Myst

Myst is a graphic adventure video game developed by Cyan Worlds and published by Brøderbund in 1993.

Atrus

My apprehensions might never be allayed, and so I close, realizing that perhaps the ending has not yet been written.

• [Opening voiceover] I realized, the moment I fell into the fissure, that the Book would not be destroyed as I had planned. It continued falling into that starry expanse, of which I had only a fleeting glimpse. I have tried to speculate where it might have landed; I must admit, however, such conjecture is futile. Still, the questions about whose hands might one day hold my Myst Book are unsettling to me. I know my apprehensions might never be allayed, and so I close, realizing that perhaps the ending has not yet been written.

• [Message in the imager by the dock] Catherine, my love, I have to leave quickly. Something terrible has happened. It's hard for me to believe ... most of my Books have been destroyed. Catherine, it's one of our sons! I suspect Achenar, but I shouldn't jump to conclusions. I'll find him, and Sirrus as well. Oh, I should have known better than to have left my library unchecked for so long! [Sighs] Well, I've removed the remaining undamaged Books from the library, and placed them in their places of protection. You shouldn't have to use the Books until I return, but if you've forgotten the access key, remember the tower rotation. Oh, and don't worry, Catherine, everything will be fine. I'll see you shortly. Oh, and erase this message after you've viewed it, just to be safe.

• [First encounter with the player, in the green book in the Myst library's fireplace] Who the devil are you? Don't come here to D'ni—not yet. ... Oh, I have many questions for you, my friend, as you, no doubt, have for me. Where should I begin? Perhaps my story is in order. My name is Atrus. I fear you've met my sons, Sirrus and Achenar, in the red and blue books on Myst Island, in my library. My library ... it contains my works, my writings. I wrote many Books—many Books that linked me to fantastic places. It's an art I learned from my father, many years ago. Oh, but the red and blue books, those were different. I wrote those books to trap overgreedy explorers that might stumble upon my island of Myst. But I had no idea my own sons would be entrapped. My sons, Sirrus and Achenar, we had many journeys together. I gave them free rein to the Books; perhaps it was not wise. I could see the greed growing in them. I had not told them about the red and blue Books. Their imaginations went wild; they dreamed of riches and powers. Of course, they did not know the Books were traps. They begged me for access to those Books, and I, of course, denied them. They devised a plan, an evil plan. I had no idea to what extent their greed had progressed. Their own mother ... they used their own mother—oh, my dear Catherine—to lure me here, to D'ni. Of course, I could return to Myst, except that they removed a single page from my Myst Linking Book; I cannot return without that page. You, my friend, can bring that page to me. Oh, I pray that you believe my story above the lies my sons have told you. If you could find it in yourself to return that page to me, here in D'ni, I could go to Myst and bring justice to my sons for what they have done. I must return to my writing. I pray that you believe me. Please hurry, bring the page. Bring the page with you.

• [Good ending, bringing the page to Atrus in D'ni] Ah, my friend! You've returned. And the page, did you bring the page? Ah, give it to me. You've done the right thing. I have a difficult choice to make. [Pulls out his Myst Linking Book, returns the page to it, and opens it to its linking panel] My sons have betrayed me. I know what I must do. I shall return shortly. [Links to Myst; after a moment, he returns] It is done. Oh, I have many questions for you, my friend, but ... my writing cannot wait. I fear that my long delay may have already had a catastrophic impact on the world in which my wife, Catherine, is now being held hostage. Oh, and ... reward. I'm sorry, but all I have to offer you is the library on the island of Myst—the Books that are contained there. Feel free to explore at your leisure. I hope you find your explorations satisfying. You will no longer have my sons to deal with. [Continues writing] Oh, and, uh ... one more favor. I am fighting a foe much greater than my sons could even imagine. At some point in the future, I may find it necessary to request your assistance. Until that point, feel free to enjoy your explorations from my library on Myst. Thank you again. [Goes to his writing, and after a moment] The Book, my friend; you can use the Myst Linking Book to return to Myst. [Returns to his writing, and does not look up again]

• [Sad ending, going to D'ni without the page] Ah, my friend! You've returned—we meet face-to-face. And the page, did you bring the page? ... [Sighs] You didn't bring the page. You didn't bring the page! [Thumps the book he is writing in, the Book of Riven, in frustration] What kind of fool are you? Ah! Did you not take my warning seriously? [Long pause] Welcome to D'ni. You and I will live here ... forever.

