"You're right," Alex continues grimly. "It ate them. All of them. Absorbed them completely. And that's when the green mist became this powerful."
Silence falls between them.
Theo's brows knit together as his thoughts churn. Something is missing. He can feel it, like a piece of a puzzle just out of reach. His mind circles the same facts again and again, searching for a connection that refuses to surface.
He lifts a hand and rubs his temple, then shakes his head slightly, as if trying to clear a lingering fog.
"Right now, we have more questions than answers," Theo finally says. His voice is steady. "And there's no point chasing answers we clearly won't get in this place. Let's focus on what matters next."
He looks straight at Alex. "You still haven't told me how you can help."
"Oh. Right." Alex bobs his head, snapping out of his thoughts. "That part."
His expression darkens.
