Run: 2026-02-17-01KHMPH3XA089A545VVH10J3VS

Aurora Carter stood at the edge of the standing stones, her bright blue eyes scanning the darkness of the Fae Grove. She had been warned not to come here, not to tempt the balance of the Earth and the Fae realms. But she had to see it for herself, had to feel the strange energy that drew her to this place. The wind rustled the wildflowers that bloomed year-round, releasing a sweet, heady scent that caught in her throat. She had been told that time moved differently within the Grove's boundaries, that an hour could be stretched to minutes or days outside. But as she glanced down at her phone, the screen's glow illuminated the crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist, a souvenir from a childhood accident that seemed to mock her now. The clock read 9:47 PM, but she knew it was likely much later than that. A faint humming noise, like the quiet whine of a engine, began to build in the distance. Aurora's gaze swept the clearing, searching for the source, but there was nothing to see. The air seemed to thicken, heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. She took a step back, her eyes adjusting to the darkness, but the strange energy only seemed to grow stronger. The first sound came from behind her – the soft crunch of gravel beneath footfall. Aurora spun around, her heart rate quickening, but there was no one there. The crunch came again, louder this time, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. This was not right. She was alone in the Grove, and she knew it. As she stood there, frozen with uncertainty, a tiny movement caught her eye. A branch on a nearby tree swayed, just a fraction of an inch, before settling back into place. It was nothing, just the wind, but Aurora's instincts told her otherwise. Something was watching her, waiting for her to make a wrong move. She turned her attention to the standing stones, the ancient oaks looming above her like sentinels. The energy emanating from them seemed to be pulsing, like a heartbeat, and she felt a strange connection to it. Her hand drifted to the silver chain around her neck, where the Heartstone Pendant hung, its deep crimson gemstone glowing with a faint inner light. Aurora felt a surge of reassurance at the pendant's presence, as if it might shield her from whatever lay within the Grove. But the feeling was short-lived. The humming noise grew louder, a low vibration that began to rattle her teeth. The wildflowers seemed to sway in time with it, their petals unfolding like tiny mouths screaming silently into the night. She took a step back, her eyes darting around the clearing in a desperate bid to find some clue, some sign that would tell her what was happening. The air seemed to ripple and distort, like the surface of a pond struck by a stone. The sounds – the crunching gravel, the swaying branch – grew louder, more intense, until it felt like the very fabric of reality was unraveling around her. And still, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. That unblinking gaze, the one that had her wrapped in its cold, calculating grasp, began to take shape in her mind. It was a presence, a force that lurked just beyond the edge of perception, waiting to pounce. Aurora's breath caught in her throat as she realized that she might not be the only one who knew she was here. The pendant on her chest seemed to be growing warmer, its glow intensifying as if it sensed the same threat. She knew she had to get out of there, to find the nearest Hel portal and escape the Grove before whatever darkness lurked within it claimed her. But her legs seemed rooted to the spot, her gaze drawn inexorably back to the standing stones. The energy emanating from them pulsed stronger now, like a countdown timer ticking away the seconds until something happened. And then, in an instant, the world around her snapped into sharp focus. The wind stilled, the wildflowers frozen in mid-sway. The humming noise died, leaving only an oppressive silence. Aurora's heart pounded in her chest as she raised her eyes to meet the gaze of a figure standing just beyond the standing stones. It was tall, impossibly tall, its features blurred and indistinct, like a painting left to fade in the rain. Aurora's breath caught, her fingers instinctively curling around the pendant's chain as if it might anchor her to the world. She knew, in that moment, that she was no longer alone in the Grove. And that whatever stood before her was not of this world.