Once orchestra had ended and Moira had stored her flute back in her bag, she followed Winterwood into the cramped locker room that she hadn't yet visited. Having only a small instrument she could just carry it in her bag. Winterwood motioned for her to follow her into a small inlet where her husband was lifting a bag full of music and mallets to put away. Winterwood smiled at him and put her case inside. Moira could see pictures of them together with their son taped to the inside of the locker which they shared and smiled.
"All right, I'll take you up to Sorela's office, how 'bout that?" Winterwood said as she gently closed the locker so that a young man with dreadlocks could reach his locker next to it. Moira was very excited and nervous at the same time.
"That would be wonderful! Let me get my brother," Moira answered, turning back to the band room. She found him talking to Nathan, aware immediately that Severin had the same idea and that Nathan was telling him where the office was.
"He'll know you're coming," said Nathan, repeating the words that Winterwood had told Moira earlier, "he always knows when people are coming to see him."
"Hey Severin, Winterwood said she'd take us to his office," said Moira as she got close enough not to yell. Nathan smiled at her and as he stood to leave he put his hand on Severin's shoulder.
"Excellent. Tell me about it tomorrow," he said with a smile as he turned to head for the hall where his girlfriend was waiting, "Bhedde."
"Bhedde!" Moira and Severin repeated as they waved at him. "I just love that he speaks Keòen," Moira whispered happily, "it makes me feel so much more at home, like I'm back in Taleah."
"You and me both!" Severin replied. By then, Winterwood had returned and approached them.
"Ready to go?" she asked. They were too eager to reply so they just smiled and nodded. "Great, follow me!"
The three of them made their way up the stairs, Winterwood talking the whole way about the goings on of music majors. "His office is very tidy and beautiful," she said, "and full of surprises. He has a shelf of books in Keòen and Catin that he brings and gives to people as he sees fit. He also has a bulletin board of little drawings and notes that people have made on the back of those attendance cards from concert class. There's lots of places in there to sit down too which is good since reed-making takes place there most days."
"There's a reed-making class?" Moira asked, astonished. "That sounds awesome!"
"Oh yes, it's great fun! We make a tight-knit section, that's for sure."
She led them down the long hallway that seemed to go on forever.
"That there's his wife's office," said Winterwood, pointing to a door adorned with an embellished whiteboard calendar. "She shares it with Tiffany and is only here Tuesdays and Thursdays."
"Oo, I get to meet her tomorrow!" said Severin, excited. "I have her for ear training."
"Oh yeah! She's teaching that now. I forgot about that. She's really cool- I'm sure you'll like her."
They reached the end of the hall and stopped. In front of them was a door almost fully closed, a handwritten schedule in beautiful script taped to it. Above the door was a sign in big letters that read DR. S. R. SORELA and below that was a handwritten, laminated piece of scrap paper that read Captain Darkness.
"Well, this is it!" Winterwood whispered. "I'll leave you two here. Call me when you're done!"
With that, she left them standing there and began to walk back up the long hallway to the stairs. Moira and Severin stood for a second, not sure what to do and too nervous to do anything.
"Come in!" said a soft, booming voice suddenly. It was from the other side of the door!
"Well, here we go," said Moira as she reached forward and opened the door, Severin following.
There, looking at them with the darkest almond eyes either of them had ever seen, a slight smile on his etched face, his hands together, fingers touching his chin, was possibly the most famous Jadali-Kiillra of the modern century. Once they entered and closed the door he slowly stood, rising to a magnificent height, and walked around his desk to where they stood in awe.
"It is... so nice... to finally meet you at last!" He extended his hand with a unique flow to his body and gently took theirs. The same feeling present when they had shaken Nathan's hand earlier, the power that they felt from his gentle touch was immense and no words could describe it. "Please... have a seat!" he said, slowly. Moira and Severin, giddy with excitement, sat down on the lovely ornate chairs he had by the door and he returned to the seat at his office, bringing it over.
"Well! Severin... Moira... How are you liking it out here?"
"Oh, it's great! We're really glad to be out here. We've already met so many lovely people," Moira said, her voice still shaky with giddiness.
"Ah, yes... I see you've met Winterwood already," Sorela whispered, smiling, "She's a good young woman... true..." His voice trailed off as he thought for a moment. He gently brushed a lock of hair behind his ear and then continued. "I presume that you've met Nathan Surcaston, yes?"
"Yes, I have! I had no idea that there were other Terabikai here," Severin answered.
"Oh, yes! There's me... Nathan... hmmmm... the others have left this campus..." He studied Severin thoughtfully for a moment and after a pause said, "You have come here, above all things, to seek comfort from what ails you. You need not tell me, for Osai has told me all I need to know."
Severin knew exactly what he was talking about and his heart began to beat faster as he was reminded about the biggest motive that had brought him here. However, he felt great relief knowing that Sorela could easily pick up his aura and more relieved still that he did not have to say a word about it. Moira also knew exactly what Sorela was talking about, as she had been instrumental in this as well.
"Fear not... for you are safe here," Sorela continued. "I know all too well what ails you and between Nathan and I... you have two weapons of Lovelight and three auras of protection... to hold you up. I know what your curse is and I know not to speak of it."
"Thank you... sir," whispered Severin, bowing his head. "You truly are what they all say. I feel great peace here, greater than in years past."
"I... greatly... look forward to visiting with you oft," Sorela continued, smiling at both of them, "If you ever... have questions about Terabi... or Osai... or Jadali... ask me..... Remember... I am here to help... and I have sensed your intents as some of the purest of those who seek my comfort. I look forward to watching you both grow throughout your years here..."
With all nervousness now gone, they began to talk about everything from how they all ended up in a city so far from Jadali to questions about Sorela's life, to music and back. They spoke in Keòen and neither Severin nor Moira had felt so much peace radiate from one person. When they finally left his office, an hour and a half later, they both felt so much better about their decisions to come and were given a greater sense of power. They could hardly wait to tell their family back home that they had finally met the man of so much history. Even better, they could hardly wait to tell them that it was all true.
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