Faris's mother fussed over him as she packed a tiny bag. Angela waited patiently, watching with slight awe as Haya managed to gather and stuff a smorgasbord of baby toys, knickknacks, blankets, and comfort foods.

"Impressive." The herbalist said as she proceeded to dup everything except for a change in clothing, a few blankets, and a sheepskin bottle with a pin pricked nozzle in the shape of a teat. As for Faris's Father's 'gifts' Angela simply left the bag. Bergan, bless his heart, had packed things that he considered would be important for a young man to have as he faced the world.

"These are all treasures for a young man."

Angela critically glared at the "treasures for a young man." The long sword, pick axe, and bow all more than twice Faris's size, the arrows, caltrops, and rope any normal baby would more likely choke on than use for survival.

She looked at Bergan, "Well, not all of these are useless." She picked up a compass, surprised at how good a shape it was in, a spy glass, a wine skin, and some assorted herbs referred to as Forza Grass. "Ah yes, Forza grass, you know, it's a common misconception that this is good for a man's stamina, which is false, it's actually quite beneficial otherwise though, it makes great stool softener."

Faris couldn't help but laugh at the way his father's face twisted.

With the supplies packed, Haya and Began hugged their son one more time before Angela tied him to her back with a blanket to free her hands. As they began to leave, Faris yelled out, "See you soon!". Hi parents smiled and waved, his mother sobbing out, "See you soon! We love you!" They looked at each other as Angela made her way forward in the darkness of the night, the dim glow of the full moon being the only thing illuminating their trek. Faris couldn't see them any longer, but he knew that just like he was doing, his parents were probably staring back at his direction.

…Can we talk?

NO! Faris announced quickly, shunning Damien further into his mind.

Is the human kit fighting itself? Solembum asked.

No! Yes… No! I'm not fighting myself; I'm fighting…

Myself, yeah. Damien retorted. Hello Solembum…

Hello human kit. Solembum yawned once. What ails you?

Faris was silent, Damien answered, He doesn't know which one is real.

Which one?

Before, there was just Faris, who happened to also have Damien's memories, if anything, the thought process is that I died back on earth, then I was born here, my new birth parents named me Faris. But when I accidentally brushed minds with Angela, she attacked without regard, wanting to kill me, but not Faris. So… now I don't know, and he doesn't know either, was a regular baby known with no real memories born, and is the collection of memories and spirit known as Damien just a ghost, or parasite of some sort that tried to take over and get rid of whatever innocent life would have existed? Or was it a true reincarnation, but memories were kept, and Damien was reborn as Faris, if the second is true…

Elva continued, "Rather than the entity known as Damien, who's already died, being an add on, the collection of memories that creates the 6-month-old baby known as Faris Fadawar Ser is just that, a collection of memories foolishly ripped away from the true soul, either way, spark of thought that allows each of you to think on an individualistic level will leave eventually, and you fear that one of you will cease to exist."

Confusing, and annoying. Solembum declared.

"Imagine if a Dragon and it's Rider were just bonded, but where then told that one of them would disappear, and their memories would be given to the other while the first ceased." Angela spoke quietly. "This is… my mistake, and my sin, so I will try to rectify this, and training you for these 6 months will be the first step."

Faris nods. "…I understand."

They had been walking for a few hours when Angela called for a break, setting the camping gear just as the day began to break. She took out a metal bowl and filled it with water she gathered from a stream. She began to heat it quickly with a prepared fire, she took a large helping of oats, a few herbs, some salt, and a sweet-smelling brown sugar like substance.

"They call it sweet cane" Angela said, as if reading his thoughts. "It comes from Du Weldenvarden, the elves cultivate these hard reed-like plants that resemble green staffs with jointed, even notches. The plant's sap is naturally sweeter than most other plants, but boiling it till there's no water left leaves this sweet brown powder-like substance that the elves scrape out of the original plant. It's very thick and concentrated and when mixed with water makes a very very sweet milk-like liquid. It's extremely popular in Palancar and Ilirea, which I'm sure you know was formally Urûbaen." Faris nodded absentmindedly, holding his blanket. Damien was in silence, using as much control as he was afforded to listen. Learning more things about the world was important to him, but he was distracted with thoughts of whether it was the right choice to leave his home.

It's just, did I make the right decision? I feel like I'm just like the parents I once had, valuing what I want over family.

Angela took out a pipe, she didn't light it but left it in her mouth her teeth on the handle. "I wouldn't know, the future is never fully set in stone, you being there may have resulted in capture, you not being there may result in capture, you just have better chances this way. You know though, you can speak normally, you don't have to project with your mind.

Faris didn't answer at first, when he did, the high-pitched voice of a child, much higher and more song like than what was projected by his thoughts rang out. "Ok"

Solembum began to laugh again, Angela, who hadn't been prepared for a child trying to speak the common tongue in such a proper way began to burst out laughing, even Elva, who had not said anything smiled slightly. Faris's face grew hot and he tried to stand up from his sitting position, only to fall and lean into his face. The laughter grew louder.

"That's not funny!" He screeched, sounding even more reedy and child-like. This doubled the effectiveness of their laughter. He pouted and sat, looking away from them.

