Light Through the Cracks - A Treatise on Living Faith

I once worked as a Chosen Luminary. I trained in the halls of Auraleth, walked the divine halls of Ishalis, wept at the Original Wall, and praised The Radiant Mother through fire and blood. In this, I firsthand experienced the radiance of Her light and how wonderful She is. I speak now not as a Luminary - but a heretic. My name stricken from records, my deeds gone unattributed, but through it all, I am still Loyal to Her - if not to them.   Three years past I presided in Stillwater's Vigil. While there, a man came to me praying for forgiveness and guidance in transgressions. Although I believe it matters not, I will tell you here that his crime was unlicensed trade of a day's catch with pirates. Yes, the very ones the church will deny. I thought the act to be forgivable, but penance must be severe. Looking for guidance, I asked a superior for a path to bring this man back to Her light. He offered none, and instead told me that he would deal with the matter and update me when it had been done. Ignorantly, the next day, I presided over the final penance rites of sinners to be hung on the wall. There I saw this man, blindfolded and bound to be speared into the wall for his sins. This man, who had come crying to me only a few nights prior, now stood before me. I refused. I tried to unbind the man but was jailed before I could. It was there I toiled on my long life before, and what the Church had done. How they have twisted Her words and created a system of oppression and lies. I realized weakness not in Her doctrine, but in the box we have built around the light and called a lamp.   I see the supports clearly now, those that keep the light caged and shielded from the eyes of the people. I have split these into three overarching ideas. First, the wall must fall. We have used this monument as a testament that She sees all and a reminder to the people to fear her wrath. Her mercy should not be weaponized against the people, but embraced and hallowed. We must tear down the great walls holding the corpses of sinners that put us in shadow.   Next, we must open the books to all. A church and a people should not be built upon secrets that only the "Chosen" are worthy to glimpse. Her divine words and the tales of other lands and Gods should be studied and open. We do not diminish Her by speaking of others - but strengthen the resolve and sanctity of Her Light. We must uncover hidden writings, copy forbidden texts, and use these as the soil in which to plant the seed of truth. In this, the roots can take hold and begin cracking the foundation of lies the church has spread. Take these and hide them until you may spread them among the people. Hide them in urns, hollowed pillars, or even the stomach of gutted fish - whatever you must to spread the true word.   Finally, we must extinguish the flame. We give the power and sanctity to those who call themselves Chosen and say they hold the flame of Mother Isha's light. What they, and many, fail to understand is Her light does not come from flame. It is as radiant and self-propogating as the sun itself with a gentle warmth that has no connections to a fire. They have taken this sentiment and twisted and malformed it to preposterous proportions until we have arrived at today. The people no longer follow the light from The Divine Mother, but finding that it has been shielded away, they instead turn only to the flame and convince themselves it must be Her light. We must meet their heavy hand with questions and rebuttals. Only by citing the truth can we truly rock their foundation enough to topple the system.   I speak to you, each and every one of you. If this writing has found its way to your hands, it was placed there by a pair willing to be broken for the truth. Do not seek me. Do not name me. I am simply a forgotten old man who wants to see the people sit no longer. I do this in The Radiant Mother's name, not against it. We, her children, still bleed and must look to be closer to not only Her, but each other. If enough people begin this change and strike at the box, then maybe - just maybe - it will begin to crack. And it is only through these cracks that we can finally see the light.