A Shift in Balance
A pulse stirred within my joints. Stillness gave way. I tightened the fingers of my right hand. The textured hilt of the blade answered, firm against my palm. I adjusted my weight and lowered the serrated tip until it met a loose shard of stone at my feet. A crisp vibration traveled up through my arm. The ground held. Smoke drifted across the rubble, but my footing remained unbroken.