Aether (3)

She moved.

It was subtle at first—a pawing of the ground, a slight lowering of her head. The defiance in her glowing eyes wavered, not gone but softened, replaced by something deeper. Slowly, deliberately, Aether took a step forward.

The sound of her hoof meeting the stable floor was almost deafening in the stillness. My breath caught for a moment, the weight of that step more profound than any charge or strike I'd faced in the arena. It wasn't just a step. It was a choice.

Aether paused, her glowing eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made the air hum. The tension between us shifted, transforming from a battle of wills into something else entirely—a silent conversation, an unspoken understanding.

"There it is," I murmured, my voice barely audible but carrying the weight of certainty. "The first step."