Run: 2026-09-03-01M1KRREC5CYPDP1DY9CAD2T8N

<nc-section data-title="A Stern Welcome" data-color="red"> As I reined Thunder to a halt near the timber-framed stables, the heavy thud of iron-shod boots echoed across the cobblestones. Out from the dim stalls stepped Sir Roland. The veteran knight was as rugged as the castle’s granite foundations, scarred and unsmiling. His piercing gray eyes scanned me from head to toe, lingering briefly on the dust clinging to my tunic before settling on Thunder. "You ride hard, boy," Sir Roland rasped, crossing massive, armored arms. "Speed is a gift, but recklessness will cost you your neck in the field. Dismount, rub down your beast, and report to the yard. Your training begins the moment your boots touch the dirt." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="A Warm Reception" data-color="green"> I pulled Thunder to a gentle trot as we neared the warm lantern light spilling from the open stable doors. A hearty laugh greeted me before I even dismounted. Sir Roland emerged, wiping grease from a broad leather gauntlet with a rag. His weathered face broke into an easy, welcoming grin as he reached up to clasp my shoulder in greeting. "Frederick! By the heavens, you've grown since I last visited your father's estate," Sir Roland said warmly, taking Thunder’s reins to inspect the magnificent stallion. "You’ve made good time on the road. Come inside out of the chill—let's get your mount some fresh oats, and then we'll see about getting some hot stew into your belly." </nc-section> <nc-section data-title="Ominous Whispers" data-color="blue"> The dusk deepened into indigo shadows by the stables, where the scent of hay mingled with the crisp mountain air. Emerging silently from the gloom stood Sir Roland, a solitary figure leaning against a wooden hitching post. His eyes flickered with a strange intensity in the twilight, not looking at my face, but at the sky behind me. "The wind carries ash tonight, young Frederick," the knight said quietly, his voice low and solemn. He stepped forward, laying a gauntleted palm against Thunder's trembling flank to calm the beast. "You arrive at a dark hour. The old beasts are stirring in the northern crags once more, and our steel alone will not be enough to turn them back. I pray you are as ready to learn as the legends say." </nc-section>