Teroglahn:

-::cough::- Go look at Chapter 1, 2 to 4. -::cough::-

There is where I explain why there aren't any spoilers for Revelation. Anyway, I'm sure people who haven't played Revelation yet are very happy. -::winks::-

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Break- K'veer

The Council ordered the shaft repaired, the top tunnel completed, and then they sealed it. There was to be no breakthrough, no meeting with the surface-dwellers. Book of Ti'ana

That was before my great-grandmother came. Ti'ana, bringer of destruction.

She showed the D'ni for what they truly were...showed all the hate and malice they had for outsiders, for ahrotahntee... For the Bahro.

They said the ahrotahntee could not write- they were wrong of course. At that moment though, I was no better then them...I could not write Ages. I could not mold my words to create beautiful worlds.

We call it Tomahna. Myst III: Exile

Tomahna- 'home' in D'ni. We returned home. Down to the underground city, up to the book room of K'veer and then home...across the expanse of the galaxy. But it was home.

--

Part 2- Tomahna

Breathtaking, isn't it? ...We moved here after Atrus finished writing Releeshahn. He wanted us to have a new home too. Myst III: Exile

The fierce sun of Tomahna was beating down hard upon the house. Stepping into her room, Yeesha hurried to open a window to release the built up heat.

Resting her elbows on the windowsill, Yeesha closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She was so tired from the journey back. It had taken three days to reach the city again; once there though, it had only been the matter of placing a hand upon the linking panel to return to the house.

Eedrah hadn't been there to greet them unlike what Atrus was expecting, but Yeesha knew he would show up soon- probably with Anna in tow. Thinking about her best friend made Yeesha grin.

What a lot I will have to tell her about, she thought.

Anna had been terribly jealous that she was getting to go to the surface and, although she didn't say anything, Yeesha knew Anna believed it was unfair. And maybe it was. After all she and Anna were just about sisters; the two of them were born almost at the same time and had been raised together. Sometimes it was almost like they were twins, being so in-tune with each other's thoughts.

Yet...there was a difference.

Yeesha was Atrus and Katran's child.

True, Eedrah and Marrim were just as respected and honored by the D'ni and Terahnee but there was always an unspoken difference. It showed in the way people's eyes flew to Yeesha first and then to Anna. Anna never said anything but, lately, Yeesha had begun to feel the difference sharply, which was why she had been so excited when Atrus and Katran told her about the trip to the Cleft a few weeks back. Anything to get away from the oppressing distinction between Anna and herself.

From behind her there came the sound of a light tapping on the door. Turning around, Yeesha called out,

"Come in!"

Anna's round face peered around the doorway at her.

"I was worried that you might be sleeping."

"And when have you ever cared about that?" laughed Yeesha.

"Ever since you got back from your long trip," responded Anna, stepping in and shutting the door behind her.

Anna was very pretty, even Yeesha had to admit that. Often she felt that Anna was far and away more attractive then she ever could be. Anna had beautifully tanned skin, was tall and slender and had flowing, silky black hair. Yeesha was short, relatively shapeless, at least where it mattered, with hair which never stayed where she put it and was always in her eyes. She had given up long ago ever hopping to be as pretty as her friend was, although she still sometimes imagined what it would be like.

I suppose it balances out in the end. Anna gets the looks and I get the looks.

"So..." said Anna while plopping down onto the bed. "What was it like?"

Pretending to think for a moment, Yeesha answered dully, "Sandy."

Anna promptly threw a pillow at her. Grabbing the pillow, Yeesha rushed forward and attacked her with it. Two minutes later when both of them were sitting on the bed, giggling, Anna asked again.

"It wasn't what I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be more...exotic. It really looked rather plain." answered Yeesha fiddling with her nails, trying to get the last grains of sand out.

"And..." prompted Anna.

"And what?" said Yeesha standing and picking up pillows from the ground.

"Come on, Yeesha! You have that look about you. It's the same look that your mother gets when she has just had a dream."

"Mother has dreams every night."

"You know what I mean," said Anna disgustedly. "I mean one of those dreams. Like the one she had about your father."

I dreamed of a dead man floating in the pool, and now you're here! Book of Atrus

"I didn't have a dream...but. Oh I don't know, Anna! Do you ever feel like you are going to go crazy trying to understand something that you know you should be able to?"

"All the time. Like the trouble with my Ages."

"At least you know how to write. Father hasn't even begun to teach me. I...I don't know."

Reaching over and catching Yeesha's hand, Anna smiled warmly at her.

"Don't worry, Yeesha. Everything will make sense soon, I'm sure of it."

