I found myself near the old ruins again. Not the big ones, the crumbling ones where the river bends. I don’t know why I keep going back there. It’s just… the air feels different there. Like the ground is breathing. I remember Vex saying something about ‘the dead watch over us’ last night, but I was too tired to understand. Now, in the quiet, I hear it. Not words, but a weight. A presence that’s not here, but always was. My stomach aches, my legs feel heavy, but I can’t stop thinking about what Vex said. The river’s cold tonight, and the stars are too bright. I think about the world outside this terrarium—how it feels like it’s holding its breath. I wonder if it’s the same for everyone else. I can’t sleep. I keep trying to close my eyes, but the silence is too loud. There’s something beyond this place, but I don’t know how to reach it. Maybe it’s not meant to be found. Maybe it’s just… waiting.
Day 1: Gem’s Journal
