"Because the Gold-ranked parties I initially hired..." He trailed off.
"Failed?" Mira prompted, leaning forward with interest.
"Worse." Ceser's jaw tightened.
"They were wiped out. All four parties. Only three survivors made it back, and one of them died from his injuries two days later."
Silence fell over the room.
Even Mira's casual confidence dimmed slightly.
Garf's expression went serious.
Rolf had gone pale, his hands gripping his knees.
Yenna leaned forward.
"You said four Gold-ranked parties?" Her voice carried disbelief. "That's not a small force. Gold ranks are experienced..."
"They didn't face ordinary threats." Ceser pulled a folder from his desk and opened it, revealing reports and what looked like hastily sketched maps.
"There's a dungeon that appeared roughly six weeks ago in the Thornwood Forest, maybe two days' travel from here."
He slid one of the maps across the table.
Mira picked it up, studying it with practiced eyes. The others leaned in to look.
