A Measured Shift

Stiffness held my frame rigid until a sudden pulse moved through my joints. My fingers flexed beneath my gauntlets, obedient to my own will. Directly ahead on the stone paving, another figure stood locked in combat posture, utterly still. I chose not to rush forward. Instead, I lowered my center of gravity slightly and pressed the sole of my boot firmly against the stone tiles to test my footing. The stone was solid beneath me. My posture held steady and deliberate. Movement belongs to me now.