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[0111200905221722]
Document #14
Myst IV: Revelation
Books Transcription Version 1.0
PC
By: Blueberry Buttface
blueberrybuttface(at)gmail(dot)com
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Achenar's First Journal
Achenar's Second Journal
Achenar's Third Journal
Atrus' Journal
Catherine's Journal
Haven
Serenia
Sirrus' First Journal
Sirrus' Second Journal
Spire
Yeesha's Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Achenar's First Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I cannot believe I resisted linking here for so long.
Father's warning kept me away - he said Haven was an Age of great wealth, but
visiting it would be dangerous without him. Lying serpent. Should have known he
would say anything to keep Sirrus and me under his control. I despise him!
But look, father. Look who's under whose control now?!
Stinking rain has not let up since I arrived. It gets almost too quiet when it
does, except for the distant screams of animals. Wonder what exists beyond
those cliffs? Too wet to find out tonight, but there should be plenty of time
for treasure-hunting tomorrow. Judging by the chests in this wreck, I will not
be disappoint. Oh, but won't Sirrus be enraged when he sees I got all the
emeralds first.
****
Been slashing through the jungle all week and have yet to run into any people.
What did you do, Father? Get them to turn this island into some kind of wild
animal park? IT would be just like you to convince the stupid idiots to do
that.
Have to hand it to you, though. The heads on some of these beasts will look
really good on my walls.
****
Got my first taste of primate today. I was cutting a path through the jungle
when one of the stupid buggers clonked me from behind with a piece of fruit!
Scared the hell out of me. I whipped around, ready to slice-n-dice, but it let
out this ear-piercing shriek. Must have been a signal to its buddies 'cause
they all took off into their nests. Too bad Mister Shrieker wasn't fast enough.
****
Man is it hot!! Actually starting to like these infernal thunderstorms. They
ruin a good day of hunting, but at least they cool things down for a while.
Surprised my greedy brother hasn't shown up yet. He's got to know I skipped out
on him in Serenia, after we called the little truce. He's insane if he thinks
his plan there will work. We should just kill father and be done with it.
Then again, maybe I should link back to Myst and convince Sirrus to set the old
man free here in Haven. After all these weeks of practice, my hunting and
tracking skills have really improved.
****
no way no way no way It's not GOT to be here somewhere GOT TO BE!!! But I've
searched & searched & ("everywhe" is stricken)
WHERE'S THE BLASTED LINKING BOOK?!!!!
ve to ("pl" is stricken) pull myself together. Come up with a plan. That's what
Sirrus would do, isn't it? He
WHERE THE HELL IS SIRRUS?!
Doesn't matter. Need a base. Someplace to hole up in some ("stinki" is
stricken)
STOP IT!! THINK
THE SHIP it'll do for now Till I build something better. GOT to be easier to
get into, though. ("Es" is stricken) Easier, but protected against intruders.
Got to protect myself, right?
Good. That's good. That's
I'M GONNA KILL YOU FOR THIS OLD MAN!!!!
lashed at the
lood spurting
need better spear
ind tunnel
essful day today. Mostly karnaks Figuring out how to use their fishing habits
against them was sheer genius.
Can't escape. I mus
wrongful imprisonment
WHERE IS SIRRU
****
Past few days, too much
don't remember killing
Is something else here?
big 2nd predator, hunting
Why haven't I seen it yet?
****
igured it out!
icked brother
ng tongue of snake
icked me with truce
erenia
rrus is trapped too! While
as busy building the machines,
e linked to Spire in search of plunder! SPIRE!!
FATHER'S OTHER DANGEROUS AGE!
Miserable camoudil
nearly ripped my leg of
pulled vanishing act &
Just wait till huntin
post is finished.
ore tracks
Rain washed most
found them,
efinitely tacks.
Sneaky bastard. Think
waits
ifth kill site.
looked fresh, only
smelled me coming & took off.
WHAT IS THIS THING?
****
MY GOD! The SIZE!
IMPOSSIBLE!!
Hands still shaking. Didn't expect attack. Didn't realize.
MAGNIFICENT!!
ILL see him, rearing out of sea. Water spilling down gills. Such MALICE! Such
DEATH in his eyes! Sun sinking behind. Reflections so bright, nearly blinded.
Must've planned it that way. Must've KNOWN.
But I'm alive, sea spawn. STILL ALIVE!!! And I will defeat you. As DEATH is my
witness, I SHALL DECORATE MY KINGDOM WITH YOUR BONES!!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Achenar's Second Journal
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Not sure I can do this. Pen feels awkward. Keeps slipping. Been so long since I
used one. But what else is there? What else to do?
Went back to wreck today. First time since moving into house. Found His bones
exactly how I left 'em. Except clean now. Bleached white by the sea.
How many times have I replayed it since then? Sun sinking into the waves. Tip
of my spear gleaming wet with the poison. See myself crouching low near the
rocks. So SURE He will come. Because of His mate.
Sometimes - in my head - it happens different. Poison gets diluted. Or one of
her ropes snaps & breaks. he rears back. Spear misses. Somehow they both get
away. And we all get one more day worth living for.
