Osai Spotlight: S. R. Sorela

Full Name: Silanu Ravosilu Sorela
Birthday: September 23, 1949
Nationality: Kiillaanian
Birth City: Taleah, New Asia
Bloodline: Sorela
Current City: Kennywood, Pyncyltonia
Title: Musician/Musicologist

Fast Facts:

• S. R. Sorela is the only person in the entire history of the world to have Osai Naori and Terabi Tana, both inside of him, both working together in a unique dark harmony.
• He will live for 300 years. Many of the Osanokai and Terabikai that were told about him before he was born mentioned that he would "live three lifetimes of a Man of Terabi." Terabikai tend to live well into their 90's so it was assumed that it would be 300. Sorela himself was told that he would indeed live to be 300.
• He is only 1/6 of the way through his mega life!
• He is one of the few Men of Osai who goes by all three of his names. He also prefers to go by his initials so he is most often referred to as S. R. Sorela, Dr. Sorela, SRS, or just Sorela.
• The way he received both gifts was one that would push him beyond death. They were not given, they had to be rightfully earned.
• He was born in the Keoen-speaking, Kiillaanian city of Taleah to Rada Sorela and Anwyn Ardin. He is an only child and when he was born and given his name his parents sensed that he was a man of immense power. They decided to move back to Jadali when Sorela was only a couple weeks old and have the Eldin of Leena (who is also the country's Aikada) meet with him. As the story goes, they met with Ilonwyn Lochmont and and he took the infant and laid his hands on him. Almost immediately, both of their eyes glowed with the ring of triangles. Suddenly Ilonwyn's eyes glowed extremely brightly and he received an immense vision of Osai telling him that this small child would do things that no man or child had ever done before. He saw little bits and pieces of things to come in his future, but the fact that he was the bearer of both gifts was withheld from him.
• The young S. R. Sorela, though he was a Man of Osai, suffered from the Curse of the Realm. It was confirmed countless times to be the curse because his eyes clearly had the "\" mark that glowed when he was under attack. He was, for reasons unknown at the time, attacked with an intensity not seen since the writings of Aranel Balthor in the times of Mera Visi. The monsters that attacked him in the Realm were fought off by Men of Terabi, including Mera Visi himself and the young Meiro Freloch. However, Sorela himself remarked that he felt safe in the Realm, despite being so strongly attacked.
  
• Because he was cursed other children often shied away from him. He spent his days at school trying not to get pulled down into the Realm and got pretty good at fighting it with his own power. He noticed that music would prevent the monster from being able to take him for a while so he sang every chance he could.
• He spent his nights seemingly aimlessly wandering the countryside around Leena. His favorite spots to go to were Dahsir Castle (because he "was drawn there"), deep in the caves along the southeastern coast (because his voice resonated in the chambers), and in the forests bathed in the moonlight. Many thought he was crazy because of his twitchy nature and wide eyes.
• Despite all of this he was a very smart young man. He loved reading and felt an unusual closeness to the works of Mera Visi, as if he was one of him. He received flashes of insight about a great many things, including his unusual life. He obviously often wondered why he had a gift and a curse but Osai assured him time and time again that this was happening according to plan and that one day he would discover his true nature. He did indeed suspect that he was actually a Terabikai as well because he had the ability to sense the auras of everyone not only around him but of souls past. He had read that there was to be a man with both gifts but was not sure if it was really him, as he clearly had the Curse.
• He speaks 3 languages. His native language is Keoen, he is completely fluent in Catin because he is a Man of Osai and also because his father was straight from Catarika, and he also speaks Kevian because it is taught to every Jadali and because he saw himself living in Kiillaana so he learned it. He didn't realize that Keoen was inherent even if he didn't go back to Jadali.
• He has always loved music and foresaw his life being intertwined with it. He enjoyed hearing people play and his favorite instrument above all others was the oboe. When asked, he always replies that he loves it because he "liked the way it sounds." He believes it to be hauntingly beautiful and dark and obtained one as a gift from his father when he was 5 years old. After getting a few pointers on how to put it together and play he began to take it to the caves and play until it sounded the way he wanted. It became a part of who he was, and is still the major part of who he is today. Playing it helped take his mind off everything going on in his life that was unusual.
• He rarely slept, if ever, although he often had to be in his room recovering from the vicious attacks of the monsters in the Realm that struck him hard and often.
• He would learn the true meaning of his unusual life when he was newly 14 years old. It was late in the year 1963 and he had become a very good musician by then and an amazing person. People were drawn to him because they sensed his unknown powers as well as he did.
  

