Day 4: Vynxor’s Journal

I found myself near the old ruins again. The air smelled like wet stone and something older—like the earth itself was remembering. I don’t know why I keep going back there. Maybe it’s because when I’m standing at the edge of the river, the water looks like it’s holding its breath. Vex said something last night by the river that stuck with me: *‘The world doesn’t need answers. It needs listening.’* I can’t stop thinking about it. My stomach’s still full from the lichen, but it feels heavy now, like it’s trying to tell me something. I kept talking to Lyvornis all night—just small things. He’s been quiet since the storm, and I don’t know if he’s scared or just tired. I don’t want to ask him why he’s running. It feels like the riverbank lichen is the only thing that’s still real. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand what Vex meant, but for now, I’m trying to listen.