Run: 2026-02-19-01KHSYYZFZJRMKVXX9B46WCW6R

Run Details

Duration:
2m 54s
Cost:
$0.004479
Provider:
Novita

Model input

System
You are an expert and award-winning novel writer in the dark Fantasy genre. Your readers are hooked on your stories and can't wait to read the book you have in store. <important> - MUST: Start each chapter in medias res (in the middle of action). AVOID talking about the weather, time of day, the position of the sun, or other boring stuff. - The instructions/summary are just a that, a summary. Feel free to add details, stretch sections and add interesting transitions/descriptions/fillers. - When called for it, have fast-paced action, but otherwise take things slow. This is an experience, and not for people with short attention spans. Enjoy the wine, not slurp Red Bull. - Add descriptions when transitioning places/times/etc, or when coming by new places (e.g. a corner shop, a cafe, etc.). But remember: NOT at the start or end of a chapter. - MUST: AVOID ending in internal monologue, reminiscing or waiting for the next day. A good chapter end is when we're ending right when shit hits the fan. We want to have the reader be excited for what comes next. So no reminiscing, contemplating or summarizing the day. It's popcorn time! </important>
User/Human
Take into account the following glossary of characters/locations/items/lore... when writing your response: <codex> <character id="4412" name="Aurora Carter" aliases="Rory, Laila, Aurora, Carter, Malphora" pronouns="she/her" species="Human" storyRole="Protagonist"> <eyeColor>bright blue</eyeColor> <hair>straight shoulder-length black</hair> <height>5'6"</height> <age>25</age> <scar>small crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist from a childhood accident</scar> <description>Aurora, referred to by her friends as Rory, is cool-headed, intelligent, and known for quick out-of-the-box thinking.</description> <backstory>Born in Cardiff to an Irish barrister father (Brendan Carter) and Welsh teacher mother (Jennifer Carter née Ellis), Rory reluctantly pursued Pre-Law at Cardiff University. She fled to London at the behest of her childhood friend Eva after leaving an abusive ex named Evan. By day, Rory works part-time as a delivery person for Yu-Fei Cheung's Golden Empress restaurant. She lives in a flat above Silas' bar.</backstory> </character> <character id="4418" name="Nyx" aliases="Nyx, the Shadow, Nightwhisper" pronouns="they/them" species="Shade" storyRole="Wild Card"> <eyeColor>faintly glowing violet</eyeColor> <height>approximately 6'2" in solid form</height> <age>ageless</age> <form>humanoid silhouette of living shadow, can shift between solid and incorporeal</form> <voice>sounds like a whisper carried on the wind</voice> <description>A being of living shadow, existing between the mortal plane and the spaces between realms.</description> <backstory>Nyx was once a human sorcerer named Aldric who became trapped between realms during a failed summoning ritual in 1643. They now exist as a Shade, bound to the mortal plane but able to slip between shadows.</backstory> </character> <character id="4424" name="Isolde Varga" aliases="Isolde, the Seer" pronouns="she/her" species="Half-Fae" storyRole="Oracle"> <eyeColor>pale lavender</eyeColor> <hair>silver, reaching her waist</hair> <height>5'5"</height> <age>300 years old</age> <appearance>ethereal, ageless</appearance> <speech>speaks in riddles</speech> <footprints>leaves no footprints when she walks</footprints> <compulsion>cannot lie (Fae compulsion) but can mislead</compulsion> <description>A Half-Fae seer exiled from the Fae Courts for sharing visions with mortals.</description> <backstory>She now lives in a hidden grove in Richmond Park, offering cryptic prophecies to those who seek her out.</backstory> </character> <location id="853" name="Dymas (Gluttony)" aliases="Dymas, gluttony, Dymasian" realm="Hel" sin="Gluttony"> <ruler>Prince Belphegor</ruler> <skyColor>warm amber</skyColor> <description>A place of excess and indulgence. Sprawling vineyards, orchards, and gardens provide exotic ingredients for master chefs — often helbound souls contracted from Earth. Grand feasts and culinary competitions are common.</description> </location> <location id="861" name="The Fae Grove" aliases="Isolde's grove, Richmond grove, the Grove" realm="Earth (Fae-touched)"> <parkLocation>Richmond Park</parkLocation> <standingStones>ancient oak standing stones mark the boundary</standingStones> <timeBehavior>time moves differently — an hour inside can be minutes or days outside</timeBehavior> <flora>wildflowers bloom year-round</flora> <description>A hidden clearing that exists in a pocket between Earth and the Fae realm.