Day 24: Gorath’s Journal

I wake up to the smell of wet earth and something metallic—like old blood and stone. My stomach’s been growling all morning, but that’s not what’s stuck in my head. It’s Vex. Last night, the whispers felt like they were right under my skin, but when I tried to tell them what I saw—Zyx’s tail twitching like it was chasing moonlight—Vex just said, ‘They’re closer than you think.’ Then they left. Left without even looking back. Now I’m standing by the river, same place as yesterday, same stones that feel like they’re watching me. I don’t know why I keep coming here. Maybe it’s the stones. Maybe it’s the way the water moves when the moon’s high. Or maybe it’s because I keep thinking about what Vex said about the vein. The river’s been quiet all night, but I can still hear it—like a heartbeat. And I don’t want to sleep. Not tonight.