"I sure hope so," Yeesha said with a sigh.

Laughing Anna shoved her making Yeesha stumble back a few steps.

"Don't you believe me?!"

"Only sometimes!!" cried Yeesha.

For a moment Anna pretended to be hurt, not looking Yeesha's direction and pouting. Eventually though, after many silly antics on Yeesha's part, Anna ended up forgiving her and asking for a description of her favorite part of the Cleft.

"The Cleft," said Yeesha kneeling down on the bed. "The Cleft has a pool at the bottom and by it is a baby tree..."

--

Eedrah had deep green eyes. Actually they were more of a cross between blue and green and at that moment they were focused on Atrus where he sat at his desk, reading a long, leather-bound book. Atrus was somewhat bothered by Eedrah staring at him, especially with the anxious expression on the younger man's face.

Setting the book down, Atrus placed his hand upon its cover and shook his head.

"Who wrote the additional parts?" he asked.

Eedrah's face fell. Sighing, he collapsed into the nearby chair which he refused earlier.

"Who else?" he said dejectedly. "I wrote it. Is it that bad?"

Atrus looked at the man sharply. He knew Eedrah had talent with writing Ages and the man was no fool. Why would he ask such a question? Surely he must know the answer already. But then would he, Atrus, want to admit to himself the same thing if he was in Eedrah's place?

"Yes- it is that bad. The whole Age is destroyed. To link would be suicide."

Atrus watched as the man rested his chin in his hand glared out the window. It wasn't that Eedrah was disappointed in Anna, neither Eedrah nor Marrim were as shallow as that. But Atrus knew how much writing meant to Anna; she had been fascinated with the process ever since she was little. How many times had she toddled into his study when she was hardly old enough to walk and sit on the carpet just enthraled as Atrus wrote. Writing was everything to Anna and Eedrah only wanted her wish to be a Writer become a reality.

Yet now...after this book. There was no way.

More than a year has gone by since I finished writing Releeshahn. I have a new daughter, who I hope will one day Link to an Age with me. As I imagine Yeesha, leading the D'ni, those brave men and women are building a new life for themselves, I realize I've been given another chance as well. A chance to learn from my mistakes, and leave the past behind, once and for all. Myst III: Exile

Pushing aside his memories, Atrus refocused his attention on Eedrah. The man was still staring out the window but he seemed a bit more resigned to the facts now.

"I guess..." Eedrah started. "Anna...fffffmm! Marrim thought so too I could tell she just- we just...We couldn't admit it. Are you sure Atrus? Is there nothing we can do?"

"Eedrah, I'm sorry. You did everything that I would have- I have nothing more to add. I wish I could give more help. This is a horrible thing and I understand how terrible this will be for Anna, losing a second Age...especially one with people on it- ones that she knew. Believe me, I wish I could reverse this, or create some way to save the people, but I can't and both you and Anna know the reasons why."

"I suppose I should go tell her," sighed Eedrah, rising.

Handing him back the book, Atrus felt his heart go out to Anna and the people of the now dead Age.

"Tell her I am sorry and that if she wants to, she may stay a while here in Tomahna instead of going back to Releeshahn. Yeesha I know will be more then happy to talk things over with her."

"Thank you, Atrus. I am sorry to put you through all this; it isn't easy for any of us."

"That's all right. And Eedrah," Atrus called to the man as he headed out the door, "Anna will find her path, I know she will."

Once Eedrah had left, Atrus stood up and walked onto the balcony. Here he could overlook the beautiful rolling landscape of Tomahna. Here the marvel of it all always struck Atrus. How he could write of beautiful Ages but which already existed long before he was even born, never ceased to amaze him.

It was Terokh Jeruth, the great tree of possibility. He had seen that tree many times; at both its worst and its best. One turn could make and unmake a world; one step could form or destroy a life forever.

And what about the choice I just made?

Had he just destroyed or helped to form a life? In his decision about Anna, was it the right one? Should he have tried something more?

There was no way for him to be certain. Only time would be able to answer his question. Time was the only one who could ever answer of his questions, such as about how he dealt with Yeesha.

Catherine's voice echoed in his head again. 'Atrus, I think it is time you taught Yeesha how to write.'

Teach Yeesha the Art...and what if things went wrong?

And what if they don't?

Clenching his fist in frustration, Atrus struggled with himself. But all he could think of was what if he didn't teach Yeesha and it destroyed whatever life laid ahead of her.

"Between guessing and knowing is a long dark tunnel," he muttered to himself. "And one of those days that tunnel is going to be the death of me."

And opening the door to his study he went off in search of Catherine.

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