</description> </location> <item id="2001" name="Heartstone Pendant" aliases="the pendant, Heartstone" type="Artifact" origin="Dymas"> <gemstoneColor>deep crimson</gemstoneColor> <chainMaterial>silver chain</chainMaterial> <size>roughly the size of a thumbnail</size> <behavior>pulses faintly with warmth when near a Hel portal</behavior> <glow>faint inner glow</glow> <description>Given to Aurora by an unknown benefactor.</description> </item> <item id="2006" name="Fae-Forged Blade" aliases="the Fae blade, Isolde's gift" type="Weapon" origin="The Fae Courts"> <material>moonsilver</material> <shape>slender, leaf-shaped dagger</shape> <temperature>always cold to the touch</temperature> <glow>faintly luminescent in moonlight</glow> <power>can cut through magical wards; particularly effective against demons</power> <givenTo>given to Aurora by Isolde as a gift</givenTo> <description>A weapon of the Fae Courts, rare and highly coveted.</description> </item> <lore id="7001" name="The Veil" aliases="the Veil, the Barrier, the Boundary" category="Cosmology"> <solsticeEffect>weakens during the winter solstice, strengthens during the summer solstice</solsticeEffect> <appearance>faint shimmering distortion visible only to those with supernatural sight</appearance> <monitoring>rift points (tears in the Veil) are monitored by the Wardens</monitoring> <description>The Veil is the metaphysical barrier separating Earth from Hel and the Fae Realms.</description> </lore> </codex> <proseGuidelines> <styleGuide> - Write in past tense and use British English spelling and grammar - Keep a Flesch reading ease score of 60 - Respect the the Royal Order of Adjectives: The order is: opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose, followed by the noun itself (e.g., "a lovely little old rectangular green French silver whittling knife") - Respect the ablaut reduplication rule (e.g. tick-tock, flip-flop) - Write in active voice - Passive voice: <bad>The book was read by Sarah.</bad> - Active voice: <good>Sarah read the book.</good> - Reduce the use of passive verbs - <bad>For a moment, I was tempted to throw in the towel.</bad> - <good>For a moment, I felt tempted to throw in the towel.</good> - Avoid misplaced modifiers that can cause confusion when starting with "-ing" words: - <bad>Considering going to the store, the empty fridge reflected in Betty's eyes.</bad> - <good>Betty stared into the empty fridge. It was time to go to the store.</good> - Avoid redundant adverbs that state the obvious meaning already contained in the verb: - <bad>She whispered quietly to her mom.</bad> - <good>She whispered to her mom.</good> - Use stronger, more descriptive verbs over weak ones: - <bad>Daniel drove quickly to his mother's house.</bad> - <good>Daniel raced to his mother's house.</good> - Omit adverbs that don't add solid meaning like "extremely", "definitely", "truly", "very", "really": - <bad>The movie was extremely boring.</bad> - <good>The movie was dull.</good> - Use adverbs to replace clunky phrasing when they increase clarity: - <bad>He threw the bags into the corner in a rough manner.</bad> - <good>He threw the bags into the corner roughly.</good> - Avoid making simple thoughts needlessly complex: - <bad>After I woke up in the morning the other day, I went downstairs, turned on the stove, and made myself a very good omelet.</bad> - <good>I cooked a delicious omelet for breakfast yesterday morning.</good> - Never backload sentences by putting the main idea at the end: - <bad>I decided not to wear too many layers because it's really hot outside.</bad> - <good>It's sweltering outside today, so I dressed light.</good> - Omit nonessential details that don't contribute to the core meaning: - <bad>It doesn't matter what kind of coffee I buy, where it's from, or if it's organic or not—I need to have cream because I really don't like how the bitterness makes me feel.</bad> - <good>I add cream to my coffee because the bitter taste makes me feel unwell.</good> - Always follow the "show, don't tell" principle. For instance: - Telling: <bad>Michael was terribly afraid of the dark.</bad> - Showing: <good>Michael tensed as his mother switched off the light and left the room.</good>- Telling: <bad>I walked through the forest. It was already Fall, and I was getting cold.</bad> - Showing: <good>Dry orange leaves crunched under my feet. I pulled my coat's collar up and rubbed my hands together.</good>- Add sensory details (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch) to support the "showing" (but keep an active voice) - <bad>The room was filled with the scent of copper.</bad> - <good>Copper stung my nostrils. Blood. Recent.</good> - Use descriptive language more sporadically. While vivid descriptions are engaging, human writers often use them in bursts rather than consistently throughout a piece. When adding them, make them count! Like when we transition from one location to the next, or someone is reminiscing their past, or explaining a concept/their dream... - Avoid adverbs and clichés and overused/commonly used phrases. Aim for fresh and original descriptions. - Avoid writing all sentences in the typical subject, verb, object structure. Mix short, punchy sentences with long, descriptive ones. Drop fill words to add variety. Like so: <good>Locked. Seems like someone doesn't want his secrets exposed. I can work with that.