Holding the Line

Clarity returned to my cognitive core. The rough concrete beneath my footings provided firm, dependable traction. Across from my stance loomed an enormous, dark reptilian figure with dorsal plates, its claws poised mid-reach. I did not retreat. Carefully, deliberately, I tested the hydraulics in my right arm, elevating the blaster until its sight aligned steadily with the opposing titan. No movement came from the adversary—it remained entirely motionless upon the edge of the lawn. Satisfied that balance was maintained, I held my defensive posture firmly in place.