It is well known that there is something different about the oboe professor at Kennywood University. As one walks down the dimly lit hallway they can often hear him practicing before they reach his door. It is impossible to miss- it’s right where the hallway turns; if someone walked down the hall with their eyes closed they'd eventually walk right through the door, or at least run into it. A simple sign above the frame reads, “Dr. S. R. Sorela.” Directly below it, on a laminated piece of paper, is another name plaque, this one rather informal, reading, “Captain Darkness.”
He can always sense when someone is coming and with his soft, booming voice always bids them enter, often before they even reach up to knock. Silanu Ravosilu Sorela is his name. He is the son of a Catin father and a Jadali-Kiillra mother. He is older than most would think, at 60 years of age. He is quite a sight indeed. His shoulder-length, jet black hair with a nice wave to it blends in perfectly with his tall frame. His shoulders are arched forward as if he yearns to unburden himself from the cares of the world. His black Catin eyes are almost hidden under a deeply furrowed brow. He always has a look of deep concentration etched on his well-aged face but his dark eyes do not show any ill harm, only love and compassion, the true mark of a Terabikai.
He always wears the same black collared shirt and tie with his long black trenchcoat accentuating his very tall stature. On occasion he wears a crimson and gold-trimmed cloak fastened with a pin depicting his Sorela crest. Interacting with him, one will find him to be most curious a person. He moves very slowly, almost as if he is underwater or floating in the air. There is something very poetic about how every move he makes glides as if a silken feather on the air. He also speaks very slowly and with a crisp cleanness that few can match. His Keòen accent remains strong in his whispery soft voice although it has lost some of its "roughness" from living so long in Kiillaana- 12 years in Tevernid and almost 30 years in Kennywood. While many fear him because of his dark and massive presence, those that know him well know that they can trust him with their life. He is always there for every performance, every invitation, every event involving his students. He listens with an unbelievable loyalty and is loved by many for his advice and fondness he has for his profession.
Dr. S. R. Sorela was born in Taleah, New Asia, on September 23, 1949. He is the son of Rada Sorela and Anwyn Ardin. Having a Jadali mother, he lived in Leena for most of his youth and learned Keòen as his first language. His parents took him to the Eldin and discovered that he had the Gift of Osai and, not only that, but that something would happen to him that had never happened to anyone before. As a youth, he was very unique. He suffered from the Curse of the Realm which often confined him to his room; however, he did not sleep or fall ill apart from this horrible spiritual sickness. He was unusually quiet and was more content to ponder and read than play games in the fields. During his young years living in Jadali, he could be found in his room by candle light reading many books and writing his stories and ponderings.
As he aged, he fell in love with the music that was a part of every walk of life. He could often be found singing alone in the Law Hall or in the castle bell tower. He loved to sing and wanted to play an instrument. From a very young age he knew that he would be a musician, confirmed every step of the way by Osai. His favorite instrument of all was the oboe with its unmistakable and hauntingly beautiful tone. At the age of five he was given a gift from his father: a real instrument of his own. He began to play and discovered his amazing talent and ability to create music and had soon mastered it. He learned that the curse could not strike when music was present and spent many of his days and nights wandering the cliffs south of Dahsir Castle playing inside the naturally resonant caves, filling the air with his music.
It wasn’t until he was 14 years old when he discovered the true meaning of his gifts. There was clearly more to him than just the Gift of Osai and many including Sorela himself suspected that he may be the one man in the history of the world to receive both of the Great Catin Gifts. Nobody had ever heard of a Man of Osai having the Curse of the Realm and had no idea what to expect. Being newly 14 years old and on a short break from school the grand scheme of things was finally revealed. After another attack of the curse within the walls of Dahsir Castle, in which Sorela was thrown down past death to the depths of Terabi’s Realm, he was given the power to defeat the demon which had cursed him, subsequently receiving the Strength of Terabi. These two gifts were amazing just by themselves and once he had received Terabi Tana the news that the man of both gifts spread to the world. Nobody knew what having both gifts working together in harmony would do and Dr. Sorela became a writer of history, showing exactly what such a man was like. He was described as a "Traversing Man of Osai, one who could sense the emotions and auras of anyone who entered his mind or presence and also receive flashes of insight about them." He was also described as "a man of unmeasurable power, tied so closely with Terabi and Osai" and that it was very fitting that he was "half pure Jadali and half pure Sorela." Armed with such mystical and comforting gifts he set off not for fame and power, but to do what he had always dreamed of doing- becoming an incredible musician, historian, and teacher.
Once he was recovered from his initiation in the Realm, which left him extremely changed physically and aurally, he set off to prepare to enter school in Kiillaana, something he had always wanted to do but couldn't with the curse so strong in him. With that curse removed, he could finally be free to attend. He used his twilight hours to practice. Sometimes he practiced for two days straight. He especially loved practicing in the moonlight because that was where he felt most at home. He began Taleah High School in September of 1964 and graduated in 1968. After he turned 18 years old, he made a trip down to Tevernid to audition for the Tevernid School of Music. The teachers were so impressed with his personality and talents that he was accepted right away. So it began. He attended the Tevernid School of Music for many years until he earned not one but two PhD's- one in performance and one in musicology. He married his long time best friend, Airi Hieldin, in 1970.
Shortly after, Dr. Sorela was informed that a job opening had appeared. He went all the way to Kennywood to inquire of it. Once there he fell in love with the area and decided to stay. That day was April 4, 1980. He moved into that dark office that summer and never left. His wife became a great teacher and performer as well and taught many fine musicians in her time. To this day she still loves to perform and teach and probably will for many years to come. They had one child, a son, who they named Ashlan. He currently lives in Dahhod with his wife, Jiosa, and has two sons- Aratan and Aulivar.
There are some unique things about him, of course. First, only a handful of people know his name, as he goes by S. R. Sorela. Second, he never ever takes off his black trenchcoat and always has on long sleeves, even in summer. He can come off as quite intimidating due to his height and the darkness of himself, but he is not. He is the only person in the world to have Osai Naori and Terabi Tana. This in itself is amazing. He has the power to stay awake for days, slightly predict the future, heal quickly, and has the gifts of pure trust, calmness, and a caring few can match. Find out about how he got these gifts in part II.
Edited and Updated on 13 October, 2011
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