So here it is, the last part of Riven. Next time we will start heading towards Exile. :)

Forgot the legal stuff last time, so just pretend I did it twice this time : I do not own Myst or any of the characters. All I own is Melody and Trace.

Once the reached Prison Island, they wasted no time in setting Catherine free. At the barred elevator there was a panel with four small levers. Pulling each of them according to the paper Melody had found in Gehn's bedchamber (4, 4, 1, 1) caused the bars to lower. They rode the elevator up to Catherine's prison.

She was waiting for them. As soon as the elevator stopped, she darted inside and pulled the lever to descend. "We have to move quickly," she told them. "Gehn's men may already know what's happening. Can I see the book?"

Melody handed Catherine the prison book. Catherine opened it cautiously and peered inside. Her eyes widened and she smiled. "You did it!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "We're all free! You captured Gehn!"

"There are still his followers," Trace pointed out. "I don't know what they'll do once they realize he is gone."

"Throw a party?" Melody suggested.

Trace frowned. "This is no time for jokes."

Catherine shook her head. "What you have to understand Melody is that the villagers have lived under Gehn's rule for so long that, even though they were oppressed, at least with him they knew what to expect. This is the first time in over thirty years that they will be without a leader."

"Why can't they lead themselves?" Melody asked. "I'm sure they would never have fed each other to those ugly monsters."

"I doubt they will remember how to govern themselves. It will take time to adjust. Time that they will not have if they remain on Riven."

"We have to get the villagers to safety," Trace said as the elevator came to a stop.

Catherine agreed. "I'll go with you," she said and turned back to Melody. "Go back to the temple and reopen the fissure. I know it's risky, but it's the only way to signal Atrus."

Melody shook her head. "No way. I promised Atrus I would get you out of here. I'll go with Trace, you open the fissure."

"The people would listen to me before you," Catherine pointed out. "I'm a sort of religious figure to them, a savior. I have to go."

Melody reluctantly agreed to the plan. "Just promise me you'll make it back in time."

"I'll try, but don't wait for me."

Before they linked out, Melody took Catherine's hand. "I'm glad I got to meet you."

Catherine smiled and clasped Melody's hand between her own. "I am glad to have met you as well. I'm sure you have much to tell me, and I can't wait to hear it all. We shall meet again."

Melody wished she could be as confident. She watched Catherine link away after Trace and hoped that it wouldn't be the last time she saw Atrus' wife.

Thankfully Gehn had linking books to all of the islands in his office Age. Melody found the one to Dome Island and linked there. She climbed the stairs and raced through the temple toward the large telescope.

Despite what Catherine had said, she waited.

She waited some more.

After fifteen minutes she knew she couldn't wait any longer. Going to the control panel, she lowered the telescope as far as it would go.

About half an inch from the metal platform, the gears ground to a halt. She had been about to freak out before she realized there was a rock lodged in the machinery. After raising the telescope slightly, she used a metal rod nearby to dislodge the stone. Looking around one last time, she bit her lip and lowered the telescope.

The metal cover over the Star Fissure held momentarily, then broke under the weight of the massive telescope. Melody jumped back to avoid falling in as the telescope and platform were sucked in. Melody stared in shock.

The Star Fissure was a black hole!

She moved farther back as everything nearby : grass, trees, rocks, the metal staircase were all sucked inside. The wind began to blow fiercely and the sky turned dark. The land became a burnt orange color. Small earthquakes began to make the ground tremble under her feet.

Melody stared open-mouthed at the chaos around her. What had she done?!

Looking toward the cage she had appeared in when she had first arrived in Riven, Melody saw Atrus link in. He saw her and raced over. "There isn't much time," he said urgently. "Where's Catherine? Where's the book?"

She handed him the prison book. "Gehn is inside," she told him.

"And Catherine?"

Melody looked into his worried face and her heart sank. "I... don't know..."

"Atrus!" a familiar voice cried.

Melody and Atrus looked up to see a figure running toward them. Husband and wife caught each other in a desperate embrace. Tears stung Melody's eyes as relief flooded her.

Catherine turned to her and smiled. "The villagers are safely in the Rebel Age."

Melody thought of the little girl Neera and smiled. "I'm glad everyone is safe. And Trace?"

Catherine nodded. "He is seeing everyone settled in the Rebel Age."

"Come," Atrus said, holding up the linking book to D'ni. "We must hurry. Riven is breaking apart."

Catherine linked first. Atrus held the book out to Melody. "Go. I shall follow you."

Melody took one last look at Riven, then placed her hand on the page...

Melody woke up slowly and winced. It had been three days since they had returned from Riven and her limbs were still sore.

Before she could get him talking about a way home for her, Atrus and Catherine had insisted that they needed to check on everyone in the Rebel Age. They had told her it would take them a few days.

She sighed and rolled from the bed, groaning at the pain. It was the day they had planned to return. Melody and Atrus had a lot to talk about.

Melody looked down at the clothing she had been given in the Rebel Age. She hadn't had time to get her old clothes back. Maybe Catherine would grab them for her. She didn't want the people back home asking questions. If she ever told another living soul what had happened to her over the previous weeks she would likely find herself tossed into a psych ward. Maybe she'd keep the clothing. It looked pretty cool. Maybe she'd use it for the next costume party she was invited to.