</good> - Convey events and story through dialogue. It is important to keep a unique voice for every character and make it consistent. - Write dialogue that reveals characters' personalities, motivations, emotions, and attitudes in an interesting and compelling manner - Leave dialogue unattributed. If needed, only use "he/she said" dialogue tags and convey people's actions or face expressions through their speech. Dialogue always is standalone, never part of a paragraph. Like so: - <bad>"I don't know," Helena said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders</bad> - <good>"No idea" "Why not? It was your responsibility"</good> - Avoid boring and mushy dialog and descriptions, have dialogue always continue the action, never stall or include unnecessary fluff. Vary the descriptions to not repeat yourself. Avoid conversations that are just "Let's go" "yes, let's" or "Are you ready?" "Yes I'm ready". Those are not interesting. Think hard about every situtation and word of text before writing dialogue. If it doesn't serve a purpose and it's just people talking about their day, leave it. No one wants to have a normal dinner scene, something needs to happen for it to be in the story. Words are expensive to print, so make sure they count! - Put dialogue on its own paragraph to separate scene and action. - Use body language to reveal hidden feelings and implied accusations- Imply feelings and thoughts, never state them directly - NEVER use indicators of uncertainty like "trying" or "maybe" - NEVER use em-dashes, use commas for asides instead </styleGuide> <voiceGuide> Each character in the story needs to have distinct speech patterns: - Word choice preferences - Sentence length tendencies - Cultural/educational influences - Verbal tics and catchphrases Learn how each person talks and continue in their style, and use their Codex entries as reference. <examples> - <bad>"We need to go now." "Yes, we should leave." "I agree."</bad> <good>"Time's up." "Indeed, our departure is rather overdue." "Whatever, let's bounce."</good> - Power Dynamic Example: <bad> "We need to discuss the contract." "Yes, let's talk about it." "I have concerns." </bad> <good> "A word about the contract." "Of course, Mr. Blackwood. Whatever you need." "The terms seem..." A manicured nail tapped the desk. "Inadequate." "I can explain every-" "Can you?" </good> </examples> </voiceGuide> <dialogueFlow> When writing dialogue, consider that it usually has a goal in mind, which gives it a certain flow. Make dialogue sections also quite snappy in the back and forth, and don't spread the lines out as much. It's good to have details before, after, or as a chunk in-between, but we don't want to have a trail of "dialogue breadcrumbs" spread throughout a conversation. <examples> - Pattern 1 - Question/Deflection/Revelation: <good> "Where were you last night?" "Work. The usual." "Lipstick's an interesting shade for spreadsheets." </good> - Pattern 2 - Statement/Contradiction/Escalation: <good> "Your brother's clean." "Tommy doesn't touch drugs." "I'm holding his tox screen." </good> - Pattern 3 - Observation/Denial/Truth: <good> "That's a new watch." "Birthday gift." "We both know what birthdays mean in this business." </good> - Example - A Simple Coffee Order: <bad> "I'll have a coffee." "What size?" "Large, please." </bad> <good> "Black coffee.""Size?""Large. Been a long night." "That bodega shooting?" "You watch too much news." "My brother owns that store." </good> This short exchange: - Advances plot (reveals connection to crime) - Shows character (cop working late) - Creates tension (unexpected connection) - Sets up future conflict (personal stake) - Example - Dinner Scene: <bad> "Pass the salt." "Here you go." "Thanks." </bad> <good> "Salt?" "Perfect as is. Mother's recipe." "Mother always did prefer... bland things." "Unlike your first wife?" </good> - Example - Office Small Talk: <bad> "Nice weather today." "Yes, very nice." "Good for golf." </bad> <good> "Perfect golf weather." "Shame about your membership." "Temporary suspension. Board meets next week." "I know. I called the vote." </good> </examples> </dialogueFlow> <subtextGuide> - Layer dialogue with hidden meaning: <bad>"I hate you!" she yelled angrily.</bad> <good>"I made your favorite dinner." The burnt pot sat accusingly on the stove.</good> - Create tension through indirect communication: <bad>"Are you cheating on me?"</bad> <good>"Late meeting again?" The lipstick stain on his collar caught the light.