Keshida Dialogue
What kind of fool goes around ripping the hearts out of pigeons and spilling goat’s blood every time they want a little bit of magic? Sadists and bullies, that’s who. Do I look like a sadist to you? Ugh, don’t answer that. You might hurt an old woman’s feelings.
Some time, a long time ago—I don’t know who it was, but I’d bet my house it was a man—well, he decided commerce was about as perfect a custom as humankind has ever invented. And he convinced everybody that anything worth doing must follow the laws of commerce… the laws of exchange, bartering, whatever you want to call it. Because how can you get something if you don’t give something for it, right?
You see, people like that, they don’t give up anything unless they’re on the better side of some kind of bargain. As if favors don’t exist in the world. As if there’s no such thing as generosity or good will. But your parents told you that you can’t have something for nothing. Well, I’m going to tell you a little different. Of course, you can. You accept gifts on your birthday, don’t you? Then maybe you’ll see my point. Magic can be a gift.
Sounds simple, but it’s not. There’s a trick to it. That trick is persuasion. You have to know how to ask. You want the wind to blow a storm cloud away. Try asking it, but make it sound like the wind’s idea. Or maybe it would help you out if a river that’s flowed one way its whole existence could just up and reverse course. Then you’ve got to convince that river it’s about time for a change. I mean, there’s a lot more to it. Some rivers respond to banter. Others just want you to get to the point. It takes practice. But if you humble yourself just right and learn the right languages, there’s not much magic you can’t do.