I have lived my life, served as an angel of death, for the past decade.
I make no apologies for this, and nor should any among the Church who
still feels the wrath of the righteous whenever they see a foul deed
committed. Every one has their place in the Church; the healer, the
minister, the pacifist, the diplomat.

I no longer feel the almost supernatural anger, the fervor that comes
over one when they see an innocent slaughtered, when they see a shrine
that embodies our ideals defiled. I feel a profound disgust for the
practice of necromancy, but no longer do I shake with rage when I hold
my spiritual mace, no longer can I claim to be moved by a higher force
that gives me the right to pass judgment. Now, I am moved by a perhaps
more mundane force; the words of Aurora and Deucalion. Perhaps it is a
mortal weakness, perhaps my body can no longer contain the gift that
Aurora gave to me, when I heard Her call me to the priesthood--the gift
of a higher purpose, a life of doing as She of Light bids. I move only
in accordance with the Holy Codex, now, and no longer can rely upon the
the spiritual anger to move me, to tell me what is right and wrong.

I would never leave the Church, and shall remain a priest all of my life,
but now I seek a new path. I will never give up fighting for what I hold
dear, but I am no longer capable of being simply, as someone very close to
me put it, one of the many Blades of the Righteous.

I post this here, for all to see, for one very important reason. Many of
you seem confused as to how an organization that preaches mercy and love,
forgiveness and compassion, can employ those such as myself, those who are
the Warriors of the Faith. I am but a mortal, and I can not fully explain
away the apparent contradiction of being loving and wrathful, but I can
only assure you that, if you should one day feel the call of the Church,
understand that you will never feel so fully alive as when you are living
your life fully in accordance with your God's wishes. The followers of
every God know this, at least the true followers. The role of the Church
is confusing to many, and I'm afraid that it can only be understood by
those who have felt the divine hand of Aurora caress their mind, filling
them with a divine purpose. With Deucalion's sacrifice, we lost His rea-
ssuring Touch, and only have the memory of His sacrifice, to take it's
place.

Reason alone can not carry someone through their life, can't keep them on
the right path, make them feel whole and peaceful. Such a contentment and
sense of purpose can only come from faith.

Walk in the Light,
Israfel.

Penned by my hand on the 14th of Valnuary, in the year 254 AF.