sword upright to match the swing as the robed man shouted into the night.

"DODGE!"

The guard hesitated a moment too long as the blade whirled through and matched his own, cleaving the top clean off. The razor swing only narrowly missed his arm. The top of his sword clanked against the ground. In horror he stared down at the broken tip. It had been sliced through like butter.

"You come too recklessly still, Theseus." Said the robed man sternly.

Theseus maintained the same arrogant grin. "I just felt the need to test your defenses, Daedalus. Still inferior to mine in almost every respect."

He glared at the downed, cowering guard.

"Show some backbone. A real hero never cowers like a child."

Daedalus sighed. This had grown tedious already. The sooner these fools departed the better, though Theseus was by and large the worst of the lot.

"I am happy that you received the summons from his majesty, Theseus. Proceedings are already underway, though we didn't expect you to be prompt."

Or sensible for that matter. The other heroes had all arrived earlier. In general heroes were an arrogant bunch who resisted authority, form and good practice at every turn. Still, foolish as they each were, they at least had the sense to sail before the storms. They walked along the courtyard to the palace in a brisk fashion. Theseus took in the surroundings in a disinterested way.

The palace doors opened as they entered. King Minos glared at the interruption with fury. He was an enormous man with a posture and a stare capable of turning strong men into jelly. But it was by and large wasted here. At least now. There was a time when Theseus cowered like all the rest.

"Let's get it over with fat king. Neither I nor you want to make this any longer than needs be. And for that mat..."

He stopped and glared at the assorted heroes who were stood in front of the throne, glaring back at him. Snarling, he shot a venomous look back to the king.

"By inferno! Why did you summon all of these fools? Whatever trifling task you have need only be accomplished by me. I don't wish to be slowed down."

One of the heroes grinned menacingly. "What say you put the sword to the ground and make the claim again? I don't imagine it will happen of course. Without it you are nothing more than a puny blubbering fool."

Theseus marched forth with his sword raised as the contingent of heroes turned to face him down.

"Even with your blessed sword, you care to face us all at once?"

Theseus maintained a cold stare before silently backing down. He spat on the ground as he did. Minos glared at the fiasco but managed to keep his temperament calm. Credit be to him for that, Daedalus pondered silently. Though in a less troubling time he wouldn't have stood for such horseplay. In a less troubling time, he wouldn't have ordered such a gathering mind you...

"We know your arrogance has no bounds, Theseus." Minos finally spoke, his voice booming across the palace floor. "Just as we know that armed as you are, you carry a great power. Tell me something, would I be prepared to withstand this nonsense if not necessary? Most assuredly not. The crisis I am facing requires more than a mere one of you could offer. You will all be needed. Rest assured on that."

"For your sake, I will explain once more. It's particularly pertinent to your interests, actually. The problem lies with the Labyrinth."

That word triggered something in Theseus. Memories flooded back. The terror once felt. Ariadne. The beast in the centre as it finally lay bleeding beneath his legendary blade. He had entered the Labyrinth a boy but emerged as a man. A hero for the ages. And he knew all about it.

"I cleared your wretched Labyrinth, fat king. Nothing remains."

"That was once the case. But things have changed in recent days." Said Minos. He stood upright and motioned the heroes to follow. They reluctantly did so, muttering amongst themselves as Theseus flanked them. The one who challenged him before shot an evil glance back which he met dead on.

"I suspect the problem lies with my old court magician. He was a little before the time you arrived, Theseus. A great and powerful man. I counted on his guidance and his magic was a constant aid. With it behind me, Crete had unmatched power."

They walked briskly along a corridor leading to the back of the palace.

"His name was Willis and he was an excellent man. But a troubled man. He became far too powerful for his own good. His growing arrogance and power led him to proposition my daughter." He glanced at Theseus, trying to gauge a reaction. The hero was poker faced.

"I feared for her life and so I banished him. Not an easy task. It took many soldiers to finally take him down. I could have executed him on the spot right there but in a way I admired his skill too much. So I brought this upon myself really. He swore vengeance against me from that day. I haven't heard of his whereabouts since. I can only assume in isolation he has been honing his powers, waiting to strike."

They approached a large door at the back of the palace. It led out to an expanse of the island.

"What makes you suspect the magician?" One of the heroes queried as Minos pushed open the door. As he stepped out, the group collectively looked up at the sky, completely awestruck.

"Because only magic could possibly explain that."

Over in the far distance stood the Labyrinth. A large and foreboding structure in its own right. The stormy sky lent it darker tones but nothing compared to what lay above. The building was encased in a strange dark energy which swirled up through the sky and distorted the landscape in terrifying ways. From the center of the labyrinth, a huge column of darkness emerged. The energy seemed to emanate from it, surging in all directions like forks of lightning. It was sometimes blue, sometimes black and sometimes purple.

As it reached the dark sky, it pierced the clouds. They seemed to swirl around it, resisting contact. Despite the energy being so dark and black, it managed to illuminate everything around it. An occasional hint of red appeared in the maelstrom above. It seemed to be more than just energy, it seemed almost alive.

"However powerful your magician may be, my sword will be enough. You still require only my services."

Minos sighed. "My soldiers didn't return from that place. Your arrogance will not protect you from whatever lies within."

Theseus grinned and shook his head with a cynical laugh.

"Your soldiers with their toy swords are one thing, fat king. I, with my blade, am another entirely. Do you forget that so readily or need I remind you."

Minos ignored the threat. It was a grave time and he needed to keep it together just for a short while. Besides, if Theseus died in that place all the better for it.

"First I sent a scouting team to investigate. They all vanished. I next sent a squadron of soldiers. They too vanished without any trace. No bodies detected, none returning with wounds. Just gone, as if they never existed at all. Following that I knew it would require something more. I was pressed to do all I could. So I sent in the Dusk Vanguard."

Theseus visibly twitched at this mention. Incompetent as he felt Minos' soldiers were, the Dusk Vanguard were an elite squadron. They didn't fight with conventional swords, but two small and deadly blades. They wore the finest armour and themselves commanded a slight control of magic. They were only ever called for the most extreme times and were capable of leveling entire armies without much of a stir. Their true strength was in their stealth though. A city could crumble before anybody even knew it was under attack.

"Still nothing. Not a single trace. Not one wounded remnant. I have never witnessed my Dusk Vanguard lose in combat before. Having them entirely disappear was the most harrowing thing imaginable."

"So Theseus, if you still feel as you should go alone, I insist you try it. I have no interest in your safe return. If my finest army was not capable of so much as a report back, I had to go for the only remaining option."

"Prideful and arrogant as you all may be, you are still the finest heroes this time has known. You are known throughout cities and villages. Bards sing your tales in the night. Children dream that they will one day become you. You are ruthless and often times merciless."

"I somehow feel that in spite of all this, you will need to work together. I don't require you to execute Willis, nor find my missing soldiers. I just need to better understand the threat."

There was a look of discontentment amongst the heroes. In spite of however dangerous this threat may be, they were far too overqualified for a scouting mission. None of them wanted to work alongside the others for that matter. Still, the fee was good. Crete was powerful and prosperous. The King rewarded handsomely.

"Are we not overqualified to scout?" Theseus snarled.

"I don't consider this a scouting mission. If you are able to scout and report back, it will be very impressive. Based on what I've encountered this will be something much more dangerous. This is a survival mission. You will be paid for merely entering and returning."

The heroes turned to look at the labyrinth. How difficult could it be?