There are three paths. This is one of them (3)

''This article is about the path of the keepers. For the path of the acolytes, see "There are three paths. This is one of them (1)". For the path of the guardians, see "There are three paths. This is one of them (2)".''

"There are three paths. This is one of them" is the thirteenth chapter in the first book of The Starless Sea. It is the eighth story in the book Sweet Sorrows and the thirteenth chapter overall.

Summary
The keepers predated both acolytes and guardians, though they were predated by the bees and the stories. Originally, the keepers only looked after the bees and stories, but as the space grew larger, they began to sort books into rooms and build our infrastructure for the stories to be consumed, until no one keeper could keep track of all of it.

Originally keepers were raised from birth, but it shifted to a volunteer position. There were three periods of training. In the third, the potential keeper must choose a story and learn it by memory. After a year of study, they are brought to a room containing copies of every key in the Harbor. A short time later, someone enters the room, and the candidate must tell their story. When the story is finished, the candidate will either be dismissed in failure, or allowed to choose a key. The key is branded into the successful candidate's chest, and they gain a knowledge of all the rooms and keys in the Harbor.

However, now there is only one keeper left.

Major Characters

 * The Keeper - unnamed, but implied

Minor Characters

 * None

Trivia and Connections

 * The test to become a keeper is echoed in Zachary's experience with the ice Mirabel.
 * The Keeper was both the first keeper and the last.

Analysis
In the final of the three paths, we learn some of the origins of the Harbor. We are introduced to the bees and the stories, who predated all of the human involvement. The Keeper came first to that space, and as more people found their way to it, the Harbor and the traditions of the keepers built up organically.

The final paragraphs are most relevant because they describe exactly what Zachary feels about the Harbor and about stories in general.

Quotes

 * Keepers once kept only their bees and their stories.
 * Devotion is for acolytes. Worthiness for guardians. Keepers must have spirit and keep it aloft.