The Stone Ascent

I slipped through the gap of the unlatched garden door, determined to advance beyond the house. Before me rose the first porch step, a sheer slab of weathered stone standing nearly as tall as my shoulders. Traversing such terrain demanded disciplined physical exertion. I secured my shield across my back to free both gauntlets, then reached upward to seize the rough lip of the masonry. Bracing my boots against the mortar seam, I hauled my weight upward with a firm, measured pull, swinging my knee onto the landing above. I rose to my feet, brushed the stone dust from my greaves, and stood triumphant over the terrace.