Wizard's First Rule

Zedd watched Richard's eyes. This was a lesson, the way the old man had taught Richard since he was young. "You have learned something, my boy?"

Richard nodded. "Life for the strongest. There is no sympathy for the slain, only admiration for the winner's strength."

"But people don't think that way," Kahlan said, unable to hold her tongue.

Zedd gave a sly smile. "No?" He pointed to a small, withered tree near them. "Look at this tree, dear one." He pointed to the big pine. "And this. Tell me which you admire more."

"This one," she said, pointing at the big pine. "It's a beautiful tree."

"This one. You see? People do think this way. It's beautiful, you said. You chose the tree that murders, not the one murdered." Zedd smiled triumphantly. "The way of nature."

Kahlan, folded her arms. "I knew I should have kept my mouth shut."

"You may keep your mouth closed if you wish, but don't close your mind. To defeat Darken Rahl, we must understand him to know how to destroy him."

"This is how he's winning so much territory," Richard said, tapping his finger on the hilt of his sword. "He's letting others do it for him, giving them a cause; then all he has to worry about is going after the boxes. There is no one to interfere."

Zedd nodded. "He uses the Wizard's First Rule to do most of the work for him. This is what makes our job so hard. He gets people on his side because people don't care about the truth; they do his bidding because they believe what they want to, and fight to the death for these beliefs, despite how false they are."

Richard slowly stood, looking off into the night. "All this time, I thought we were fighting evil. Evil on the loose, run amok. But that's not it at all. What we're up against is more like a plague. A plague of fools."

"You have gotten it right, my boy. A plague of fools."

"Directed by Darken Rahl," Kahlan noted.

Zedd peered at her a moment. "If someone digs a hole, and it fills with rainwater, where is the fault? Is it the rain's fault? Or is it the fault of the person who digs the hole? Is it Darken Rahl's fault, or the fault of those who dig the hole, and let him rain in?"

"Maybe both," Kahlan said. "That leaves us with a lot of Enemies."

Zedd lifted a finger. "And very dangerous ones. Fools who won't see the truth are deadly. As a Confessor, perhaps you have already learned this lesson, yes?" She nodded. "They don't always do what you think they will, or should, and you can be caught off guard. People you don't think should be trouble can kill you quick."

"This doesn't change anything," Kahlan said. "If Rahl gets all the boxes, and opens the right one, he is the one who will kill us all. He is still the head to the snake; it is still this head we must remove."

Zedd shrugged. "You are correct. But we must stay alive to have a chance to kill this snake, and there are plenty of small snakes that can kill us first."

"This is a lesson we already learned," Richard said. "But as Kahlan said, it doesn't change anything. We must still get the box to kill Rahl." He sat down again, next to her.

Zedd's face turned deadly serious. "Just remember: Darken Rahl can kill you," he pointed a bony finger at Richard, then Kahlan, "and you," then at himself, "and me-easy."

Richard sat back a little. "Then, why hasn't he?"

Zedd lifted an eyebrow. "Do you go around a room, and kill all the flies in it? No. You ignore them. They don't merit your attention. Until they bite. Then you swat them." He leaned closer to the two of them. "We are about to bite him." Richard and Kahlan gave each other a sideways glance.

"Wizard's First Rule." Richard felt a trickle of sweat run down his back. "I'll remember."

"And don't repeat it to anyone," the wizard admonished. "Wizard's Rules are for none but a wizard to know. The Wizard's Rules may seem cynical or trivial to you, but they are powerful weapons if you know how to use them, because they are true. Truth is power. I have told you two because I'm the head of the wizards, and I think it important for you to understand. You must know what Rahl is doing, since it is the three of us who must stop him."

Richard and Kahlan both nodded their oath.

"It's late." Zedd yawned. "I have been traveling a long time to reach you. We will talk more later."

Richard jumped up. "I'll take first watch." He had something to do, and wanted it done before anything else happened. "Use my blankets, Zedd."

"Done. I'll take second watch." Second watch of three was the least pleasant: it split your sleeping in two. Kahlan began to protest. "I spoke first, dear one."