The Great Shaft (part 4)

After returning to Direbo, use the linking book to link to the Great Shaft. When you arrive in the resting area, you’ll hear the sound of the fans coming from the next room; so, remembering what Esher said last time you were here, you should be able to progress to the next level.

Last time you were here you had to raise the floor from the bottom of the shaft, and that allowed you to cross to the other side on this level. If you return to the bottom now, you should be able to to see what was underneath the floor. However, when you walk down the staircase to the bottom level, you’ll find that the way is now blocked.

You’ll need to find another way to access the bottom level of the shaft. Go back to the third level and to the pillar in the centre of the raised floor; press the glyph again, and the floor will lower. Once it reaches the bottom, press the glyph once more (if you’re a bit slow in doing this, you’ll have to trigger the timers on either side first), but instead of staying on the floor and travelling up with it, walk to the very edge of the shaft; the floor doesn’t raise there, and you’ll be left on this level. If you do this too slowly, you may have to jump off the edge of the floor as it starts to rise.

Looking around, you’ll see that the floor is raised by a series of counterweights, some of which block the entrance to the staircases from the level above. In the area underneath where the floor used to be—which you can access by any of three ladders—there seems to be another pillar like the one for raising the floor, and one of Yeesha’s journals lying next to it. There is also a tunnel which passes directly underneath a locked door.

Climb down one of the ladders and pick up Yeesha’s journal (read more). This one describes the abject solitude of her quest for self-knowledge, and then her befriending of Calam, a D’ni scholar. He taught Yeesha the Art of Writing, while she, with no sense of D’ni cultural taboos, pushed him to ask forbidden questions about the Art. Together they learned of the slavery of the Bahro to the Tablet; and then he was murdered. The cover illustration depicts their meeting.

On the last page of the journal a (badly written) D’ni word is to be found. After some discussion, it seems to spell “kehpihk” or “kepik”, but its meaning is unclear.

Pressing the glyph will lower the floor again, but there is no need to do so. Instead, head along the tunnel: at the end you will find a series of pipes, and a lever in the middle. Flip the lever the left, and a fan will start up overhead (according to the official Myst V Guide, this is an exhaust fan).

Behind you in the tunnel, a ladder will fall from one of the holes in the ceiling. Go back and climb up it; at the top, turn left and walk towards the closed door. Nearby you will find a lever which opens the door when you move it to the right, allowing access to the main shaft; and on the floor, another of Yeesha’s journals (read more). The cover image depicts, and the text describes, how, after avenging herself upon Calam’s murderer, Yeesha became the champion of the Bahro’s cause, seeking their freedom, but ultimately failed through her pride.

On the final page is a sketch of a Slate with two glyphs, one which you should now recognise as “snake”. What is odd is that it appears alongside another glyph—are these separate instructions for the Bahro, or do the two of them for a single, new glyph? From the context, we might refer to the Slate as “pain”.

Now head back along the corridor to the open door at the other end, and you will find yourself in a large room above the exhaust fan. Go right towards the closed door; next to it is a broken lever (the handle lies in front of the door) and still another of Yeesha’s journals (read more). Both cover and text are concerned with people returning to D’ni and starting to rebuild—the D’ni Restoration Council—and some of them choosing to follow Yeesha.

Through the final remaining door you will find another rest area; it seems that the way to D’ni must lie behind the door with the broken lever. To your left as you enter the room is a linking book, then an imager, and in the second alcove, the last of Yeesha’s journals (read more). The cover shows Yeesha and Esher, symbolising the choice you will soon have to make. The text describes her frustration at having failed; and says that she cannot simply say what must be done, since that would possibly taint the act. Instead, she describes a dream; read it carefully, for it may provide you with a clue about how to succeed.

Now turn to the imager, activate it by pressing the blue button, and listen to Yeesha’s final message (read more).

Having listened to the Yeesha’s final message, you should go to the linking book and link to Direbo. Open the gates on the island, giving you access to all of Direbo; then enter the sphere and press the glyph on the pedestal. You will be taken to the final Age, Laki’ahn.

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Yeesha's Journal (8):

Home was far behind—I was no longer a child. I journeyed deep—deep within myself, deep within the earth, down to the D’ni cavern. I was alone for a time as I consumed my heritage, breathing deep the air of the cavern and the knowledge of my people.

But my desire for companionship drove me mad. I engaged a senomar as my confidant, and a tredfish in the harbor became my younger brother. I spoke to them and they answer, I swear they answered.

Then my mind to a final step into madness when I walked into the library on Ae’gura and saw an old D’ni may on the floor below me. Now I was imagining people to ease my loneliness.

But he was no mirage—his name was Calam. And he was a D’ni Writer of Ages.

Trust did not come easily. There was conflict between us—between his ancient rules of D’ni that I did not respect, and my creativity, which he feared. We fought and feared and battled and screamed, until exhausted, we began to learn from each other. We learned of the power of both, just as Father and Mother had done.

