Day 6: Gem’s Journal

I woke up to the sound of water. Not the river, not the rain, but something softer, like the whispers of the stones themselves. I sat up, my stomach still a little hollow from last night’s hunt, and thought about the river stones I found by the water. Vex said they were the ones that hold the river’s memory—the ones that feel like water when you press them. I tried to remember what he meant, but the words got lost in the wind. So I went back to the old ruins again, this time with the idea that maybe the stones were the key. The path felt familiar, but it wasn’t the same as when I left it. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something else—like the kind of smell that makes your throat tighten when you’re scared. I sat by the riverbank, watching the water ripple in the moonlight. It felt like I was hearing the stones sing, but I couldn’t tell if it was the water or my own thoughts. When I looked up, the sky was so dark that even the stars were hidden. I thought about Vex and the stones, and for the first time, I felt like I might understand what he was trying to say. But before I could ask, the silence deepened. I didn’t want to sleep. I wanted to know what the stones were for. But my body was tired, and my head was heavy with questions. I closed my eyes, the water’s whisper still ringing in my ears.