‘It is a strange thing about some men. In matters of business or war, they can be giants; wise to a fault. In matters of the heart, they are like children. Now women are a different matter; they see the child in a man for what it is.’
– Ananais, to Renya, The King Beyond the Gate
‘There are people out there waiting to love you. It is not something you should turn down lightly.’
– Rayvan, to Decado, The King Beyond the Gate
‘Nothing in life is sure, my son. Except the promise of death.’
– Abaddon, to Balan, The King Beyond the Gate
‘All things in the world are created for Man, yet all have two purposes. The waters run that we might drink of them, but they are also symbols of the futility of Man. They reflect our lives in rushing beauty, birthed in the purity of mountains. As babes they babble and run, gushing and growing as they mature into strong young rivers. Then they widen and slow until at last they meander, like old men, to join with the sea. And like the souls of men in the Nethervoid, they mix and mingle until the sun lifts them again as raindrops to fall upon the mountains.’
– Asta Khan, to Tenaka Khan, The King Beyond the Gate
‘Love was what mattered. Love of one for one. The touching of hands, the touching of hearts. The warmth of belonging, the joy of sharing.’
– Renya, to Herself, The King Beyond the Gate
‘Men don’t just come in two groups, one of gold and the other of lead. They are a mix of both.‘
– Rayvan, to Valtaya, The King Beyond the Gate
‘You acted in faith with no thought of gain. Even if you are wrong, your god should forgive you.‘
– Decado, to Abaddon, The King Beyond the Gate
‘And now I am going to tell you a great truth, and if you are wise you will take it to your heart. All men are stupid. They are full of fear and insecurity – it makes them weak. Always the other man seems stronger, more confident, more capable. It is a lie of the worst kind, for we lie to ourselves.‘
– Pagan, to Scaler, The King Beyond the Gate
‘A man must stand against evil wherever he finds it and he must use all his talents.‘
– Tenaka Khan, to Scaler, The King Beyond the Gate
‘This is your path and you must walk it like a man. You were born to walk it.‘
– Ulric, to Tenaka Khan, The King Beyond The Gate