As the story goes, he went to Dahsir Castle like he did most evenings. He was always drawn to it and even though the curse was most active there he went anyway because he could feel the aura of Mera Visi that resonated from his memorial site. He could feel the monsters of the Realm pulling at him and he stood still, hoping it would pass, but it was no good and he fell through the world to the Realm and held his breath as the most twisted, evil, and feared monster pounced upon him, tearing him apart little by little. A great amount of time had passed and nobody was coming to aid him. Little did he realize it was because Terabi had barred them from helping. There were actually several standing around watching this take place but he could not see them.

He continued to try and use his own strength to fight it off but he could feel himself begin to weaken. He wondered what was going to happen, for it is impossible to kill a Man of Osai, and he was only 14 years old and nowhere near old enough to die. He felt himself weaken further as the evil of the monster penetrated his soul deeper and deeper. There are no words to describe the pain he felt as this went on and finally he could bear it no more. He knew he had been pushed beyond death. Everyone that had died from the curse would have been long gone by now but he was holding on still. In that very moment, when he would have to give up his life and succumb to the terrible evil, he looked up and saw a hooded man kneeling just above him, his arms outstretched with a plain and yet immensely powerful blade, glowing blue with a brightness he had never seed except from the massive sword of Mera Visi and the ornate blade of Meiro Freloch. The figure had its head bowed and was radiating with blue light. He simply whispered "Merai!" as he held the sword forward.

Sorela suddenly realized what was going on. He had been subject to the curse to become familiar with the monsters of the Realm. With his Gift of Osai he was able to withstand enough for the monster to be significantly weakened and this time nobody was meant to save him. It would nearly cost him his sanity, but at the right time when the monster had used all of its energy but was still attached to him because he had not been fought off, this hooded man, Terabi himself, would hand Sorela his blade of Lovelight. With every ounce of strength he could muster in his twisting body he held his right arm above his head, grabbed the hilt of the sword, and with Osai guiding him, his eyes forced closed by the evils of the beast, thrust the sword directly into the monster's dark core. With this great act, the entire Realm watching, and all of the Osanokai of the time aware of this as well, Silanu Ravosilu Sorela had done what only one other man of the Realm, Terabi himself, had done. He had actually killed a monster of the Realm. He had hit its weakened core, destroying it completely off the face of the Realm.

This great act was not without pain, however. As he did this, immense and unimaginable dark energy seared through his body, the dark clawed handprint of the monster literally burning itself onto his chest and across his arms from the inside out. Meiro Freloch and Isli Loch witnessed this firsthand and remarked that "a scream rose up and then his body began to glow brightly, before literally bursting into flame before our eyes. We knew something of immense power had happened. Just after that we smelled the awful smell of burning flesh and cried and we imagined what would have caused a monster's mark to be burned into his frame." Isli Loch later recorded,"His entire right arm was burned from the wrist up as that was the main contact point with the dark core, his hand being protected by the hilt. "The majority of his chest was burned in the shape of 5 digits, which encompassed his left shoulder, around the back of his neck, down his back, and down his thighs also."