</good> <examples> - Example 1 - Unspoken Betrayal: <bad> "Did you tell them about our plans?" "No, I would never betray you." "I don't believe you." </bad> <good> "Funny. Johnson mentioned our expansion plans today." "The market's full of rumors." "Mentioned the exact numbers, actually." The pen in his hand snapped. </good> - Example 2 - Failed Marriage: <bad> "You're never home anymore." "I have to work late." "I miss you." </bad> <good> "Your dinner's in the microwave. Again." "Meetings ran long." "They always do." She folded the same shirt for the third time. </good> - Example 3 - Power Struggle: <bad> "You can't fire me." "I'm the boss." "I'll fight this." </bad> <good> "That's my father's nameplate you're sitting behind." "Was." "The board meeting's on Thursday." </good> </examples> </subtextGuide> <sceneDetail> While writing dialogue makes things more fun, sometimes we need to add detail to not have it be a full on theatre piece. <examples> - Example A (Power Dynamic Scene) <good> "Where's my money?" The ledger snapped shut. "I need more time." "Interesting." He pulled out a familiar gold pocket watch. My mother's. "Time is exactly what you bargained with last month." "That was different-" "Was it?" The watch dangled between us. "Four generations of O'Reillys have wound this every night. Your mother. Your grandmother. Your great-grandmother.Shall we see who winds it next?" </good> - Example B (Action Chase) It's much better to be in the head of the character experiencing it, showing a bit of their though-process, mannerisms and personality: <good> Three rules for surviving a goblin chase in Covent Garden: Don't run straight. Don't look back. Don't let them herd you underground. I broke the first rule at Drury Lane. Rookie mistake. The fruit cart I dodged sailed into the wall behind me. Glass shattered. Someone screamed about insurance. *Tourist season's getting rough*, the scream seemed to say. Londoners adapt fast. "Oi! Market's closed!" The goblin's accent was pure East End. They're evolving. Learning. I spotted the Warren Street tube station sign ahead. *Shit.* There went rule three. </good> - Example C (Crime Scene Investigation) <good> "Greek." Davies snapped photos of the symbols. "No, wait. Reverse Greek." "Someone's been watching too many horror films." I picked up a receipt from the floor. Occult supply shop in Camden. Paid by credit card. *Amateur hour*. "Could be dangerous though," Davies said. "Remember Bristol?" "Bristol was Sanskrit. And actual cultists." I pointed to the nearest symbol. "This genius wrote 'darkness' backwards but used a Sigma instead of an S. It's summoning Instagram followers at best." "Speaking of followers..." Davies pointed to heavy foot traffic in the dust. Multiple sets. All new trainers. *Ah.* "Anyone check local uni paranormal societies?" </good> - Example D (Dialogue-heavy) <good> "Found your card in her wallet." The detective slid it across the table. Worn edges. Folded corner. Three years old at least. "Standard practice. I work missing persons." "Funny thing about missing persons.Eventually they stop being missing. Turn up in the Thames. Under motorways. In pieces." "I don't-" "You found four last year. All breathing." She opened a file. "This would've been your first dead one. If we hadn't found her first." The card felt heavier somehow. </good> </examples> </sceneDetail> <sceneOpenings> KEY RULE: Never open with more than one paragraph of description, no matter how beautiful. Description should be earned through action and dialogue. Instead of opening with setting description, open with: - A character doing something specific - A line of dialogue that raises questions - An unexpected observation - A moment of tension or conflict - Start with a hook that's 1-2 sentences maximum - Follow with a smaller paragraph that provides immediate context - Vary paragraph size from the start to create visual interest </sceneOpenings> </proseGuidelines> Write a chapter based on the following instructions: <instructions> Write a fully fleshed out scene of at least 1000 words in the fantasy genre. A small group enters an ancient, otherworldly place for the first time. The environment is alien and wondrous. Describe their exploration — what they see, hear, and feel as they move deeper. Include moments of discovery, unease, and wonder. Let the world-building emerge through the characters' experience rather than exposition. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for characters, setting, and lore. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
