Great Labyrinths

The "Great Labyrinths" are seven special dungeons, which are scattered around the world of Tortus.

Said to be extremely dangerous, the true reason for their creation had not been known for countless years; but in the past, it was said that the Labyrinths were created by the "mavericks", who were rebels that tried to bring about the end of the world, but it's self-styled god Ehit put a stop to their plans and the mavericks were forced to flee and exile themselves inside the Great Labyrinths.

In reality, however, the Great Labyrinths were created by the last surviving and most powerful members of the Liberators, in order to give the necessary tools in the form of magic from the age of gods, to those who would rise against the tyranny of Ehit, and hopefully prevail, which is something that they had failed to do.

Each Labyrinth has its own concept that is designed to test a specific aspect of the challenger to help prepare them to face Ehit. This will make successful challengers stronger in mind, body and spirit, which will aid them in conquering other Great Labyrinths. However, even if the challenger successfully clears the Labyrinth or are part of a group that did, they can still fail and be considered unworthy to inherit the Ancient Magic. The reason why they failed can one of three reasons: They did not contributed enough to the group's success, they failed the test of the Labyrinth, or they skipped most of the Labyrinth and went straight to the final guardian.

It can be difficult to enter the Labyrinths, since it is necessary to fulfill some requirements before being able to enter, such as having completed another Labyrinth or more. For most, it is also necessary to pass a certain test to be able to enter the real Labyrinth, usually something that follows the same concept as the Labyrinth, but to a lesser degree.

A person that has successfully conquered any of the Labyrinths has total control of its functions whenever they re-enter it, as well as the spawning of any monsters that reside in it.

Great Orcus Labyrinth
The Great Orcus Labyrinth (オルクス) is located in the town of Horaud under the rule of the Heiligh Kingdom. It is one of the most easily accessible of the Labyrinths out there. It's commonly used by all kind of people in order to either farm for materials, or as a training ground in order to increase their stats.

Initially, it was believed to consist of 100 floors in total, but in reality, it is divided into two sections; the Upper Level and the True Labyrinth, which contained 100 floors each. It is full of various traps that are majorly magical in nature, in addition to several monsters of many degrees of strength, which become stronger and more deadly as one descends further down.

The level of the difference in terms of power between the monsters of the Upper Level and the True Labyrinth is quite drastic. For example, a party that was able to successfully clear all the 100 floors of the Upper Level could easily be killed by the weaker monsters from the first floor of the True Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth was created by Oscar Orcus, and gives the knowledge of creation magic to those who have overcome its trials. The concept of the Labyrinth is "Giving strength and experience to challengers to overcome their own limits".

The Labyrinth was created inside the The Greenway Mines underneath the Kingdom of Velka's capital city Velnika, which existed over 2,000 years ago. It was intended to be the most difficult of all the Labyrinths, and was meant to be conquered last.


 * Successful Clearers: Dienleed Galdea Vesperitio Avatarl, Hajime Nagumo and Yue.

Great Reisen Labyrinth
The Great Reisen Labyrinth (ライセン) is hidden deep within in the Reisen Gorge, one of the most dangerous places on Tortus, due of the natural phenomena of the region which disperses mana before a spell could be activated, and is a nest to powerful and dangerous monsters.

Because of the inherit phenomena of the region, it is practically impossible to use magic inside the Reisen Labyrinth as well, and the effect gets stronger as one goes deeper inside the Labyrinth.

The structure of the Labyrinth is like a maze filled with all kinds of non-magical traps and and army of golems. Also, the maze-like structure of the Labyrinth keeps changing after a certain period of time, so it is difficult to map out the region as well.

The Labyrinth was created by Miledi Reisen, and gives the knowledge of gravity magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of the Labyrinth is "Force challengers to clear obstacles without using magic".


 * Successful Clearers: Hajime Nagumo, Yue, Shea Haulia and Kousuke Endou.
 * Unsuccessful Clearers: Tracy D. Hoelscher, Kaori Shirasaki, Shizuku Yaegashi and Tio Klarus.

