Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMMGVTYCWQQD64G8783864D

The moon hung heavy in the sky, a pale, watchful eye that seemed to follow Aurora Carter as she ventured deeper into Richmond Park. The trees stood like silent sentinels, their branches clawing at the night air, and the grass beneath her boots whispered secrets with each step she took. She pulled her jacket tighter around her, the chill of the evening seeping into her bones despite the warmth of the late summer night. Rory had come to the park seeking the solitude it offered, a place to clear her head after the day's chaos. But as she moved further from the well-trodden paths, a sense of unease began to gnaw at her. The codex had spoken of a hidden grove, a place untouched by time, where the veil between worlds grew thin. She had laughed it off as myth, a fairy tale for children, but the Heartstone Pendant nestled against her chest grew warmer with each step, its deep crimson glow pulsing faintly beneath her shirt. She had found the pendant on her doorstep a week ago, no note, no indication of who had left it or why. It was beautiful, the gemstone the color of freshly spilled blood, and it seemed to hum with a life of its own. The silver chain was cool against her skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of the stone. It had led her here, to this place, at this late hour, and now she could not ignore the feeling that she was walking into a trap. The air grew thick, the sounds of the city fading away until all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart and the distant hoot of an owl. The trees seemed to crowd closer, their leaves rustling with a voice that was not entirely natural. Rory stopped, her bright blue eyes scanning the darkness for something she couldn't quite name. She had always trusted her instincts, and they were screaming at her to turn back. But then she saw it—a faint glow up ahead, a light that seemed out of place in the wilds of the park. She moved toward it, her hand instinctively reaching for the pendant, which now pulsed with a steady rhythm, like the beating of a dragon's heart. The standing stones came into view, ancient oaks that stood in a perfect circle, their surfaces carved with runes that predated written history. Rory approached the boundary cautiously, her scarred wrist throbbing in sympathy with the pendant's glow. She hesitated, the stories she had heard of this place echoing in her mind. The Fae Grove, a pocket between Earth and a realm she could scarcely comprehend. A place where time could stretch and bend, where an hour could pass like a minute or a day. She had to know what lay within, had to understand why the pendant had led her here. With a deep breath, she stepped between the stones, and the world shifted. The air was suddenly alive with the scent of wildflowers, a fragrance so intense it was almost intoxicating. The grove was bathed in a soft, ethereal light, the source of which she could not find. The trees here were ancient, their trunks wide and gnarled, their leaves a vibrant green that seemed to defy the encroaching night. Rory's heart raced as she ventured further into the grove. The pendant's glow had intensified, casting an eerie light on the path ahead. She could feel the energy of the place, a hum that resonated in her bones, a song that called to something deep within her. She was not alone here; she could sense presences just beyond her field of vision, entities that watched with keen, ancient eyes. A rustle to her left made her turn sharply, but there was nothing there, only the shifting shadows and the relentless whisper of the wind. She quickened her pace, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps as the realization sank in that she had made a grave mistake. This place was not meant for her, and yet she could not leave, not until she had discovered the purpose of her journey. The grove seemed to stretch on forever, the path winding in a way that made no sense, doubling back on itself, leading her in circles. Panic clawed at her throat, but she refused to give in to it. She was Aurora Carter, she reminded herself, cool-headed and intelligent, known for her quick thinking. She would find her way through this. A low growl echoed through the trees, a sound that spoke of teeth and hunger. Rory's blood turned to ice as she searched the darkness for the source. Her mind raced with possibilities, none of them comforting. She knew better than to run, knew that whatever hunted her could outpace her in an instant. Instead, she stood her ground, her hand closing around the Heartstone Pendant, drawing strength from its warmth. The growling grew louder, and then it emerged from the shadows—a creature out of a nightmare, its form shifting and indistinct, its eyes glowing with a malevolent light. It circled her, its movements fluid and graceful, a predator toying with its prey. Rory's breath caught in her throat, her pulse pounding in her ears as she faced the impossible. "Why am I here?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear that coursed through her veins. "What do you want from me?" The creature tilted its head, as if considering her question, and then it spoke, its voice a cacophony of whispers that seemed to come from all directions at once. "You wear the Heartstone," it said, its gaze fixed on the pendant. "You have been chosen." Chosen. The word echoed in her mind, a harbinger of destinies she had never sought, of paths she had never intended to walk. She thought of her life in London, of the mundane existence she had carved out for herself, and she wondered how it had come to this—a confrontation with a being from another realm, a test she had not studied for. "Chosen for what?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. The creature smiled, a terrifying display of otherworldly intent. "To bridge the gap between worlds," it replied. "To be the harbinger of change." Rory shook her head, a denial on her lips, but the creature simply faded into the shadows, its laughter a fading echo in the grove. She was alone once more, the Heartstone Pendant throbbing with a newfound urgency, a signal that her journey had only just begun. As she made her way back through the standing stones, the grove seemed less menacing, its secrets tucked away behind a veil of normalcy. The moon greeted her like an old friend, its light guiding her back to the world she knew. But as she emerged from the park, the pendant still warm against her skin, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again. She was Aurora Carter, and her story was far from over.