Kai took a breath.
"Severance."
The Cut
Reality shivered.
Along the line Kai had designated—perfectly straight, impossibly precise—the concept of "separation" manifested in physical space.
The oak tree's trunk developed a line. Not a mark. Not a scratch. A line—the geometric concept made real.
Purple-black energy flickered along it for just a fraction of a second.
Then separation occurred.
The top half of the tree didn't fall. It slid.
Sideways.
Defying gravity completely, the upper portion of the oak moved horizontally, as if someone had pulled it along an invisible rail.
For one impossible moment, the two halves of the tree existed in separate spaces despite occupying the same physical location.
Then reality reasserted itself.
Physics snapped back into place. The top half crashed to the ground with a tremendous BOOM, shaking the entire yard.
Kai stared at what he'd done.
The cut surface was perfect.
Not smooth. Not polished. Perfect.