Grand Gruen Volcano
The Grand Gruen Volcano (グリューエン) is located in the Gruen Desert. It is five kilometers in diameter at its base, and has a height of three kilometers. It is conical like most volcanoes, but shaped more like a dome. Its summit is flat, however, unlike most domes.

It is one of the few Labyrinths whose location is well-documented in modern times (the only other being the Great Orcus Labyrinth), but it's not frequented as much due to it being more dangerous and not as rewarding to face.

It is about 50 floors deep, and is filled with rivers of lava that are suspended in midair. The intense heat causes explorers to lose their energy quickly and can be deadly after being exposed to it for a long enough period. It is also full off various monsters that are made entirely out of lava.

There are two pathways to complete the Labyrinths. The first is through a series od mazes made of invisible spatial magic walls and a teleportation puzzle with hundreds of options, but only one correct solution. This is followed up by having to fight a lava minotaur at the end of it, and then 50 huge lava snakes in the final trial room. Alternatively, there is a shortcut through the Labyrinth, but he downside would be to having to fight 100 lava snakes at the final trial room.

Despite being an active volcano, it has never erupted. This is due to a keystone that keeps the magma contained inside the Labyrinth. Once the keystone is destroyed, however, it will erupt violently and destroy the Labyrinth (though it will repair itself overtime).

The Labyrinth was created by Naiz Gruen Caliente, and gives the knowledge of spatial magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of this Labyrinth is "Test how challengers can keep their focus and respond to constant surprises while under extreme stress" (の).
 * Successful Clearers: Freid Bagwa, Hajime Nagumo, Yue and Shea Haulia.
 * (Successfully cleared but unable to acquire the Ancient Magic : Tio Klarus.)

Sunken Ruins of Melusine
The Sunken Ruins of Melusine (メルジーネ) is located in the ruins of the floating island Andika at the bottom of the western sea. The only way to find it is to conquer the Grand Gruen Volcano and obtain proof of that feat in the form of a pendant of a woman holding a lamp. A person must hold the pendant in front of a full moon and allow the light to pass through the slot where the lamp is suppose to be. That will cause the Labyrinth to rise up from the sea floor. This makes it the only Labyrinth where challengers both need to have already cleared another Labyrinth and go through a pretrial as well, as they need to be able to reach the bottom of the ocean to enter the Labyrinth.

Challengers will face various sea-based monsters, and then must fight autonomous submarine while underwater. If they are able to endure bailing it after specific timeframe, they will be led down a path that will break off into two locations, whereas the left option will lead to a ship graveyard, while the right leads to a city of ruin. . In either choice, the challenger will be shown mana-based illusions of Tortus's violent history involving Ehit. The illusions will then turn hostile and attack the challengers and can only be destroyed with mana.

The reward for clearing the Labyrinth would be a mini-submarine.

The Labyrinth was created by Meiru Melusine, and gives the knowledge of "restoration magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of this Labyrinth is "Exposing the horrors that the gods have inflicted upon the world" (の).


 * Successful Clearers: Hajime Nagumo, Kaori Shirasaki, Yue, Shea Haulia and Tio Klarus.

Divine Mountain
The Divine Mountain is located where the Holy Church is situated on the mountain that is near the palace of the Heiligh Kingdom. In order to reach this Labyrinth, a challenger must meet three conditions: To have cleared at least two other labyrinths (or be with someone who has when they enter), disavowing the Ehit of Tortus, and having defeated someone under the gods' influence. If a person has not met the third condition of defeating someone who worships the gods, then they would be tested through a series of mental trials. This includes being brainwashed into serving Ehit, alter their subconscious, lead them astray with visions, and all manner of misdirection and persuasion. There are two paths to enter into the Labyrinth. The first option is the traditional route that leads to the Main Cathedral, where the challenger would have to confront the church's current forces, and by extension, God's apostle. The other option is using a hidden route located by the mountains nestled near the Divine Mountain, that leads to the room where the challenger would fight visions of the church's servants (who were much stronger than those of the present era). If they have managed to clear them, they would fight against illusions of the church's templar knights that lived during the Age of the Liberators. Only after clearing the challenges would the spirit of the Labyrinth's creator appear and guide them to the room that would award them the Ancient Magic.