Sirrus

• [after retrieving red pages from the other four Ages of Myst] Ah, you've finally returned. I owe you a debt of gratitude, for you have nearly released me. My name is Sirrus. I trust that from your explorations, you've become convinced that my wicked brother Achenar is guilty, and I am innocent. It is I who am wrongfully imprisoned here, imprisoned by my father. I don't know who you are, or how you came to this island, but I assume you must at least know something of the books. It was Father who was a master of the books. He wrote hundreds of them, all describing and linking to the fantastic places and Ages which he had discovered. The room in which you now stand was our father's library. It was here in this room, on this island named Myst, that he housed most of his books. But such a waste... by now, you have surely discovered that Achenar has burnt and mutilated most of his books. Why? Our father was always watchful of our explorations. We grew up under his strict supervision. But when we came of age, he gave us unbridled access to the Myst books. He began to leave our adventures more and more unchecked. Unsupervised as we were, my brother began to become... disturbed. He began to take more from the Myst Ages than he had given. Soon he gained a twisted... pleasure... from the conquest and destruction of the other Ages. It was horrific. His thirst for destruction, alas, even I discovered his insanity too late. He had completely destroyed all of the Myst Ages but four. I wasted no time; in warning my father, I thought he would recognize Achenar's guilt. But in a fit of rage, he imprisoned both my brother and myself within the pages of these books, designed to hold us until he could judge which of us was guilty. To discover the truth, our father embarked on one final journey. However, he has never returned. I can only assume that he perished along the way, leaving me, an innocent victim, trapped forever. But now, you are here to release me. Listen carefully. You must find one more page, and I will be forever free. There is a book on the shelves in this library, which is mostly burned, but has a few pages still intact. It is the last book on the middle shelf. Find it. This book is filled with a variety of patterns. Find pattern 158 and recreate it on the door of the fireplace. This will bring you to the last red page. Bring that page to me, and I will finally be released, and able to reward you, of course. Ignore the blue page. That page finishes my brother's book. It chills me to even think of what would happen if you were to release him. There is another warning: Where the red and blue pages reside, there is also a green book. If you touch the green book, you will also be imprisoned forever. Our father gave us this same warning long ago. I suggest you follow his advice. Go now. Soon we will meet face-to-face.

• [in an imager in Achenar's rooms in the Channelwood Age] I hope I pushed the right button. Very interesting device, dear brother. I'm not erasing anything important, am I? [laughs, then becomes serious] He is preparing. Remember, take only one page.

• [bad ending, returning the last red page] Oh, yes! Yes. I'm free! Oh, thank you, my friend! My dear friend! You've done the right thing. You stupid fool! [laughs] It looks like perhaps you're in the book now? [laughs] And what have we here? A page. [rips it out, the image becomes staticky] Oh, no! [laughs] I hope you enjoy your new home as much as I enjoyed it. [rips out another page] There. I can't see you. You're getting less clear. I hope you're into books! [laughs and rips out more] The library's much the same as I left it. Oh, Achenar... [laughs as he rips out another page] Goodbye. [laughs as he pulls out another page, more static]

Achenar

• [after retrieving blue pages from the other four Ages of Myst] Hello. I'm Achenar. I'm glad to see that you've returned to help me escape from my wrongful imprisonment. It was Sirrus who did this to me. Sirrus, my wicked brother. Do not listen to him. I warn you! I warn you, he's a liar. Do not be persuaded by his evil lies! Do not release him. He killed my father. He will kill you. [giggles] It began when my brother Sirrus began to lust for riches. He stole from the Ages of Myst. He horded up riches for himself! While Father... Father slept away his watchfulness, my sick brother secretly pronounced himself king. King of the Ages of Myst, he said. He began to look upon me with disgust, his lowly brother! I hated him! Then Sirrus began to destroy the Ages of Myst. He burned their forests, he tore down their structures, flooded their lands... murdered their inhabitants. He completely destroyed all but four of the Ages. Of course, I had to warn Father, but when I finally found him, there was Sirrus, also, talking cleverly with the lying tongue of a serpent! He convinced Father that it was I who destroyed the Ages. He convinced Father that it was I who was greedy for wealth and plunder. And as Sirrus dealt the final blow, he tricked Father into believing that I was the murderer. But Sirrus did not deal as fast a blow as he planned, and as Father died a slow death, he at last doubted my brother's clever lies. And so in dying, Father imprisoned us both, unsure from where the blow had come. [giggles] I swear to you what I say is true! [pleading] Release me. You must release me. My brother's a deceitful liar. He deserves punishment. I only wish vengeance for my dear father. He's a murderer, believe me. You must only recover one additional page to release me from this prison. It's the easiest to find. Go to the bookshelf, that's in this library. On the far right side of the middle shelf, there's a burned book which is different from the other burned books. It is filled with patterns. Find pattern 158. Mimic its design on the panel of the fireplace. Doing this will bring you to the last blue page. Remember, don't take the red page, only the blue page! Return it quickly to me. And do not touch the green book. It's a clever trap to imprison those who have not been warned. [giggles] Do not be tempted, or you will rot and die, imprisoned as I am. I tell you, if you follow my instructions, it will be well worth your while, I promise you that. Go. Go.

• [bad ending, returning the last blue page] Oh yes! I'm free! [laughing madly] Oh, I feel alive! And how do you feel, my friend? [giggles] Oh, and what have we here? Perhaps the pages you worked so hard for? [giggles as he rips out a page, the image becomes staticky] Whoops! [laughing insanely] Oh, yes! Oh! Perhaps you're seeing the world from my point of view. [the static becomes heavier] Sirrus ... where's my brother? [puts his face close to the book] Maybe someone will rescue you some day! [cackles as he rips out more pages] You lose. [laughter, static]