• The caravan continued to move toward the Pharis border. Ephraim was sleeping while Marie kept guard on horseback outside. Ricard sat inside the tented wagon, wide awake. He stared vicously at Ephraim and the sword. "Why would father choose him to wield such a great sword? It doesn't even look special. Why couldn't he have given that blade to me?" Many thoughts of jealousy tore through Ricard's mind, yet one question remained prominent above all the others, one that has bothered him since Ephraim first arrived in Ilyad. "Why is he favored over me?" Ricard thought. "He isn't even a real lord of Ilyad. Just common trash. I could probably crush all his dreams just by telling him that. Or maybe... when we get to Pharis..." Ricard cleared the thoughts from his head. "What am I thinking?! Ephraim is my best friend, how could I think of killing him?!" Ricard told himself aloud. "Hey. You okay in there?" Marie called. "Yes, I'm fine. Just can't sleep." Ricard replied. "Well hurry up and get to sleep." Marie said. "It's been dark for a while now and we're nearing the Pharis border." Marie headed back to the front of the caravan. Ricard tried to sleep, but to no avail. Too many thoughts and ideas were clouding his mind. Ricard had then jumped up. He thought he had heard whispering. "Ephraim is probably talking in his sleep." he thought. He tried going to sleep again. Just then, a voice rang clear in his head. "Believe me, I am definitely not Ephraim."

    Ricard immediately jumped up and reached for his blade. "Where are you?!" Ricard exclaimed. "No need to shout boy, I can hear you just fine." the voice stated. Ricard became extremely tense. "What are you then?" he whispered. "That's not important. Let's just say I'm your conscience for now." the voice said. "My conscience?" asked Ricard. "You mean my ability to distinguish right from wrong? I'm pretty sure my conscience isn't a voice in my head. In fairy tales, sure, but not in reality." "And why can't fairy tales be true? Why can't anything be true? What IS truth exactly? Something we know? Or is it something we believe?" The voice pondered. "Why am I even talking to you anyway? HOW am I talking to you for that matter?" Ricard asked. "Yet again, we come to an impasse. I don't really know myself, you could have chosen to ignore me completely and go to sleep, yet you didn't. You wondered what I was, and therefore decided to engage me in conversation. Now then, to get to the matter of why I'm here. I heard those evil little thoughts of yours." the voice proclaimed. Ricard was shocked. "S...So what?" Ricard asked. "Oh, you know what! Killing the young boy! Why not, I say! He's done nothing but get into your was all this time! Strike him down! Crush him!" the voice demanded. Ricard was furious. "AND JUST WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!" he yelled. "You really are dense, aren't you? I'm you! I've been a part of you all this time. You were just too stupid to notice me until now." the voice said, losing it's friendly demeanor. "What the hell are you talking about?! I'm sure I would've noticed a disembodied voice If it was a part of me." Ricard said. And yet, he wondered. "But... this voice... It does seem to have a point. Maybe I should... no, I can't! I won't kill him!" "WHY THE HELL NOT?! " The voice yelled. "Listen to me kid, I. AM. YOU. The sooner you come to realize that, the better." Ricard decided to ignore the voice for now and tried to sleep. The voice got quiet. "Hey." Ricard whispered. "What's your name?" "Oh sure, NOW you show interest." the voice said. "Hmm... let's see. You know, I don't think I have a name. In that case, I'll have to make one up won't I?" The voice realized. Ricard had waited a few minutes before the voice returned. "I've got it! You may call me.... Raksha."