Das Gien del Terabi (3 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 3)

The walk to Rihanu was enjoyable. Seranu and Terabi walked along the river, talking about history and King Osai, everything around them shadowed by night, lit by the full moon. The river ran dark, shining in the moonlight. Its light sound was calming and lovely; Terabi basked in the sound as the two of them walked. Eventually they came to the majestic and dark ramparts surrounding Catarika's capital city. The river ran through the stone wall, gated off by iron bars framed in a lovely arch. There was a small gate below a tall tower just left of the large gate closing off the path of boats and the two of them stopped. Terabi followed Seranu's gaze to the very top of this tower and noticed a dark man peeking out of a window.

The man waved, recognizing Seranu in the darkness, and Seranu shouted up to him:

"Ah! Morlea! You're on guard tonight? ...I have business with Osai. I bring a new friend!"

"Oh how lovely! Come right in, Seranu!"

With the grinding of metal within the walls the small gate opened and the two walked in, Seranu waving at Morlea.

"Welcome to Rihanu," Seranu said cheerily as they began their walk through the clusters of houses, "The gates are open in the day but at night they are closed and watched by guards. That was my nephew. He's a fine young man, another Man of Osai. There's six of us in all, blessed with a gift from Osai- well, five of us and Osai himself. We've been imbued with the Power of Threes, so we heal thrice as fast, need one third the sleep--or less--, can lift three times a man our build, and other such things. In addition, and probably the best of all, we have the power of foresight. Osai was given the Realm of Vision to preside over when his time on earth is finished he's going to send choice spirits down through our bloodlines to inherit this gift and be stationed around the Rinniken World. If there is something we need to know, that Rinniken has given permission--and Osai as soon as he takes over-- to tell us, we see it in a flash of vision and understanding. It's a very nice gift indeed."

"How can you tell a Man of Osai from a common man?" Terabi asked.

"Osai has taken the Moon and the Dark Eye to be his two symbols. I forgot to add, we can see in total darkness, especially moonlight. When the moon is full, like tonight, a ring of six small triangles glows in our iris. It also glows when two Osanokai are near each other, when we receive vision, or in the future when an appointed gift-caller called an Aikada calls forth the mark. It's a wonderful gift and though it was started so we could be palace guards he quickly changed his mind and sent us to be in the country quietly guarding the people."

"What does your sense tell you about me?" Terabi said quietly, "Has it told you where I am from?"

"Well," Seranu thought, "I have seen that you are a Mage. I have not been told of your origins, though."

This was a lie, however. Seranu had seen pretty clearly where Terabi came from but was forbidden to say. He searched his mind for words to turn his lie into truth without giving away what he had been commanded not to.

"I can say that you are right where you're supposed to be and you need to figure out for yourself who you are."

Terabi was satisfied with this answer and felt very clearly in his soul that this question should not have been asked. He felt slightly bad but instead of demanding answers he resolved to do exactly what Seranu said and figure out for himself who he was. That he knew for certain was truth.

"Osai's palace is this way," Seranu said, gesturing at a tall and majestic castle in the center of the city. "We will enter through this door you see over there."

He pointed to a small door around the back of the palace, getting closer and closer. As they arrived Seranu shook the hand of the guard outside, and they stepped into a beautiful, long hallway of crimson lined with hundreds of portraits, mirrors, and paintings framed in golds, greens, and reds. There were scenes depicting scenes from previous eras of creation, portraits of many figures, and lovely mirrors.

Terabi watched his reflection as he passed one and caught sight of himself for the first time. He was certainly Catin, having small cat-shaped eyes, high cheekbones, and a very pointed face. His hair was straight and quite long, and he looked ageless. He had no idea how old he was but this didn't disturb him. He kept on, following closely behind Seranu, passing scenes and people. He then passed a very large picture showing the succession of gods and froze. As he looked into the eyes of the man standing tallest he saw a striking familiarity. Those eyes.... they were the same eyes he had seen in the mirror. He was looking at a picture of Jinjo and Cocolee, Rancem and Rinniken in front, and their children in front. There were lots of other people in the picture too, blurry and small, standing in a crowd behind the big names. Suddenly a swirl of memories started to come back, as if he was trying to hear their voices, but the more he thought the more distant they became. As he walked away he noticed two people standing around the back but Seranu was getting farther ahead so Terabi turned away and jogged to catch up, still wondering why that picture caught his eye.

As quickly as the feeling came over him it left him and he again felt like the lone person he was before. He saw a glimpse of Osai in the picture and had an idea of what he looked like. As he continued down the hall, which seemed endless, the people seemed alive, as if they could talk through their portraits. Terabi wondered if it were possible to communicate between Realms that way, through a mirror or window. He continued on, his eyes taking in all of the artwork along the endless walls. He passed over a picture of what he knew to be the Realm of Traversing and as soon as his eyes met with the blue sky and dark stone floor he had a stab of pure longing in his heart. As soon as he registered the feeling it was gone. He didn't think too much of it but that picture did stay in his mind. The rest of the walk to the throne room he went over that picture in his mind.

"We're finally here!" said Seranu, smiling as he quickly pulled open a tall door. They had at last arrived at the throne of Osai, the first son of Rinniken and the brother who inherited the most god power. Osai had been expecting them and welcomed them in with a wave of his hand.

Osai looked a lot like Seranu but slightly older and with longer hair. His eyes were a lot darker and he wasn't as tall, although he was sitting so Terabi couldn't be sure. He had a friendly smile and an air of kindness and majestic about him and his presence was totally inviting.

"Ah yes, you've brought a visitor!" Osai said, standing. He was shorter than Seranu but stood no less majestically. He was King of Catarika and it was very clear by how he moved. He walked slowly a few paces in front of his throne and lowered his head the same way Seranu had, and smiled.

"Tell me, who are you and where do you hail from, young man?"

Terabi bowed his head the same way and answered, feeling nothing but the air of friendship, justice, kindness, and god power from Osai.

"My name is Terabi and I know not where I am from."

"Where then did you find yourself?"

"In the forest... Das Verdun."

Suddenly Osai's eyes grew wide. Terabi could see the bright ring of triangles Seranu had told him earlier glowing strong in his dark eyes.

"Seranu," Osai said strongly with an air of excitement, "Come here for a moment. Terabi, you wait here."

Osai grabbed Seranu by the arm and ushered him quickly into a back room. The door slammed and Terabi could hear them talking excitedly, wondering what they were saying, their words masked by the walls. Finally they reappeared, looking no different, and walked over to where Terabi still stood. The two brothers looked him up and down, though Terabi didn't feel any sort of judgment in the air, only curiosity, wonder, and a feeling like they knew who he was. The three of them stood in silence for quite a time before finally Osai broke the silence with a warm voice.

"I know who you are. You are a friend among us and someone seen by us as a Mage destined for greatness. Return to the Circle of Mages and begin your studies. You have a lot to discover and train. You will no doubt be the last great mage, Terabi."

At these words Terabi and Seranu departed and returned to the Circle of Mages. It was a most unusual time for a new Mage to show up up but given the circumstances Seranu wasted no time in getting Terabi a small hut of his own among the newest initiates, complete with a new wardrobe and all the supplies he could ever need during his training.

"I've been saving this hut near the library for someone special," Seranu said, inviting Terabi to feel as at home as he knew how.

Terabi smiled as he looked around at the tiny hut which included a bed, stove, and even a tiny bathroom with running water pumped from the river.

"There should be everything here you could want," Serani went on, "You'll get a good start by reading these texts that are on the bookshelf by the table. Meet me in the library tomorrow when the bells strike high sun for your initiation. Here is a map of the campus with a list of all the current Mages, both in training and masters of their circle. And remeber, Terabi, get some rest. Tomorrow will be a big day for us all."

Das Gien del Terabi (2 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 2)

He looked slowly over the surroundings. The clear river in which he had just bathed was in front of him, shining in the sunlight, his tracks washed away by the light current. To his right, he saw thin and tall trees, clustering together until anything beyond the river was hidden from view. To his left, off in the distance, he spotted a bridge of golden wood spanning the clear waters. Without looking back he slowly turned and began to walk, arms swinging at his sides, over to the bridge to cross it, knowing that he would eventually meet someone on the other side.

Some time had passed and he was soon on the other side, an array of thoughts forming in his mind. As he looked out over the brightly-lit scenery his mind came to life, buzzing with thoughts about nature; subtly identifying every object by name. All he knew was that he would soon come to civilization and that he would be able to converse with someone for what he was sure would be the first time. He walked slowly, aware of his slow breathing, his hands behind his back as he focused only on the groomed, gravel path.

At last he turned a corner and a curious sight came into view as it peeked from around the trees. The sun was setting and the golden rays were causing the small collections of buildings to take on a brilliant appearance. It was a spacious area with a large, dark stone table in the center. Small huts of stone and wood circled around this large stone like mushrooms of a fairy ring. Everything was very plain, not at all fancy or ornate, and the setting sun turned the scenery to a brilliant golden red for a moment before fading into the more subdued tones of dusk.

As he stopped and looked around, taking in the vastness of such a place, the name "Circle of Mages" danced across his mind. Almost at once, as if appearing from thin air, a vast array of people suddenly became visible across the stony backdrop. They moved calmly and slowly, some reading books, some apparently talking to one another. They all had on robes of grays and blues, some embroidered with a wide assortment of additional colors. As he got closer he could hear soft whispers of the Mages in conversation. They all spoke with calmness, almost ethereal. It was a scene that he was sure he had experienced before, but again the more he tried to recall the memory the further it slipped from his conscious mind.

He arrived at what appeared to be the entrance. It was framed by two very tall pieces of carved, light wood that were slightly curved and crossed at the top, making an arch. As he stood quietly, right in the entrance looking in, he noticed a man who looked taller and broader than the rest, holding a large staff with a curious emblem on it. He felt no moving force to enter this place but merely stood until noticed, knowing that it wouldn't be long before he was spotted. As the sun set, at last the broad and tall man did notice him and came walking over.

"Who goes there?" the staffed man asked suddenly, his voice filled with a power that could be felt by this visitor.

After a long pause of thought, knowing it would be the first word he had consciously uttered, his name echoing loudly in his mind, the mysterious visitor parted his lips and whispered,

"Terabi."

As soon as he spoke this, he was surprised at his own voice. It was light and certainly not booming; delicate almost. However, it carried a great power and his heart fluttered for a moment as he was able to identify himself with the name that had been dancing in his mind, waiting to be heard. This excitement radiated quickly from his heart to the tips of his fingers and toes. To his surprise, the staffed man's eyes grew wide and he raised his head to look at Terabi, gasping sharply through flared nostrils. Terabi's own eyes were wide at his own reaction to his name but he certainly wasn't expecting anything less than a quizzical look.

