How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
I could feel my bruises and my ankle ached, but for all that there came flooding through me, like a drink of warm wine, the feeling of excitement and release that came with the power. I knew now that I had had to come this way; that this was to be another of the hours when not darkness, nor distance, nor time meant anything. (II.7.51)
Merlin insists that he and Cadal go an inconvenient way through the forest, and Merlin gets thrown from his horse as thanks for it. But he knows that it's no accident that he feels he needs to be there: he will shortly find the druids' island and witness a human sacrifice from a distance.
It tips him off to Belasius' true nature and also leads to his indoctrination into druid practices. The upshot? More power for young Merlin, and a greater chance that he'll be able to do what "the god" asks him.
Quote #5
[...] I was still possessed by the same light, excited power. There was something ahead of us, to which I was being led, I knew, as surely as the merlin had led me to the cavern at King's Fort. (II.8.3)
Merlin's just getting a sense of his powers when he follows Belasius through the woods to the druids' island. He's beginning to understand that his instincts can be trusted, because they clearly come from a higher power. There always seems to be purpose in even his riskiest adventures, though it's often hard for him to see why at first. In this case, the adventure leads to greater access to old-school power.
Quote #6
"When a man's wise and gentle and good," I added bitterly, "it seems to me that any man's, every man's hand is against him. Galapas could have been murdered by an outlaw for food, or a herdsman for shelter, or a passing soldier for a drink of water." (III.4.5)
Despite the fact that Merlin has benefited from the workings of purposeful Fate, he understands that sometimes the universe is filled with chaos. This is the case with Galapas' death. Though Merlin doesn't know who exactly did the deed, it doesn't matter. He takes the lesson: life can be fragile and random.