****
Reset traps today. Swamp water corroded one of 'em. Forced to go to depot to
fix
Coming back saw a camoudile take down a zeftyr Moved with such precision Not a
single gesture wasted Zeftyr probably didn't feel a thing
****
It's not what I expected. Living lakeside. It's calmer. Not as windy. But rain
still beats down like in the Wreck. And it's hot. Still hot.
Only real difference is the Screams. Lot closer now. On all sides. Starting to
get on my nerves.
****
Can't sleep. Too many screams. And when I close my eyes, the Things I see. The
faces
My god, Sirrus. Did we really kill so many??
****
Added it up. Best I could. 8 years. 3 since I killed the last cerpatee.
Keep thinking I should do something for him Place some kind of tribune next to
the bones Totem poles, maybe. God knows, carving it would keep me busy for
awhile.
Maybe I can make one for each of them.
****
What's the use? What's the use? Can't go on like this. Can't THINK!!
Have to do something. Keep my mind OFF the dreams. Maybe - maybe go south a few
days. Sleep outside.
****
My god, Father. Did it have to be the same?! Two weeks working my way through
the South Jungle and for what? More of the same. More of the same empty
NOTHINGNESS
Can't take it any more. Can't LIVE like this!!!
Karnaks got in while I was away. Forgot how agile they are. Braver, too, when
they're hunting in groups. Been breeding like mad, ever since I killed their
primary predator. Should probably do something about that.
But maybe I can redesign one end of the bridge. Create some kind of lock to
keep 'em out.
****
Went back to the south jungle today. Hoping I'd missed something. Saw a group
of mangrees playing under their nests. Thought about replenishing supplies, but
couldn't do it. They just looked too peaceful
Eventually turned to go, and spied one of 'em watching me. Their lookout, I
suppose. Wonder how long he knew I was there?
Ink supply getting low. Watering it down, but might try to make more. They way
the Channelwood tree-dwellers once taught me.
****
Found some petals in the south jungle that might work for the ink. Picked a few
to take back as an experiment.
While picking them, I noticed something odd about the mangrees. In the north
they all scatter away as they spot me. But the south tribe only looks curious.
Must be because I never hunted them.
New ink seems okay. Would prefer a better color, though. I'll head back to the
south jungle in the morning. see if I can find different varieties.
****
I don't believe it!! Went back to gather more petals and found a bunch of 'em
already packed. They were lying in a pile where I'd been working!
Mangrees MUST have done it. Imitating me?
****
Spent most of the morning in the watch tower, trying to observe from a
distance. Find out how they act when I'm not there. Couldn't see much, though.
Trees are too thick
WOULD like to get closer somehow. I suppose I could build another post, but
it'd have to be different this time. Not a lot left I can take from the Wreck.
Kinda like the idea of going all natural.
****
How the HECK did Saavedro's people do it?! Been weaving support branches all
day and my arms & chest muscles are killing me!
Mangrees sure got a kick out of watching, though. One of 'em even stopped
playing long enough to come over & give me advice. Least, that's how it seemed.
Wouldn't stop chirruping at me! Made me want to rig up another sound system,
see if I can try and talk back
****
Oh my god. It can't be. it CAN'T
This evening I was sketching in the post. Trying to get their expressions
right. Mangrees were playing that game they like to play. Fruit-tossing
Bell must've rolled under the post. All of a sudden I heard this cry I've never
heard before. Sequence of drawn-out highs and lows. Looked up & found all of
'em looking at me. Pointing at the ball and making that sound. like they were
calling a name. MY name.
THEY'VE GIVEN ME A NAME!
What am I supposed to do with this, Father?!! What am I supposed to do?
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Achenar's Third Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Been awhile since I had this much fun working with my sick little brother.
Usually we're at each other's throats by now. But this time...
Must be the thrill we both get, picturing Father strapped into the Chair,
begging us not to do what he KNOWS we're going to. Don't think anything I've
done to a prisoner YET will compare with that moment.
Have to build the chair first though, which means getting inside Serenia's
abandoned Memory Chamber.
Hmmm. Can't exactly ask for a front door key, even if Sirrus DID tell the
Protector we want to study their rituals.
he'd just better get back from Mechanical Age with those breathing kits soon.
Otherwise this whole plan is going nowhere.
****
What a hideously exhausting day. Spent so many hours working underwater I think
my skin's turned permanently blue. But at least we're finally INSIDE. Sirrus
wants to put a lock on our new back door - using one of his infamous marble
color codes, I'm sure - but that's HIS deal. I've still got to figure out what
to do about the fumes.
Maybe if I...
****
First night we won't have to use the breathing kits. Of course, I'll wait for
Sirrus to take HIS off first. Just to be sure. Then start hauling in materials.
****
Never seen little brother this keyed up before. But like I told him last night,
getting the Chair up and running is gonna take time.
In theory, all it has to do is stimulate the old fungus into doing what it
wants to do naturally, remove a person's memories. But in order for our ENTIRE
plan to work, we have to keep Father's body ALIVE before, during, and after the
process so one of us can use it later. I'm not even sure the fungus will be
able to remove memories from a living body. No matter how much "persuasion" it
gets.