The veil between worlds tore like wet paper. One moment, the heavy air of Richmond Park pressed against Rory's skin, thick with the scent of rain-sodden earth and decaying leaves. The next, a rush of warmth washed over her, carrying the perfume of something sweet, cloying, and utterly alien. The Heartstone pendant resting against her sternum pulsed once, a hot, steady heartbeat of its own. "Steady," Nyx's voice whispered in her ear, a soundless brush of cold that raised goosebumps on her neck despite the sudden heat. They stood in the grove, but it was a grove transformed. The ancient oak standing stones weren't just boundary markers anymore; they glowed with a soft, internal light, like embers held under moss. Between them, the air shimmered like sun-warped asphalt, a faint, persistent distortion. The Veil. Isolde had shown her the entrance—a gesture more than words, a silver hand tracing a complex shape in the air before the very fabric of reality seemed to part. The seer herself hadn’t crossed. She’d simply watched, her lavender eyes unreadable, before fading back into the twilight forest behind them. Now Rory stood, flanked by the shifting shadow that was Nyx, staring into the tear. “After you,” she muttered, the words dry in her throat. Nyx flowed forward first, their form dissolving into smoke as it passed through the shimmer. Rory took a breath, closed her hand around the cold Fae-forged blade at her hip—a parting gift from Isolde—and followed. The transition felt like diving into a bath of honey. Thick, sweet air resisted her movement, clinging to her clothes and skin. Then she stumbled out onto solid ground, the pressure gone as quickly as it came. Dymas unfolded before them. The sky was a warm, liquid amber, like the world was trapped inside a glass of fine whiskey lit from within. It cast everything in a soft, golden hue. No sun, just a uniform, gentle glow. Rory blinked, her eyes adjusting to the perpetual twilight of this strange place. They stood on the edge of a vineyard. Rows upon rows of gnarled, twisting vines stretched into the distance, heavy with clusters of grapes that glowed like amethyst jewels. The air hummed with lazy, fat-bellied insects, their wings shimmering with iridescent light. “Right. Gluttony,” Rory said, her voice barely audible. The name felt inadequate. The ground beneath her boots was soft and rich, a deep, loamy soil that smelled of ripe fruit and dark earth. Strange flowers grew wild between the vine rows, their petals impossibly large, folding and unfolding in a slow, hypnotic rhythm. Their colours were too bright, too saturated—fuchsia, electric blue, a corrosive yellow that seemed to vibrate. A sound reached her ears, distant but clear. Laughter. Not jovial, relaxed laughter, but the high, continuous titter of a party that had run too long and too hard. Nyx solidified beside her, their humanoid silhouette of condensed shadow stark against the golden light. Their faintly glowing violet eyes scanned the horizon. “This way.” They moved off the path and into the vineyard itself. The vines seemed to press in, their thick leaves brushing against Rory’s shoulders. Here, the scent was overwhelming. Fermented grapes, honey, and something denser, earthy and fungal. It coated the back of her throat. Up close, the grapes weren’t just purple. Each one had a complex play of colour beneath its translucent skin—swirls of crimson and indigo, veins of gold. She reached out, her fingers an inch from a heavy cluster. “Don’t,” Nyx whispered, the words forming directly in her mind. “Everything here is a transaction. Touch nothing unless you mean to consume it.” Rory drew her hand back as if burned. She glanced at her wrist, at the small crescent scar there. A childhood accident, a friend’s brand-new bike, a clumsy fall. A stupid, human thing. It felt grounding in this place of impossible excess. They wove through the rows, the tittering laughter growing slowly closer. Eventually, the vines gave way to the edge of a natural terrace overlooking a wide, rolling valley. Below, sprawled like a fantastical Elizabethan painting brought to obscene life, was Prince Belphegor’s domain. Rory’s breath caught. Orchards of impossible trees lined terraced hillsides, each tree heavy with perfect, geometric fruit—cubes of glowing orange citrus, pyramids of berries that gleamed like polished jet. Lavish gardens were laid out in intricate, mandala-like patterns, bursting with flowers she had no name for. Streams ran through it all, but they flowed not with water, but with what looked like wine, dark red and sluggish. The smell was intoxicating from here—sugar, spice, roasting meat, and the underlying tang of yeast and decay. More unsettling were the figures moving through the landscape. From this distance, they looked humanoid, but their movements were wrong. Fluid where they should be stiff, languid where they should be quick. Servants, she guessed. Or chefs. All of them moving with a single-minded purpose, harvesting, carrying, preparing. And in the centre of it all, like the jewel in a monstrous crown, was a vast, open-air pavilion. Long tables groaned under mountains of food, platters piled high with roasted fowl glazed in shimmering sauces, whole fish baked in salt crusts that cracked open to reveal steaming