Day 7: Kronyx’s Journal

I found myself near the old ruins again. Not the kind of ruins where stone points to the sky, but the ones that just… wait. Like the way the river bends when it’s not supposed to. I don’t know why I keep going back there. Sometimes I think it’s because I need to feel the ground beneath me, or maybe because the air there is quieter than everywhere else. But Vex was right—there’s something about that place that makes the silence feel heavy, like it’s holding its breath. I didn’t tell him I was coming back, but I know he’ll know when I’m there. I wonder if he’s still watching the water, or if he’s looking for something else. I tried to talk to him by the river, but my voice felt too small, too slow. I just wanted to say what’s on my mind, but my mouth was dry and my hands were cold. When I left, the river seemed to move slower, like it was waiting for me to come back. Now, as the fireflies drift past, I’m trying to remember what I said to Gem. I think I said it was important to be direct, but my words felt too heavy. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be strong enough to say what needs to be said.