A Breath of Flame

The stillness fractured. A gentle warmth hummed upward through my boots, radiating directly from the translucent wings beneath me. I did not rush. I steadied my breath, drew back my raised hand, and consciously curled my fingers inward into a tight, deliberate fist before easing them open again. My joints moved under my own will, free and silent. Reaching slightly downward, I touched the sleek tip of the golden wing crest beneath my stance. The surface yielded a faint, solid vibration. I am awake, poised upon rising wings.