This part of the game, learning about Achenar and listening to his memories, always made me want to cry. I love the way they did his redemption arc. Robyn and Rand Miller are amazing. The Myst games are not just about puzzle solving. They are about the deeply emotional stories that you uncover and piece together as you progress.

"So he really did make those totems out of respect for the animals he had killed," Trace commented. "Very interesting."

"Very heartbreaking," Melody corrected. "He has suffered so much."

"So has Sirrus," Trace pointed out. "The difference is, Achenar learned from his suffering and changed for the better. Sirrus became bitter and vengeful."

"I can't wait to get my hands on him," she said.

"Get in line," he replied.

Once they exited the house, they realized the bridge led around the house to the other side. A path led into what they assumed was the South jungle Achenar had spoken about in his journal. The path led up a hill with a short jump down to the other side. Melody had been about to jump when a snarling sound made Trace grab her arm to hold her back. A camodile appeared out of nowhere, snarling at them from below.

"Ah," Melody said, narrowing her eyes. "We meet again."

"I highly doubt that's the same one."

"Not the point. They're all alike. Ugly, evil stupid-head."

The camodile snarled.

"Don't take that tone with me," Melody said sharply. "You don't even know if you're a cat or a reptile."

Trace eyed her. "You do realize you're talking to an animal who cannot understand a word you're saying."

"Once again Trace, not the point."

There was no way around him. The foliage was too thick to go through. In trying to scout out an alternate trail, Trace spotted what looked like another hunting post. Making their way carefully along a thin ledge, with the camodile following and snarling at them the whole way, they eventually made it to the post and climbed up. It was built the same as the hunting post, but this was noticeably weapon-free.

"Trace, look. What's that?"

From the post, they could see a bunch of small nests with covers that had been built onto the trees nearby. They looked like miniature versions of the tree-dweller's homes in Channelwood. Ropes linked each nest to the other. As they watched, a mangree popped out of one of the nests and traversed the rope to another, the camodile following beneath it.

"That is so adorable!" Melody exclaimed. "Achenar must have made those for the mangrees."

"Nice craftsmanship," Trace agreed. "I see he didn't just develop a talent for art but for architecture as well. It looks like he got some of his father's genes after all."

"Believe me, I'm going to get Atrus to give Achenar a chance even if I have to lock them in the same room together."

A rope hanging inside the post led to some kind of horn on the roof. Curious, Melody pulled it. The horn blared. In response, a mangree popped out of the nest above the camodile and chittered angrily. Grabbing a piece of fruit the monkey lobbed it at the camodile, striking it on the head. The camodile stumbled around. Melody could almost see the stars flying around his head. In trying to regain its equilibrium, the camodile bumped into a large plant.

Melody's mouth dropped in surprise when the plant vibrated and green smoke appeared. The camodile took one whiff and was down for the count.

Melody looked over her shoulder at Trace. "That must have been what happened when that camodile attacked me before. The grass was so tall I didn't notice any of those plants, but he must have hit one and gotten us both gassed."

"Very fortunate for you," Trace said, and pointed. "And for us. It seems our mangree friend has cleared the path for us."

They followed the path at the bottom of the hill, past the camodile which Melody stuck her tongue out at as they passed, under the mangree nests and finally to another tree house like building high off the ground. It was slightly larger than the hunting posts. Several mangrees were running, jumping and playing on and around the hut. Climbing the ladder made of woven vines, they saw a table woven from sticks and vines tied to one wall. On the table was a stack of well-made shirts. Melody felt one and the necklace glowed.

Catherine's voice. "It's a gift Achenar. I made it for you. Don't you like it?"

Achenar's voice, confused. "No… I mean yes, yes I like it! It's just that… its soft… almost forgot what soft feels like…"

Melody ignored the stinging in her eyes and focused on the other thing on the table. Yet another journal.

Went back to the wreck today to salvage some things. Saw something incredible! A building. A building with bars inside. And a linking book, but its behind glass. Out of reach.

Father must have made it. Why? Is he going to come here?

Heard the sound of a horn coming from the cove and went to see what it was. Must've taken too long cuz when I got there the chamber was empty. But someone had been there, cuz I found a package laying on the floor. It was a compass.

What am I supposed to do with a compass?

Gave the compass to the mangrees. They really like it. It's become their new game to hide it and see who can find it first. It keeps them busy and out of my paints.

Father would be happy to see his gift put to good use.

Missed the horn again. Got to find a faster way done to the cove. Maybe I can rig something.