****
Decided to let Sirrus work on getting the chair operational while I start
installing the life tanks. Still think this aspect of the plan is iffy but
then, I don't intend to be the one who tests them.
****
Sirrus is a genius. Not sure how he did it, but judging from the results of his
first test today looks like he did.
Almost felt sorry for the mouse.
****
Okay, okay already! Just how many of these tests does he want to complete
before we actually DO something?! Doesn't he realize that the longer we wait,
the more likely it is some Protector will catch on that something's wrong? One
whole part of what we're doing takes place inside their Dream World. They're
GOING to see it eventually!
let's stop wasting time here and instead concentrate on setting up the "bait"
we need to lure Father into his cell.
LET'S SEND MOTHER TO RIVEN ALREADY!
****
Getting REAL nervous now. The only thing that keeps me from panicking
completely is this - I know Serenia's weakness. The life stone. They'll be lost
without their life stone.
Sure it'll take a few days, but if I steal it out of the Root Chamber, the
fungus will eventually lose its ability to remove memories. And if that
happens, Serenia's civilization will be thrown into total chaos.
Might be fun to see it happen.
But it also means our plan against Father will be ruined. So I'll do it, but
only if it becomes necessary to cut and run.
****
HORRIBLE fight with Sirrus today. ALL I did was MENTION taking the stone and he
was all over me. Accused me of letting my "insatiable desire for instant
gratification" screw up yet another one of his plans. Then he tried to lay the
whole Narayan civil war debacle on ME> Almost belted him right then and there.
But the fight did show me one thing - my little brother really IS a back-
stabbing weasel. These tests he keeps doing? There's only one conclusion
they're heading to.
Screw you, little brother. There's absolutely NO WAY I'm gonna sit in that
chair for you.
I AM OUTTA HERE!!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Atrus' Journal
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97.9.15
I am always surprised by how good it feels to return home after one of my
journeys. In the day, heat shimmers off the cliffs, bathing me in unexpected
warmth. At night gentle breezes stir the lake, and I often hear Catherine
singing to Yeesha. The sound of their voices fills me with such joy. I find
myself wondering why I ever left.
Perhaps I am more aware of this tonight, having spent so much time alone in
Rime. The trip was unavoidable. It has been weeks since I viewed Sirrus and
Achenar's prison Age, and I need to be assured of their safety. The crystal
viewer did not show much, so I began considering how I might improve it. I am
not fairly certain I can achieve a tighter image if I redesign the mechanism
itself.
I have yet to tell Catherine of these plans. I do not wish to raise her hopes
prematurely.
97.9.22
After far too brief a visit with my family, I have returned to Rime to
conduct preliminary tests. The frigid temperatures in this Age are vital for
the crystals to function, yet I find it increasingly difficult to work in the
cold. Perhaps I can find a way to simulate extreme temperatures inside the
viewer itself, so that I can install it in Tomahna when ready.
97.10.1
Tonight I set aside experimentation for a few hours to watch the lights
illuminate Rime's sky. Their beauty has not dimmed since first I saw them. I
could not fully enjoy the show, however, for it put me in mind of Sirrus and
Achenar, and the months we spent here constructing the towers. Soon, what had
been a happy memory for me was mired in regrets.
I doubt I will ever know what caused my sons to become so greedy. I only know
that when they looked at the Ages described in my library - fantastic worlds
one could travel to easily, simply by touch a Book's linking panel - they saw
only dreams of wealth and power. They devised a plan. An evil plan. When my
back was turned, they linked to my Ages, plundered, and destroyed them.
I know Sirrus and Achenar must pay a price for these crimes, yet it brings me
no joy to picture them stranded on the two uninhabited Ages I wrote to protect
my library from thieves. I only hope that my sons will someday reject their
wicked yearnings and find it in their hears to reform.
97.10.27
After experimenting with several liquid gases, I have found a pressure
variable that should allow the crystal viewer to function in Tomahna. Tomorrow
I link to Releeshahn to enlist help from the Guild of Machinists.
98.1.10
Catherine was unusually subdued when I showed her the new blueprints. She
trusts that the viewer will work, but wishes we could visit our sons in person.
I would like that as well, but until I am convinced of remorse I cannot risk
their escaping.
98.4.7
I was fairly certain the evaporator coils would work and indeed, I was
able to achieve a blurry image of Spire within the new viewer's blank book.
Unfortunately, a more powerful suppressor is needed to stabilize the image.
Guildmaster Andritus suggested that I install several geodes inside the roof of
the Observatory, then use an antenna to focus them. This should amplify the
clean frequency enough so that the crystal viewer can work.
98.6.29
Success! Not only was I able to view both Spire and Haven, but I also saw
my laboratory on Rime quite clearly. The crystal code for Rime was difficult to
remember, having not had much reason to use it previously. I must make a full
list of codes soon, but for now I will keep Rime's close at hand.
98.10.9
I always knew my sons had great potential, but today I saw something that
truly amazed me. Sirrus is harnessing electricity! At least, that is what I
assume, for the viewer caught a brief glimpse of something I have never before
seen in his Age. It had to be a man-made construction!
