The Sacrament of Preservation

I. Theological Foundation of the Sacrament 

The Covenant of the Fatebreaker rejects the secular fiction that self-defense is merely an external, state-granted civil privilege subject to administrative whim. It is, instead, an immutable Natural Right derived directly from the Creator and manifested through the individual. Within the Church, this Right is elevated to a vocational duty through the Sacrament of Preservation. Just as the Sikh Khalsa bears the Kirpan as an unceasing, physical article of faith, a Fatebreaker Intercessor carries the gun not as a casual piece of secular property, but as a permanent, consecrated instrument of covenantal stewardship.

This Sacrament requires a profound shift from preparedness on the firing line to a state of moral and physical readiness in daily life. To bear an instrument of life and death is to accept a continuous, sacred burden. The defensive tool is the physical manifestation of an Intercessor’s vow to stand as an unyielding wall between the innocent and the forces of malice. It is a tangible reminder that the bearer has surrendered the luxury of apathy, choosing instead to actively preserve the Divine Spark within humanity against the onset of chaotic degradation.

Consequently, the mindset of the bearer must be rooted in restraint, humility, and the complete absence of malice or vanity. The consecrated tool is never carried to project power, assert dominance, or feed human pride. It is a shield of ultimate resort, held in a quiet state of vigilance. The Intercessor operates with the sober understanding that the highest achievement of defensive readiness is the deterrence of violence through presence alone, ensuring that the gun is never unholstered or brought to bear unless the preservation of innocent life absolutely demands it.

II. The Consecration Rite (The Inception) 

The transition of a gun from a commercial commodity to a consecrated instrument of the Covenant is marked by a formal, intentional rite of inception. This process begins with the physical act of cleaning and pure inspection. The Intercessor completely disassembles the gun, field-stripping it to its foundational components. This is not merely a mechanical maintenance procedure; it is a reflective liturgy of purification. As the Intercessor removes carbon, debris, and manufacturing residue, they mentally clear their own conscience, aligning their intent with the solemnity of the vow they are about to take. The clean, pristine state of the gun reflects the purity of purpose required to bear it.

Once inspected and reassembled, the gun undergoes the permanent, physical marking of the Bolt Face Seal or Cross. This seal is laser-engraved or etched directly onto the gun's slide, frame, grip, or receiver. The application of the seal serves as a visual and indelible boundary, separating the gun from the profane world and dedicating its service exclusively to the protection of life within the Order. It is a permanent declaration that this specific firearm is no longer a tool for casual recreation or secular sport, but an asset of the Church’s Ministry of Protection and Safety, bound by ecclesiastical law.

The rite culminates in the Oath of the Locked Bolt, conducted before the Preceptor and the gathered assembly. The Intercessor brings the gun forward, locked open, presenting an empty chamber to demonstrate absolute safety and transparency before the Creator and the congregation. Holding the open gun, the Intercessor speaks the vow of office, swearing to maintain the weapon in a state of constant readiness, to govern its use by the Four Cardinal Rules, and to wield it only in defense of the innocent. Upon the conclusion of the verbal oath, the Intercessor releases the slide or bolt face, letting the action close with a singular, audible snap that seals the covenantal bond.

III. The Daily Litany of the Shield (The Continuous Sacrament) 

The Sacrament of Preservation cannot be confined to the sanctuary or the controlled environment of the firing line. It is a continuous discipline that must be maintained through the routine transitions of daily life. To ensure the Intercessor remains tethered to their vow, the Church establishes a dual practice of daily mindfulness: the Rite of Donning in the morning and the Rite of Doffing in the evening. These brief, structured moments transform the mundane acts of loading and unloading, or equipping and securing the weapon, into active expressions of covenantal faith.

The Rite of Donning occurs at the start of the day during the morning vigil. As the Intercessor prepares to enter the secular world, they lift their gun to equip it. Before the holster is secured, the Intercessor pauses for a silent moment of internal alignment and prayer. This internal litany centers the mind on the dual burdens of absolute vigilance and absolute restraint. The Intercessor acknowledges that the gun they carry is carried exclusively for the preservation of life, asking for the clarity of sight to recognize threats, the physical capability to neutralize them if necessary, and the spiritual fortitude to never utilize the weapon out of anger, pride, or impatience. Only when this state of calm readiness is achieved is the gun holstered.

Conversely, the Rite of Doffing occurs at the conclusion of the day upon the evening return. When the Intercessor retires to the safety of the home and prepares to secure the gun in its storage repository, a closing prayer is spoken. This rite serves to consciously discharge the heavy psychological and spiritual burden of operational readiness carried throughout the day. By placing the gun into its secure container, the Intercessor symbolically transfers the immediate defense of the community back to the Creator and the watchful order of brethren, allowing themselves to return fully to familial peace and domestic tranquility without carrying the tense edge of combat readiness into the home.

IV. The Boundary of Sanctity (The Negative Constraints) 

Because a gun consecrated under the Covenant is a sacred instrument of the Church, its handling is bound by absolute prohibitions designed to prevent the desecration of the Sacrament. The Church enforces a strict law against the sin of vanity. A consecrated gun must never be utilized as a tool for boasting, intimidation, or casual showmanship. It is strictly forbidden to brandish the weapon, display it for secular validation, or use it to project an aura of personal bravado. The gun remains concealed or properly holstered, visible only when required by operational necessity, formal Church liturgy, or mandatory proficiency training. Because firearms proficiency is a decaying skill that demands continuous practice to maintain a sharp operational edge, live-fire training and skills maintenance are explicitly recognized as holy duties; however, any use of the instrument that degenerates into a prop for human pride breaks the boundary of sanctity and profanes the Covenant.

The boundary is further maintained through the Law of Severance, which dictates the immediate suspension of the Sacrament upon any grave moral deviation, gross negligence, or unauthorized use of force. If an Intercessor violates the Four Cardinal Rules, handles the weapon under the influence of any altering substance, or demonstrates an inability to control their temper or pride while armed, the spiritual bond is severed. The firearm is immediately stripped of its holy designation within the Order. A severed weapon cannot be used in Church functions, and the bearer’s status as an Intercessor is suspended until a formal process of repentance, administrative review, and physical re-qualification is completed before the Preceptor.

To restore a broken Sacrament, a formal Rite of Re-Consecration must occur. The Intercessor must first submit to disciplinary accountability, demonstrating a restored mind and a cleared conscience through a period of mandatory reflection and safety training. Once the administrative and moral debts are paid, the physical gun must be presented once again to the altar. The Intercessor repeats the purification process, field-stripping and cleaning the weapon to signify a renewed commitment to the order. Only after the Preceptor verifies the physical safety of the firearm and the spiritual readiness of the bearer is the Oath of the Locked Bolt re-administered, restoring the gun to its consecrated service.