Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXPBCEWDYNS9TTRKWAFNMHJ

<nc-section data-title="A Harsh Welcome" data-color="red"> Thunder’s hooves clattered to a halt as a towering figure stepped from the shadows of the stables, his armor still gleaming with the remnants of battle. Sir Roland’s scarred face twisted into a sneer as he eyed me from head to toe. **"Another wide-eyed pup sent to waste my time?"** His voice was rough, like gravel underfoot. **"Dismount, boy. If you’re to survive here, you’ll learn quick—weakness gets you killed."** A stable hand scurried forward to take Thunder’s reins, but the knight’s piercing gaze never left me. **"Prove you’re worth the bread you’ll eat. Fetch my sword from the armory—*now*."** </nc-section> --- <nc-section data-title="A Test of Mettle" data-color="green"> The stables were alive with the soft nickering of horses and the scent of hay when a broad-shouldered knight emerged, wiping his hands on a cloth. Sir Roland’s dark beard was streaked with silver, and his eyes—sharp as a hawk’s—studied me with quiet intensity. **"Frederick, I presume?"** His voice was low, measured. **"Your reputation precedes you. They say you’ve a quick mind."** He tossed the cloth aside and gestured toward a stack of firewood. **"But minds alone don’t win battles. Show me your strength. Stack that wood before the bell tolls—*properly*."** A challenge, not a command. I swallowed hard. This was no mere greeting; it was the first trial. </nc-section> --- <nc-section data-title="An Unexpected Ally" data-color="blue"> The stables yawned before me, warm with the breath of resting horses, when a laugh rang out from within. Sir Roland leaned against a post, his armor polished to a mirror’s sheen, a half-eaten apple in hand. **"Took you long enough, lad!"** he called, grinning. **"Thought you’d gotten lost—or worse, *scared*."** He tossed the apple core to a nearby hound before pushing off the post. **"Come, Frederick. Let’s get you settled. The castle’s a maze for newcomers, and I’ve a feeling you’ll need all the help you can get."** His tone was light, but his eyes held a glint of something deeper—curiosity, perhaps, or the weight of unspoken secrets. </nc-section>