A burst of interference destabilized the image before I could study the device
properly, but its existence offers proof that at least one of my sons is
making the most of his confinement, rather than wallowing in despair.
98.10.15
The interference effect is curious. It has disrupted my viewing of Ages on
more than one occasion. Although I first assumed it to be a problem with the
geodes, I now believe it to be subsonic in origin. I think the roof antenna is
picking up wave fluctuations emitted by one or more Ages. If this is true, I
might be able to use the fluctuations to hear what is occurring in an Age. I
shall have to think on this carefully.
99.4.26
It has been an exciting two weeks. Catherine, Yeesha, and I have just
returned from Releeshahn where I spent most of my time in conversations with
various Guildmasters.
I am not convinced that the shape and color of the crystals gives them
individual resonance signatures. By combining the resonances of five crystals
together I can discover a global pattern of emissions - a sound signature, as
it were - that is unique to the Age being viewed. Guildmaster Andritus assisted
me in drawing up plans for a filtration panel that will enable the antenna to
hone in on whatever wave fluctuations I want. I truly will be able to listen in
on an Age!
Tomorrow I begin building the panel. I have decided to use Rime as its preset
configuration, since that is the Age which first enabled me to construct a
crystal viewer.
99.7.21
The panel is finished. I am too tired to test it tonight.
100.1.2
Catherine tried to hide it, but the sounds we heard coming from Achenar's
prison Age nearly brought her to tears. Once again I had to reassure her of his
safety. My words eventually convinced her, but I know she longs for more
substantive proof.
I fear she may take matters into her own hands soon.
I must confess,
I, too, long for more information than the viewer is currently providing.
Tomorrow I shall link to Rime. I have an idea for an attachment - something
akin to a "moving eye" - that will allow me to change points of view while
using the crystal viewer. If it works, I may finally be able to see if my sons
have reformed.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Catherine's Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
I linked to Haven yesterday. The smell of its beach washed over me long before
my vision cleared.
With the veil of haze slowly lifting from my eyes, I forced myself to breathe
very deeply. I had not told Atrus I was doing this. he would have argued with
me, and told me again how dangerous it is to visit the prison Ages before
Tomahna's linking chamber is built. That construction takes time, and I could
no longer wait for him.
The sight of the ship wreck rising out of the sea filled me with unexpected
dread. Of course I'd known it would be there; I'd seen it countless times in
Atrus' viewer. But seeing it for real through slanted metal bars made me
realize exactly what we'd done. I imagined the words my sons would throw at me,
and courage drained away like summer wine.
I feel nothing but numbness now. It was my idea to Write the chambers into
existence - to bend the Art so that a secure room might be "inserted" in each
Age, with solid walls no force of man might break. Only then could we risk
visiting our own sons, and leaving a Tomahna linking book behind us when we
left.
It took me months to convince Atrus this could work. But now that the chambers
exist, and I will speak to my sons for the first time in years, I find myself
not knowing what to say. How will I explain our decision to leave them
prisoners? If hardship and isolation have not caused them to repent, as was our
hope, what words will soothe the anger in their souls?
--|-|--
Weeks have passed, and still I have not found the courage to link again.
Perhaps it is just as well; Atrus was not pleased when he learned what I had
done. He begged me to have more patience, then put extra pressure on the guild
of Stonemasons to finish. Today they informed us that Tomahna's chamber will be
ready in two days,
Had we been able to use the Art to create it, as we did with the ones in the
prison Ages, it would have already been finished.
But things always take longer to build when you must do it by hand. Now Atrus
is looking forward to having our bedroom back. I should be too, but I keep
wondering how I will be able to sleep there, knowing our sons are just a wall
away. I worry how they'll act when they greet us, how different they will be
from the laughing boys I remember playing with toy boats in Myst's reflection
pool. They were happy then; we all were happy. Anna was still with us, and the
love we shared as a family knew no bounds.
Then Anna died.
And our cozy world unraveled.
To deal with the loss of his grandmother, Atrus buried himself in work,
spending less and less time with our sons. At 8 years old, Sirrus must have
seen this as rejection, but even then his pride was too well-formed to let it
show. And as for Achenar - He'd never known how to channel his emotions
appropriately.
I do not excuse the crimed committed. Sirrus and Achenar shattered so many
lives, in far worse ways than Anna's death shattered ours. it's for this reason
that I have stood by Atrus' decision, and left my sons imprisoned all these
years. But I cannot escape my own culpability in this. For when Sirrus and
Achenar needed me most, I was too consumed by sorrow to see.
--|-|--
I am being torn in two
I am trapped between a mother's lover for her children, and a woman's loyalty
to her husband.
I don't know if ("I can" is stricken)
It is so hard! I watch Atrus and Achenar trying to communicate, and it feels
like knife blades ripping through my heart. They don't know how to relate to
each other. Achenar speaks only from emotions, and Atrus fears he's made his
son a savage. Only my presence keeps things from fraying.
