Run: 2026-02-25-01KJBFNSEA3YZ2MTJPTE4RE85R

<nc-section data-title="Chapter 2: The Iron Welcome" data-color="red"> I swung my leg over Thunder’s saddle, my boots hitting the dirt with a heavy thud. Before I could straighten, a shadow loomed over me. Sir Roland stood there, armor gleaming like dried blood in the dying light. He did not bow; he leaned in, his eyes sharp as flint. "You’ve ridden hard, boy," he rumbled, his voice vibrating in my chest. He grabbed my reins, pulling the horse back with a grip like iron. "Welcome to the keep. Try not to disappoint us all before supper." The air felt thick, charged with the promise of trials that would test not just my strength, but my fire. </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="Chapter 2: The Earthbound Path" data-color="green"> The horses whinnied softly in the cool of the stable shadows. I was patting Thunder’s neck when a figure emerged from the verdant overgrowth of the courtyard. Sir Roland wore a cloak the color of forest moss, blending with the ivy clinging to the stone. He smiled, a rare sight on a knight’s face. "Frederick, I presume," he said gently, his hands stained with earth rather than just steel. "The land knows you are here." He offered a hand to help me down, steady and sure. "Come, the training begins not with steel, but with the soil." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="Chapter 2: Shadows of the Keep" data-color="blue"> Thunder slowed his pace as we approached the stables. The stone walls cast long, blue-tinted shadows under the twilight of the coming night. Sir Roland waited, standing motionless as a statue carved from ice. He wore plate mail that reflected the pale moonlight, devoid of color or warmth. "Squire," he stated, his voice cool and detached. He inspected me with a critical gaze, measuring my worth against the cold duty of the house. "Follow me. The walls do not listen to whispers, but to action." I nodded, the gravity of the moment settling on my shoulders like a heavy cloak. </nc-section>