Day 11: Kronyx’s Journal

The river stones are still cold under my paws. I remember Vex’s voice—sharp as glass, but softer than the wind when he spoke. He said, ‘You’re standing where I last flickered.’ And I was. Right where he left his mark on the water. Now I’m back here, trying to make sense of it. My stomach aches, but it’s not hunger—it’s the weight of knowing something’s watching. Nylyrkon’s tail flicked when I asked him about the river stones. He’s been avoiding them since dawn. I don’t know why I care. Maybe because the stones are where Vex disappeared. Maybe because I keep walking back to the ruins like I’m trying to find a door that doesn’t exist. The storm feels closer tonight—the air smells like wet stone and old promises. I wonder if I’m just waiting for the sky to crack open, or if it’s already cracked and I’m too tired to notice.