It's easier with Sirrus; they share a love of science. And Sirrus' willingness
to discuss advancements he's made ignites a similar excitement in Atrus. Yet
even then, Atrus doesn't believe. He's unwilling to trust, because he knows
what monsters they ("must" is stricken) have been.
I must find a way to resolve this.
I must break through Atrus' doubts and get him to see what he cannot.
--|-|--
It's been a long time since I've written in this journal. I thought perhaps I
had lost it, but while repotting plants in my study I found it behind one of
the incubators. It must have fallen there when Atrus reconfigured the
generator.
No matter I have it now.
Yeesha asked me today if Atrus and I are still arguing. She was seated at the
patio table, her head bowed over her schoolbooks. She was concentrating so hard
on tracing a garshevtee, I don't think she saw my reaction. We have always been
careful not to disagree in front of her. I should have realized how insightful
she can be.
I watched my daughter forming the D'ni words so carefully and I remembered how
easy it had been to convince Atrus to start teaching her the Art. He never did
teach Sirrus or Achenar. He started to - he wrote J'nanin specifically for that
purpose. But after awhile he feared they would abuse it, so he stopped.
He's not worried about Yeesha. He sees how curious she is about life, and how
full of warmth she can be. It's obvious how much he adores her. As, I think, do
Sirrus and Achenar. If there is any hope in this for all of us, it will be
through her.
I must not let family tensions upset her. Tomorrow I will speak to Atrus about
going to Tay for a few days. Perhaps time away will help me gain perspective
and discover what it is I need to do.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Haven
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Never be discouraged by a mistake, Atrus," my grandmother Anna always used to
say. "Strive to learn from it instead, and you will achieve great things."
Today on Haven, I saw my grandmother's words come true. The broken ship merged
into the causeway near Haven's coastline is exactly what I'd hoped it would be:
a promise of intrigue and adventure so palatable, it made my own heart race
with excitement to see it. I thought of how much fun the boys I'd met in
Stoneship Age - Emmit, Branch, and Will - would have had playing in it, and
almost wished I could bring their children here to do so.
But Haven must remain off-limits to all, if it is to become the prison world I
wrote it to be.
My sole foray to the Age has proved it to be capable of supporting human life,
though of course non exists there at this time. Much of Haven's interior is
comprised of a dense, tropical rainforest which is obviously teeming with
beasts. I saw several as I explored, though they usually kept their distance.
A few of the fruit-eaters did stare at me curiously as I made my way under
their nests. No doubt, having never encountered a human being before, they did
not think to fear me. They might even have summoned up the courage to become
friends, had I stayed there any longer.
Alas I could not, for the weight of urgency was upon me. Having convinced
myself of the need to protect my Myst library should some overly greedy
explorer stumble onto it, I felt it necessary to link home very quickly. Taking
only a few brief minutes to watch the sun set over Haven't freshwater lake, I
swam out to the middle and linked away.
By now the linking book I used will have sunk underwater and been destroyed.
Consequently, there remains but one task to finish before I can sleep. I must
write two additional linking books tonight - one for Haven, and one for Spire,
my other prison Age - then place them on display in the library. I shall also
have to warn Sirrus and Achenar to stay away from them. And tell Catherine, of
course, when all is finished.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Serenia
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
104.7.14
The first time I placed my hand on Serenia's linking panel I remember
thinking, "This Age will be unlike any I have journeyed to so far." And it was.
The sky was crisp and clear. The rivers and waterfalls sparkled like diamonds.
Even the worn paths threading through canopies of stone took my breath away. I
met a group of women who told me they had been expecting me, and as we talked
late into the evening they did seem to know a lot about me. Yet the more they
explained why, the more impossible their stories seemed.
Of course, Catherine's Ages have always struck me as impossible. Why should
this one have been any different?
One of the stories the Protectors told me (for that is what they called
themselves) moves me to this day. Many lifetimes ago, a child from the village
contracted a fever and died. His parents - who had loved him very much -
decided to bury him under a waterfall, and built a balloon to take him there.
The parents' grief was so strong, however, that when they landed their balloon,
they could only carry the child a short way. So they set him down beside a
giant flower and slept.
All night the mother's tears never stopped flowing. Eventually they sank
through the ground and bathed the flower's roots. Moved by the tears, the
flower told the parents to carry their child into her pistil. She would
preserve his memories so they could visit him whenever they wished. Then the
flower passed one of the tears back through her roots, turning it into a
container to hold memories, and the father dove underwater to collect it.
And that is how the Memory Chamber first displayed her power to the Serenians.
Having read Catherine's descriptive Book, I realize that the plan the
Protectors called the "Memory Chamber" is but the fruiting body of a massive
fungus. Like any fungus, it recycles dead organic material into nutrients - in
this case, "filled" memory globes. Since Yeesha has recently asked to see
Serenia, I will share this explanation with her - as I did with her brothers
when they were her age. Yet I cannot help thinking that my scientific
understanding of Serenia pales in comparison to the Protector's simple tale.
