As they climbed into their saddles, Myron bowed his head and muttered a soft prayer. “There,” Hadrian told Royce, “we’ve got Maribor on our side. Now you can relax.” “Actually,” Myron said sheepishly, “I was praying for the horses. But I will pray for you as well,” he added hastily.

Hadrian leapt to his feet. Royce was already up. “Don’t bother,” Esrahaddon told them. “She’s dead, and there’s nothing you can do. The monster cannot be harmed by your weapons. It – ” The two were out the door.

The idea of how others see you becomes more important than the reality of you.

Power rises to the top like cream and dominates the weak with cruelty disguised as – and often even believed to be – benevolence.

People are afraid of what they do not understand.

One truth doesn’t refute another. Truth doesn’t lie in the object, but in how we see it.

Each killing steals a bit of humanity until a murderer is nothing more than an animal. A hunger replaces the spirit. A want for what was lost, but as with innocence, the soul can never be replaced. Joy, love, and peace flee such a vessel and in their stead blooms a desire for blood and death.

Slaying dragons, melting witches, and banishing demons is all fun and games until someone loses a sidekick – then it’s personal. The bad guy isn’t just the “bad guy” anymore, he’s the BAD GUY!

Happiness comes from moving toward something. When you run away, ofttimes you bring your misery with you.

When you are so ashamed of your actions, thoughts, or intentions, you lie rather than accepting yourself for who you really are – or, in this case, pretend something happened when it didn’t. The idea of how others see you becomes more important than the reality of you.