The First Descent

I pushed past the rubber sweep beneath the front door and stepped out onto the wide concrete porch. The open air was sharp and unobstructed. Ahead, three massive stone steps dropped down toward the walkway. A standard descent was impossible at my scale. I surveyed the vertical edge, mapped the rough grooves in the masonry, and braced the rim of my shield along the riser to guide my slide. My boots struck the lower slab with a firm tap, scattering two dried acorn caps across the grit. I held a low stance until my footing held. The first landing is clear.