Book: Under the sign of the Manticore

We all think - that we are eternal
And that time there is always
To make it up at the meeting tomorrow,
To tell that for a long time already torn
Forget all the funny insults,
Pride, pettiness, fear to be deceived
And, as the water, madly, shamelessly,
In the love plunge.
We all think - that we are eternal
And that time always remains,
Just remember - one evening
You decide,
And he's not coming back...

- Do you like roses?
- No.
- Why?
- These flowers have thorns.
Hmm... They're like us, you know. However, smell better. All people have thorns, you know? Just, unlike the roses, the thorns are hidden from outsiders until then, until someone gets caught. But a bit stronger.

... Wars experience comes quickly or not come at all (in the latter case, instead, death comes).

History is written by the winners, isn't it? And the old chroniclers, who hid the truth in a secret chest, and for the sake of power has created a new "truth". Should write a line - and a few hundred years it will be received as a revelation and immutable basis. And no doubt, did not think that actually it was not so... not so.

If you don't know who your enemy is, - suspects everyone. If you don't know who your friends are - don't trust anyone.