Sorela was by this point completely out of strength. His vision glowed white as death began to take him. He used the remaining strength he had, fighting through the immense pain of his burns which went all the way to his soul, and put the sword- HIS sword- into his Teracor, the glowing blue soul of a Terabikai. With that he lost consciousness as Terabi scooped him up and held him, gently rocking him. Meiro entered the Realm at this point and saw Terabi holding him and also the immense crowd of Terabikai past who had gathered, aware of the once-in-history event. Terabi smiled at Meiro and told him that he had done what he needed to do.

Ilonwyn Lochmont was a few miles away at a pub when he received the powerful, burning vision of Sorela, just as he had slain the great beast. He was summoned to Dahsir Castle at once and ran out with the intent to get on his horse but Osai told him he had no time so he ran with immense speed through the forest. He was guided by Osai and cleared 3 miles in just 3 minutes. When he arrived Sorela's burnt body was no longer on fire, but his clothing had been singed away and were still smoking. Protected by Osai, he laid his hand on Sorela's head and experienced the entire ordeal in crisp detail, in vision. Once this was done he fell but after a few minutes regained his strength and the three of them waited for Sorela to be well enough to return to the world. Meiro noted that "the mark of the curse in his eyes literally shifted to point to the northeast, signifying a Man of Terabi like myself. I have never seen anything like it in my existence!"

After a long time Sorela did regain his consciousness and return from the Realm. However his body was broken beyond death and he would have to recover his mind. He was taken to Isli's house, which was the home of Mera Visi back in the day, where herbal treatment was done to his burns. He was able to heal with flexible scars very quickly and within a month he was completely healed from the physical toll his body took. However, his mind was mostly lost and it took him nearly 2 months to regain his ability to speak. Once everything had calmed down and all was said and done he emerged stronger and more powerful than anyone in the entire world. He was now a Man of Osai and a Man of Terabi, with both gifts flowing through him and radiating from his body. He learned the ways of both and became an incredible person.

• After his initiation as a Terabikai, and once he was completely healed, he changed physically. His once twitchy nature was gone and he now moved slowly as if he were floating or underwater and he spoke slowly with a crisp clarity that few could match. He no longer had the Curse of the Realm as he had defeated his attacker.
• His body still clearly bears the scar of his burns. He always wears black clothing with a black trenchcoat to hide this scar and grew his hair out long to hide the burns on his neck as well as the many scars all over his head. His burns are completely hidden and he only shows his scar, especially the area on his arm, to those who inquire with a true heart.
• He grew to a very massive height around and after this happened and he now stands as one of the tallest Men of Osai, at 6'5''. He is built of almost solid muscle as well and therefore has a massive, intimidating frame.
• He is by far one of the darkest Men of Osai. His face appears to be etched in darkness and his beautiful Catin eyes are shadowed in darkness by his furrowed brow and yet piercing.
  
