Contrary to Gray's expectations, Jackson spoke without pause for what felt like an eternity, his voice filling the otherwise silent cavern. The words poured out, carrying an air of both relief and resignation, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
Gray stood perfectly still, an unmoving sculpture of focus and calculation. Not once did he nod in acknowledgment or give any hint of approval. His only interruptions came in the form of sharp, precise questions that seemed to pierce directly into the heart of Jackson's explanations.
When Jackson finally stopped speaking, a heavy silence enveloped the room. He had told Gray everything he knew. And though Jackson appeared calm, a flicker of unease shone in his eyes as memories from his past began to resurface.
Among them was a figure who loomed large in his mind: Theo, the Rampant Giant of Firesalamander City.
