He Who Fights with Monsters 5 (He Who Fights with Monsters, #5)

by Shirtaloon

The Adventure Society sees the job that needs doing and finds the people to do it. Right here, right now, the Adventure Society is us, and we’re the people for the job. We’re going to do what needs to be done and we’ll go through anyone or anything in our path, without hesitation, remorse, or mercy.

The opposite of good is easy. That may have been the moral of the last Harry Potter book, now that I think about it. Anyway, people don’t do bad things because there is some antagonistic force driving them to sin. They do them because when the right thing is hard, making little compromises doesn’t seem so bad. A shortcut here, a little selfishness when no one will ever know. Every step makes the next one a little easier.”

“Be wary of anyone who is completely certain of the right path.

“My first night in the other world, my friend Rufus told me that I had a choice. I could let other people protect me or take the power to control my own fate.”

There’s a responsibility that comes with that, though. When the bad things happen, we have to stand between them and everyone else.”

“Fortunately, thirteen-year-olds are famous for taking good advice when presented with it,”

“When you’re as old as us, Frank, regret is an inevitability.”

“They came for you and yours, bro. Put ‘em down hard and don’t look back.”

“I thought I would be the only magical thing in this world,” Jason said. “I wish I’d been right.”

“When I came to you to save the world, you didn’t negotiate or ask for payment. You didn’t try and pass it off. You got to work. Call this my appreciation for that.”

“This is what’s great about being dead,” Kaito said cheerfully. “No one will tell you how bad your jokes are.” “Your jokes suck donkey balls,” Jason said.

“Your job is saving the world, so don’t bugger it up.

“You seem pretty cut up over me. It’s nice to know you cared.” “No, I’m cut up over the other two. I’m faking it with you so Eri doesn’t yell at me.”

“Just to be clear,” Jason said, “forgiveness is about me being the better man, not you actually deserving it.”

I want the Jason who saves the world to be the one obsessed with terrible TV shows that are older than he is, not the guy with the dead eyes who kills without remorse.

“I have no idea what to say,” Jason said. “Wow,” Greg said. “I had to die to see it happen, but at least now I know what it takes.”

“I was going to get you a greeting card, but I couldn’t find one for getting you killed by a wizard with bomb fists.”

I met beautiful women from other dimensions and played board games with a vampire. I had magic powers. Steampunk magic powers. I got killed by a supervillain and died fighting to save the world. Jason, if you told me everything that was going to happen—every single thing, even the end—I’d have made the exact same choice. I’d have jumped at it.”

“Don’t you dare pity me. You made my life a triumph. My death too, for that matter. Don’t you ever try and take that from me by thinking you made my choices for me. I died a hero, Jason, not a victim. You don’t get to turn me into one inside your head.”

And in the land of the chuuni, the genre-savvy man is king.”

“I’m going to tell you to stay focused. Keep your eye on what we died for, not the fact that we died.”

“Be the crazy weirdo I fell for.”

“Just remember to play the hero, not the villain,”

“Whatever it is waiting for you on the other side,” he told them, “I hope it’s amazing.”

“Finally something in this wretched modern world I can wholeheartedly approve of,” Willoughby said. “A pair of comely wenches delivering themselves unto me.”

“Should have?” Jason asked. “That sounds a lot like a guess. You did just say the words ‘I’m not entirely certain,’ which do not fill me with confidence.”

And Shade, thank your dad, when you get the chance.” “The Reaper will not care,” Shade said. “I’d appreciate you doing it anyway.”

“Coming back from the dead more powerful than ever is kind of our thing,”

“I’m kind of annoyed that they used their final message to the living to tell me to get over myself.”

Maybe it’s okay to laugh when you can, even in the dark days.” “I think that might be when it’s most important.”

“Are you saying I need a superhero emblem?” Jason asked. “It would help,”

“How did you stall him out?” “Talked a bunch of crap.” “Then I’m sure you were fine. You played to your strengths.”

“Then it is good that you are not alone,” Dawn said. “Miss Hurin was not sent to this world on a whim. She was sent so that you would have someone to rely on.”

“Boldness is a requisite of achieving our objectives,” Dawn said, “but to be bold is to walk on a foolhardy edge. We must be vigilant that we do not slip.”

“I’m assuming you have a plan,” Jason said. “I’d really like to hear a plan.”