Child of Releeshahn
Chapter Four
D'ni. The fallen city still looked majestic in Anna's eyes as it lay sleeping within the great cavern. Her mouth gaped open in wonder at the sight of the stone buildings, some fallen, some only damaged, some completely unscathed from the earthquakes that had destroyed so much. She snapped out of her trance when she heard Atrus laugh.
"You like it?" he asked.
"Like it? It's the most amazing thing I've ever laid eyes on!"
"Hmm," he said in agreement. "Though, not as amazing as it once was. That is why we decided not to rebuild."
"And why you wrote Releeshahn."
Atrus smiled. "Your parents have told you everything, it seems."
"We'll have to see about that one, Uncle. Now, we have to find that desert fellow and get him out of here."
"A Prison Age is more appropriate, I should think."
Anna looked back at the man in shock as she made her way down the outcropping they had linked to. "Isn't it a bit extreme, though? No one would believe his stories back up on the surface."
"Words, mere words, perhaps…spoken, but not written down. He took books with him, Anna, and he has the journal still. That's proof enough for those traders up above--and they can make anyone believe anything."
"I'll have to take your word for it. You lived up there for a while, not me. Just," she spun around taking in all her surroundings in one quick sweep, "where do we even start to look? This place is huge! He could be anywhere."
Atrus pointed out on the lake. "He's on the lake. Look."
Anna looked. Indeed, the man was rowing as if he were being chased by ghosts from K'Veer's past.
"We'll cut him off at the docks."
"What if he doesn't go that way?"
"He'll very easily get himself lost. Grandmother put a lot of things in that journal, but, thank the Maker, she didn't bother to map out the city in detail. He'll know the names of the sectors and of the mansions. Nothing more. Also, it takes a good hour or more to row from one side to the other. We can easily predict where he will land."
Anna threw up her hands in defeat. "Alright, alright! I get it. Let's just get down there and grab him before his slimy hide gets away."
Atrus looked at her sternly. "Where did you learn such ignorance?"
The girl rubbed her lips together. "A few of my D'ni friends back home. They're my age." She shrugged and continued her trek down the steep rock face.
Atrus clicked his tongue in slight disapproval as he followed his niece.
Once at the docks, the two ducked behind some long-abandoned crates and equipment, watching the man in the boat. Before long, he bumped into the jetty and began to clamber out, lugging a satchel heavy with books. Atrus and Anna made their move. Lunging out from their hiding space, Atrus left Anna to leap on the fellow and knock him flat to the ground, her small stature hiding the immense strength she possessed, as he grabbed up the sack.
"The Rehevkor and Korokh Jimah!" he cried in shock. "Where did you find these?"
"I'll tell you nothing!" the man shouted between grunts as Anna thrust her fists upon him.
"Just hold him still, Anna," Atrus said calmly. "There is no need for violence here. That is," he stepped right up close to where Messulah's chin met the ground, "unless our new friend decides to try to harm us or run away further."
Anna snatched up her prey's hands and held them tightly behind his back. Messulah groaned in pain.
"By what are you called?" Atrus asked him.
"Why should I tell you?"
"Anna, bend his elbows back."
The girl looked up at her uncle curiously. It wasn't like him to be violent or even speak of such things, but she did as she was told. The ahrotahn howled.
"Alright, I shall tell you!" he squeaked once the girl was through. "I am Messulah Darianus, and I came here to find out about the old mad woman up in the cleft. I found her journal and was intrigued by it. I came only to seek truth in it is all!"
"I was informed by a very good source that you want to learn to Write Ages. Could I ask why?"
"My lips are sealed."
"Anna."
She nodded and bent his elbows some more.
"Fine!" he screamed. "I want to learn so that I may have all the power you possess! It is nothing really!"
"Thirst for power, nothing? That is where you are wrong, my friend." Atrus reached into his own pack and pulled out a small linking book.
"What is that?" Messulah asked, temporarily forgetting the devil of a girl on his back and the pain she was inflicting.
"A book linking to all the power, wealth and glory any one man could possibly want," Atrus replied temptingly, turning the book slowly about in the air, looking at it with feigned admiration and pride. "Simply touch the panel, and all will be yours." He opened the book and an immense treasure room appeared.
Anna gaped at the spinning picture along with Messulah until she remembered what the book really was. It's a Prison Age.
The greedy trader laughed and reached out a hand to the page as Anna released him. In a flash, he was gone, though his shouts of anger could be heard only moments later.
"Shouldn't we destroy the link?" Anna asked Atrus after he had stashed the book away.
"There is no need," he replied. "Messulah is no threat." He pulled some papers from the man's satchel. "You see?" He showed Anna the illiterate scrawl.
"That's supposed to be D'ni?"
Atrus laughed as he put the papers back. "He probably can't even write in his own language and script. Well, shall I show you around?"