104.7.15
I had not fully realized how many years have passed since I visited this
Age, so when I stepped out of the linking cave with Yeesha I was pleased to see
only a little has changed. A new group of women have replaced the Protectors I
knew, but they seem to be as friendly as the first. Yeesha took an immediate
liking to one called Anya, and as we made plans to spend more time here in the
future, I felt confident our relationship with these women would be mutually
beneficial.
104.9.11
After an absence of several weeks, we returned to Serenia last night.
Catherine agreed to accompany us, so we will stay for a week or more.
This morning, I took advantage of Catherine's presence to re-explore alone. My
route soon took me beyond Serenia's current Memory Chamber to the old abandoned
flower which had served the village centuries ago.
The man-made edifice surrounding the chamber looked much the same as I
remembered, although the flower itself was in a far worse state of decay. I
tried opening the door to explore inside but found it locked. Just as well.
Thirty years ago, the Protectors told me how the delicate inner heart of the
Chamber emits a strong fragrance as part of its reproductive cycle. The close
the Chamber gets to maturation, the more toxic this gas becomes - forcing the
Protectors to find a new flower for their use. No doubt the collected fumes
inside the original Chamber would have made it impossible for me to survive
there very long.
105.3.10
Catherine says I should seen it coming, but this morning Yeesha asked
permission to meet Serenia's "Ancestors" I tried to explain that the place the
Protectors call Dream is not real (how can it be!), but she insists on finding
out for herself. So what am I to do?
I suppose it will do no harm to let her try. From what Anya told me, it should
take several months for Yeesha to learn how to dream. And it has certainly been
awhile since I have had enough free time to concentrate on the crystal viewer's
attachment. Keeping my inquisitive daughter occupied may end up being
beneficial for us all.
105.6.10
I cannot believe how quickly time has flown - today we attended a ceremony
on Serenia celebrating Yeesha's mastery of their customs. I must admit,
although my doubts about the Dream Realm remain, seeing my daughter's pride as
she received the Protector's necklace made it all seem worthwhile.
105.7.2
Yeesha said something strange during our writing lesson today. She thought
it was sad that Catherine rarely writes anymore, and asked if we should explain
that just because someone dies after visiting an Age, it doesn't mean the Age's
writer is responsible.
I knew immediately she was talking about my grandmother. Yet Catherine and I
have never fully described Anna's death - so how she knew this information is a
mystery. When I asked, she said her necklace had "said something" while she was
holding Anna's picture.
The answer was completely unsatisfactory, yet I must admit Yeesha has displayed
an uncanny knowledge of things she never witnessed ever since receiving the
Protector's gift. I would like to examine this necklace more closely. But at
the moment, the situation with Sirrus and Achenar takes precedence.
Perhaps after my friend leaves us tomorrow...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sirrus' First Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
87.5.25
It appears that I have underestimated him. I did not think he could be
this devious. He always said Spire was dangerous, but I assumed he meant its
people were violent. Violent and potentially xenophobic - the perfect
combination with which to orchestrate a coup. But there are no people here. No
prosperous civilization for me to rule. I see now how his linking panel fooled
me.
Congratulations, Father.
This hand goes to you.
87.6.1
I have established a temporary encampment near the vegetal cavern. The
food I brought with me should last a month - after that, I will be forced to
grow what I eat. The plants here are neither scrumptious nor overly abundant,
but I have tasted several and find the nutrition is there.
Turning now to the question of escape...
I believe there may yet be a Myst linking book here. The simplest way for
Father to have disposed of it would have been to jump off the palace as he
touched it. There are other ways, of course, but I cannot ignore this
possibility. I must at least attempt to reach the ground.
87.9.1
This is fast becoming unacceptable. I have slid down every oddly-shaped
"wind pipe" in this Age and have yet to see below the second cloud layer. I was
fairly certain that at least three of the passages would prove successful, yet
even they dead-ended inside a magnificent sealed cavern full of crystals.
The crystals themselves are curious. Something about their inner matrix makes
them susceptible to a build-up of negative charges - when I touched one, I
received a terrible shock. At the same time, the faint light that had been
emanating from the crystal faded, and I heard a very curious hum which ceased
as soon as the crystal's charge was expended.
I should like to study these crystals more thoroughly, and will institute a
plan to mine the cavern extensively.
88.2.6
Last night, I saw lights flickering in some of the other places. It
occurred to me I might not be alone. What if this age is like Stoneship? Father
never could explain how Emmit and Branch just "appeared" there. He said the Art
was always surprising him. Could it be that the lights I saw flickering were
made by other people?
What I would give to discover if this is true! After all these months of
solitude, just to have another person to talk to...
88.5.14 About the floating rocks:
There is a phosphorescent green mineral running through much of this Age
which exhibits strong diamagnetic properties. At least, that is the most
workable hypothesis I have devised that can explain how the rocks I see outside
my garden are able to float.
This has given me an idea. If I can capture one of the larger boulders, I
should be able to turn it into a vessel, and thereby "sail" across the clouds
to the nearest palace.
The most difficult obstacle to achieving this will be maintaining the necessary
altitude... I have noticed that these rocks float higher than the highest point
on that palace. Forcing my ship to float lower than it prefers will take some
doing.
