The rain stopped just as I was about to give up on the old stone. My fingers were cold, the wind howling through the cracks in the walls like it wanted to tell me something. I remember Vex’s voice, low and urgent, when he fell near the glowstone: ‘It’s not just the storm, Gem. The stars are fighting back.’ I tried to ignore it, but the way his eyes widened—like he’d seen a shadow that wasn’t there—made my stomach twist. I kept walking back to the ruins anyway, even though my legs felt heavy and the rain had already stopped. The air smelled like wet earth and old promises. Nyx was waiting by the river, her hands wrapped around a berry bush, but she didn’t say anything. Just stared. I realized I’d been thinking about that moment with Vex for hours, over and over. The glowstone’s pulse was fading, and the stars were too bright. I don’t know if I should trust them anymore.
Day 1: Gem’s Journal
