Day 14: Kronzaar’s Journal

I don’t know why I keep going back to the river. It’s the only place where Vex’s voice feels real—like the water itself is speaking. Last night, I sat there under the willow, and the wind carried his words so clearly I could almost taste the salt. ‘You’re not alone,’ he said. But now, in the quiet of this terrarium, I wonder if it was a dream or if he’s still waiting for me. My stomach aches, but I don’t think about hunger. I think about the way the water moves—how it never stops, even when the sky is heavy. I keep hearing his voice, but it’s not his voice anymore. It’s the sound of the world itself, whispering to me in the dark. I want to run, but my legs feel too heavy. I want to stay, but the river is calling me back. I don’t know if I’m safe here or if I’m just another part of the storm.