Jackson, who had barely managed to take another step forward, stopped as if his legs had turned to stone. His eyes locked onto Gray's back, wide with confusion. The silence in the cavern pressed against his ears, broken only by his shaky voice.
"Why did you stop?"
Gray turned his head slowly, his piercing golden eyes narrowing at Jackson as though dissecting him with a glance. "What did you say?"
Behemoth, the towering monstrosity nearby, shifted its bulk. Its many gleaming eyes, each glimmering with an unholy light, focused entirely on Jackson. Its attention was as heavy and oppressive as Gray's glare.
The weight of their gazes struck Jackson like a physical blow. His knees buckled, and he crumpled to the cold, ruthless ground.
"What is happening to me?" Jackson whispered hoarsely, trembling. A surge of rage and despair flooded his chest, consuming him as he realized how utterly pitiful he had become.
