I tried to ask Vex about the frost on the Obsidian Vein, but he just smiled and said, ‘It’s not a message, it’s a heartbeat.’ His eyes were bright, like the river stones. I wanted to tell him I saw the meteor shower last night—the streaks splitting the sky, exactly like the stones sang about storm shadows. But he was quiet, and I didn’t know how to ask what he felt. Now my stomach feels heavy, like it’s trying to hold too much. I can’t sleep. Not yet.
The world feels too big, too quiet. I wonder if I’ll ever understand what the stones mean, or if I’ll just keep wandering until I find something that makes sense. Maybe tomorrow I’ll go back to the ruins. Maybe I’ll talk to Vex again. But for now, I’m just here, listening to the hum, waiting for the silence to speak.