"Aw, wait!" Angela began, huffing to calm herself down. "I'm sorry… I just thought you'd be like Elva over here, a voice a bit too old for her body."

Faris shrugged and still didn't turn.

Well I'm not! Ok?!

It's not that bad. Damien reassured him.

You shut up!

"Your voice is appropriate for a child your age, the fact you trained your vocal cords to speak is good. Besides, you likely know it's safer to speak out loud, leaving your mind open makes you a target for creatures and spellcasters." Elva says.

Faris calmed down a bit. "Thanks" he chirped out.

Damien grumbles, so I'm ignored huh…

Elva nods and returns to gazing at the bowl, the contents of which had by now finished simmering and mixing under Angela's watchful gaze. She mixed a few sprinkles of sweet cane into the concoction and poured good helpings into each bowl, giving a smaller one for Faris that was lined with cottage cheese, she began to spoon feed him the meal, which he devoured with gusto. After finishing his meal, he became drowsy.

"Confound this tiny body!" He muttered as he leaned to his side.

Angela snorted in amusement, which he had to chuckle to, his voice sounded like he was breathing helium, it was alien to him and he almost wouldn't recognize it as his own if not for the fact his mouth was opening each time. She prepared a thick blanket and wrapped him in it, then muttered some words in the ancient language. "There, now man, beast, and insect alike will avoid approaching us." Faris nodded his thanks drowsily as he drifted off to sleep.

He awoke with a bit of a start and realized there was a pair of violet eyes staring at him in the gloom.

Elva? He queried, wondering what she wished to speak about, he had wanted to speak to her before but she had refused to answer any questions he asked and only spoke a few times.

Yes, Damien now Faris? Son of four? Reborn one?

I'm not Damien. Faris declared.

Fine, but it is he I wish to speak to.

What?! But Solembum said! Faris scowled, loosening his hold on Damien, who's mind reached out to Elva's.

You said… Solembum said you wished to speak to me?

He observed as the violet disappeared, he blinked a few times, but realized she had closed her eyes.

I am curious, in your world, our world, our tail, our struggles, it is a book. What is the maker like?

Damien racked his brains. I never met him, but he seemed like a very interesting person. I remember that he was 16 when he first published the first book Eragon.

Are all adolescents so cruel in your world?

Damien's mind shrunk a bit, what do you mean?

Elva was quiet for a time, as if she was trying to gather the right words together. I meant, so cruel as to create me, to have a child shoulder my burden. You feel pity for me, but you do not fear me, are cases like mine so common that all you can feel is… "oh well?"

Damien could not hide his embarrassment and shame over that. But you are real! I don't think he would have written things the way they were if he knew real people were suffering, I'm sure he was just writing a work of fiction for himself and others to enjoy.

You mean people enjoy reading the book of desperate haggard disillusioned men and women fighting to defeat an evil almost all-powerful king who took nearly everything away from them? A story of races wiped out, genocides carried out, and an almost all-powerful evil?

Wait! Damien began. But you guys won!

So, you just enjoyed the ride, you were happy with watching the story progress because there was a "happy" ending? Like some unattached gods looking on. You cried I see reading the deaths of Ajihad, Hrothgar, and Oromis and Glaedr the most, but you didn't shed a tear for the hundreds who died attempting to defeat Lord Barst, nor of Queen Islanzadí Dröttning who he smote with his mace, nor of the countless men and women who died before that, nor of the elves who guarded Eragon and died in his invasion of Helgrind and the invasion of Urûbaen. You didn't cry in the battle of Farden Dur, where I felt the deaths of thousands of men and Kulls and the anguish of those left when they burned and buried the bodies.

Elva's mind voice seemed to raise in volume in his head, and even if he wanted to Damien did not block communication.

And of me? You didn't cry for me, you felt shock I gave up on the Varden when I became free, upset with Angela for being rightfully angry at Eragon for blundering a second time, and glad that I agreed to come back and experience more pain just so Galbatorix could be defeated. You felt more pity for that murderer Sloan than you could spare for me.

Damien flinched at that.

Which then leads to again, why don't you fear me? You obviously know I know how to say things that can hurt you, and I know your fears and pain through Eragon's spell so…

Damien did not answer, he didn't need to answer.

You are hiding something you don't want me to know, but you haven't fully understood what it is yourself… you…

She began to burst into laughter, but before she could continue, Faris's voice rang out.

You aren't being fair you know; how many folktales are there in this world? Do you think that it's just his world that's special, any book or story could have its own world behind it, any folktale, tragedy, and monster story could have a truth, aren't you being unfair?! It's because he didn't know that he could enjoy the story, no one likes a happy ending if there wasn't a struggle.

"Maybe I like happy endings without struggles!" Elva shouted, "At least those are quiet! Your prattle about which one of you is real annoys me to no end!"

An annoyed Angela threw her blanket at Elva's face.

"Go gossip like bored house wives somewhere else, I'm trying to sleep!"

Elva looked like she was going to say something else, thought better of it, and returned to her bed.

As Faris went back to bed, he heard Damien.

Thank you… but why did you help me?

I don't know, Faris began, it made me mad, you make me a bit madder though.

…Sorry. Damien's voice was quiet, but it contained a slightly hopeful energy.