White light swallowed the entire chamber.
Damon closed his eyes on reflex.
It did not help.
The brightness passed through his eyelids as though they were not there, entering directly into his perception.
For one second, he did not see the tree, Xue Lian, or the walls of the Tomb.
He saw lines.
Thousands of them.
Spread across places he did not recognize.
Some crossed mountains.
Others ran beneath cities.
There were roots buried in forests, frozen lakes, ruins, and regions where cold seemed not to exist at all.
All of them converged.
Not toward Xue Lian.
Toward the Seed.
Damon opened his eyes.
"Ah."
Xue Lian was on her knees.
A white line extended from her chest.
Then another.
And another.
They were not physical roots.
They were connections.
Her authority was being pulled away.
"Damon."
"I can see it."
"It's trying to return."
"That's what we wanted."
"Not like this."
Naturally.
The first connection completely left Xue Lian.
The Seed absorbed it.
