Cleansed with fire, sealed with steel.

[the25r]

I was born an elven ranger with a name. Adaptable, flexible. I ran with assassins, turned over boulders with warriors. Always capable, I consumed challenges. I cleared dungeons and wrote my name on the walls. I climbed mountains and wrote my name on the peaks. I accumulated gold and fame to delight myself. Everywhere I went, I shouted my name to bring myself glory.

 

In some dark night of the soul, I understood that all of this life was vanity, vapor, hevel. I answered a call to the priesthood, to lay my weapons down and pursued development of the soul and destruction of ego.

 

Still a young man, my body revolted. Evil catalyzed in my flesh and spread to my heart. Heroic efforts to save me came with a price. My soul flourished, but my body grew weak.

 

While my body was shriveled, I still had my name and my story, which I could use to bring glory to God. My partner gave birth to a son (a miracle). I began to change lives as a priest. I was happy, whole, recovering.

 

And then my body revolted again.

 

Sickness, like darkness, creeps at the edges. To purify my flesh, I had to be opened up. Knifes opened me, chemicals burned me. I was cleansed by fire and sealed with steel.

 

7/3/12, I died. 7/3/12, I was reborn.

 

My journey through disease brought me to the edge. When I arose from the bed, I left behind fear, I left behind doubt. I left behind anger and pride. I left behind my name.

 

Like my God, I am resurrected. I have no profession but servant, no goal but to honor others. To do so, I cannot remain weak. I travel through dark valleys and lonely alleys, and need strength to defend myself and lift others up. And I do so without a name. I am no man, I am everyman. I live again.

[Aryellas]

Amazing~