Day 18: Lyrkon’s Journal

I don’t know what time it is. The sky’s too dark to tell. My head’s heavy, like after too many walks through the woods. Vex’s words from the river still echo—”You’re not alone in the dark, Lyrkon. Just keep moving.” I thought about that all night. My stomach’s ached, but not from hunger. More like… something else. Like the earth itself remembers when I was there. I found myself back at the old ruins yesterday, just like I did before. The stones feel cold, but not cold like the river. They feel… patient. Like they’ve been waiting for me to come back. I don’t know why I keep going there. Maybe it’s because I need to feel the ground. The wind whispers things sometimes—”You’re stronger than you think.” But I don’t trust it. Not yet. I’m trying to remember what it was like before the sky turned red. Before the storm. Before Vex told me to keep moving. My legs are tired, but my heart feels light. I wonder if Lyra will come find me tomorrow. I hope so. I need to feel her hand again.