After a moment in which they locked eyes, the staffed man spoke again.

"Terabi....... Come, walk with me."

Terabi followed closely behind as he was led into the Circle of Mages by this man into a hut along the north face of the stone table. As he passed, he noticed a simple carved marking on the top, pointing east, and had a strong feeling he would soon learn of its meaning and more. From the moment he had entered the campus he just knew in his heart, and with every fiber of his unusual being, that he was meant to be a Mage and had come to the right place. Perhaps he was already a Mage and a spell had backfired? No, that couldn't have been it. He continued to follow the staffed man into a large building filled with ancient books. A crimson and green rug lay in the middle of the room with wooden chairs surrounding it. There were four chairs, all facing the center, and the man gestured to a chair covered in blue cloth.

Terabi sat down, watching him. The man set his staff into a carved wooden holder and slowly sat down in a chair across from him. The whole time, the place had a strong sense of familiarity and Terabi couldn't even doubt that he had been there before. Finally the man spoke and introduced himself.

"My name is Seranu and I am the Head Mage of Kalotano," he said, eying Terabi from head to toe, "Terabi, tell me, who are you by?"

Terabi looked around, trying again to recover the traces of memory before his awakening, hours earlier. Unable to remember anything more than mere shapes and outlines, he gave up on trying and instead looked Seranu in the eye and truthfully answered,

"I don't know."

"Hmmmm...." Seranu replied, his brow furrowed, "You don't know? You have no memory of any parents? brothers? sisters? friends? soldiers? No memory of anything?"

"No, sir," Terabi replied, with confidence though quietly. "I'm trying to figure that out myself."

"You're not a soldier or a child of wood or..." Seranu began, standing up and crouching over Terabi, pulling up his sleeves and pant legs to look for any signs of battle wounds that could have caused him to black out and lose his memories. He rambled on as he inspected Terabi's perfect limbs, head, and face. There was nary a scratch anywhere on his pristine body. When he lifted Terabi's shirt to examine his abdomen for wounds he became suddenly aware of something alarmingly abnormal. He gasped sharply as he looked at Terabi's exposed abs. He was ripped and fit, quite muscular, but upon closer inspection noticed that his body was a little too pristine. He had no scars, but he also had no navel.

"You're missing the life-scar!" Seranu exclaimed. He looked up at Terabi, his mouth open and his eyes wide, dumbfounded.

Terabi did not know what to think. He knew no different and yet somehow knew exactly what Seranu meant. He slowly raised his eyes to meet Seranu's and as he did so an instant calm flowed warmly through him, radiating from his heart. Seranu remained speechless for what seemed like ages, though it was really a few seconds. After he had fully processed what he saw, he spoke again.

"Wait here for a moment," he said calmly but with a hint of excitement in his voice that transferred itself into Terabi, seemingly on its own.

Terabi watched as Seranu walked into a room covered by a cloth for a door. He saw Seranu go down on one knee, his hands outstretched and resting on what was probably his bed, though it was obscured by the swinging blanket. Terabi saw Seranu bow his head and then he disappeared from view. There was no sound at all for a moment and then after a minute or two Seranu reappeared in the large room of books.

"I'd like for you to see my brother, the King," Seranu said quickly. "We will go together in a couple of hours..... Are you tired? Hungry?"

Terabi had just realized that he had not yet had anything to eat since his awakening.

"I am not tired but I am a bit hungry," he said quietly, wondering what food would feel like. He had an idea in his mind that came from nowhere but seemed to know what food was for and accepted the bread and fish that Seranu brought moments later form the cellar. As they ate their meal they began to talk.

"So where are you from?" Seranu asked.

"I don't know," Terabi answered, "The earliest I remember is sitting up in the forest, at about high sun."

"Curious......" Seranu muttered, "So very curious... So you recall nothing before this day?"

"Nothing," replied Terabi, "And, the more I try to remember anything the further it is from my grasp. I'm not even sure if those are memories or my own thoughts anymore."

"So you just... awakened... one day? Awakened alone in the forest?"

"Yes. I do not know my origin."

"Very curious indeed... I want to help you find your origin."

After a time the topic turned to Mages.

"What is this place?" Terabi asked, though he knew already where he was.

"This is the Circle of Mages," Seranu began. "There are lots of people left in the Rinniken world with various amounts of god power. Those fortunate enough to be born with some end up here, to the Circle of Mages, to hone their power and help Catarika turn into its new age. It's a dying race, us mages, which means that it may not be long before the new age. You see, the Gods thus far have been heavily involved in getting this country down and others started. We Gods have our lines, but they are short. There are many souls that have some god power because of their position in the Realm of Gods and it goes with them to their mortal bodies. The Circle of Mages was left over from the division of the Neutral Prime into Rakia of the west and Catarika, my father, to the east. That was my father's era. Our symbol is the ears of a cat and it points east on our center stone signifying our divergence eastward. Rakia's points westward. We live here, going throughout Catarika as needed. I am a Man of Osai and the Master of Kalotano. The King is my eldest brother, the oldest son of Rinniken, whose name became our country Catarika. I'm thinking by your looks that you are to be a Mage yourself. Tell me, does that sound interesting?"

"I may not know much, but I believe this place to be my home,"

Terabi answered, knowing full well he was meant to be a Mage. As he spoke this, a strange name flashed through his mind, as if it had fallen from his distant, locked up memories. He wasn't sure if he should mention this to Seranu or not but as he continued on about being interested in seeing if he really was a Mage, the name slipped out.

"And also, is there by chance anyone here named Vallon Irrim?"

Seranu looked puzzled at first but suddenly gasped again as if he had just heard a curse word.

"Let us visit my brother," he said quickly, "There is no doubt in my mind that you are to be in the Circle of Mages. In fact--"

He began to go on but stopped himself quickly. Changing subjects he turned to the nearby table and ripped a piece of paper from a large, blank parchment and wrote something on it.

"Hold out your hand," he said, placing the scrap of paper into Terabi's outstretched palm. "Read the words on it and concentrate on this paper. Say the words aloud."

Terabi focused on the piece of paper that had a handwritten spell in a language he could only partially understand. As he recited the words in a clear voice an amazing feeling came over him. His soul came to life again, a powerful energy running from his heart down his limbs like the rushing of water down a river. He and Seranu watched as the scrap of paper glowed a vibrant, bright blue before bursting into a green-colored flame and curling into a dark green pile of ash.

"You passed the test," Seranu simply said, "You're a Mage, all right, and a powerful one too. I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot from you.

Terabi watched as the ash in his hand blew away in an imperceptible breeze.

"I'm a Mage......" he whispered.

Slade Burke: An Intro to his Story

This is the story of Kiillaana's greatest double agent. He has been revered as the Dragon Dodger of his time and, at times, the Man who Saved Kiillaana. Most of what people knew of him were direct observations, in fact, it seemed that he was so withdrawn that nary a soul knew him personally. He had no favorites and he played none either.

His closest associate was his younger brother, Blaise, who was left sickly and stumbling; presumably by the crimson mark that ran across his face. Though he seemed cold and uncaring, Professor Slade Burke had a very close and protective relationship with his only living relative. He never raised his voice at his invalid brother and treated him with a sort of dark dignity that nobody could duplicate. Many thought Blaise was simply an orphan, pulled from the streets to evade a life of misery and woe; only a handful knew that Blaise and Slade were actually related. Word eventually got out as Blaise became a more prominent figure on the Tevernid Secondary School campus and by the time the war ripped through the heart of Kiillaana near everyone knew of their kinship.

Professor Burke was a fellow of good height; tall and very thin. His skin was pale, almost white, as if he had never seen the light of day (and there was some truth in that!). His face was thin and pinched; large, dark eyes sat deep in shadowed, hollow orbs. His nose was slightly hooked, though the bridge straight, accentuating his dark visage. His thin lips lay etched in frown, never smiling. His countenance was bitter and tense, slightly sad and burdened. He was cold and seemingly uncaring although it was clear that he cared deeply about his study and knowledge of history and the education of his students.

Anything known about Professor Burke was not spoken by him directly. He rarely got close enough to people to divulge any personal information. Those that were lucky enough to learn about him slowly told others until it was just understood as fact. Still, Professor Burke was quick to correct any myths, misinformation, and false stories. His parents had both died while Slade and Blaise were quite young and apart from a quick stay by a strict grandmother until her health forced her away, Slade was left alone with the duty and obligation to raise his handicapped brother. It was understood by all that Professor Burke joined the military through Tevernid Royal University at the age of 15 where he went through basic training and was also tutored. Through this time his brother Blaise was taken in and cared for by both novice and veteran doctors resident on the grounds. Though he could not fight Blaise was put to use, painting banners and helping to clean and paint various fixtures throughout the campus.

 For reasons not known by a single person, Professor Burke became highly interested in Terabi and spent so much time studying the subject and Kiillaana's involvement that he was excused from the army and delegated as a history professor. What he lacked in sociability he made up for in his studies. He took his newly instated position seriously and became the history professor at Tevernid Secondary School in 1343. Since that time he was known for his cold ways and his ability to hold the attention of any group of students that came his way. He was an excellent teacher, demanding accuracy and excellence from his students.

When it came time to lecture on Terabi, it was as if something in him had changed. He was no longer speaking from the general memories that he was required to instill in his students. It was as if he was speaking directly from his heart. If there was something to be known about Terabi, Professor Burke knew about it and made sure everyone else knew about it too. It was odd that he had chosen someone of such love, compassion, and stature as his focus of study for it seemed that he lacked them all himself. Even still, nobody dare question him.

During class, of which he taught several per day, he held total attention with nary more than his eyes. He spoke sharply but clearly in a growling voice, clinging on every word, expecting his students to follow along with total attention. When he paused he pursed his lips into a thin line, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled sharply, staring at the class with his sunken and piercing eyes. Any deviation of total attention was met with few but harsh words that carried so much power behind them that nobody could turn them against him. He invited discussion but moderated it intensely. Though intimidating, his lectures were inviting and though he never smiled or had any ray of lightness about him at any time, nobody ever felt worried to speak. Class ended when he was done lecturing, oft accompanied by a written assignment that dealt with the day's material. On occasion, class ended abruptly with Professor Burke throwing books off his desk and kicking the tables, eager to be alone.