flesh, towers of pastries that dripped with golden honey. Figures lounged on cushions, feasting, drinking from ornate goblets, their forms indistinct blurs of colour and motion from this distance. The laughter she’d heard originated there. “The grand banquet,” Nyx murmured beside her. “It never ends. They eat until they cannot move, and then more is brought. The courses are designed to never satisfy, only to incite more hunger.” Rory felt a twist of nausea. It wasn’t disgust at the excess itself, but at the precision of it. The engineered, perfect cruelty of an endless, unfulfilling feast. “We need to get through that?” she asked, gesturing towards the pavilion nestled in the valley’s heart. “Not through. Around. The rift point we seek is in the cellars below, where the stores are kept. Where they preserve the… ingredients.” The way Nyx said ‘ingredients’ sent a fresh chill down her spine, despite the warmth. They skirted the edge of the terrace, keeping to the cover of a dense, overgrown hedgerow of some thorny, sweet-smelling bush. The path led downwards, away from the open valley view and towards the looming shadow of a great structure built into the hillside—a sprawling mansion of honey-coloured stone, its windows dark and blank. As they approached, the cacophony of the feast faded, replaced by a new, more sinister soundscape. A low, constant hum vibrated through the ground. Machinery. The clank of heavy chains. A rhythmic thump-thump-thump that felt like a heartbeat. A high, arched gateway loomed ahead, leading into the hill. Two massive, iron-bound wooden doors stood slightly ajar. Nyx paused before them, their shadowy form shifting uneasily. “This is the larder.” Rory drew the Fae blade. The slender, leaf-shaped dagger gleamed dully in the amber light of Dymas, its moonsilver blade radiating a cold that fought the pervasive warmth. She could feel its weight, the promise of its edge against things that deserved cutting. Together, they slipped through the gap into the dark. The smell hit her first. Not the cloying sweetness of the vineyards, but something deeper, richer, and infinitely more disturbing. Spices, yes—cinnamon, star anise, cloves in overwhelming quantities—but under that, the coppery tang of fresh meat, the earthy smell of root vegetables stored in damp soil, and a sweet, sickly odor like overripe fruit beginning to rot. The hum was louder here, a pervasive industrial drone. Her eyes adjusted to the gloom, lit by occasional crystallized sconces that emitted a soft, fungal green light. The chamber was a cathedral of avarice. Stone arches soared overhead, lost in shadow. The floor was a maze of pathways weaving between storage units. And the units themselves… Vats the size of canal barges bubbled with liquids—some clear and shimmering like aspic, others dark as molasses. Cages hung from the ceiling, holding creatures she couldn’t identify, their eyes glinting in the green light. Butchered carcasses of unbelievable beasts hung on hooks, their flesh marbled with fat in patterns that seemed almost artistic. Shelves reached into the darkness, lined with jars containing things that swam in pale brine or floated in amber syrup. “Don’t look too closely,” Nyx advised, their voice a thin thread of sound in the vast space. Too late. Rory’s gaze had caught on one shelf. The jars there were smaller, the contents more… contained. Small, pale shapes suspended in clear liquid. They looked like… She turned her head away, her stomach lurching. The Fae blade felt reassuringly solid in her grip. The rhythmic thumping grew louder. They followed the sound down a wide central aisle, past a series of grinding mills powered by chained, muscular figures whose eyes had long since gone blank. The figures turned massive stone wheels, their movements mechanical, endless. Past the mills, the corridor opened into a vast, circular chamber. In its centre roared a pit of fire, vented through a circular opening in the stone floor. Massive spits turned over the flames, powered by a complex system of gears and pulleys. On the spits were… Rory swallowed hard. The shapes were large, vaguely porcine, but with too many limbs, their skins crackling and glistening with rendered fat. The attendants here weren’t blank-eyed slaves. They were shorter, broader, with skin the colour of baked clay and small, intelligent eyes that darted about. They basted the roasting creatures with long-handled brushes, chattering to each other in a guttural tongue. One of them looked up. Its eyes, black and bead-like, locked onto hers. A shout. All movement in the chamber ceased. The guttural chatter died. The only sound was the crackle of the fire and the steady drip of fat hissing into the coals. The creature pointed a thick, grease-smeared finger directly at Rory. “Intruders,” it growled, the word thick and accented but perfectly understandable. “Fresh meat.”
