abstract
| - Many years ago, a wealthy man named Fardeep owned an inn in the city of Rithmere. He operated it for many years, amassing a great deal of wealth and respect in the territory of the Mere through the Inn, which was famous for its games. He did not know about the Shadow Lord or his plans to take over Deltora. Neither did he know when the Shadow Lord took possession of the land. He did not care for what was ahead either. Many years before King Endon took the throne, Fardeep's family was killed by bandits that invaded Rithmere on the Shadow Lord's orders. Fardeep had been a quite, peace-loving man. He and his family had been more than content with their life in Rithmere. This all changed when Fardeep's family was killed. It was because of the wickedness and envy of the Shadow Lord that Fardeep lost everything and was driven from his inn. No one would raise a hand to help him. He was left all alone, despised by everyone and had no hope for the future. Driven from his home and embittered by the loss of his family, Fardeep fled to a valley in the Jalis territory. Here he sought refuge and peace. However the Shadow Lord had sensed his anger and misery, and he sought out Fardeep. He used these negative feelings to corrupt and manipulate Fardeep. The Shadow Lord whispered to him. Fardeep thought he was going mad but the Shadow Lord reminded him of how unfair he had been treated. How he had been betrayed. The Shadow Lord offered Fardeep a palace and immense powers, ultimately entrusting Fardeep, now reborn as "the Guardian," with the great Diamond, stolen from the Belt of Deltora. As gifts were showered upon the Guardian, the past did not seem to matter to him anymore. Pride, envy, hatred and greed grew in him and eventually manifested themselves in the form of the four monsters he liked to call his pets, though they were a part of himself, in flesh and personality. Fardeep had always been fond of games and humour. As a joke he named the pets after the four faults mentioned, but though each had one of the faults, none had the fault after which it was named.
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