“ Tomanak: You truly are stubborn, aren’t you? Bazhell: Aye. It’s a lesson my...

“
Tomanak: You truly are stubborn, aren’t you?

Bazhell: Aye. It’s a lesson my folk were overlong in learning, but learn it we did. I’ve no notion how long twelve hundred years are to a god, but they’ve been mortal long and hard for us, and never a sign of you have we seen. You talk of wars, and struggles, and eternity, and that’s as may be, but we’ve no use for ‘eternity’ when it’s all we can do to be keeping our families alive from day to day! No, Tomanāk, it’s no use bidding me to bow down to worship you, for I’ll not do it.

Tomanak: I haven’t asked you to—and that’s not what I want of you. Don’t misunderstand. Worship is a source of power, but it’s a passive sort of power. Belief is something we can draw upon when we face another god or some task only a god can perform, but it’s not very useful in the mortal world. Or, at least, not by itself. Did you think I wanted you to sit around in a temple and tell me how wonderful I am? To bribe with incense and gifts? To get down on your knees and ask me to solve all your problems? Oh, no! I’ve too many 'worshipers’ who do that already—and even if it was what I wanted from you, you’d be a poor hand at it!

Bazhell: So I would. And if we’re both after agreeing to that, then why should I stand freezing my arse in this wind while you jaw away at me?

Tomanak: I don’t want your worship, Bahzell, but I do want you to follow me.

Bazhell: Ah? And where’s the difference, if you don’t mind my asking?

Tomanak: We need followers, not just worshipers. We require people—warriors—to fight against the Dark, not just people who sit about and ask us to.
”

#DavidWeber #WarGod Book 1 #OathOfSwords #BookWorm

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