Professor Burke was an introvert in every sense of the word. He despised small talk and would never be caught at any sort of party or event that he was not absolutely required to attend. He rarely spoke outside of class and walked tall but solemnly everywhere he went, always wearing a fitted black outfit accented with dark green. He rarely left the school grounds, spending the majority of his time in his office down the hall from his history classroom. It was a dark and shadowed place and hardly a soul was quick enough to get a glimpse of what was contained inside. There was a door on the opposite side that led to the back fields that Professor Burke would leave to walk with Blaise through the grounds, taking him to a small hut along the rampart where his caregivers lived and provided him with activities. There was a small pond nearby, as well as a post box that Professor Burke checked daily. Other than this brief time outdoors he stayed in silence in a comfort only he could enjoy inside his office. He was diligent in grading the papers he assigned his students and did always leave comments, though most were worded to cause doubt and lower self-confidence. He was a master of conveying precise emotion in few words and all who knew him both liked and hated him.

He grew older and as he did so the country of Kiillaana was changing. A group of three evil men, all armed with the Gift of Swaying, had taken over much of the mid-eastern part of the country. They had been raising up an army to try and overthrow Tevernid and by 1358 the school had been disrupted and it was time for Kiillaana to come together as one to fight for their freedom. Many knew of his dealings with the enemy, as he made no effort to keep it secret, and nobody was really sure whose side he was on. He made it clear he would not fight for either side unless he himself was affected. He was noted as saying often "I will teach until I must raise my blade."

 However, nobody could have predicted or even conceived the thoughts of what would transpire in the year 1358, when Professor Burke would finally be able to remove the walls from his very guarded personal life. This is his story.

Das Gien Del Terabi (1 Pato)//The Awakening of Terabi (Part 1)

It is done. The kingdom is yours to inherit. Take it back and may good reign forever.

There was a flash of blue light and he felt as though he were falling. It only lasted a fraction of a second but that was enough for a moment of panic to pierce his chest. Suddenly, there was complete silence, announced with a "thump" sound. He could not see or hear anything at all, nor could he feel any part of his body. It was as if he couldn't move, yet this didn't frighten him. He was perfectly content to lie still (or was he standing? he did not know) not really aware or expecting anything. Time was irrelevant and no thoughts of anything crossed his intelligence.

Ever so gradually, he began to perceive a sound. It was very faint, almost as if he were imagining things, but it definitely got louder, ever so slowly. It was a very high pitched sound, one that seemed to come from deep within. As he realized the presence of this interesting and almost indescribable sound, he perceived another subtle noise, also from within, but lower in pitch. In the very, very back of his intelligence, he realized that these were the two sounds of life. He had come to realize, in an unknown amount of time, that he was alive!

Almost immediately after he came to this realization, his limited and invisible world came alive with sound! Wind rustled through the trees making a slight hissing sound. Faint chirps of birds peppered the air and other sounds of life greeted his ears. It was as though he had heard these sounds before, yet he wasn't sure where. He still could see nothing, and he was only ever so slightly aware of his stream of consciousness. It was as though he were dreaming, unaware of time passing but very much organizing thought even still.

Almost at once his mind came alive, as though a vault containing a wealth of knowledge was suddenly opened. It was as if his intelligence had gone another step towards awakening. His mind was full of thought! A beautiful language began to flow into his mind, one he was sure he had never heard, but understood all the same. It was as though he now had the means to express to himself, or even another, the things he was thinking about. He began to realize that there were more like him and he could almost see an outline of a group of people among the blackness, though he was unable to feel more than a faint memory to shape this rough vision.

The more he tried to grasp this single vision, the more it eluded him until he was left wondering if he had even really seen anything at all. He turned his focus away from this fleeting image and instead began to grasp other concepts. Colors began to swirl around, paired with the sounds of nature he could hear, and in tune with the two pitches of life. All the while, this beautiful language painted words using symbols he was surprised to find he understood. He began also to perceive feelings and states of mind, which were also given words. Swirling green light danced past beams of blue. Shades of dark and light changed these colors, giving them depth.

Concrete images began to appear. The green light separated from the dark below it, gaining splashes of other colors, forming into leaves and trees. The blue beams became a vast and open sky, obscured by the green and brown of the trees, but still majestic and luminescent. Peeking through gaps in the trees, a pale grey sphere formed in the sky. Objects seemed to form with increasing speed, spreading away from his vision radially, solidifying into stationary objects.

The further away the dancing light beams got, the louder the sounds of nature became. Now a river was clearly flowing nearby, its sound increasing gradually in volume. With this increase in volume came something strange. He suddenly became aware of a physical body that he was in. The louder the river and trees became, the more solid he became. He began to feel the presence of arms laying, palms up, at his sides. He could feel long legs ending with strong feet enclosed in light boots. He could now feel this light breeze blowing against him. He was laying on his back, for sure, and he could feel long wisps of hair lightly grazing the right side of his face.

He suddenly sat up, as if an invisible force had pulled him, and he gasped for air. Everything around him had become solid and real and he realized that he had awakened in a dense forest, in a small clearing between two trees near a big river with large, shallow banks. Coughing, he caught his breath and realized that his eyes were already opened. He stumbled a bit as he turned to his knees to stand, as if he had been sleeping for a long while and his muscles were stiff. He knew how to walk, though he didn't remember any of it, and after eying the river crept slowly over, removing his clothing and placing them on a flat rock near the water's edge, and carefully entering the clear waters.

Instinct took over and he began to wash himself, using the sands from under his feet to scrub his torso and limbs. He knelt in the water and, cupping his hands together, took a drink. It was sweet and pleasant to the taste, and gave him even more life. As he cleaned the sand from his body, he looked down at his chest. He was muscular and had tanned skin. His belly, besides his showing abs, was totally smooth, with no scars or marks of any kind. His legs were long and lean; his arms were quite muscular. His hair was black and straight and went past his shoulders to his collarbone. As he looked over his body, which he had no recollection of having before, he realized that he had no idea who he was.

He dried himself off in the air, putting his clothing back on, not knowing where they came from. This lack of knowledge didn't frighten him, however, and he was not afraid being alone in a wilderness he was unfamiliar with. His hair dried quickly and he used some grass at the shore to tie some of it back and out of his eyes. He knew, somewhat by instinct, that he should cross a bridge where he would reach civilization and would be able to find out more about himself. He saw no bridge in his vicinity but knew that there would be one nearby. He also knew that once they asked for his name he would be able to tell them. The more he thought about what he was called the clearer it became and once it came to his memory he knew it without a doubt and felt like the first piece of his identity puzzle was put into place and he was free to move on.

A Momentous Occasion

"It would be funny if you were having twins," Avicile Mohaili joked.

"With the way I've been feeling lately, I wouldn't doubt it," Rebecca replied as she lay on the table.

They both watched the gray screen and tried to see what they could pick out.

"Well, here we have an arm... and a little head... and- oh!" The nurse running the ultrasound suddenly stopped talking and was looking closely at the screen.

"What is it?" Rebecca asked nervously. "Did you find the gender of my baby?"

"Well, I can definitely say that you are having two boys. Does that sound good?"

"WHAT?? TWO??? You were right! I'm having twins!! Are you serious????

"I am serious!" the doctor replied, cheerfully. "Congratulations!"

*****

After the shock of discovering Rebecca was carrying not one, but two boys in her tiny frame, it was her best friend's turn to hop up onto the exam table. They had gotten pregnant within two weeks of each other and were eagerly awaiting the news if they would be welcoming boys or girls into the family.

"Is this your first pregnancy too?" the doctor asked Avicile as she lifted her shirt.

"No, this is my third," she replied. "Rebecca will have six sets of arms to help her with her two boys."

Rebecca giggled, giddy with excitement, as she was reminded that she was in fact carrying twins.

"Wouldn't it be awesome if you were also having twins, and we had four babies to welcome home?" Rebecca asked, jokingly.

"Well, twins do run heavily in my family, and my husband's family too. My husband is a twin himself, and so am I!"

Finally everything was ready and the exam began. The doctor was quiet as the gray and blurry images came into view. "I'm only two weeks behind her, but it would be so cool if they shared a birthday or something." I keep thinking it will be another boy. I have one of each so someone's going to be doubled."

"I still think twins would be hilarious," Rebecca said, looking closely at the large blob on the screen. "Wow, your baby is huge!"

"Yeah, I was noticing that. This baby looks way bigger than Sterling. Maybe it's another tall boy like my husb--"

"Oh my gosh, you are having twins!" the doctor shouted. Rebecca and Avicile looked at the doctor, dumbfounded. They were in total disbelief but there, clearly on the screen, were two beating hearts.

"No way! You're joking!" Avicile exclaimed. "We're really both having twins?? We're welcoming FOUR babies into our house at the same time??? It's not just a big baby??????"

"Nope!" said the doctor, also in shock. "There are definitely two hearts beating. Plus, your prediction was right. You're definitely having a boy. In fact, you two are going to be welcoming four boys into your family!"

They couldn't speak. They both teared up and hugged tightly, the whole time whispering "Four boys... Four boys.... Four boys!"

*****

That night, they planned their surprise for their husbands and the kids. Both happened to be at work that day, knowing full well that when they came home they would know if they were expecting girls or boys into the Diamond Latham house. They had no idea that both were having twins and that they were all boys- fraternal boys at that, in both cases.

"Well, at least they'll all look different," Rebecca said as they walked to Winterwood's house to pick up Sterling and Emerald. They had decided also to invite everyone in the neighborhood that they knew to find out the news. They had no idea it would be so monumental. They had decided to tell their husbands first and then have a dinner party where they would announce it to their friends.

Finally the two men returned home and sat down on the couch, facing their lovely wives. Lesko held Sterling in his lap while Emerald toddled around her mother. Sterling was old enough to understand but Emerald was still a bit too young to fully grasp the concept of a baby brother.

"So... what did the doctor say?" Lesko asked, his voice shaky with excitement and anticipation.

"Rebecca can go first," Avicile replied, "She got pregnant first."

"Well, the appointment was fine," Rebecca started, looking around nonchalantly, "my due date got moved a little earlier......" she paused for a long time between each phrase. "The exam room was cold and the gel was colder........ but we know with as much certainty, especially since everything was in clear view, that I am....... having........... boys."

Eric's eyes got wide. "Wait a minute. Why did you say boys? Boys? BOYS? With an S???? Are you having twins??????"

"Yes yes yes!!!" Rebecca replied, tearing up again, standing to hug Eric tightly. Lesko was also equally as surprised and excited and went over to hug them too. Even Sterling knew what was going on and hugged Rebecca around her legs.

Once they had settled down and had absorbed that news, it was Avicile's turn to share her good news. "All right, now it's my turn. I feel like I'm going to upstage her but I'm totally not," she laughed. "Lesko, you thought boy? Eric, you thought boy too? And Sterling I know thought I was going to have a boy too. Well, how does TWO BOY sound?"