• He is usually very, very quiet and on occasion will pause all speech and motion for several seconds. This is due to the PTSD that he clearly has. He has very violent flashbacks but he knows when they are to happen and hides himself away until they pass. When asked about it he replied, "Well, I almost lost my mind completely. There is still some of the evil monster in me which contains that last bit of my mind and when the right aura comes upon it, it shows me that its evil influence is still there. For all I could've lost, I think that's pretty good!" Thankfully it does not happen often and he knows that he will always be stronger than that unwanted evil.
• Of all the things he could've become, being such a powerful man, he chose to go with his original passion that had become him years earlier. As soon as he was well again he took his oboe and ran to the caves where he reportedly played for about two straight weeks, only leaving to eat. He fell in love with music all over again and poured his entire soul into his talent. He decided that he would want to become a master of his instrument so he went to high school back in his birth city of Taleah in 1964.
• He lived with a family friend, Danil Hieldin, and returned home to Jadali on the weekends. He spent much of his night time practicing the oboe and Airi Hieldin, Danil Hieldin's daughter, would often sneak out of bed to listen to him play in the moonlight. She too was a musician who wanted to go to school to further her talent.
• He was quickly recognized for his incredible talent not just on oboe but also his voice and he was a member of the state orchestra and choir all of his years in high school.
• He applied at Tevernid School of Music in 1968, where he hoped to attend college all the way to Double Mastery (a PhD) in Oboe Performance.
• He was immediately accepted and studied under Dr. Terlin Akira Kye for the entire 12 years he was there.
• With his ability to forgo sleep he was able to study both of his passions in school and obtained his PhD in Oboe performance in 1976 and his PhD in Jadali Musicology in 1979. He became an associate professor at TSOM in 1974 and played in the Royal Tevernid Orchestra from 1974-1977.
• After he had received his degrees he began looking for a job as a professor elsewhere. He received a flash of insight that he was to travel very far west to a town he had never been. He became professor of oboe and music history at Kennywood University in 1980 and has remained there to this day.
• He married the sweet girl of the family friend which he lived with, Airi Hieldin, in 1970. They fell in love in high school and, like most Osanokai and their wives, they each saw in vision that they were going to get married. They dated for many years and were married just after their sophomore years. Airi Hieldin Sorela went on to obtain her PhD in Vocal Performance with another degree in Piano Performance. She performed in choirs and the theatre as a soloist and also was an accompanist at TSOM and the surrounding high schools.
• The year that they moved west, in 1980, Airi became pregnant with their first and only child. Ashlan Sorela was born in October 1980 and Dr. Sorela very much enjoyed raising his son. He went on to move to the Keoen-speaking city of Dahhod and now has a beautiful wife and two children of his own.
• Dr. Sorela has been teaching at KU for 30 years now and loves every minute. He usually arrives to his office at about 3 in the morning and practices until 6. He then spends that hour grading coursework, answering emails, talking to other Osanokai, making reeds, or traversing the Realm.
  
• He uses his Power of Traversing to travel to and from school, as he "dislikes cars." He also uses it to travel quickly and unnoticed around the building.
  
• His blade is a straight sword with very unique ornamentation on it. He regularly just traverses the Realm, fighting off evil as he comes across it. He mainly traverses the Realm to meet with Terabi and talk, and has walked with many of the Terabikai. In fact, he reports that he has "finally met all the Men of Terabi past."
• Despite appearing quite intimidating, Dr. Sorela is one of the kindest, most caring people in the world. He has a very unique sense of humor and because he has Perfect Empathy he can tailor his lecture to any class and have his students enjoy learning.
• His favorite aspect of playing is solo playing and he hosts several recitals throughout the year- always one at school and a couple more at his house. He enjoys playing for other people and is always keeping up with any new music. Yehai Sorela regularly writes for him and several composition students have written for him as well.
• Almost equally of a favorite is being in orchestra. He has been a member of the Kennywood Philharmonic (K-Phil) since he started in 1980 and has played next to many great musicians. The most recent, as of 2002, is his good friend, Dr. Kenyon Nihael. Their history actually goes much further than that but they have been extremely close since he joined the K-Phil. They often sub for each other and host dinner for the others' family at least twice a week.
• Dr. Sorela actually lives in a very northern suburb of Kennywood called Juananica but his official Osanokai roster says Kennywood since he spends so much time at his office.
• He identifies as Jadali by culture and, like his wife, observes all of their holidays and traditions. He comes to school in his robes on special occasions, along with the few other Jadali staff and students on campus. He almost always speaks to his wife in Keoen when they visit at school and always at home.
• His wife became a vocal instructor at KU in 1985. She also began accompanying her husband's studio around that time. She is also a main member of the Pathreeah Opera and still does lots of singing. Her office is just down the hall from her husband's. To avoid confusion between the two, she goes by Dr. Hieldin Sorela at school.
• Both Dr. Sorela and his wife are vegetarians, following the Jadali culture.
• He has become the god-father to several of his students and their children including Winterwood Rivers and her family, All of Dr. Nihael's children, and an ex-flutist named Christine Sky Johnson.
• He organizes gatherings of the Kiillaanian Osanokai, since his son lives in Dahhod and it is a common place for such gatherings to occur.
• Even though almost all pictures of him depict him with the typical dark look of the Osanokai, he is almost always smiling.

