Sayings of the Ancients

The *Sayings of the Ancients* are words of wisdom that appear at the start of every chapter, sometimes relating to themes and situations explored in the chapter.

## Sayings (Chronologically)

### The Spinner Prince

* There is a power in the universe greater than all others. Whoever serves that power masters the world. - Chapter 1
* Do not run from those who walk the path with you; each one has been sent as a guide from beyond. - Chapter 2
* Beware the one who hugs you with a dagger in hand. - Chapter 3
* You make yourself by the choices you make. - Chapter 4
* To defeat your enemy, you must first defeat yourself. - Chapter 5
* The Light enters by our wounds and shines through them as well. - Chapter 6
* To love the Kahn is good, but a Kahn who loves you is better. - Chapter 7
* By crawling a cub learns to stand. - Chapter 8
* Walling evil out has a tendency to wall it in. - Chapter 9
* It is a double grief when a firewing bird is killed by an arrow feathered from its own wings. - Chapter 10
* A wise leo will always find a way even when there is nowhere to go. - Chapter 11
* A friend is someone who helps carry your burdens. - Chapter 12
* Small minds are conquered by misfortunes; great minds rise above them. - Chapter 13
* The shortest distance between two leos is a story. - Chapter 14
* Joy and peace are the fruits of sacrifice. - Chapter 15
* Bravery is not the absence of fear, but action in the presence of fear. - Chapter 16
* He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it. - Chapter 17
* Without experiencing grief, we cannot respond to the pain of the world. - Chapter 18
* Branches tied together in a bundle are unbreakable. - Chapter 19
* Like the sun, the truth cannot be hidden for very long. - Chapter 20
* Friendship is not made by many years. It is made by showing up and caring. - Chapter 21
* The quieter you become, the more you can hear. - Chapter 22
* The one who keeps secrets is not as wise as the one with no secrets to keep. - Chapter 23
* If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. - Chapter 24

### The Four Guardians

* Journey far enough into the unknown and you will eventually encounter yourself. - Chapter 1
* Sometimes courage roars; sometimes it whispers; sometimes it says nothing at all. - Chapter 2
* Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as the negative thoughts running wild in your mind. - Chapter 3
* Each life is a reflection of the whole universe. Caring for one life is caring for the cosmos. - Chapter 4
* Silence speaks more powerfully than words. Silence is the language of Alayah. - Chapter 5
* Those who believe it is better to be feared than to be loved have not learned that love is stronger than fear. - Chapter 6
* The greatest use of your life is to spend it on something that will survive your death. - Chapter 7
* Life is a mystery to explore, not a problem to solve. - Chapter 8
* The best way to earn someone's trust is to trust them. - Chapter 9
* Challenges do not make heroes. Challenges reveal heroes. - Chapter 10
* A friend who dies to save a friend has honor, but one who dies to save an enemy has the light of Alayah within. - Chapter 11
* Fighting is impossible when you walk shoulder to shoulder with your enemy. - Chapter 12
* Love is the only thing that increases when you give it away. - Chapter 13
* The most dangerous enemy is the idea that we have enemies. - Chapter 14
* No one is more dangerous to others than one who has lost self-respect. - Chapter 15
* Forgiveness is the most powerful weapon of all. It disarms opponents and replaces hostility with hope. - Chapter 16
* Those who use others for power have lost the path of Alayah. Those who use power for others walk with Alayah in all they do. - Chapter 17
* Those who are not satisfied with what they have will never be satisfied with what they want. Those who are satisfied with what they have are not persuaded by their wants. - Chapter 18
* All things bend toward good for those who serve the Lord of Lights. - Chapter 19
* The most difficult cages from which to escape cannot be seen or touched. The most difficult cage is the prison of your mind. - Chapter 20
* Nothing exists by itself. If you look closely at one flower, you can behold the whole universe. - Chapter 21
* You do not have a life. You are life itself. Because life is eternal, it can never be lost. - Chapter 22
* For Alayah every creature has the same name: Beloved. - Chapter 23
* Never part with the truth unless it will save a life. - Chapter 24
* Yesterday is a memory. Tomorrow is a dream. Now is all there is. Now is the door to eternity. - Chapter 25
* One tiny opponent is a nuisance. A million tiny opponents are impossible to defeat. - Chapter 26
* Trust takes months to build, seconds to destroy, and years to rebuild. - Chapter 27
* Victory comes to the one with the most courage, not to the one with the most strength. - Chapter 28