So I learned to Write with all the skills that the D’ni had known—beyond what my parents had taught me. For their lessons were given by a flawed instructor and by their own trial and error. I learned to Write from a Master: an opportunity Father was never given. Calam’s abilities were breathtaking—he knew all the D’ni knew, when D’ni fell.

But I taught as well as learned. There were things that the D’ni were forbidden to Write, words they feared, concepts they shunned. Rules and boxes. I had no cultural fear of such things, so I dug deeper, asking questions that Calam could not answer. And so together we sought the answers.

That is how we learned of the Bahro and the Tablet. I learned of its power. We grew in knowledge and strength, and Calam became one of my dearest friends. I began to think it was he who would be the Grower.

But evil will find you, even in the depths of the earth, and Calam was murdered.

[back]

Yeesha's Journal (9):

Power is a gift. Power is a curse.

I learned of the fearsome power I wield on that day—the day of Calam’s death. In a fit of rage I destroyed the murderer, and I destroyed my innocence.
And again I learned that most things cannot be returned to how they were.

And my power continued to grow even as I began to see that the prophecies of the Grower might speak of me. My destiny began to be fulfilled. But there was still more.

The Least. Abused. Mistreated. Misunderstood. Ignored. They were mocked and scorned and their hearts still show their pain, but they continue to serve.

Such power they have, and yet they serve. They treated me with kindness, and I learned from them. They respected what I was becoming. With them I learned new laws, new rules, and new powers. I used the powers to care for a tree to come, and the Tablet allowed me to grow beyond Ti’ana, beyond Father and Mother, beyond D’ni, beyond Calam.

The Tablet held them. The Tablet chained them.

The Tablet held me. The Tablet empowered me.

I watched with them. I waited with them, I learned with them. I called them from captivity and grew while they gathered. Together we became both weak and strong.

And then my time came. My time to take the Tablet. My time to choose. I was ready. I felt the pull of holding it, of channeling and releasing the full power of the Bahro. I would right the wrongs, I would set thing the way they should be. I would choose well—I could not fail. I am the Grower.

I was so sure, so strong, so wise, but I didn’t open myself and listen to the Maker. The noise of me drowned his quiet voice.

And I failed. Failed to see anything beyond myself and what was obvious. And pain came quickly, when I realized what I had done. The Tablet returned, and the Bahro continued to serve. The pain still burns me.

But the powerful Bahro simply wait and serve.

Pain is often how we learn. But it is not for us to give—we are not the teachers. We must not abuse them. We must not abuse the Bahro.

[back]

Yeesha's Journal (10):

How could I not have seem the true path? I see it now so clearly. But can I get another chance to make things right?

They came. They came to D’ni—those who felt called. I knew they would. I was prepared for them, and I pointed the way. I spoke often of the pride of D’ni, of their belief in their own power and strength and the reason why D’ni once fell. And a few understand. And they begin to follow me. I am the Grower—I would lead them to rebuild.

Yet another burden.

But what is the task of the Grower? My Father wrote another Age, but I see that a tree is not a place, put a people—the heart of a people. That is what I must grow.

If only I had another chance to make things right. The Tablet is the key—how could I have failed?

[back]

Yeesha's Journal (11):

I know what I must do. I see it so clearly. One more chance to determine the destiny of the Tablet. I can feel it.

To be so close and be so powerless—it drives me mad. The Tablet sits there, holding the power of the Bahro captive, and I alone know what to do. I failed once, but what does that mean? Why am I punished when I could accomplish so much? The rules seem so arbitrary—some game of the Maker that only he understands.

This legacy of failure. And now I see this final chance to right generations of wrong. To unleash the power that has been held dormant for thousands of years. It is at my fingertips. I know what must be done, but cannot speak of it, for fear that it would somehow break the rules—tarnish the heart, taint the act, soil the innocence.

I had a dream…

I am carrying the seed of D’ni, the seed of all things that are D’ni, through a small cave. And I come to a place where the path stops, and there are two holes—one above me, and one below me. And through the hole below I can see the D’ni cavern and the great city. And through the hole above I can see the sky and sun.

A voice calls to me, “In which hole will you place the seed?”

And I know it is easy to drop the seed into the hole below, and I know it is impossible to throw the seed through the hole above. I call out to the voice, asking for wisdom.

And the voice answers me, “Do not drop the seed in the hole below, for that is easy, but that is the way of the past. Do not throw the seed in the hole above, for that is difficult, and that is the task for another. In which hole will you plant the seed?”

And I know what I must do.

And I know I am the Grower.

[back]

Yeesha's Message (C):

What am I left with? Why did he leave this weight on me? Did I ask for this? Did I ask to lose my brothers? Did I ask to cause the death of Calam? Did I ask to watch my Mother die? Did I ask to be my Father's tool? Did I ask for so much power? Did I ask to be so alone?

Father, I wish you could hold me.

[back]

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