The heat of the gathered people overwhelmed me. A low hum of mingling conversation filled the air. We didn't know why we'd been summoned here, and the anxiety from the assembled was tangible. A flash of bright purple hair caught my eye. My short ass couldn't see where Tsuki had gone to, but, naturally, Aeron could. 

He grabbed my wrist, dragging me to Tsuki and Hyperion who stood near the pine wood stage. The scent of it made me cough. I never knew how strong that stage was. 

"Don't die, fuckbucket." Aero thumped by back, only making me cough more. In between coughs, my foot made contact with her shins, causing them yelp." 

The string of swear words that left his mouth were cut short by the leader of our lonely, over-populated country coming on stage to deliver a speech to the group of people assembled. None of us knew what was gonna happen to us, or why he was here to deliver a speech to us. 

"People of Colossus, your attention, please." Grandmaster Cian called as he looked down at the population, or the very tiny percentage of us that could actually fit here. He paused as he looked at us, and at the cameras broadcasting his speech all over Colossus. My gaze caught with Aeron's as we chuckled, quietly counting how long his pause was. 

We always did this whenever Grandmaster Cian was delivering a speech. All the Grandmasters had their own little thing that they did when the delivered a speech. For Sir Cian, it was incredibly drawn out pauses. For Sir Henri, it was saying 'like' far too much. 

We had gotten to 23 seconds when he spoke up again. That may seem long, but the longest we've ever seen was about 89 seconds. 

"As you know, we sent out a survey to those between the ages of 19 and 30 to complete. That survey was a test, and we just got the results back. The 13 selected will be accompanied by one of our highly skilled guards, Gwen Leclair. She's highly trained in fighting the beings you will see in the Barrens." 

A chill went down my spine. We'd been taught about the Barrens in school; a deserted wasteland full of horrific creatures that could snap your neck in an instant. Nobody goes into the Barrens and comes out alive. 

"So, without further ado, the 13 selected to travel across the Barrens to the Land Beyond-" another thing we knew nothing about. The Land Beyond, reportedly a beautiful landscape with diverse biomes and weather. We've sent countless robots to there but they all came back with blurry images and rotten food. "-shall be read out by Grandmaster Lira." 

Ah, Grandmaster Lira. The only female Grandmaster and the one who looks like she would rather be anywhere. Relatable queen, honestly.

"Aalto Sunlit." She read. A tall woman with bright white, almost blue, hair ascended the steps. She had a wide smile on her face, the corners of her cyan eyes creasing up as she smiled. 

"Aeron Delwyn." Lira called. Aeron's green eyes widened as she looked back to me, then to the stage. I patted their back in encouragement. He sighed, walking up the steps. If you thought the first person was tall, then Aeron is a giant. They would easily be taller than the person, even without the platform combat boots they wore that added another inch. Even Lira looked across, concern and confusion breaking her face for a split second. 

She shook herself, reading the next name. "Hyperion Troy." I grabbed his hand, staring up at his deep blue eyes. He shook his head, brown curls falling around his face, walking up to the stage. His walk was confident, but the unmistakeable shake in his hand as he had pulled mine up, pressing his lips against the cold metal fingers. As he walked to stage, only one thought was formed. 

Damn that idiot is hot. 

"Ari Myers." A cheer came from the  other side of the stage, the sound of back slapping and high fives filling the air from the left side, dying off as a brunette ascended the stairs and stood beside Aalto. Her friends giggled and cheered, but the faltering smile didn't hide her anxiety as she waved at them. 

"Yes, yes, congrats." Grandmaster Lira rolled her eyes. "Anyway. Rowan Bay." She called as another brunette joined the stage, his messy hair messier than mine- wait did I brush it this morning. 

My fingers combed through my own jet hair, catching on a few knots in it. Yep, didn't brush it. EH, who cares. 

"Caspian Damaris." Lira read, boredom dripping from her voice. Another brunette, honestly how many of them are there, walked up the steps. I saw Aeron's eyes follow him up, her eyes filling with an emotion I hadn't seen in them for a while, but I couldn't figure it ou- ooh look, a butterfly. 

Wait, no, I'm meant to be narrating reading the names off, aren't I-?

"Tsuki Eclipse." Crap. I'm lonely. Tsukes' purple hair vanished into the crowd before it reappeared on the stage, standing next to Hyperion and Aeron, who was, still, somehow, the tallest one there. 

"Pri Cole." A quiet looking person ascended the stage, hiding their hands in his sleeves. 

"Evangeline Phoenix." A girl with long ebony hair joined the others, hair falling in sheets over her pale shoulders. 

"Juno Everns." A ginger, ha ginger, sorry gingers, I regret my words, walked onto the stage. Again, she's tall. I sighed as I realised that fuck, I'm gonna be the shortest piece of shit on this trip, if I do.

"Skye Hera." OH MY GOD FINALLY SOMEONE WHO'S SHORTER THAN ME!!!!

Then my brain started playing music because that's what brains do then you're bored, right? 

I'm not really feeling like I wanna get lit. 

"Alfie Knolastname." HE'S ALSO SHORTER THAN MEEE!!!! I WON'T BE THE SHORTEST PERSON IF I'M CHOSEN 

Tell us how you're feeling. Well I feel like-

"Darcy Dune."

Shit.