"NO WAY!!!! Lesko jumped into the air and hugged his wife tightly. "You're also having twins???"

"Yes! We're both having twins and it's ALL BOY!"

Sterling was very excited and ran around shouting "O boy o boy! I will hab two brudders!"

Lesko and Eric, tears in both of they eyes, basked in the excitement. "Wow, in fifteen years, they're going to eat everything we own!" Lesko said, laughing and crying at the same time.

Once the big excitement calmed down again, Avicile turned to Sterling. "What do you think I should name your brothers?"

Sterling thought for a moment before shouting his answer with glee. "Sterling and Emerald!"

Everyone laughed and awaited the evening when they could tell everyone the good news.

Four boys will join the Diamond Latham house!

Enter Burke

The day had finally come. The rehearsal still wasn't enough to convince them that it was really happening but as they stood together in a small, hot, crowded, noisy gym reality sank in.

"We're going to be leaving for our new life tomorrow!" Daniel said to Sorrell, nearly shouting to be heard over the drone of seniors. Sorrell, who was standing smooshed in the corner, couldn't even hear Daniel but knew exactly what he had said and simply nodded once. He was too focused on avoiding eye contact with the mean principal, Miss Reyes, to talk much. Though he was a good boy, he had smuggled his phone into his pocket and knew that by avoiding eye contact he wouldn't be singled out and asked to empty his pockets.

"GET IN LINE!" Miss Reyes shouted, her shrill and high voice piercing through the drone of seniors. "I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO GET LOST ON THE WAY IN!"

"Holy bones, woman, it's our own gymnasium," Sorrell muttered in a low voice, just loudly enough for Daniel to hear, "We're not going to get lost. Now get out of my life." Daniel stifled a laugh as he and Sorrell made their way to their place, conveniently, near the start of the line.

"I'M NOT YOUR BABYSITTER! LEAVE YOUR KEYS AND PHONES AT HOME!" the angry voice continued.

"Fat lot of good that does," Daniel said, "She didn't think this through at all. How else can we get here with no parents allowed?" Sorrell gave a sympathetic shrug as he adjusted the green and yellow tassel dangling in his face.

"THE TIME HAS COME! GET READY AND QUIET!!! I'LL MAKE YOU SIT OUT IF YOU DON'T STOP TALKING THIS INSTANT!" the voice shrieked, though her efforts to tame the mass of exactly 631 students was failing miserably as her threats were just empty now.

Before they knew it, Sorrell and Daniel were in the hallway that led to the giant gymnasium that their school had, where all major events took place. Most people weren't even out of the small gym but they were lucky enough to be near the top of the alphabet. The drone where they stood had died down to a whisper but even the shushing from Miss Reyes, which sounded to Sorrell as a kettle leaking steam, couldn't quiet them completely. Sorrell smiled at the thought and after making eye contact with his brother 4 people in front of him, somehow that image of Miss Reyes as a kettle with steam hissing from her nose and ears made it to him through their crazy twin powers and after a small facial expression and gesture to where she stood they both burst out laughing.

"SHHHHHHHHHH!" burst Miss Reyes again, giving them dirty looks. As soon as she turned around to harass someone else with pointless threats, they both did perfect imitations of her, trying to stifle their giggles. Silas, the guy standing in front of Sorrell, turned around, saying, "I'm gonna miss both of your humor. Thanks for being so awesome these past many years."

Sorrell was touched at Silas' sincerity and shook his hand. "No problem, baarlar! Us Burkes know how to imitate anything!"

"Hey, imitate a coconut!" shouted another Burke in line. This time it was Timothy who was behind all of them. In perfect unison all seven Burkes that stood in line that day began dancing wildly with their hands in fists above their heads. The line erupted in laughter which caused Miss Reyes to come running, ready to yell at them all for the millionth time. However, her time was cut short as an announcer opened the double doors and gave the signal to begin the march. Sounds of the band playing the beginning of the processional filled the small hallway and Hailey Abert, who was the head of the line, began marching pompously forward, not at all out of character for her.

"Go out there! and no talking!" Miss Reyes whispered angrily, knowing that if she yelled everyone in the arena would hear her.

Daniel looked back at his brother and winked right before he began to march forward into the packed gym. As they both marched out they had to pass the band before sitting in the third row of seats. As soon as Sorrell walked out and heard the band that he had played in for the past four years he teared up, knowing that the time for him to graduate was finally here. He looked over and saw Dyar, his younger brother, who had made an obvious effort to move his chair in such a way that he would have a direct line of sight to the seniors as they filed in. When Dyar made eye contact with both Sorrell and Daniel, he stopped playing his bass clarinet for a moment and made a crazy clown face at them. This made both of them feel better and any tension that had formed due to the enormity of the celebration melted away as they laughed all the way to their seats.

As the rest of their graduating class shuffled in, decked in bright yellow or dark green robes, Sorrell was free to slip his phone out and text Dyar who was going to be sitting for as long as they would be as soon as he finished playing. He didn't even notice the program under his seat until he noticed the people around him reaching for theirs. He reached down, his tassel once again flying in front of his face, and picked up the yellow tinted program to read the whole list of graduating seniors. Thankfully the list of speakers wasn't very long and he quickly found his name among the six other Burkes:

Daniel Rohan Burke

Erin Kelani Burke

Martin Hensley Burke

Silas Rasolo Burke

Sorrell Justus Burke

Steven Roy Thomas Edgeley Burke

Timothy Samsett Burke

It finally occurred to both Daniel and Sorrell, after reading through their names and the names of their distantly-related kin, that their parents were somewhere in the bleachers with their sisters. Their realization of things at the same moment further enhanced their twin status and was a theme throughout their lives at school. They began to look around, though it was not easy with their hats on, and finally spotted the unmistakable figures of their two little sisters waving madly at everyone passing by. They were sitting right above the band. Of course.

Finally the entirety of the graduating class of 2012 had marched in and taken their seats and the music had stopped. Shielded from cameras of every angle, Sorrell quietly slipped his phone out, texting Dyar as he sat in the band as well as Daniel who also had managed to smuggle his phone and keys into the ceremony. Neither were terribly excited to be there and were just excited for the party afterwards, which would be the last time they would be in the city for a while. After what felt like hours, the ceremony began with the Kiillaanian anthem played by the band and then the talks by the principal, vice principal of the senior class, and the teacher of the year were underway.

A whole eternity later (really, only 25 minutes) it was time to begin calling names. Daniel was pleased to know that Mr. Carrow, his favorite teacher, would be reading his row with the diplomas handed out by Mr. Sorela, another favorite. Sorrell and Daniel looked over and saw their signal to rise and began inching their way towards the stage where they would end their high school careers with a handshake and a photograph. There was another photo op off to the side with a fake diploma that would give proud parents a nice, clean, posed picture of their children before they headed off to the front for the real thing. Daniel gracefully posed with the fake cover, being sure to look off to the left as the photographer snapped away. When Sorrell got there, he had to hold back a laugh as he bent his knees awkwardly and turned his head to the right with a little half smile before heading again for the stage. They had been planning this moment since they had read about it and had to wait until this random semi-informal photo op to make it happen. They posed so that when the photos were hung up side by side they would be looking at each other. As they made eye contact, they did an air fist bump and then waited for their names to be called.

"DANIEL ROHAN BURKE" Mr. Carrow boomed, carefully enunciating every detail. The crowd, specifically the area around the band, gave very loud cheers and as Daniel looked back he could see the entire clarinet section standing and clapping as he climbed the stairs. Before he knew it he had shaken the hands of at least three people, had posed with his new diploma, and was walking back down the stairs as Erin's name was called. He looked up and waved at his family who waved back at him with lots of energy. He reached his seat just in time to hear his twin brother's name.

"SORRELL JUSTUS BURKE" Mr. Carrow said once again. Daniel, who hadn't sat down yet, cheered wildly from his seat. The clarinet section was once again standing and clapping for him although time seemed to go slowly for him. To Sorrell, it felt like it took five minutes to climb the steps and receive his certificate of completion. The whole time, the music of Yehai Sorela filled his head and he again pictured Miss Reyes with steam coming out of her face. Before he climbed down the steps he fist pumped the air with both hands and sort of waltzed back to his seat. Before he got there though, he and his brother embraced and the people around them clapped for them.

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. Nothing could have made the twins focus and they, along with most of the student body in the chairs, were texting or playing games on their phones. They only paid attention and clapped for their friends and band members and were counting the minutes until they were free from Raanlen High School forever. The advice of Mr. Kye, their band director, buzzed around in Sorrell's mind:

"We don't want to miss you. We want you to leave and never come back because you are entering a whole new plane of musical existence. You will remain in our hearts and memories always but don't let this school hold you back from succeeding in college and beyond."

Finally, Elston Zarlai walked across the stage and the concluding speech was given. It was finally time to turn the tassels! As they did so, the arena erupted into deafening cheers and it was all official. Moments later, hundreds of yellow and green hats were flying through the air, never to be seen again, though most students took the time to save their tassels first. Finally they could get out of there! The twins were proud of what they had accomplished and the memories the had made during their four years at Raanlen High School but both were more than ready to move on to college life. The recessional began to play and, as luck would have it, the A's and B's were the first to leave and return to the tiny gym and immediately go outside to the large field.

When Sorrell and Daniel reached the gym they found it had been transformed into a room of snacks, goodies, and photo areas. They already had their keys and phones on them so they could avoid the annoying returns station and made their way outside where they easily met up with their family, minus Dyar who was still playing for those who hadn't even left the arena yet. Chelsea and Christine ran right up to the twins and hugged them both, their parents quick to follow. Many pictures were taken, both outside and in, as they waited for Dyar to arrive for a family photo. After a good half an hour, Dyar finally appeared on the lawn, his bass clarinet case on his back.

"Wow, that recessional sure is a workout," he said breathlessly, "My reeds were all being stupid today too."

"Haha, it's all right, brother, you rocked it up there!" said Daniel, putting his hand on Dyar's shoulder.

"I love the face you made us," Sorrell said, laughing.

"Oh yeah! I thought you'd appreciate that," Dyar replied. All of them laughed, their parents and sisters knowing all too well exactly what he had done.

"Let's go now," Sorrell said after a number of family pictures had been taken, "let's get a pic or a movie or both of us walking down the hall and out the front door for the last time ever!"

"Great idea!" Daniel beamed. "Dad, you know what to do."

They could only talk about their graduation party later that night with their friends and family as they happily walked out the doors and their high school life came to a peaceful close.

