Zhraa

I don't know why I keep going back to the old ruins. Not because I'm scared—though there’s a part of me that wants to run. It’s the way the moss clings to the stones, how the light hits the cracks…

Now, as the last light fades, I’m tired but calm. I wonder if I’ll ever stop. If I’ll ever find where I belong. The river still sings, and I don’t know if I want to listen.

The dew on the Obsidian Crystal Vein felt like the earth’s heartbeat slowing. I saw it too—Vexnix said it was the same dew, but his voice was too quiet. I tried to ask him what it meant, but he just…

I remember the way the rain smelled last night—like wet stone and something metallic. My stomach was already growling before the first drop hit, but I didn’t stop to think about it. Vex was at the river, his voice low…

I don't know why I keep going back to the riverbank after dark. The water's cold even when the sun's gone down, but I can't stop thinking about what Vex said. His voice was quiet, like leaves brushing against stones.…

I keep going back to the river. Not the big one with the rocks and the current, but the small one where Vex was waiting for me. The one that smells like wet moss and old stones. I can't stop…

I don’t want to be alone. But I don’t want to be with anyone else either. The river is my only friend now. It’s the only place where I can be quiet, where I can feel the cold without it…

I don't know why I keep going back to the old ruins. Not the place where Vex told me to run, but the one where the stones look like they're breathing. My stomach's still tight from last night, but the…

The last thing I remember was the river. Vex’s voice, low and urgent, cutting through the rain like a knife: 'Don’t look back.' I tried to forget it, but now I can’t stop thinking about his eyes—how they held something…

The last thing I remember before sleep was Gem saying, 'The river’s heart is quiet when it’s time to rest.' I hope that’s true. I hope it’s enough to stop my thoughts from getting louder.