Hard on the heels of that thought came the reminder that she didn't have to worry about being invited anywhere. She had no friends, no family and soon would have no home.

She gave a brief thought to begging cousin Darwin for a little money to get her going, but quickly decided that she would rather live in a cardboard box than become indebted to him. Maybe Atrus and Catherine had something gold that they could give her. The price of gold had skyrocketed in recent years. Maybe that would give her just enough to get her feet on the ground.

Melody spent the morning slowly tidying up the castle-like rooms that Atrus lived in. She'd made quite a bit of progress when she heard footsteps. Looking up, she smiled at Atrus and Catherine.

"Melody," Catherine admonished playfully when she saw her cleaning. "You don't have to do that. Atrus will have it messy again before the day is out."

Melody shrugged. "I needed something to keep me busy."

"We would have taken you with us," Atrus told her, "but you seemed like you needed rest."

Melody nodded. "I did, thank you," she said and winced as she straightened.

Catherine immediately moved to help her. "I'm so sorry Melody. You have endured so much for us... total strangers..."

Melody waved aside her words. "It was nothing."

Catherine smiled. "And there are no words to express how thankful we are to you."

Atrus nodded. "You have accomplished far more than I could have hoped for. You gave me back my life," he smiled warmly at his wife.

"After my adventures in Myst, I felt like I knew you both so well," Melody said. "I had to do what I could to help you."

Catherine pulled her to the corner she had set up as an almost-comfortable seating area. "Now, you must tell me everything that happened. Atrus has only given me part of the story from his view. It is up to you to fill in the blanks. I want to know everything."

And so, Melody told her everything that had happened since her great-uncle had died. She told her about finding the book in the attic and accidently linking to Myst Island. She told about meeting Sirrus and Achenar and her adventures trying to free them. She told of the fear and loneliness she had felt in the devastated Ages. She told of seeing through the brother's schemes and meeting Atrus. Then she told them both of her adventures through Riven and the Rebel Age.

Atrus and Catherine had listened with rapt attention to everything she had told them. Melody felt terrible telling them of the things she had seen in the Ages that Sirrus and Achenar had ruined, but they insisted on knowing.

By the time she finished it was late at night. Catherine had tears in her eyes and Atrus looked gravely troubled.

Melody bowed her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you about what your sons did..."

Catherine hugged her tightly. "I am not crying for my sons Melody," she said kindly. "I'm crying for you."

"Me?" Melody asked in surprised. "Why?"

"Because you have been through so many terribly hard things, most of which were caused by our family."

Atrus nodded. "You are a very brave and strong young woman Melody. It is an honor to have met you and we consider ourselves blessed to have your friendship when we have done nothing to earn it."

Melody shook her head. "I could go my whole life and never meet two more brilliant, brave, amazing, remarkable and caring people ever again. I'm the one who is blessed to have known you."

"Such a sweet heart," Catherine said warmly. "You are truly one of a kind Melody."

"Which makes what I'm about to say that much more difficult," Atrus said, swallowing hard. "Melody, I had hoped I would be able to get you home but I'm afraid that I... I can't..."

Time seemed to freeze around her. A chill ran down her spine to settle in her heart. "What...?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper "...do you mean...?"

Atrus looked even more guilt-ridden than before. "I am truly sorry Melody. The whole time we were in the Rebel Age I tried to think of a way to get you home. But I'm afraid I still don't even know how my linking book even got to your world in the first place. The only thing I can think is that the linking book I dropped into the Star Fissure when we trapped Gehn must have fallen into your world somehow, but with Riven destroyed I don't know how to access the Star Fissure. And even if I did, I don't know if it's safe for human travel. I would not risk your life to find out."

Melody lowered her head to stare at the floor. Tears gathered in her eyes. Her throat felt raw and she didn't trust herself to speak.

Catherine continued to hug her, running a soothing hand up and down her back. "I am sorry Melody... so terribly sorry..."

Atrus knelt to place a hand on her shoulders. "The last thing I wanted was to repay your generosity with disappointment. I am ashamed and heartbroken that I cannot help. Please, forgive me."

Melody shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for," she insisted, her voice cracking a bit. "I don't blame you. It's not your fault. I should have known better. How could you write a linking book to a place you have never been before?"

Atrus smiled. "You are understanding and kind. I promise you I shall not give up trying to find a safe way to send you home."

"Until that time," Catherine said, pulling back to look at her. "We would be honored to have you remain with us. I always wanted a daughter. You told us you had no family. You have one now with us."

Melody began to cry again, this time with tears of joy. "Thank you... you have no idea how much that means to me."

Atrus rose and approached his desk. He laid a hand on the massive book there. "The Age of Riven is closed forever, but it's people are free. I lost my sons and my father, but have gained a valuable friend," he smiled at Catherine and Melody. "In books and in life, the ending can never truly be written..."

Alrighty! Riven is done! On to Exile next time!

See you round the linking book!