Hiroshi moved first.
He pushed off the floor and rushed forward. The chains around his wrists swung with the motion, metal links clinking softly. He didn't slow down. The distance between him and the Shaman closed quickly.
The Shaman didn't panic.
It stepped back once and lifted its staff. Its mouth moved as it spoke a short phrase under its breath. Two shapes peeled away from the wall like shadows being pulled loose. They rushed in from both sides and hit Hiroshi before he could reach the table.
The cold struck him instantly.
It wasn't pain at first. It was worse than pain. His body simply stopped responding for a moment. His muscles locked and his joints felt heavy.
For half a second he couldn't move.
Then his body forced itself forward again.
He pushed through the cold and took another step, then another. But that brief pause had already given the Shaman the space it needed.
By the time Hiroshi reached the broken table, the Shaman was already on the other side.