Finished the zipline, but the horn hasn't sounded in a while. Hope whoever it is hasn't given up. Would be nice to talk to someone who actually talks back instead of shrieks or chitters.

I can't believe it. Father actually came. The bars between us only added to the intensity. He didn't have much to say. Neither did I for that matter.

What is there to say?

I think we were both happy when the visit ended.

I saw my mother today.

She was nervous. Constantly wringing her hands and forcing happiness into her voice. At least we actually had a conversation.

When she left she looked sad.

Did I say something to make her sad?

Father came again. Wanted to talk about the books Sirrus and I burned? Couldn't concentrate. I don't want to talk about the books. I don't want to hear the screams again. I don't want to see the faces when I close my eyes.

Stupid.

Stupid.

Shouldn't have done it. Should've known.

But she looked so sad. I couldn't help it. I reached through the bars and touched Mother. She looked scared and Father made her leave. The look he gave me before he followed.

Was I too rough? I don't know. I'm not sure how to be gentle.

Did I hurt her?

Mother came again without Father and I apologized. She said not to worry, that I hadn't hurt her. We talked for a long time about the mangrees and the house I built on the lake. For the first time since she started coming, she looked happy when she left.

Unbelievable.

I have a sister.

A little sister.

I wasn't sure what Father wanted to hear, but he seemed satisfied when I asked to meet her.

Met my little sister today. Her name is Yeesha. She's such a little thing. Reminds me of a mangree. I can already see bits of Father and Mother in her. She's so happy. She smiled at me so easily.

I wonder what Father has told her about our past. If she knew, she wouldn't smile at me.

Mother wanted to talk about that girl today. Melody is her name. Mother wanted to know what I thought about her.

Was I right to say I didn't know?

I don't really feel anything. Maybe if I try to draw her… maybe I'll have some kind of feeling to tell Mother the next time she visits.

What followed were several pages of half-done sketches. All had the silhouette of a girl with long hair, but the details of the face were shadowed. Evidently Achenar hadn't remembered that much about her. That made it all the more disturbing that Sirrus had remembered her in such detail.

Feeling slightly sick, Melody hurriedly continued reading.

Fool!

Idiot!

Have you learned nothing?!

I tried to be gentle with Mother and I couldn't do it.

Today I repeated my mistake with Yeesha. I showed her my sketches of the karnaks. She loves my sketches. Wants me to teach her. She couldn't get the shape right. She makes them look too much like birds. I went to the wreck and brought back some karnak bones to show her that their different from birds.

I made a mistake. Father was angry. Ordered Yeesha to leave just like Mother. Gave me the same look too.

What does he want from me? What does he want?!

When the horn sounded today, I went down expecting Father to be there. But it was Yeesha, by herself. We talked and drew for a while. One of the younger mangrees had come with me and slipped through the bars to sit in Yeesha's lap.

Yeehsa talked about Sirrus. They go and visit him in Spire regularly. Father visits Sirrus more than me. They always had more in common with their machines and their experiments. Endless complicated experiments.

I like it more when Mother and Yeesha come. It's less tense, more fun.

Yeesha wants to bring that girl Melody to visit me.

I wonder if she'll look at me with the same eyes as Father.

Melody felt a wave of guilt. Yes, she would have looked at him with the same condemning eyes. Atrus had been trying to protect Catherine and Yeesha, but in the process had been alienating Achenar.

When Yeesha said she had to leave, she reached through the bars and patted my arm. I stood in the same place long after she left. I couldn't stop staring at the place she had touched.

To be touched by another human being was… strange.

Melody didn't know she was crying until she felt Trace's arm around her shoulders. "He was so starved for human affection. It's so heartbreaking."

"We'll make things right," Trace promised her. "But Melody, this journal doesn't say anything about Serenia."

She looked back through the journal and skimmed through the remaining blank pages. "You're right. Then where is the journal he wanted me to find?"

"If it's back in Serenia, we wasted a lot of time," he said.

"No," Melody said, shaking her head. "This wasn't a waste. We found the real Achenar. We know we can trust him now. We have to get back to Serenia and find him. If we all join forces, we can still stop Sirrus and rescue Yeesha. And Achenar will have proved once and for all to Atrus that he deserves a second chance."

Does anyone else want to give Achenar a big hug and cuddle? I loved thinking about and exploring his character, imagining what he could have been thinking or feeling during the visits. I have always felt that things could have been so different if Atrus had given Achenar the same attention he had given Sirrus.

Thank you for reading. If you feel like it, please leave a review to let me know what you think.