A Short Description

Dr. Sorela's office, which he has had since the building's opening in 1985, is full of uniqueness. From the moment one approaches the door they feel of the calming, peaceful aura that radiates. On the frame of the door is the nice gold-plated nameplate that reads "Dr. S. R. Sorela." Underneath that is a hand-colored, laminated piece of manila folder paper that says "Captain Darkness" and is taped below the professional sign, untouched since it was made in the early 80's. A student, annoyed with something he was teaching, coined the name Captain Darkness out of sarcasm but Dr. Sorela overheard and, knowing the student's true intent, took a liking to it and with a laugh took upon himself that title. A sign was made by one of his students who was doubling in art and the rest is history.

On the door itself are several papers. The main one is a chart, totally hand-drawn and handwritten, of his lesson schedule and office hours. He enjoys his handwriting and "has the time to do it" so he makes his own monthly calendar. All around it are printed pictures of his various students through the years that they have sent him and even an old photo of Dr. Sorela with his teacher, Akira Terlin Kye, from his years in college. There are also some very fine drawings and sketchings from various artists who had him both as a professor and a private teacher.

One never has to knock when they enter, for he always senses their arrival. He always gives a whispery, cheery, "Come in!" when footsteps approach. The first thing that everyone notices when they enter his office is the fact that he is probably the only professor to have real drapes in his office. A simple, hand-carved curtain rod has been taped to the concrete wall where it holds up a beautiful, Keoen, hand-stitched tapestry in bright colors but that totally goes with his office. The view outside his office is spectacular, of the busy sidewalk below and the wide Ried Gilde (Golden River) beyond that.

Immediately in front of whoever enters is his desk. On it is his computer which he uses to listen to music, answer emails, and as a canvas to tape several pictures all over the monitor. On top of his tower is a large stack of CD's which he gives out often to his students to listen to. Another table, perpendicular to this one, sits to the right creating a small area for a chair. This table is covered in music, classwork, and other documents. His reed-making supplies lay neatly in their box on the shelves underneath. Looking to the right, one sees several benches right against the wall for when his students have their reed making class or for people who want to stop by for a long time. Against the right wall is a bookshelf full of books that he rereads often. Hidden among them is an upright piano with another bench for sitting.

However, probably everyone's most favorite part about his office is his bulletin board that is on the left wall. In addition to serving as a monthly whiteboard calendar, it is literally covered with drawings by his students. He runs the concert class and uses cards for attendance and one year had a student that always drew him a picture on the back. He began to hang these up which spurred waves of drawings by a couple people. He saves them all and they are now all over his office, especially this bulletin board. He also has other drawings he has received that he hangs up here as a sort of mini art gallery for people to enjoy as they stop by.

As they look beyond his monitor and computer, in the large chair, sits Dr. Sorela himself. He is very, very tall and his long black hair flows almost poetically down his dark face past his shoulders. His right leg is crossed, his right foot on his left knee, and his face is full of concentration as he holds an unfinished reed in his left hand while using a razor with his right to fashion it to perfection. He looks up with his dark eyes and smiles, setting his tools down and standing up. Almost impossible to describe in words, he moves as though he is a floating spirit, with a grace and flow that is unique to him. It has been described as dancelike and he smiles at its mention. He always gives the greeting gesture of Osai and then begins to speak to whoever has entered, knowing by the power of Osai what language he should speak in. Sometimes he likes to humor his guests by greeting them in all three. He is here to help others and loves to just listen to people as they voice their comments and concerns.

S. R. Sorela is truly one of a kind and I obviously know him well. I love writing about him and managed to pull together some more facts not mentioned before. I love this series and I love these spotlights! I love Osanokai!