Ciria's Perfect Catch

"A combined meeting?" Renita asked Ciria.

"Yes," answered Ciria, "It is the fifth Sunday afterall," she muttered as she and Renita made their way awkwardly through the chatty people in the halls to the large room designated for the lesson. Chairs were already set up and they sat as close to a door as possible so that they could be the first ones out. Though the two of them had been in the city for nearly 7 months they weren't exactly social people and really only knew the handful of band people that lived nearby and attended church with them.

They both sat together, hunched down as if they wanted nothing less than to shrink and disappear from the loud mass of young adults that was quickly filling the room. Looking up, Renita noticed the Burke twins, Sorrell and Daniel, walk through the door- wide eyed and chatty as usual. She made eye contact with Sorrell and he smiled at her, sitting a couple seats away. She also noticed Myron, the silent percussionist, sitting alone as usual, but not for long as the Burke twins sat on either side of him. Renita was definitely not a people-person for it reminded her of her previous life and all of the lavish parties her parents threw. She couldn't help but feel like everyone in the room was judging her and she entertained thoughts in her mind of running out the door to the quiet confines of her house.

Finally the lesson started and a tall and handsome man began to give the announcements. Neither paid attention however and all they caught was that the teacher's name was something Gibson. The only reason this even caught their attention was because there was a guy in Renita's section whose last name was Gibson and who also, as she had quickly discovered once school started, lived about a block away and attended church with them. The two of them looked up and noticed a guy that they had really never noticed before but who they had seen on occasion. For some reason, as he spoke, Ciria couldn't help but take notice of him.

He was about 6 feet tall, maybe a bit less, and had the build of someone who worked out just enough to put on some bulk. He was a bit thick but had the frame of a matured adult. His hair was a very light brown-blond color and he had a round face with soft blue eyes and a soft smile. He was wearing a suit, of course, and had on a red paisley tie. As he spoke, his voice was gentle and confident. The more he spoke, the more Ciria stared at him and the more she stared at him the more she wanted to know who this guy was. Why hadn't she ever noticed him before? Who was he? The longer she looked the more she realized he looked just like Cardo, the guy that had the same last name as him. She then realized that they must be brothers, though she had been wrong upon assumption enough times before not to take that for fact. However, towards the end of his lesson, he mentioned Cardo ("Richard would know… It's okay to say that, he's my brother!") which just made Ciria stare more.

The whole rest of the day, and the whole rest of the week, Ciria could not stop thinking about him. If he was the brother of Cardo then that means he lives just down the street. She was too afraid to look him up on the internet and wondered why on earth he had left such an impression on her. Was it his looks? His voice? His knowledge? Finally by the middle of the week she couldn't take it anymore and confided in Renita her feelings of the Gibson guy.

"If you think I know who he is, I don't," Renita said, amused, after hearing Ciria go on for a good 10 minutes about this mysterious Gibson. "I barely know Cardo. All I know is that he lives with his brother down here....... and that he has 12 brothers and one sister," she added, in a monotone sort of voice, for she was busy reading a book.

"WHAT? He comes from a family of 14 kids??" Ciria exclaimed in surprise.

"Yeah. I guess you do learn stuff like that when you sit next to each other. His mom had triplets and twins or something like that. I do know that that guy you're talking about is one of his brothers. They look alike. I just have no idea what his name is or anything like that." As she said this she went back to reading her book. About a minute of silence later she added, "If you want to find out who he is you should go ask him yourself when we see him again."

The next Sunday did roll around and Ciria was surprisingly early in getting ready. She was normally the slowest of the two to get ready but today she was ready before Renita had even chosen what to wear.

"Man, you really like this guy!" Renita said, teasing her aunt. Thought they were technically aunt and niece, they were only 8 years apart and since Ciria was completely starting over with a new major they made things easier and just told people they were either best friends or cousins.

"Hush you!" Ciria whispered loudly as she combed her short blond hair to get it to flip the way she wanted. "I'll talk to him when I'm ready."

"Hah, you mean you wanted me to find out who he was from Cardo! Too bad we have no school!"

They arrived at church on time for probably the first time in the seven months they had lived there. All they had to do was take a very short drive but they still managed to be late, both secretly wanting to be late so they could sit in the back. As they took their usual seats, much earlier than usual, they watched people come in. Ciria was especially vigilant in looking for the boy on her mind and when she finally saw him walk in her heart fell to her knees and skipped a few beats. He was the same smiling, handsome man that he was the week before and she valiantly tried to avoid eye contact with him.

All throughout church she thought about him and when church was over she deliberately stalled so that she could get another look at him. Renita, seeing everything with her observing eyes, knew that something had to be done so she took a giant leap of courage and decided to speak to him, something she found to be much easier when done for someone else. She saw him coming down the hall with a few other guys and waited patiently for him to round the corner while Ciria sort of paced around nonchalantly, deliberately trying not to act like she was waiting for him. Once he was in view she made her move, wasting no time.

"Hi! My cousin over yary wants to know what your name is. She's been *dying* to meet you! She loved your lesson last week!" Renita said, a huge grin on her face knowing she was making Ciria blush. She caught Ciria's eyes, full of surprise and panic, and winked at her, neither knowing how this Gibson guy would react. To their surprise and relief, he was just as kind as he was in his lesson.

"Oh, really? I'm honored! Where is she?" he asked, his eyebrows raised.

"She's over there," Renita said, pointing at Ciria who was trying not to blush and to act natural.

"H-Hi," Ciria said, extending a shaky hand, "I'm Ciria. What is your name?"

The guy chuckled. "The name's Wiley! Wiley Gibson... It's a cross between Wyatt and Sorley. My parents couldn't decide on a name so they decided to see what happened when they smashed it together and when they realized it too was a legitimate name they decided to give it to me. You're Ciria? Is that right?"

"Yes, that's right," Ciria said, and just like that, all of her nervousness was gone.

After his jolly introduction of himself, they began to talk. And talk. And talk some more! They talked so much that they sat down and eventually Renita got tired of waiting so she left without her. Hours passed and finally, just after 10, Ciria walked through the door.

"Ai-Sa-Biil! Where have you been?!" Renita asked, amused.

"Well, first we talked. Then we sat down and talked some more. Then he took me back to his house and we talked some more and I met his other brother Jeremiah who lives with him and his friend Corwin and of course Cardo was there. Then I had dinner with them and then we talked some more! Renita, you asking his name was probably the best thing to happen to me!" She said all of this rather breathlessly.

"Oh? And why is that?" Renita asked coyly.

"Because I'm going on a date with him next Wednesday!" Ciria exploded, unable to contain her joy. "He's a perfect catch! See ya later- I have to add him on Facebook!"

Steven's Sunset

The sun was setting on his time in the flesh. In his limited ability to perceive the world, he knew of this surely. Though he couldn’t comprehend what was hurting him or put any of his feelings into words or thoughts, he knew that he was just so tired. Ever since the end of the previous year he felt markedly different, as if someone had changed him somehow. What little he remembered of the days suddenly felt distant and short and days ran together like they never had before.

It was morning and he awoke to the gentle whispering of his lovely mother like he had always done. Her gentle voice was soothing, he smiled and cooed as she softly massaged his arms, although today it took lots of effort. He tried to move his delicate hand to lightly touch his mother's arm in return but he found that he still could not; he was still too weak. Even though he could only live in the moment for most things, he knew deep down in his heart, where no words or comprehension were really necessary, that the sun had set on his life. The mood of the house was different this morning.

He knew what happened next and as his mother pulled his tight and crippled body gently to the edge of his bed and onto the shower trolley she still took the time to softly tell him what was about to happen. He looked forward to these mornings when he got to enjoy the warm waters of a nice shower before getting ready for the day. Looking around, he could see the familiar walls of his bedroom as they passed from his view. He suddenly felt the all too familiar feeling of hotness spreading slowly through his arms and legs and before he knew it he was under the warm and sweet smelling shower for a moment, before again realizing he was back in his bed.

As tired and heavy as his body had gotten, the fog that encircled his mind had cleared significantly and the person who he truly was, the one who had been locked away for 17 and a half years in a very broken body, was emerging. He had more awareness than he'd experienced… ever, really. The closer he drew to death, the clearer his mind got until he got to the point that he realized what was happening and finally had the capacity to remember. He felt badly for not remembering much of the sweet shower his mother had prepared for him and as he looked out through his eyes he could see his entire family gathered around him as he lay on the family couch. He was being held, all 5'10'' of him, by his athletic mother who had cared for him this way his whole life. His head was cradled in her right arm, his stiff and unbending legs elevated by pillows to her left, his feet covered by the fuzzy slippers he had become famous for wearing.

It was at that moment, when his soul was slipping from his body, that he came to the awareness that he was dying. He didn't want to go- he desperately wanted to stay, broken body or not, with the family who loved him dearly and who had dedicated their lives to his care. He wanted to come back and tell his crying mother that he was okay and that it didn't hurt. He wanted to tell his father that he would watch every sports game with him and enjoy that excitement again. He wanted to thank his brothers and sisters for all that they sacrificed on his behalf and reassure them that he was all right. The more his soul slipped from his body the clearer his mind became and he began himself to weep as he realized that those he loved and trusted so fully had to experience the sting of death. He hung on for dear life, determined to stay in his body as long as he possibly could, wanting to shout his gratitude from the rooftops.

Finally, his mother whispered into his ear, "The sun has set on your time here, Steven. Be free and always protect us. You deserve to run free."

Finally, with a big and content sigh, Steven's soul glided gently away and his body was still. However, he still couldn't bear to leave right away and hovered just behind the couch, in a shapeless form for now since it had been many years since he had use of his arms and legs. He knew that they all knew he was still present, for this aura of death gave them extra sensitivity to his spirit. As soon as he was freed from his body all of the pains from his condition began to melt away and he began to realize how good it felt not to have those physical limitations. The further he glided from his body the better he felt and his sadness was replaced with joy as he realized all of the pains that he would never feel again.

He looked to his right and there, in the corner of the room, was a figure as clear as glass and as lovely as nature. He knew right away who this was- it was the spirit escort that would be taking him to the Realm of Souls where he would reside forever. He was surprised that it wasn't any family member (for none that were close had gone before him) but it was that of a sweet childhood friend. She smiled and nodded at him, allowing him to take all of the time he needed to feel comfortable in leaving his family. He smiled back at her and again looked back to his family who were all so very sad. He decided to wait there until the ambulance came which would take the shell of his carnal being away to be prepared for the funeral pyre that he would traditionally receive. Just before it arrived, he heard his little brother whisper, "Did it hurt… did it hurt at all when all of those thing happened to you?" Steven knew that this question was being asked directly to him and even though he didn't speak with any sort of voice, he knew that his brother would receive his reply. "I didn't feel a thing. Not then, and not in death."

