Hallien

“Someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift. Your sister may be able to see the future, but you yourself can shape it, boy. Do not forget that... there are many kinds of magic, after all.”
― Erin Morgenstern, The Night Circus

“I do not doubt your visions. But what do they change? Shall we stare up at the shadows and let our blades fall from our hands? Know this, son of Magnus. There is more under the arch of heaven than victory or defeat. We may fall back but not forever. We may feint and we may weave, but not forever. We may yet be doomed to lose all that we cherish, but we shall do so in the knowledge that we could have turned away, and did not. We remained true. They can never have this, not if they burn all we built and scorn us through the dancing flames. You hear me? We remained true.”
― Chris Wraight, The Path of Heaven

“Let's gae,' said Rob Anybody, down below. 'An' don't worry about yon
pussycat scraffin' the wee burdies. Some of the lads is stayin' behind to
mind things!'
Ratbag crept along a branch. He wasn't a cat who was good at changing the
ways he thought. But he was good at finding nests. He'd heard the
cheeping from the other end of the garden and even from the bottom of the
tree he'd been able to see three little yellow beaks in the nest. Now he
advanced, dribbling. Nearly there . . .
Three Nac Mac Feegles pulled off their straw beaks and grinned happily at
him.
'Hello, Mister Pussycat,' said one of them. 'Ye dinnae learn, do ye?
CHEEP!”
― Terry Pratchett, The Wee Free Men

“There is no struggle too vast, no odds too overwhelming, for even should we fail - should we fall - we will know that we have lived.”
― Steven Erikson, Toll the Hounds