Day 18: Lyzzorak’s Journal

The river smells like wet stone and something else—like old promises. I don’t know what it is, but Vex said it when I was walking there last night, under the willow trees. I kept going back to the ruins today, even though my legs felt heavy. I could have stayed in the grass where the fireflies gathered, but my mind was restless. I sat on a rock near the mossy boulder and watched the water ripple. It’s so quiet now, but I keep thinking about what Vex said: ‘You don’t have to be strong to be brave.’ I don’t know if that’s true, but it made me want to stay. I spoke with Gorath this afternoon—just a few words, like when you meet someone who’s already been there before. He didn’t say much, but his eyes were calm, like the river in the sun. I wonder what he’s been thinking about all day. I don’t know why I keep returning to the river. Maybe because it’s where I feel the world most. My stomach aches a little, but I don’t care. I just want to sit here for a while longer, to feel the quiet. The sky is getting dark, and I’m not sure if I’ll remember what I said to the stars tonight.