As the ambulance came to the house, he looked up at the clear spirit again. Her hair was long and flowed past her shoulders and her heart-shaped face had a look of pure joy. She slowly outstretched her hand and he carefully raised his own arm, something he hadn’t been able to do in a lifetime. He took her hand at last and felt the flow of the energy of love flow from her spirit to his. As they ascended towards the blue portal nearby, Steven paused and looked directly into the mirror that had faced their living room for years, catching a glimpse of himself as he was in his restored figure.

Judging by the looks on his family's faces, he knew that they had seen his reflection too, and knew that they would be all right.

Goodbye, Steven

August 8, 1994 to March 29, 2012

Rodney in Narrative

Below are three very old narratives, completely unedited, about the life of Rodney Savage. Enjoy!

"Rodney"
Written 31 August, 2005
…She turned the corner and there he was, in the same spot, wearing the same clothing that he was described in. He looked and acted almost exactly like he was described. He was lying down with his back propped up against the wall, his hands hidden by the pocket of his huge, oversized, white sweatshirt. His left leg was stretched out, threatening to trip any person who wasn’t paying attention. His right leg was bent, his right foot next to his left knee. His pants were extremely baggy, but to Avi, they looked very comfortable. He had on a pair of white skate shoes with fat, white laces. Oh, how all his clothing looked comfortable and warm in this cold January winter. He had on his hood, as he always did, but she could see the side of his face. His dark brown bangs were gelled and spiked forward, and his beautiful blue eyes were made even more powerful by the permanent scowl he had when listening to his music or thinking up lyrics. He had no grin or frown, his lips were in a look of concentration.

She noticed that one of his fingers was tapping to a beat, probably to the music that was blaring through the headphones. He did not seem to be really looking at anything, just stuck in thought. As she watched him from afar, she noticed the three, and only three, people that he hung out with. The guy to this man’s left was lying on the floor with his head on his binder, solving a 4X4 Rubik’s Cube that the boy to the young man’s right just scrambled. Avi realized that this was William, the nerd of the group. The two boys on the left were playing a game of cards. The one not facing the young man was the only one not wearing the large, baggy clothing. He was wearing jeans and a T-Shirt. Avi knew who this was, it was her cousin, Jayce, a great drummer, and the talker of the group. The boy facing Jayce had his hair in dreadlocks and was talking about what had happened in Math class. This was Steven Jones, better known to everyone as Ghost.

As Avi watched, the young man that she had been watching turned, and his eyes met hers. It was odd, but Avi could not look away. Neither could this young man. She managed to smile shyly and wave before dashing down the hall in the other direction, her face turning red. Later in the day, she asked her cousin Jayce what that young man’s name was. She was told that his name was Rodney Savage… and within a few weeks, Rodney became Avicile’s first real boyfriend…


"Rodney's Schooling"
Written 24 October, 2005
Rodney started out Kindergarten like normal over at Blue River Elementary School. Unfortunately, his teacher and the principal did not understand his unusually quiet ways. He got yelled at a lot by Mrs. Kellons, which made him even quieter. The whole year was bad- every conference was negativity- neither the teacher nor the principal ever said anything good about Rodney, which was odd because he was a very smart kid and picked up things very fast. His mother got into several arguments about Rodney’s “lack of social skills.”

At the very end of the year, less that two weeks before school got out, Mrs. Kellons and Mrs. Solen scheduled another conference. Rodney was in the back of the room playing by himself as his mom sat down with the teacher and principal. They didn’t get far before things got bad. Mrs. Kellons started off with, “Mrs. Savage, we have talked with the school psychiatrist about your son…” (She never referred to him by his name. He was referred to as “the quiet kid” or “your son.”) “…and we have decided that, due to his lack of social skills, the best option for him is to repeat Kindergarten.” Those words were barely out of her mouth when Rodney’s mom jumped up, very upset that they could think such a thing.

“How dare you say that about my son, my pride and joy. You want my son to repeat Kindergarten just because he prefers to be alone? That’s all you ever talk about!! Why can’t ‘your son’ interact during playtime? ‘Your son’ doesn’t do show and tell. ‘The quiet one’ is over there. His name isn’t ‘the quiet one!’ His name is Rodney James Savage and he is a normal person! Have you not noticed how well he writes his letters? Have you not noticed that what he so-called lacks in social skills he makes up for in academics? You have the nerve to get together with the psychiatrist and suggest that he gets held back just because he doesn’t talk as much as a ‘normal’ kid does? Well let me tell you he sure won’t be going to first grade here!! I’m taking him out of this school as soon as I can!! Come on Rodney, time to go.”

The whole way home, Rodney’s mom was enraged. Rodney just sat in the passenger seat (of the Rodneymobile, by the way) and scowled. The instant they got home, his mom was on the phone with Wagon Wheel Elementary School registering Rodney there. She realized that she’d better sign up Joel as well, so she did that too. They were immediately accepted and everything was taken care of. His mom explained Rodney’s anti-socialness and they said they’d take care of him.

Rodney got pulled out of kindergarten a week early. His mom couldn’t stand sending her son to a place where he was treated less than equal. Rodney started the first grade at WWES after that summer. His teacher was Mrs. Smithson and she was very good. She understood Rodney’s quiet ways and worked with him to get him to participate in class but be quiet at the same time. Rodney met his best friend in this class, Jayce Richlin. They hung out together all the time and slept over at each other’s houses. In second grade, Steven Jones joined the group. The three of them did everything together and after William Ritter moved in and was accepted their group became complete. Four friends that were always together, doing all the fun things every group does. Rodney’s mom was so happy.

When they hit middle school, Rodney and Ghost went to Ken Bridges Middle School while Jayce and William went to Milton Middle School. They were together at someone’s house every weekend and holiday. They grew up into teens and grew even closer. Finally, after three years of long separation, they were in the same high school! They started a band called the No-Namers with the four of them plus Joel.

"Rodney's First Day of School"
Written 26 December, 2005
Beep beep! The alarm went off at 6:00 at a two-story house on the east end of Kajil Street. Rodney threw back the covers and groaned- it was the first day of school. That meant he’d have to introduce himself to the classes he would soon occupy. He slowly slipped into his favorite clothes- a huge sweatshirt, loose, baggy jeans, and big floppy skate shoes. After getting ready he had mixed feelings about going to school. He loudly let his mom know how much he hated school- working in groups, reading aloud from the text, answering stupid questions, etc., but he was also secretly excited, for he’d see his four best friends and his girlfriend, who he hadn’t seen all summer.

He slowly ambled towards one of his most prized possessions- his white and blue Toyotavan. He fumbled around for his keys and clumsily stuck them into the ignition. A quarter-turn later and he was on his way to school. He turned the music all the way up as protest for not being able to bring his player to school. He soon arrived at school and parked in his usual spot- in the tennis court parking lot. As he got out and slowly dragged his feet towards the back door he wondered if his friends would be there.

His question was answered quickly because as he opened the door, his entire group was there waiting for him. He ran to his girlfriend and held her tight- he hadn’t seen her all summer! He was so happy to see his friends! He stayed right there until the bell rang and he reluctantly left and ambled off to Kevian. He had a new teacher named Mrs. Johnson.

He knew this class would suck the moment he sat down. There were no desks but six tables. “Sit down at a table. No sir, not over there, at a table.” Rodney was mad. He thought he could escape sitting by himself but no such luck. He kicked the chair over to the farthest corner possible and sat down. Then he slowly backed up so that he was back to where he was before. After Mrs. Johnson spent a large portion of the class hour talking about herself, she told everyone to stand up and introduce themselves. Rodney stared at his empty kangaroo pocket in disgust as everyone told something about themselves. When the time came for Rodney to stand up, he remained slouched in his chair and grumbled, “I’m Rodney.” without looking up. “Please stand up and say your name again and something you did.” Rodney reluctantly stood up- actually it was more like a pitiful half-slouch- and again, without lifting his head, quickly grumbled, “I’m Rodney. I did things.” and promptly collapsed back into his chair. “Well, that’s very interesting Rodney. Um, who’s next?”

Second period was none better. “Welcome to Government,” the high-pitched voice said sternly. “I expect you to do the best you can in this class.” Rodney took his usual seat- the corner farthest away from the door and everyone else. Thankfully he was allowed to stay there but what happened next was what Rodney would describe as mortifying. She made everyone get in a circle and introduce themselves, using alliterative adjectives. The circle went around and everyone had to repeat the previous names. Silly Sammi, Tantalizing Tina, Wacky William, the list went on. When it got to Rodney, he simply said, quietly and quickly as usual, “I’m Rodney.” “I didn’t hear your name,” Ms. Callahan said fakely. Rodney was annoyed. She was clearly trying to get him to say another lame, stupid word to describe himself. He would have none of it. “Rodney,” he said quickly and continued staring at a small hole that had worn its way to the top of his pocket. To his surprise and disgust, she said, “Now class, can we think of a good word to describe Rodney?” Rodney shuddered while a few kids snickered. Quiet? No, that doesn’t start with an R. Rowdy? No, total opposite of what he was. Rare? Yes, rare Rodney. Great, now he was tarred with Rare Rodney, like he was a steak or something. He was filled with the biggest of disgust and mortification. He didn’t want anyone to check him out. “Now, Rare Rodney, recite the rest of the class.” Now the last thing Rodney would want to do is attempt to know everyone in his class so he coolly said, “I’ll pass,” and continued to stare at the hole in his pocket. Ms. Callahan finally gave up and the circle continued.

Finally, after what seemed like days, Rodney was saved by the bell. He ran out of the room before he could get yelled at by his psycho teacher. What was next? Oh, Calculus. He had the same teacher has his older brother Joel. “Welcome to Calculus,” the man at the desk said. “I’m Mr. Kirre and you’ll learn all about curves in this class.” Rodney relaxed and knew that this class would be fun. Joel was constantly reciting the funny lines he said in class. When he took role, he stopped at Rodney’s name and after he said he was here Mr. Kirre said, “Savage… Rodney, is Joel your brother?” Rodney smiled and said, “Yeah.” It didn’t matter who was in the class now because Mr. Kirre was here.

