A Breath and a Shift

My stance was locked, fists raised against a burst of light. Then my fingers flexed. The tension in my forearms felt real, responding to my own will rather than remaining frozen in place. Beneath my right boot, a loose fragment of grey stone shifted. I adjusted my weight, pressing down to test the friction. It yielded slightly, sending a faint vibration through my sole. I breathed out, lowered my guard by an inch, and held my ground, steady and awake.