"A knight is known by his deeds, not his birth."  That's what Azriel always believed in, but to others who were the chosen ones he and the other low-ranking knights were simply a tool that they can use anytime and however they wanted.  But after getting betrayed and killed by the people that he swore his loyalty, he got another chance. A chance to correct the mistakes that he made, and the choices he made.  He wanted to protect the things in this life that he couldn't in the previous one, and take revenge on those who betrayed him and those ridiculed him and the ones he hold dear.