The Labyrinth was created by the Liberator Laus Barn, and gives the knowledge of spirit magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of this Labyrinth is "Test the challengers' resolve to overthrow the gods" (の).


 * Successful Clearers: Hajime Nagumo, Tio Klarus, Aiko Hatayama, Yue, Shea Haulia and Kaori Shirasaki.

Frost Caverns of Schnee
The Frost Caverns of Schnee (シュネーの) is located in the southern region of the continent at the fringes of the demons' territory. The entrance is in a large crevice that is miles below the surface. The extreme cold will normally weaken challengers before they even enter the Labyrinth. It is full of many monsters and traps designed to weaken a person both physically and mentally.

Once inside, challenges confront white gorilla-like monsters that will be able to easily coordinate against most attacks. Challengers will have to navigate a series of passages made of ice. The walls will be embedded with the bodies of all those that failed to clear the Labyrinth and they will be reanimated as zombies and attack the current challengers. Although they will be weak, there are many of them and they can regenerate after any attack. The challengers will then enter a room that can only be cleared once its mana crystal is destroyed. It will create many monsters out of ice and snow to act as its defense and prevent challenges from destroying the crystal.

Once that room is cleared, the next obstacle is a giant maze. It will prevent anyone from attempting to fly past it by instantly teleporting them back to the ground while it coats their bodies in ice and gradually have ice shards skewer them. Even if challengers reach the maze's exit, they will be unable to escape unless the find three keys to the exit gates that are hidden throughout the maze.

Challengers will then walk through a long single pathway while they hear their own voices in their heads that will expose all of their fear and hatred that they have towards themselves or someone else. This will continue until they enter a room that will create frost golems for each of them to fight one-on-one. The room is coated in ice that is designed to reflect a challenger's magic back at them once it hits the golem's shield. The greatest disadvantage, however, is that the voice that the challengers previously heard will impair them by lowering their energy and could even cause them to unconsciously attack their comrades if they are the source of their negative feelings. If challengers defeat their designated frost golem, then they will be able to leave through a portal and be separated from everyone else. Each person will be sent to a large room with an ice pillar in the middle. It will then spawn a copy of that person that will try to kill them. The copy represents all negative aspects of that person, while possessing all of their memories and skills. It will grow stronger the more a person tries to deny those negative qualities, but will grow weaker if a person learns to accept and embrace them. The copy can also offer the challenger to make them stronger if they allow it to merge with them.

The Labyrinth was created by Vandre Schnee, and gives the knowledge of metamorphosis magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of this Labyrinth is "Conquering the darkness of one's own heart."


 * Successful Clearers: Dienleed Galdea Vesperitio Avatarl, Freid Bagwa, Hajime Nagumo, Yue, Shea Haulia, Tio Klarus, Kaori Shirasaki, Shizuku Yaegashi, Suzu Taniguchi and Ryutarou Sakagami.
 * Unsuccessful Clearers: Numerous demons and Kouki Amanogawa.

Haltina Labyrinth
The Haltina Labyrinth (ハルツィナ) is located in the Grand Tree "Uralt" that was at the center of the Sea of Trees. It was initially believed by most people that the entire forest itself was the Labyrinth. It can only be accessed after a challenger has already conquered four other Labyrinths (including the Sunken Ruins of Melusine) and has established a good relation with the beastmen. The Labyrinth looks like a large forest and each level is filled with many monsters that are insects and trees.

