<nc-section data-title="The Stern Welcome" data-color="red"> As I dismounted, the heavy scent of hay and horsehide filled the air. A man clad in worn leather armor stepped out from the shadows of the stable eaves, his hand resting on the hilt of a broadsword. This was Sir Roland, a knight whose reputation for discipline was as sharp as his blade. He didn't offer a hand or a smile; he simply looked me up and down with eyes like flint. "You're late, boy," he grunted, his voice a low rumble that vibrated in my chest. "The dragons won't wait for you to find your footing. Rub down your mount and meet me in the yard at dawn. If you're a minute behind, you'll be mucking these stalls for a month." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="The Veteran's Appraisal" data-color="green"> I was still patting Thunder’s neck when a barrel-chested man with a salt-and-pepper beard emerged from the stables. Sir Roland limped slightly—a souvenir from the Siege of Oakhaven—but he moved with a controlled grace that commanded instant respect. He watched me soothe the stallion for a moment before nodding in silent approval. "A fine beast," he said, his voice surprisingly mellow. "And he trusts you. That’s a start, Frederick." He clapped a heavy hand on my shoulder, the weight of it feeling like a rite of passage. "Rest now. Tomorrow, we begin the work of turning a boy who likes stories into a man who can survive them." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="The Knight's Challenge" data-color="blue"> The clatter of hooves on the cobblestones brought Sir Roland out into the fading light. He was a lean, hawk-faced man who looked as though he were carved from the very stone of the castle. He didn't wait for me to announce myself. Instead, he tossed a wooden practice sword toward me without warning. I caught it awkwardly against my chest, nearly stumbling. "Reflexes of a farmhand," Roland remarked, though there was a glint of amusement in his sharp eyes. "Welcome to the garrison, Squire. You’ve arrived just in time for the world to fall apart. Let’s see if you have the spine to help me hold it together." </nc-section>