The girl beamed and followed her uncle as he told her about every building as they came to it: what it had been, who had lived or worked there, and how old it probably was.
"And that's Kerath's Arch?" she asked as they approached the massive structure.
"None other."
Anna held her head as she looked up with wonder at the great pillars of black granite. Never before had she seen anything so huge. "And where is it that you and your father lived for that time?"
"On K'Veer," he said pointing. "I had been trapped in the room near the very bottom of the island. It is where many of my Ages came into being before Myst was written."
She saw the pain in his eyes. "Don't think about it if it bothers you. There are still more wonders to see…though, I think it's time to get back to Tomahna."
Atrus cocked his head to the side, his anguish forgotten. "Anna, the one who so desperately wanted to see D'ni is ready to leave?" he said in disbelief.
The girl gave him an odd half smile as she pulled out the linking book that would take them home. "I have my moments. We should leave now, though, before I change my mind." She opened the book, and the two linked through.
Back on Tomahna, Atrus stacked the books Messulah had taken on a shelf and sat down to look at the Age Anna had been sent with. She was left to wander and poke about. She opened the linking book to Riven and stared sadly at the flaming sparks that flew across the panel for minutes on end.
"By the Maker," she heard her uncle mutter. "This is…this is ingenious!"
"What? What is?" Anna said rushing over and peering over his shoulder with one hand on the back of his chair and the other on the arm.
Atrus moved the book closer to her that they both might see. "Look here. This page contains the entire basic description of the Age. The rest go only into slighter detail, but have a look at this…." He pointed to a single character at the bottom of the page. "It's on every page, and gets more detailed along with everything else, except to a much greater degree."
"What does it mean?"
He shook his head. "I haven't the slightest clue, but it's what is making this Age possible the way it is. I can tell you that. Nothing else would hold such a stable Age for so long. This Age is old, Anna. Perhaps older than the link to Terahnee in D'ni. What I want to know is: what is it, and how did it get into D'ni in the first place?"
"We could link there and find out," Anna replied, picking up the Tomahna linking book from its place on the desktop.
"No, it is too dangerous yet. We know too little about the place."
"Oma researched all that he could. I'll bet the Council made me bring that in hopes that someone would link through."
"They probably expected it to be you, as well, prin-bigto. And I am very glad that you did not take that risk."
Anna looked solidly at him. "I had no linking book. What fool would go to another Age with no linking book back?"
Atrus laughed but did not answer as Catherine burst into the study.
"You've finally decided to come back, have you?" she said scoldingly to Atrus. "I've been fretting for the past two hours! It's Yeesha. I can't find her. One moment she's helping me in the kitchen, the next, she's gone. I figured that I may find her here going among your Ages, but I didn't see her at all. And I've had Tanya checking all the Ages she could." The woman leaned on the desk, her face mere inches from her husband's. "Hello, Anna," she said without breaking her steely gaze from Atrus.
Anna waved sheepishly and snatched the odd linking book up innocently from the desk before Catherine had a chance to see it. No use worrying the woman more because Anna knew exactly where Yeesha had gone. One of Atrus' linking books to Tomahna--there were only three--was missing from the shelf, and it was not the one she held in her other hand.
"Knowing Yeesha," she spoke up boldly, "she probably went to Releeshahn or something. Trust me on this one."
Atrus nodded. "Anna's right, Catherine. Yeesha would not go anywhere she knew could be dangerous. She probably went looking for Anna. After all, the plan for her to come here was not to be put into action until a week from now. The girl was probably bored, and knowing her culinary skills, a little annoyed with herself."
Catherine nodded and slowly stood gracefully up to her full height, towering over Anna. "Of course, of course." She put a hand to her forehead and made her way to the door. "Anyone for something to eat? Supper is ready."
Atrus smiled and bolted from his chair. "Indeed! I'm famished. Have you eaten recently, Anna? I know your time of day is a little off from ours."
She shook her head. "I ate right before I came. Though…could I read a bit more?"
Her uncle smiled. "Of course. Just don't link anywhere without consulting me first. However, if Tanya shows up and asks you to come along to wherever, feel free to do so. She'll keep a good eye on you, I'm sure."
Anna's eyebrows went up.
"It's time you learned more about the Ages," he replied, seeing her confused expression. "Read about them first, and, later Tanya will show you around. She knows just as much about them as I."
"I will, Uncle Atrus. And thank you so much."
He smiled as he pulled the doors closed behind Catherine and himself.
As soon as they were out and their voices no longer audible, Anna grabbed Atrus' pack, stuffed the food from hers and Boogin in there, threw open a random Descriptive Book, hid the new Age under a part of the desk that was close to the floor, shoved her hand on the panel and linked through to the Maker knew where. Tanya will find me if something goes wrong, she thought. After all, she saved Myst, Riven and Releeshahn…why shouldn't she save me and Yeesha? Not like we'll need saving, of course.