‘You will see evil deeds, and you will feel what you believe to be righteous rage swelling in your hearts. Such righteous rage is a lie. See it for what it is. A deceiver, a trick to allow us to become as vile as those we fight.‘
– The Wyrd of Wishing Tree Woods, to Kaelin Ring, Ravenheart
‘Look around you, at the hills and the trees. See the way the sunlight dapples the oaks. Feel the breeze upon your face. This is life. Last night is but a memory now. Tomorrow is yet to be born. Life is now! This very moment.‘
– Bane, to Banouin, Midnight Falcon
‘Not one of the creatures of blood can escape death. We all face it, and succumb to it. It follows us like a dark shadow. Yet if we live in terror of it, then we do not live at all. Yes, we are born alone, and yes we will die alone. But in between, we live. We know joy.‘
– Connavar, to Tae, Sword In The Storm
‘Look around you. Soak in these mountains, the silence and the beauty of the lake. Draw in the air, fresh and cold from the peaks, and scented now with the early flowers of spring. This is the land. As it should be. Carry it with you in your hearts.’
– The Wyrd of Wishing Tree Woods, to Kaelin Ring, Stormrider
‘All people are capable of great love and great hate. We are all, in spiritual terms, both angelic and demonic, constantly at war with ourselves. To understand this is to overcome it. Do not seek to justify hateful thoughts. Merely accept them as part of the flaws of humanity, and move beyond them.‘
– Mulgrave’s Father, to Mulgrave, Stormrider
‘Keep all your promises, no matter how small. Sometimes, like the pebble that brings the avalanche, something tiny can prove to be of immense power.‘
– Riamfada, to Connavar, Sword In The Storm
‘These seeds are from the foxglove flower. A tiny amount of them can give a dying heart fresh life. Like a miracle. But just a pinch too much and they become the deadliest poison. Pride is like that. Too little and a man has no sense of self-worth. The world will wear him down to dust. Too much and he becomes arrogant, vain and boastful. But just enough and he is a man to walk the mountains with.‘
– Vorna, to Connavar, Sword In The Storm
‘All wars are started by angry old men, but they are fought by young men who die for reasons that are beyond them. In the end the same old men sit around tables and the war ends. Nothing is achieved. Nothing is gained.‘
– Apothecary Ramus’ Father, to Apothecary Ramus, Stormrider