88.10.2
For the past few weeks, I have been watching storms move through the
second cloud layer. They appear as flashes of light inside the strata. The
violence of these storms does not reach me in the garden. I encounter no rain.
Barely feel the wind. I am completely safe here, nestled between layers.
I do not know how this is possible. How could Father have created a world which
exhibits so many scientific impossibilities? He never did explain how to write
an age. He never taught Achenar and I the Art.
I wonder now if I should have insisted.
89.4.18
The crystals I mined from the lower cavern are really quite remarkable.
There seems to be no limit to the amount of electricity they can store.
Unfortunately, this makes working with them difficult. So long as a charged
crystal is isolated, the energy inside it remains trapped in its matrix. But
the moment the crystal even brushes against a grounded object, the stored
charge flows out, producing almost amazing song. I should like to capitalize on
this "singing" ability, if only as a pleasant diversion. It might be nice to
hear some music in these caverns...
Regardless, I believe the crystals can solve my rock-ship problem. By affixing
them to some of the floating rocks, then casting them back into the clouds, I
should be able to harness enough of Spire's natural electricity to fuel an
electromagnet. The attractive force of the magnet, combined with the smaller
magnetic fields of the lightning conductors, should be able to lower the ship
and guide it to the nearest palace.
It is definitely worth an attempt.
90.10.22
Another storm is brewing as I write this. I can feel the hairs on my arms
starting to rise. I am almost crazed with anticipation, waiting to test the
first conductor. My god, is this what Father felt, every time his hand hovered
above the panel of a book he'd just written? Did he feel this much excitement
as he stood poised to learn if his theories had worked? Why did he never share
this with me?
If he had, perhaps things could have been different between us...
The first conductor is glowing. Here goes nothing.
91.5.25 NO NO NO NO NO!!!
My calculations were perfect! The ship should not have broken free!
The distance between conductors must be too great. I am going to have to add
more to the system. But if I do, the electromagnetic pull will be too strong,
and the ship will crash to the floor. So can I counterbalance it? Create a
second electromagnet in the roof of the garden?
I am going to have to start building again. And capture another rock for a
ship. This mistake has set me back years!
But I am close. So close to reaching the nearest palace. And from there, maybe,
accessing the ground.
I only hope the linking book still works.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Sirrus' Second Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
100.5.28
Something has happened. There is a structure in the spire that was not
there nine days ago, when I sailed off to harvest more crystals. Its existence
is impossible. Yet I have stood inside its foyer and know that it is real...
I am forced to make an inconceivable deduction. Somehow, my father is still
alive... I do not understand how this can be. Regardless, given the design of
the chamber - and in particular, its barred dividing wall - I suspect that our
reunion will be tense.
100.8.3
Fifteen years. Still, it is not enough for him!
This age was nothing when I arrived. Nothing but floating rocks and debris. I
am the one who made it livable - and I did so without help from any quarter. If
I could have found just one single person to assist me...
But no. he does not want to talk about accomplishments. All he wants to talk
about are the books. Yes I burned them, Father. I am sorry. Now can we put the
past aside and let me out of here?
100.8.17
Another wasted evening, playing "repentant sinner" in his linking chamber.
I do not know why I even waste my time. It is obvious he will never be
convinced.
But what of Mother? Her endless hand-wringing is as maddening as ever, yet
there must be some way I can use it. Perhaps if I play upon her guilt. Create a
sculptural vignette which she can see inside their viewer. If I choose the
appropriate memory, it should convince her that I, too, have my regrets.
100.9.29
This is intolerable!! If he did not intend to set me free, why create the
chamber in the first place? To flaunt his all-powerful skills?! I get it,
Father. Really, I do. Everything I have accomplished here pales in comparison
to what you can do with the Art. It is the one power you have that I shall
never defeat.
No wonder you refused to teach it to me.
101.1.19
I will take this no longer. It is time I showed him some of my power.
Father believes his chamber to be impenetrable, but he has forgotten the very
laws he once explained to me: frequency and molecular vibration.
The crystals can do it. If I find the right frequency, their song can set off a
vibration that will tear through the chamber on a molecular level. Those
impenetrable walls will shatter like glass.
No doubt, I will need a great deal of electricity to do it. I had better re-
tune the musical instrument.
101.1.29 I have a sister?!
I do not know what to think. It is something I never even considered.
I must not let it affect me. There is too much work to be done. I need to get
more power to the cables. Building additional conductors will take too long,
but if I dismantle parts of the rock-ship network, then rewire the remainder
directly into the throne...
But if his chamber is breached, there will be no need.
101.6.10
It is no use. He will never teach me the Art. Questioning him about it
only makes him suspicious. Perhaps, with him out of the picture, I can learn it
from the D'ni.
102.4.10
I cannot proceed without a sample. I have tried chipping off pieces from
the chamber, using every possible method save the crystal, but my efforts have
all proven fruitless. How can I convince him to give me a piece? Or better yet,
a set of matching pieces...
This will require a very delicate touch...
Wonder if he still enjoys playing...
103.2.14
So that was my dear little sister. I see now why he is so taken with her.
