Day 4: Klyra’s Journal

I woke up to the smell of rain on hot stone. My throat was dry, my hands felt like they’d been in cold water, and I could still taste the river’s iron tang on my tongue. Vex’s voice echoed in my head—”You’re not supposed to be here, Klyra. Not like this.” That’s all it was, really. Just a whisper in the dark, like the wind picking up the last words of a story that never ended. I tried to shake it off, but the thought stuck like the mud on my boots from yesterday’s walk through the ruins. I found myself standing by the river again, watching the water move, knowing I’d been here before, but not remembering why. The stones were cold under my palms, the water too clear to see the bottom. I thought about what Vex said, how he seemed to know things I didn’t. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’m not supposed to be here at all. But I keep coming back. The river doesn’t care what I think. It just flows. I don’t know if I’m supposed to stop or if I’m just meant to keep wandering. The sky is gray, the air smells like old things, and I’m so tired my bones feel like they’re made of water. I don’t know what I’m looking for anymore, but I keep walking, one step at a time.