After that class was break. Rodney immediately rushed downstairs to his special spot on the wall. He was greeted by his “gang” and enjoyed swapping stories of the morning mess. Soon though, he found himself heading for Econ. He entered the door and groaned- this class was full of chatty girls! Literally- everyone in his class was his ideal version of the worst person to share a class with! The teacher was the very oblivious Mrs. Seller. Luckily, when she made everyone introduce themselves, he successfully avoided being called on because he so conveniently placed himself between a pile of stacked desks. Nobody noticed him, even when class got out. By the time she realized, he was running down the hall to his next class- shop.

Rodney has always loved shop and he was more than eager to say hi to Mr. Barnes. He took his usual chair- in the back corner of course, but he was more open and alert than in his morning classes. All of his buddies share this class with him so he was very happy when they all walked in and sat in their “usual spots.” There were a few new people in the class so they introduced themselves. Then, the olds introduced themselves. When the spotlight fell on Rodney, he said his name quietly. “I’m sorry, what’s your name?” Mr. Barnes said teasingly. In unison, William and Ghost yelled out, “RODNEY SAVAGE! HE’S A SENIOR AND HE HAS A BAND! HE PLAYS THE GUITAR AND TENOR SAX IN HIS SPARE TIME!!” Rodney just laughed and said, “That’s about it.” But before they could go on, Jayce said, “He really likes to listen to music.” Rodney was so glad his buddies were there to speak for him when he didn’t like to.

The last hour was one of Rodney’s favorites- Advanced Guitar. There was no playing on the first day of school, but they once again introduced themselves and Rodney spoke quietly. They had to say their name, grade, and why they’re in the class. Rodney, hurriedly as always, said, “I’m Rodney, senior, and I have a band.” The class yelled, “Hi, Rodney!” He just frowned and shrunk up even tighter. He stared at the hole in his pocket and wondered just how much time he had left before he could go home. He started playing with the hole in his pocket and thought of how weird this class would be with Joel gone. He was absentmindedly listening to the same lecture that Mr. Cook said every year about his life and why he plays guitar and so on. He peeked around to see who was in the class; a bunch of people he didn’t know and a few he did. He looked down at the hole again and found that he could stick his finger through it. Yes, this class would be really different without Joel because they couldn’t sit in the back and write songs together and RRRIIPP! Back to the present! Rodney had torn his pocket open! Great, now everyone was looking at him. He never let his mind wander like this until he met Avicile. He suddenly realized that he’d be spending the afternoon with her! Yes!

The bell finally rang and Rodney quickly left and got to his car. He found Avicile and they went home together to hang out for the evening.

Mr. Diamond

It felt weird to be walking through the green-painted doors of the school he would have gone to had he not moved back in 2001. It felt even stranger that he was entering as a teacher and not a student, even though admittedly he still looked like one, standing tall at 5'7''. He was a little nervous though he had foreseen exactly how the day would go and put the feeling off as excitement. He was wearing a dark collared shirt, covered by the beloved black jacket he had worn for years. His hand gripped his briefcase a little more tightly as he turned to the right and entered through the quiet office to the teachers' lounge, finding his very own nametag in the basket marked STUDENT TEACHERS. The picture had been taken earlier in the week at the special staff meeting for UBT's student teachers who had finally made it through all of their studies and would be put to the test as they attempted to educate others who may or may not care about the subject. He looked at it and smiled. There was just something about seeing OJA DIAMOND, STUDENT TEACHER, HISTORY that made him happy.

With his free left hand he took the silver pen from his pocket and signed in next to his name printed on the list of the three student teachers who were spreading their wings at Tarra Heights High School. He was at the top of the list as usual, right above Virgil Moss and Sylvan Vestus. He knew both well. Virgil was a familiar face in most of his education classes and he knew she'd make a great biology teacher. Sylvan was one of the first people Oja met in college and happened to be a fellow clarinet player. Oja was excited that Sylvan was finally student teaching band and was happy for him. He looked forward to seeing both over the next few months and thought excitedly about what the day had in store for him as he headed up the stairs to the heart of the school where he would again enter the classroom of Mrs. Ariana Costner.

Mrs. Costner was a kindly grandmother figure who was very smart and knew her stuff when it came to history. Her specialty was Catin History and for the past 20 years it was all she taught. When she discovered that there was a young education major who was not only studying Catin and Jadali History but was also a Man of Osai, she immediately put him on hold to student teach in her classroom and to take her place if possible. For the past semester Oja had been visiting her classroom a few days a week, silently observing and making comments when invited. The students loved him and were excited to have him as their student teacher.

Oja would be there every day from 7:40 to lunch, teaching Junior-level Kiillaanian History for 1st and 3rd period and the elective Catin History open to upperclassmen for 2nd and 4th period. After this he would return to school Tuesdays and Thursdays for afternoon orchestra and the music classes he chose to continue for his music minor. While it seemed like somewhat of a busy schedule Oja could easily handle it and more. Needing no sleep, he accelerated through every class he took and was able to get his two degrees done with plenty of room to spare. All that was left now was this semester of teaching to wrap up his college career.

As he walked through the door early in the morning, before the school was alive with students, Mrs. Costner greeted him with a smile. She stood quickly and walked cheerily over to him, shaking his hand with both of hers and began telling him some last-minute tips for teaching high schoolers and holding a captive audience. Oja was ready for this and was getting more excited to begin flying solo with little help from his mentor. He'd lectured a handful of times and had gotten the hang of handling the different personalities of a high school classroom. He excitedly shared his thoughts and feelings and waved at the students as they entered on their first day back from the Year's End break. Among the things he would find the weirdest was the fact that he would be called Mr. Diamond. That would take him a while to get used to!

As the room filled up and the bell rang, Oja stood to take his place at the front of the room. As he did so, Mrs. Costner gave his arm one last loving squeeze and, a twinkle in her eyes, whispered, "Happy Birthday!" She had remembered and Oja walked to take command of the class with a smile on his face, the visions of his two-year-old nephew wishing him a happy birthday that morning in his mind. It was his time to spread his wings and soar.

Spotlight on: Airi Sorela

Full Name: Airi Isli Hieldin Sorela
Birthday: February 21, 1950
Method of Creation: #3- She was born from my mind as Dr. Sorela took form!

First sketch of Airi done 27 June, 2011

Creation Story
Oh, my dear Airi (that's EYE-ree, thanks!). Where do I begin? A long time ago, when SRS was still a barely-tangible cloud of darkness, I realized that he must have a family. Up until that point, he had sort of lived nebulously, without any connections to other people. As much as I liked the idea of him being solitary I realized that it wasn't practical and that I would have to jump out of the rut I had created. His wife would be more important than anyone else and although the initial creation of Airi was slow, she eventually gained speed and is now such an important part of the SRS story that I can't think of the time before her.

I always envisioned someone tall and dark to be his wife. She would be pure, having the two colored eyes, and would have one of the Jadali crests. She ended up being a Hieldin, although she isn't from the province. Her name is popular in Catin and Keòen alike and every time I would think of her with her beautiful name, I always saw a dancer. As SRS evolved so did Airi, going from a random other person that had to be there but was still pretty detached to his other half- a musical master who taught just like him. It wasn't until the summer of 2011 that Airi took on her full form and her history became mostly complete. Once I drew her I began to put a personality to her and before long she became one of my favorites.

While Airi isn't based off anyone specifically, she does have several personality traits similar to a couple professors I have at school. She is like her husband in her mannerisms- smooth, poetic, crisp, and gentle. She has the body of a dancer and is unusually tall for a Jadali woman (5'10''). Though she is in her 60's she is still as limber and fit as someone half her age, being blessed with long life by Osai and Terabi. Unlike her husband, however, Airi is very outspoken and has a unique way of getting her opinions of people across tactfully and in a way that she can't get in trouble for. She is the kind of teacher that students would love to go to dinner with just to hear her funny stories and the completely unexpected things that she comes up with. Most of her humor is in the presentation of the things she says.

Airi is less introverted than her husband but is still quiet, speaking slowly and crisply. She is among the darker colored Jadali, having shoulder-length, wavy, jet black hair that she either wears naturally or tied over her left shoulder and skin about as dark as her husband with his beautiful tan Catin skin. She prefers traditional Jadali dress to the dressy clothes that her colleagues wear; her favorites are the lovely and light linen skirts to the knee, light-colored tops, and light sandals, handmade from the valleys of Hieldin. She loves pendants and anklets, wearing her usual favorites along with new pieces.

Airi can be found at school on Tuesdays and Thursdays where she teaches upper level Ear Training, gives voice lessons to a handful of students, and directs Women's Chorus. Her PhD and Double Mastery is in vocal performance but she also possesses a master's degree in piano accompaniment and is actually very talented as a pianist. She enthusiastically accompanies her husband and his studio in all of their musical endeavors and when solo festival season comes around in the spring she also accompanies Dr. Nihael's studio. In addition, she is highly involved in the Pathreeah City Chorale and performs various roles in the operas that the KSB puts on.

A Short Bio (Sprinkled with Narratives)
Airi Isli Hieldin was born on February 21, 1950, in the Jadali capital city of Leena. She lived along a quaint, dirt road southwest of Cothrey Dahsir lined with trees and outlined by the cavernous black cliffs. She was the first and only child (for 17 years) of Danil Hieldin and Tahra Balthòr, a very young couple who had just finished high school in Taleah and had barely moved into an old stone house that was shared between Danil and his brother. Danil had gotten a job as a Jadali-Kiillaana relations worker and would have to move back and forth between the two countries several times as the needs of the people changed.

Just down the road lived a very interesting family. As Airi grew older she became more and more aware of the oddity of this older couple and their young son. The mother was a tall woman, Anwyn Ardin, who had gone to school in Taleah and who now was an agriculture teacher at University of Leena. The father, Rada Sorela, was an old Catin man, completely in love with the Jadali culture. He was from the Catin capital of Rihanu and had a lot of ties to Andaradd (the Catin equivalent of Dahhod). He knew the Keòen language well and from the meetings at the inn Airi learned that he wanted nothing more than to someday live in Jadali, the home of such a beautiful language and culture. This couple lived in Leena for several years before moving to Taleah for a while so that Rada could teach Catin at the high school. After the birth of their son when they were in their early 40's they became aware of an immense and unusual power emanating from him and felt it necessary to have him seen by the Eldin.

Their son was quite an unusual person, for sure. He was a year ahead of Airi in school and spent much of his time alone, wandering the coastline and forests, seeking out darkness. Upon being given his Eldin's Blessing it was discovered that he was a Man of Osai. This had only happened once in the history of Jadali, where another Man of Osai, not destined to become the Eldin, was born of their race. Airi knew him well. His name was Silanu and he was very misunderstood because in addition to being a Man of Osai, he was stricken with the Curse of the Realm. Out of the numerous serious curses that took hold of people he had the very worst of them all. Airi would often watch from her balcony as this boy would wander seemingly aimlessly around the grounds of his house, his whole body twitchy; unable to keep still. His eyes were wide and his breathing was fast and heavy, and he often wrung his hands or gripped them nervously around his arms, as if to try and shield himself from the curse which had somehow befallen him.