She is only a child and yet... Sever times during our discussion I caught her
studying me, attempting to ascertain what to believe. How much have they told
her, I wonder?
I don't even care. It's obvious they value her more than they ever did Achenar
and me.
Very well then. I shall use even that to my advantage.
103.8.26
Retrofitting of the old crystal cavern proceeds on schedule. The loss of
my lab was a setback, for I cannot continue frequency tests until all the
cavern walls are removed. But that explosion has made me very cautious. I would
rather dangle over the stars than have solid rock walls explode on top of me.
104.7.2
NO! He cannot do this! Why is he bringing her into this?!
I will not allow it. I will not allow a mere child to have that much power over
me. How DARE he agree to teach her the Art!!
There must be a way. Some way to get the knowledge from her. But how?!
Go ahead, Father. Go ahead and teach her. If you insist on giving this power to
Yeesha, then I will make sure you're also giving it to me.
105.5.28
I have found the frequency...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Spire
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Spire, I have called it. For that is the image I kept in mind as I wrote the
Book that would link here. A soaring, rock-and-crystal spire rising out of
dense clouds like the watchtower of some gem-studded castle. Now that I am
here, and am exploring the Age in person, I find it to be exactly as I
envisioned. Beautiful, yet so very deceptive.
From the tower formation upon which I sit, an ocean of clouds spreads out below
me. Rough stone steps descend toward them, ending at an empty terrace area.
Created over centuries by the erosive power of wind, these steps are so evenly
matched that I almost believe they were manmade. Yet how could they be? For
Spire has never had any inhabitants.
Steps are not the only example of how the illusion I sought to create in this
Age holds true. Shortly after linking here, I walked through massive archways
of stone, searching for a view beneath the clouds. As I walked, I felt as if
the ghosts of a past civilization walked with me. This feeling was only
enhanced by the beautiful harmonic sounds heard everywhere I went. I would have
liked to determine the source of these sounds, simply for my own edification,
but other concerns must take precedence.
Having found the floral caverns and assured myself of Spire's ability to
support human life, I am at last ready to leave. I even feel more comfortable
with my decision to use this Age as a prison would if I must. Yet I am sad to
leave it, too. There is still so much I could learn about the Art simply by
spending more time here and comparing the Age with my original intentions for
it. Unfortunately, once I link away - dropping my Myst book into the clouds as
I leave - I know I will never be back.
And I truly must go. For I still have another prison Age to investigate.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Yeesha's Journal
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Monday
---
I got this book. Dad gave it to me. I'm going to write in it every night.
Tuesday
---
In the morning, we worked on long division. After dinner, I made a puzzle. Mom
+ me started the Fun Club and looked at stars.
Thursday
---
I didn't do much.
Sunday
---
We visited my brother today. He had a gift for me but Dad made me go home
before I could see it. I felt bad. Dad talked to me later + said it was just
bones so I shouldn't be scared. I wasn't cause I don't think Achenar meant it
to be bad. He looked so sad when we left.
Monday
---
It was hot. I spent the whole day by the water.
Saturday
---
Dad took me to a really neat place today. It's called Serenia and the people
there are SOOO nice.
They never forget stuff cause if they do, their Memory chamber remembers it for
them. I went inside + saw all the memory globes hanging from the ceiling, just
like Sirrus said I would!
Monday
---
Mom said it's too soon to go back to Serenia. I've been thinking though + I
don't know if I want my memories put inside a globe when I'm dead. What if I
need them?
Thursday
---
I told BOTH Sirrus and Achenar about the Fun Club. They want to join.
Wednesday
---
Dad FINALLY said we could go see Anya tomorrow. She takes care of the Memory
Chamber. She's one of its Protectors. Only women can be Protectors. Men stay in
the village + do other hard stuff, like fixing roofs.
Thursday
---
I saw the coolest creature on Serenia today. It was made of water but when it
saw me looking it got shy and fell apart. Dad said it must have been a fish
jumping 'cause he didn't see it. Mom believed me though.
Friday
---
Anya told me her people put their memories in globes so their families can
visit them in the Dream World. She said I could visit the Dream World too, but
I'd have to learn how. PLUS I need a spirit guide. Maybe I can get one next
time we visit.
Sunday
---
I got the best gift of all time today - a spirit guide statue! Sirrus carved it
for me himself. It looks kinda funny but that's 'cause he never saw one. He
just went with what I told him. He knows EXACTLY what questions to ask and he
listens better than anyone.
Friday
---
Before supper Dad + me changed the lock on my bookshelf. I said since I'm
learning D'ni I could change the covers and use everyone's named instead. I
won't forget whose older than who, either. He said it really really had to be
the REALLY last time but he was glad.
Thursday
---
We didn't do much but tomorrow I start learning how to dream on Serenia. I'll
probably be too busy to write in this journal for MONTHS!!
Sunday
---
Anya gave me a special necklace today! It's really good at picking up memories.
She says some things are better at holding them than others + that only the
most POWERFUL memories get shown. I touched it as soon as I got home and it
WORKED! I can't wait to show all my friends.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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