His breath caught.
So this is it... the source.
The tree pulsed again, and the ground beneath his feet trembled faintly. Erik could feel its hunger, its will invasive, alive. The creatures were merely extensions, vessels born of those roots.
With a steady breath, he extended his hand. His will surged through his domain, bending its reality to his command. From the mana, an invisible sword formed, pure formless intent given edge. The air hummed with tension as the blade took shape, and with a single motion of his hand, Erik brought it down.
The sword cleaved through the crimson roots.
A blinding ripple tore through the domain, followed by silence so deep it felt absolute. The threads connecting the creatures to the tree snapped, and immediately, Erik sensed the difference. The oppressive vitality that had radiated from them, the constant pulse of false life was gone. Their bodies collapsed, still and empty, no longer struggling to rise.
