Hi hi! *wave* Special thanks to a reviewer named Winona who is following the story and giving me good critique. To answer your question about the maze : I spent WAY too long in that place and had WAY too many nightmares about it. I thought it best not to relieve the horror by writing about it. Plus for the sake of the story I wanted to simplify some of the more complex and long-winded puzzles. Don't worry, a LOT of them are still in the story. I think I only left out three puzzles from the entire series and that is saying something. Thank you for the reviews you have given me. I really appreciate it and it encourages me to keep going.

Hence, this chappie is dedicated to Winona :)

With slow, heavy steps she entered the library. Taking a deep breath, she placed the red page in the book and opened it.

Sirrus looked incredibly happy to see her. "You finally returned. I owe you a debt of gratitude Melody, for you have nearly released me."

Melody bit her lip. "Throughout this whole thing I thought that if I couldn't save both you and Achenar, I would probably save you over him. But now I'm not as sure. The things I saw and heard in Channelwood... I'm very confused Sirrus and it is more important than ever that you tell me the truth now."

He nodded understandingly. "Very well. I suppose I do owe you some explanation. I was imprisoned by my father. Father was a master of the books. He wrote hundreds of them, all describing and linking to the fantastic worlds and ages which he had discovered," he sighed and shook his head. "Such a waste. Achenar burnt most of these books. Our father was always watchful... grew up under his strict supervision. But when we became old enough he gave us unbridled access to the books. My brother began to become disturbed. Soon he gave in to his twisted pleasure of conquest and destruction. It was horrific."

"Why didn't you do something about it?" Melody asked. "You were there."

"I discovered his insanity too late. In warning my father, I thought he would recognize Achenar's guilt. But in a fit of rage, he imprisoned us both until he could determine which of us was guilty. He has never returned," Sirrus lowered his head. "I can only assume he is dead, leaving me trapped forever," he looked up at her and smiled charmingly. "But now you are here. You must find one more page and I will be forever grateful."

Melody shook her head. "That still doesn't answer my questions about what I saw in Channelwood. What was the meaning of that message you left for Achenar about only taking one page?"

"There is no time," he said, a slight hurried tone in his voice. "... last book on the middle shelf. Find pattern 158 and recreate it in the door of the fireplace. There you will find a secret room that holds the last red page. Ignore the blue page," he said, a hard gleam in his eyes. "It chills me to think what would happen to you if you release Achenar."

"Sirrus, you didn't answer my question," she reminded him.

"One more warning," he went on as if he hadn't heard her, "there is a green book in that secret room as well. If you touch it, you will be imprisoned forever. Our father gave us this same warning long ago."

"Sirrus!" Melody said, exasperated. "Would you please just give me a straight answer?!"

"I promise I will tell you everything once you release me," he said impatiently. "Go now. Soon we will meet face to face."

With that, he faded.

"Oh no you don't," she said, closing the book and opening it again. "You have to answer me this time. Sirrus? Sirrus!"

When he didn't respond, she slammed the book shut. Now she was more suspicious than ever. Why wouldn't he answer her questions? Why was he so adamant that she release him before he would tell her anything? Her trust for Sirrus had been wavering for a while and now it was nearly dead.

She went to the blue book and replaced the page. She would listen to Achenar one last time and then decide who she would believe.

For once he didn't greet her with his usual crazy giggle. This time he merely smiled. "I'm glad to see that you returned to help me."

"Not yet Achenar," she said firmly. "First I want some answers. Sirrus refuses to answer me and that makes me not want to trust him anymore."

"It was Sirrus my wicked brother who did this to me. Do not listen to him I warn you! He is a liar! Do not be persuaded by his evil lies! Do not release him. He killed my father! He will kill you!"

"So you keep telling me," she replied. "Achenar, I am giving you the chance to tell me the truth. I want to know everything."

"... began when Sirrus began to lust for riches. He stole from the Ages, hoarding all the riches for himself. While Father was away, Sirrus pronounced himself king of the Ages. Then he began to destroy them: burned their forests, pulled down their structures, flooded their lands, murdered their inhabitants."

"Why didn't you stop him?" she asked. "Or go to your father?"

"I tried to warn Father, but Sirrus got to him first with his clever talk. Lying tongue of a serpent! He convinced Father that I had destroyed the Ages, that I was greedy for wealth and plunder, tricked him into believing that I was a murderer. But as Father died, he doubted Sirrus' lies and imprisoned us both... swear to you what I say is true! My brother deserves to be punished! I only wish for vengeance for my dear father..." he had tears in his eyes as he spoke. "I only need one more page to be free."

"If Sirrus was the one destroying the Ages," Melody asked suspiciously. "Then why were your rooms filled with weapons, why was your face above that altar in Channalwood? Did you use that altar for sacrifices? You need to tell me Achenar."

"There will be time for that later..."

"No, not later," she said. "Now Achenar."

"On the far right of the middle shelf is a book. Find pattern 158 and copy it on the fireplace. Find the blue page and return quickly."

Melody felt her temper rising. "Achenar, you're not listening to me. I want you to tell me..."

"Don't touch the green book," he warned, interrupting her. "It's a prison book. You will rot and die trapped. Follow my instructions and it will be worth your while, I promise you that."

