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Tareo had been staying the white-pillared temple of Queen Ehtra for two weeks now, Algumn often being seen scurrying around and occasionally training him, but it was overall quite lonely. He hadn't been this alone for a while.

Sure, he was used to the other teens leaving him out of activities when they were on a break from training, sure he was often the last picked when they used to compete against each other in their sparring sessions. But at least then he could still hear people. He didn't mind people. Or their voices. it was when he had to talk to them. Or when they talked to him.

But this was an all new kind of lonely. One that ate at your heart, one that shot you through the brain. One that filled your brain with the worst possible outcomes your life could have. One that scared him to the core because it got him thinking about his parents. They had left him for dead in a burning forest they were travelling through. They claimed there wasn't enough space for him, but they said they would come back for him. He sat waiting on a log, burned, bloody and half dead, for a week and a half. But no one came. No one until Algumn. He had found him, he had rasied him.

He snapped out of his dark, twisted flashback, being shaken by Algumn. "Hi?" He asked, quircking a brow. "Hello, lad. Go to the fifth corridor, there'll be a door open, go and sit in that room." he said, a calm tone to his gruff voice.

"But you never let me go to the fifth corridor?" Tareo questioned. "Aye. And for good reason, but it was the only place avalable." Algumn huffed out in annoyance, his slicked back grey hair falling to the sides.

Tareo wandered to the fifth corridor, the dark hall being illuminated by the obvious door open, gentle golden light spilling out. He entered at sat down in an armchair.

He shifted uncomfortably in the plush cream coloured armchair, adjusting his wrinkled green crop top for the seventh time in a matter of minutes. His legs were tense, his shoulders unmoving and his back was as straight as a wooden plank, compared to his usual akward hunch back and low hanging head.

He sat waiting in a small room painted an eggshell white, with large arched windows, dark blue curtains to either side. In the far left corner of the room was a large piano and seat, sitting their with a thin layer of dust ober top. Directly across from the old instrament, was a larger towering bookshelf, decked from head to toe in thick tomes, most apparently about the history of the four-quarters of the realm, the choosen heroes, and magic. He was tempted to get up and find out more about an Earth harnesser, such as himself, but stayed planted in his seat.

In front of him, was two other armchairs, plus a long couch, piled wih comfy looking light-blue pillows, frilly white lace on the edges. He stared down at the large oakwood coffee table, where a now most-likely cold mug of rose tea sat, the petals in the red-ish liquid swirling around aimlessly.

Tareo sat stifly, gazing at the rose tea for severl moments more, before the door was gently pushed open, revealing Algumn ushering in four other people, before prudently shutting the large door. The door caught onto the cloth of his shirt, and he cursed as he pulled it out, the fabric tearing slightly.

The four people took seats in the armchairs and couch, all staring at him with wonder. A horrible thought passed over him. What if he was being forced into meeting fans? It was bad enough that he was the most akward person known to humankind, but a meet and greet?  Seriously? This could not be happening. Perhaps if he used all his will power, he could make them leave. His genius thinking was cut short by Algumn grunting, nudging him hard  in the side.

"Ow!" He said, weakly glaring up at the elderly man. "You'll be fine, mate." He grumbled in his familiar scottish accent. "Right. These, are ya new teammates." He stated, gesturing to each one. "Go on. Introduce yourselves." he ushered the four newcomers to introduce themselves, before ambling out the door.

"Kiera-Zane. it's a pleasure." A dirty blonde haired woman declared, a small small on her face. he nodded to her. "Uhm.. I'm Tareo Valost. but I'm sure most of you knew that considering It was announced throughout all four-quarters of the realm... Not that I'm assuming you do know, but, uhm..." he trailed off, looking embarrassed. The four looked at eachother, at a loss for words, before a black haired tied in a tight ponytail woman with green eyes and a mischeivous smirk, burst into howls of laughter. She clutched her sides, and wiped away a fake tear. He blushed a deep red, embarrassment flowing through my veins.

Through weezes like a kettle, she exclaimed, "Oh! You.. haha... are... pfft... PRICELESS." She gasped for air, Kiera-Zane and the two men staring dagger at her. She composed herself, looking at Tareo in the eye, still stifling laughter. "Yeah, we know who you are, buddy. I'm Blae Nevuor." She grinned from ear to ear, her eyes glinting impishly.

"Oh... Uh, hi?" Tareo uttered weakly, his eyes darting around nervously.

They sat in silence for a moment, Tareo not being convident enough to speak, and the others not having the slightest idea what to talk about with the most socially anxious person they had ever met.

Finally, short black haired boy huffed out, and smiled at Tareo. "Hi! I'm Eleazar Saedien! I've heard a bunch about you! You seem so cool! What eapon do you fight with? What harnesser grade are you? How do you-" He was cut off by The taller male sitting beside him squeezing his arm gently. "Can't you see you're overwhelming him?" He asks Eleazar in a husky, gruff voice. He turned to Tareo, an apologetic look in his eyes. "Sorry about 'Zar. I'm Desai Svaen."

Tareo was about to tell Eleazar it was okay, and that Desai didn't need to worry, that it all okay, but he was interupted by Algumn waddling back in. "Right. You know each other now. I'll give you the run down of whats going on here." He grumbled, his elderly, hoarse voice echoing throughout the rather large room.

"Tareo," Algumn snapped his fingers in front of the boys face as he began to drift to his train of thought. "Anyways. Although Tareo is very capable-" Nika cut him off with a small giggle. "What's so funny, Ms Nevuor?" The aged man inquired. "Oh, just wonder how such a panicky fello could be good at battle." Blae retorted, choking back a howl of cackling. "Well, Ms Nevuor, Tareo was top of his class in hand-to-hand combat, and has is probably one of the most frightening people I have wittnessed whilst weilding an axe." He chortled at Blae's surpirse, who then looked to Tareo, as if judging him to try and find any lies, but couldn't seem to find any, as she soon gave up.

"Alright, fine. Continue." Blae sighed.

"Gladly. As I was saying; Although Tareo is certainly capable, it is part of the law of the chosen to have a team, so here you are. Kiera-Zane, the best healer of the Western City, Halki. Blae Nevuor, a widely feared hunter of the East. Eleazar Saedien, A capable travelling swordsman, and Desai, one of the stealthiest wariors of the South. Together, you all should make quite the formidable team."

Tareo was stiff. People. He had to work with. On a daily basis. It was one of his worst fears, so why must he do this? Life must seriously hate him to have given him a person hell this terrible.

But, instead of voicing these rude thoughts to his newfound team, he forced a smile and uttered in the polited voice he could muster, "Well, It'll be good working with you..." His shoulders were tense again, and he had a cloud of anxiety forming in his mind. He forced himself to think of the positives, but he still kept on coming back to one key point.

They would all die because of him.

Because of their supposed hope.