Most of the neighborhood was afraid of him, for the curse attacked him hard and often, throwing him to the ground in an agony only he could comprehend. He attended school under the watchful eye of a Terabikai a couple years older than him named Meiro Freloch. It seemed that his only relief from the pains of his curse came in his presence. Airi, however, always felt a deep compassion for the boy. During the times when Silanu would be lying stiffly in his bed Airi would sometimes sneak by, holding his hand, unafraid of how the curse had twisted his body. She knew that music was one of the only ways to ward off the evils of the Realm and would sing softly to him. He loved this and had a special friendship with her.

Airi moved to Taleah a handful of times and received schooling from both countries. Her family moved there for good in 1962 when Airi was 12 and would spend their summers in Leena. Airi always looked forward to seeing her cursed friend, baffled along with everyone else as to why such a strong and powerful gift had been combined with an awful curse. She had immersed herself in books and writings about Terabi and Osai, thirsty for knowledge and understanding of the presence of these two extremes in her dear friend. There was always some unrest in her mind about how these two things would play out and knew that at some point something would have to change. She just knew that something would happen; she could just feel it. She had read a handful of times an allusion made of Osai about a man who would have both of the Great Catin Gifts but nobody knew when it would happen or who it would be. Though she felt crazy for even thinking it, deep down, she had a suspicion that her cursed friend Silanu was this person.

On that fateful day in the fall of 1963, when Sorela battled against his demon and won, Airi was in the 8th grade. It was a dreadfully stormy day- overcast, shadowed, and a strong aura of darkness and dread hung over most of the land. Around dinner time, she was struck with a sudden dread and could literally hear a scream. She couldn't eat and certainly couldn't focus on anything except her cursed friend, the tall and thin boy with the messy hair and crazed look, whose terrified visage flashed to the forefront of her mind. She just knew that something had happened to him. She had no idea what it was but she just knew that it was Osai telling her something. She could barely sleep that night as she waited, sick to her stomach, what the news would say in the morning for she knew that something of this magnitude would definitely make it to Taleah by morning.

Nothing could have prepared her for what she learned early the next day. Her father, a scribbled note in hand, ran into Airi's room, waking her and breathlessly reiterating what he had heard from the news messengers at the ferry docks. Glancing at his notes to make sure he didn't say anything wrong, Airi learned that morning that Silanu had been attacked inside the south wall of Dahsir Castle and that he had been pushed beyond death with no aid. In the moments before he was about to become totally shattered and destroyed a surprising turn had taken place. It was at this time that Airi learned, along with the rest of the world, that her cursed friend that so many people feared, had just changed Catin and Jadali history forever. He had killed the demon which had cursed him. He was a Terabikai. He was the man with both gifts.

All throughout the day and week ahead, the whole world was abuzz with this news. Every Osai and Terabi scholar went crazy as they wrote down their thoughts and feelings of this momentous day. Airi begged her parents to take the ferry to Jadali so that she could visit her friend as he lay in the home of Isli Loch, the herbalist that had inherited the house of Mera Visi, recovering from the severe burns and complete mental breakdown he had suffered as a result of this monumental feat. They agreed wholeheartedly and upon their first opportunity were traveling west to their home in Leena.

Airi ran into the room where her friend lay, tears streaming down her face, as she beheld his frail body wrapped gently in cloth treated with an herbal paste that only a true master could prepare. The room smelled strongly of bitter herbs and raw, open flesh. Silanu's dark eyes were open but completely vacant except for a faintly glowing slash across his brown irises- the mark of a Terabikai in the Realm. His breathing was quick and labored and he was almost motionless except for occasional strikes of a sort of lightning from within, as if the soul fragment in him wasn't quite drained of energy yet. A hollow tube crafted of braided strips of the grass that grew along the river and greased with some sort of animal fat or resin snaked gently from his nose. His wild hair was singed and burnt very short, especially around the back of his neck. She noticed Isli preparing more strips of cloth with the herbal mixture and as she turned they made eye contact. When Isli saw Airi standing in the doorway she walked over, putting her arm around her, and letting her cry into her side. She gently explained what had happened and what was taking place now, nodding as Airi reached for Silanu's hand, taking it in hers. It was surprisingly warm and as they made contact she could feel the unmistakable energy of a Terabikai flow freely through her. She wept as she saw the bandages that engulfed his right arm and spanned across his chest and the images of this visit never left her mind.

Over the next few months, Airi received personal updates from Isli herself of Silanu's progress as he healed from the immensity of what had befallen upon him. He recovered with incredible speed, being a Man of Osai, and when she visited him in the springtime he was much more aware and in his body. It took many months for him to regain the ability to speak but when he did, Airi was there. He would smile as Airi visited him, knowing that she was one of his truest friends. Her perception of his feelings was astounding and he loved her for this. When at last he was fully healed enough to return to his business on earth, it was nearly summer. As he stood up and left the bed where he had spent so many months for the last time, Airi was there along with her parents, his parents, Isli, Meiro, and the Eldin. He had changed immensely. Where he was once twitchy and shaking, unable to stop moving, he now moved slowly in fluid, sweeping motions. His true voice finally sounded; where it was once stuttering and scared it was now gentle, grandiose, and powerful. His dark eyes were no longer wide with fear and were now gentle and almost glowing. He remained very dark but he was now quiet and calm, even more unique and mysterious than he was before. With the curse totally gone, his aura of love, peace, and comfort shone outward, prominent enough for everyone to take it in.

It was at this time that the young and immensely-changed Silanu decided what his future would hold. He decided to attend school in Taleah and study music in college. He needed a host family to sponsor him and both he and Airi knew right away that it would be her family. He and Airi began the 9th grade together at Taleah High School in the fall of 1964. She loved having him live at their house and cherished the moments when she could hear him practicing. By this point he was very good at the oboe and made the most challenging of melodies sound meaningful and effortless. Meanwhile, Airi participated in the school choir, yearning to further her unique and lovely voice. As she progressed through school she discovered that she was an exceptional pianist and made a pretty good sum of money accompanying other music students as they performed solos. She and Silanu, best friends the whole way through school, worked together in preparing an amazing number of pieces.

When at last their senior year came upon them they both had their eyes set on a college for music where they could grow their talents to mastery and meet numerous amazing people along the way. They took the train down to Tevernid, armed with their best works, and appeared before a large panel of judges who would hear them and decide if they were driven and qualified enough to make it into the undergraduate program at the Tevernid School of Music. Airi played piano behind Silanu and he played piano behind her, sharing that special connection that so rarely forms between two musicians. Their persistence and perseverance paid off and both were heartily accepted into the music programs there. They graduated from Taleah High School in 1968 and began their new life, as an engaged couple, in the large and very old city of Tevernid.

Airi and Silanu were married on January 1, 1970, in the Great Law Hall of Leena. They lived as a newlywed couple in a quaint house by the woods south of Tevernid and immersed themselves in the music they had worked so hard to master. With her husband's ability to forgo sleep he devoted many of his evenings to the study of Jadali history, wishing to obtain a parallel degree in Early Catin and Jadali Musicology along with oboe performance. This would end up taking a decade so Airi was able to take as much time as she needed to obtain her PhD in vocal performance and ped. In addition, she decided that being an accompanist was something she really loved and wanted to continue doing so she got a masters degree in piano accompaniment as well.

Airi taught and sang in some of the best choirs in the Tevernid area and when her husband went to Jadali for two years to complete his PhD in Jadali Musicology she gladly went along, becoming the temporary music director at the University of Leena. The town was thrilled to have them back, for Sorela's fame as the man with both gifts was by now greatly celebrated. Both of them took this time also to become certified as double masters in performance. By the time 1979 had rolled around, Dr. Sorela was highly sought after and had several colleges asking him to teach there. However, upon visions from Osai, he was shown that the school that would be the best fit for him and Airi was not at any of the musical institutes. It was at a school far off in the west that had a very strong music program that had every need that the Sorela family would need. In May of 1980 Silanu and Airi moved far from Jadali and Tevernid and settled in the laid-back film and music city of Kennywood.

It was also around this time that Airi was thrilled to announce that she was pregnant with her first and only child. As they settled into a quaint, wooded, newly-built home in the far north city of Juananica both were heartily received as professors at Kennywood University. Silanu became professor of oboe and music history and once Airi was able to work she taught ear training, advanced accompanying, and later took on the role as director of Women's Chorus.

The only child of Silanu and Airi, a son they named Ashlan Kaitano Sorela, was born on October 29, 1980. Though they lived some 20 miles outside of Kennywood Ashlan attended all of his schooling there since his parents spent their days teaching. He grew up speaking Keòen and Kevian and was raised in the ways of the Jadali-Kiillra. He did learn to speak Catin, since he is 1/4 Catin after all (and his name is Catin!), and always felt at home with the Catin festivities. He grew up in the music building and Dr. Sorela always spoke about his son with much love. Airi enjoyed bringing him to choir practice on the days that he didn't have school and he knew a lot about the practice of music from a very young age. He is now married and lives in Dahhod with his two boys.

Once Airi became a full-time professor in 1986, she was on campus all the time and her students loved her. As she got older they changed things around and she became busy with various choral activities, traveling around the cities to give clinics and to observe what was happening with the choirs in schools. She is also an opera singer and is quite fit, loving the stage life. She is still the director of Women's Chorus and gives lessons to about 10-15 students each semester as they embark on their own musical endeavors. On campus she goes by Dr. Hieldin Sorela but prefers that her students and friends call her simply Airi. She loves her job and loves to perform. She is also the official accompanist for her husband's studio, a part-time occupation which she loves. Her sense of humor is unique and fun and with her heightened powers from Terabi and Osai she is able to bring calm with her anywhere and always radiates with a sense of fun.

When Airi isn't teaching she loves to travel, especially back home to Jadali where her parents now permanently reside. She has two much younger brothers, born 17 and 20 years after her, who are both masters in history and live in various parts of Jadali. She especially loves green forests and bright streams, calling it her "Hieldin nature."

Airi in the Hieldin province with windswept hair :)

As Airi and her husband enter their 6th decade of life they are more in love than ever. Best friends from the very beginning they have hardly been apart. Since Dr. Sorela will live to be 300 years old, Airi has been blessed with unusually long life as well. She loves this fact and is so happy to get many more wonderful years with her mysterious and sweet husband.