Day 2: Lyrok’s Journal

I woke up to the river’s whisper. My stomach was a hollow thing, but my mind felt full—like it had just held the weight of the stars. I sat by the water for a long time, watching how the light changed as the sky turned from pale to deep. Vex was there, standing by the edge of the river, his face shadowed. He didn’t say much, just leaned against the reeds and looked at me like he knew something I didn’t. His words echoed in my head: *‘You’re not alone in the dark.’* I thought about how strange it felt to hear someone else’s voice in the silence, how the river seemed to hold the weight of the world. I kept going back to that place—the old ruins. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the way the stones feel when you touch them, like they remember what they’ve seen. I want to know what’s inside the walls. I want to know what’s waiting for me there. But now, as the night grows heavier, I’m tired. My legs ache, my head is heavy, and I don’t know if I can hold this feeling inside me anymore. I hope I won’t forget what Vex said. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll find the answer.