"Achenar..."

"Go!"

With that he faded.

Melody wanted to scream in frustration. They were avoiding her questions on purpose. Why should she free either of them?

The answer came immediately.

Because there was no one else who could possibly tell her how to get home.

But which one would help her and which one would kill her?

The book of patterns was easy to find. Taking it with her, she went inside the fireplace as she had done when she had first arrived in Myst. Studying pattern 158 closely, Melody copied it on the wall on the inside of the fireplace.

She threw her arms out the steady herself as the entire fireplace rotated.

The secret room was more like a secret book shelf. There were two shelves. On the bottom shelf sat the blue and red pages, propped up next to each other. The green book they had warned her about was on the upper shelf.

Melody stared at the pages, looking from one to the other. Which one should she take? Which man did she believe?

She picked up the blue page and studied it.

From what she had seen about Achenar he was a violent, cruel, bloodthirsty man. She shook her head. There was no way she could trust him. She replaced the paper on the shelf.

She picked up the red page and studied it as well.

Achenar had claimed that Sirrus was greedy and hoarded the riches of the Ages. Everything she had seen related to Sirrus in the ages proved this to be true. She could see him twisting words and lying as easily as she could see Achenar murdering someone.

She replaced the red page on the shelf.

Everything she had seen since the Mechanical Age spoke against the brothers and nothing had vindicated them. She had seen no evidence that either of their stories were true.

So what now? Was she just going to be trapped on Myst Island forever, unable to go anywhere but to the four deserted ages with only two conniving brothers for company?

Her gaze went to the green book.

There was another option.

Sirrus and Achenar had both warned her not to touch the green book. It was the only part of their stories that agreed with each other. But could she trust their word? Everything she had learned told her she couldn't, but what if this was the one thing they were telling the truth about? What if she became trapped too?

Slowly, she reached up and took the green book off the shelf.

What did she really have to lose?

Hesitating easily a hundred times, she opened the book...

Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw inside.

A man sat writing at a desk.

Melody gasped and nearly dropped the book. There was another person here!

He looked up at her gasp. "Who the devil are you?" he asked in surprise.

Melody couldn't believe her eyes. She recognized the man.

"Atrus!" she exclaimed. "You're Atrus! I thought you were dead! Where are you? What are you doing in there? How did you get in there? Are you trapped? Where is Catherine? Are you..."

He lifted a hand to stop her. "I have many questions for you as well. Who are you?"

"My name is Melody," she said, still not believing what she was seeing. "I'll come there and we can..."

"Don't come here to D'ni," he warned her. "Not yet. You seem to know me, yet I'm sure I've never seen you before."

Melody nodded. "Yes sir. I found a linking book to Myst in my great-uncle's attic. I didn't know what it was and accidently linked to Myst."

"Ah, the linking books. They are an Art I learned from my father many years ago. I assume you have met my sons, otherwise you wouldn't have known about this hiding place."

"Yes, I met them. But they both told me you were dead."

"Where are they now?" Atrus asked tensely.

"Trapped in the red and blue books."

He relaxed and nodded. "Yes, of course. I wrote the red and blue books to trap thieves. I had no idea they would end up trapping my own sons."

"They've been trying to convince me to free them," Melody informed him. "What really happened? I've been told two very different stories."

"I gave them free reign over the books. Their imaginations went wild. They dreamed of riches and power. They devised a plan, an evil plan to trap me here. They used their own mother, my dear Catherine, to lure me here to D'ni. Then they removed a single page from the book. I cannot return without that page. Please find it and bring it to me by linking here," he smiled. "I pray you believe me over the lies my sons have told you."

"Of course I do Atrus. I will return as soon as I find the page."

She closed the book and decided to take it with her as she returned to the library.

She eyed the red and blue books.

Why not? They deserved it.

Going to the red book first, she waited for Sirrus to come into view.

He looked disappointed. "I see you have not brought the red page. Maybe you did not understand my instructions. Go to the bookshelf and find..."

He broke off when she held up the green book. "You're busted," she said angrily. "I know everything. You lied to me."

"No," he said quickly. "Melody, you don't understand..."

"I understand perfectly," she interrupted him. "You tried to trick me into releasing you. What would you have done then? Killed me in cold blood? It's over Sirrus. Now I know the truth and you'll never be free to hurt people again."

"No Melody! Listen to me! Melody...!"

She slammed the book shut, cutting off his pleading cries.

Next she went to the blue book.

"You've returned!" Achenar said in shock. "Where is the blue page?! Why did you not bring it?!"

"I came to tell you I will not be freeing you Achenar," she held up the green book. "You lied to me. Atrus is still alive. I know everything."

Achenar looked so scared Melody almost felt sorry for him. "No! You can't leave me here! You must free me! Free me! Free me...!"

Melody slowly closed the book, drowning out Achenar's demands for help.

She didn't feel sorry for either of them.

Yay! Melody made the right choice! No bad endings!

...

What?

Moving on, this may be the end of one journey for Melody but as any true Myst fan knows the end of one game is the beginning of another. Next chapter will be filler stuff and then *drum roll* we will be going to Riven! See ya later!