"It is primarily due to his name." The emotionless voice responded to Tritania's inquiry.
"I gathered that but what about it makes it so difficult?" This time it was Dominic. He was annoyed with Pherel's failure to elaborate, but he was used to the habit.
"His name is Colaris Dominus Arcturus. It is a multistellar anagram of the name Stellaris Solaris Lunaris." This time Pherel explained a bit further.
It wasn't much, but it was enough to give them pause. Multistellar anagrams were often used when naming candidates in order to attach a stronger name to them or effectively increase their amount of names.
An example of this would be to place an anagram in the slot usually taken by a secondary star to make them effectively have two primary stars and a tertiary. This method was often used when they needed to enhance a candidates power or give them some attribute vital to their mission.
The other example would be to have an anagram that translates to two or more individual stars as one of their names to raise their number of stars. This method was often used when the climate the candidate is to experience is predicted to be volatile, which will give them more options in exchange for reducing the effectiveness those stars have.
They were used to some of these anagrams. Some of the more often used ones they had memorized, and although they could not say they remembered every star in the sky, the mentioning of their names should at least be familiar. However they found themselves unable to remember any stars with those names.
"Are those perhaps 'Dominance Titles' Pherel?" This time it was Maggie who interrogated Pherel. Dominance Titles were not necessarily stars. More accurately they represented a specific flow or location of the Heavens. It granted them absolute superiority in the field it represented, meaning that they were impossible to beat with similar statuses otherwise. They are a bit of a double-edged sword though, as they are absolutely useless outside of that field, and they tend to be quite specific.
"No, they sit above them. They are known as Celestial Names. They are not as powerful in the field of Domain Titles, but they cover a vastly greater area of effect."
"Just so you know, the names of Sirius, Pherel, and Belinda are also Celestial Names. Their respective areas of governance are Death, Information, and Life." Sirius clarified on Pherel's behalf, not wanting to deal with a stupid question. "You might think those are fairly powerful but they only apply to things in that state. For example I am only able to manipulate souls or bodies in a state of death. That definition is extremely broad, and it doesn't stop me from bringing something to that state of death, but until it is there I am completely unable to influence it with my Name's power."
"Likewise, I am only able to manipulate things in a state of life, once they achieve death I am unable to act on them as well."
"As for my Name, it only applies to my collection of information and knowledge. Anything I don't know or am unable to establish a pattern to is completely outside of my power. That is why I lose accuracy whenever candidates are involved, their actions are outside of my calculations."
"Those sound just as restrictive as the Domain Titles." This time it was Sorheil's turn to be confused.
"Think for a second about just what can be considered "Dead" and what can be considered "Alive"." Sirius paused to give them time to ponder it before continuing. "Think about a body that has lost its soul but has a heart that continues to beat. Is it alive or dead? The answer to that depends on your point of view. Belinda would believe that as long as it continues to make actions that something alive would do, then it must be alive. I would see that body as dead by virtue of it no longer having control. Both life and death hold influence over it then."
"I think the analogy of the volcano and the ocean are better." Pherel interjected, aware of their confusion.
"If you say so. Perhaps you might be right, they might not be able to form a thought on an unactionable being." Sirius made a rare concession. "Take the volcano. You would obviously say that it is not alive, there is no sense of 'being' attached to it. However, I find that I have absolutely no control over them while Bell has almost complete control. Why?"
This time it was Bell's turn to complete the explanation. "The reason is that is capable of changing its state on its own. It has the potential to perform change unto itself and its surroundings therefore it is veritably "Alive". However, if we were to focus attention to the individual rocks that make up the volcano we would find that the situation is the exact opposite."
This idea of what really constituted life and death was not something they had run into in any serious depth before. The explanation they had received had shown them just how broad the power of the Celestial Names could be.
"The situation flips when you consider an ocean. As a whole it is dead but in sections it is very much alive."
"You should also know that our names could be considered the weakest of the Celestial Names thanks to how specific they are. The three we have given him are without a doubt the strongest and most flexible." Sirius sighed at his perceived weakness, not taking into account the fact that he could be considered one of the most terrifying existences ever. "Hell 'Stellaris' itself is probably broad enough to cover everything, Solaris and Lunaris just cover the extremes."
Suddenly, the team felt like they were going to have their work cut out for them. This no longer seemed like that gift from before. If what Belinda said was supposed to be taken seriously, then that meant that when she said to teach him everything, she meant EVERYTHING.
"Jog my memory Pherel. If Sirius is 'Death', Belinda is 'Life', and Pherel is 'Information', what do his names refer to again?"
"If the information the Master has left me is without flaw, then Stellaris Solaris Lunaris in order should directly translate to 'of the Stars' 'of the Sun' 'of the Moon'."
"So he has an affinity for anything that is 'Of the Stars, Sun, and Moon' then..." Forrestal shook his head thinking of what exactly that implied. Just. About. Everything.
"When can we start training him then?" An unfazed Silvin asked the question on their minds. She had been silent up until now, absorbing the information and trying to improve her image amongst her colleagues. Despite her nature she truly didn't like to be called a slut.
Pherel answered faster than she anticipated. "If all goes according to the plan his guardians have laid out, we should have a chance to draw him here within the next 12 hours."