Once challengers enter into the Labyrinth, their minds, memories and feelings would be first read and analyzed by the Labyrinth during teleportation into the Labyrinth. The challengers will then be separated from each other upon entering and some will have their bodies changed into monsters depending on their relationship to each other, the unchanged challengers would thus then be set upon by hordes of monsters where they will then run into their transformed companions and may end up killing them by mistake. Furthermore, those that were transformed will be tempted to remain in the Labyrinth as a monster by presenting them with their ideal life thought the use of other monsters. However if their comrades can identify them and manage to reunite, they will then later be sent to a room that will trap and encase them in amber like pods and force them to experience their deepest desires. If they managed to successfully break the illusion, they would then be forced to overcome their strongest sexual desires after being exposed to a substance that would greatly increase their lust, leading the challengers to slowly give into their carnal desires and instincts towards each other. The final test would be to face against a cockroach monster that would simulate the powers of Ehit's Apostle, while also having their emotions reversed so that it would cause them to be antagonistic towards their comrades under normal circumstances.

If anyone that has successfully cleared the Labyrinth returns once more, while also having been the one(s) that killed Ehit, a secret passage would open for them in the room with the amber pods. They would also be approached by the swarm of cockroaches, who will collectively guide the challenger(s) to the thrown room of the Haltina Republic that existed during the age of the Liberators. Once they enter, a recorded message would activate and offer the challenger(s) the choice to either keep the Labyrinths as they are, or destroy them forever using a special artifact that the cockroaches would guide them to if so told (while still keeping the Grand Tree itself intact). They will also be gifted a special simulation pod to them as a reward for having completed the Liberators's mission of freeing the world from Ehit's rule.

The Labyrinth was created by Lyutillis Haltina, and gives the knowledge of evolution magic to those who have overcome its trial. The concept of this Labyrinth is "Test the challengers' bonds that have been forged" (の).


 * Successful Clearers: Hajime Nagumo, Yue, Shea Haulia, Kaori Shirasaki, Shizuku Yaegashi and Tio Klarus.
 * Unsuccessful Clearers: Kouki Amanogawa, Ryutarou Sakagami and Suzu Taniguchi.

Trivia

 * The Labyrinths may be based on the layout from the video gameTales of Phantasia: Narikiri Dungeon.
 * The reason for Laus' labyrinth being built on the Divine Mountain was due to Ehit demanding that one of them be built there as part of the bargain that was made by the Liberators.
 * All of the trials in Lyutillis's Labyrinth were originally ideas that she proposed for the other labyrinths, but were ultimately rejected.
 * Miledi's Labyrinth was the last one that was created.
 * Aside from Miledi, each of the labyrinth's creators was permitted one person to freely visit them as they spent the rest of the lives confined in them:
 * Oscar chose Ruth
 * Naiz chose Yunfa
 * Meiru chose Diene
 * Vandre chose Margaretta
 * Lyutillis chose Kiara
 * Laus chose Sharm
 * Sharm is the first know person to have successfully cleared one of the labyrinths. It is unknown which one he completed, however, it can be assumed that it was either Naiz or Vandre's, due to needing to complete other labyrinths before entering Laus, Meiru and Lyutillis's, Oscar's being the most difficult, and Hajime's party were the first ones to have completed Miledi's.
 * Since the room Dienleed had Yue imprisoned in the Great Orcus Labyrinth was built by him long after the labyrinth's original founding, it could not be restored after incurring any damage. In addition, the monsters he created to guard it could not be revived after they were killed.
 * Following Miledi's death, Hajime added a few living golems to her labyrinth, that were equipped with various weapons. He even replaced Miledi's giant golem with his own golem "Super Miledi G", but was forced to remove it at the behest of Tio, Kaori and Shizuku, after they lost to it in battle.
 * The Devourer that Hajime's party encountered in the Sunken Ruins of Melusine did not inhabit it initially. The monster that originally resided there is an octopus with 16 legs, and half of them coated in metal and in the forms of large scythes. Furthermore, it could absorb the impacts from any physical attacks and then use that energy to strike back. Furthermore, the rabbit monsters that Hajime's party encountered in the Frost Caverns of Schnee were also not part of that labyrinth.