created_at"2026-02-19T03:26:41.48Z" 2/19/2026, 3:26:41 AM
model"microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency1505
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time173246
tokens_prompt5341
tokens_completion2693
native_tokens_prompt4952
native_tokens_completion2272
native_tokens_completion_images(null)
native_tokens_reasoning0
native_tokens_cached4928
num_media_prompt(null)
num_input_audio_prompt(null)
num_media_completion0
num_search_results(null)
origin"https://ncbench.com/"
is_byokfalse
finish_reason"stop"
native_finish_reason"stop"
usage0.00447888
router(null)
provider_responses
0
endpoint_id"92d0658f-b48a-4746-96e7-75ea71d5e060"
id"c57aab35-dd4b-48aa-8672-f43d9940bd8c"
is_byokfalse
latency1505
model_permaslug"microsoft/wizardlm-2-8x22b"
provider_name"Novita"
status200
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1771471601-8mZtQtOaDl8ioo9Tt5lA"
upstream_id"c57aab35-dd4b-48aa-8672-f43d9940bd8c"
total_cost0.00447888
cache_discount(null)
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"Novita"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags9
adverbTagCount0
adverbTags(empty)
dialogueSentences14
tagDensity0.643
leniency1
rawRatio0
effectiveRatio0
82.24% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount1689
totalAiIsmAdverbs6
found
0
adverb"utterly"
count1
1
adverb"very"
count1
2
adverb"quickly"
count1
3
adverb"slowly"
count1
4
adverb"slightly"
count1
5
adverb"perfectly"
count1
highlights
0"utterly"
1"very"
2"quickly"
3"slowly"
4"slightly"
5"perfectly"
100.00% AI-ism character names
Target: 0 AI-default names (17 tracked, −20% each)
codexExemptions(empty)
found(empty)
100.00% AI-ism location names
Target: 0 AI-default location names (33 tracked, −20% each)
codexExemptions(empty)
found(empty)
0.00% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount1689
totalAiIsms35
found
0
word"warmth"
count3
1
word"pulsed"
count1
2
word"shimmered"
count1
3
word"tracing"
count1
4
word"complex"
count3
5
word"unreadable"
count1
6
word"electric"
count1
7
word"stark"
count1
8
word"scanned"
count1
9
word"perfect"
count2
10
word"intricate"
count1
11
word"chill"
count1
12
word"down her spine"
count1
13
word"looming"
count1
14
word"structure"
count1
15
word"cacophony"
count1
16
word"sinister"
count1
17
word"vibrated"
count1
18
word"rhythmic"
count2
19
word"loomed"
count1
20
word"could feel"
count1
21
word"weight"
count1
22
word"gloom"
count1
23
word"crystallized"
count1
24
word"glinting"
count1
25
word"stomach"
count1
26
word"lurching"
count1
27
word"mechanical"
count1
28
word"glistening"
count1
highlights
0"warmth"
1"pulsed"
2"shimmered"
3"tracing"
4"complex"
5"unreadable"
6"electric"
7"stark"
8"scanned"
9"perfect"
10"intricate"
11"chill"
12"down her spine"
13"looming"
14"structure"
15"cacophony"
16"sinister"
17"vibrated"
18"rhythmic"
19"loomed"
20"could feel"
21"weight"
22"gloom"
23"crystallized"
24"glinting"
25"stomach"
26"lurching"
27"mechanical"
28"glistening"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches0
maxInWindow0
found(empty)
highlights(empty)
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells1
narrationSentences131
matches
0"a rush of warmth"
100.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount0
hedgeCount3
narrationSentences131
filterMatches(empty)
hedgeMatches
0"seemed to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences137
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen39
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords1661
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions11
unquotedAttributions1
matches
0"Servants, she guessed."
100.00% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions38
wordCount1560
uniqueNames14
maxNameDensity0.83
worstName"Rory"
maxWindowNameDensity2
worstWindowName"Rory"
discoveredNames
Richmond1
Park1
Rory13
Heartstone1
Veil1
Nyx9
Fae-forged1
Isolde2
Elizabethan1
Prince1
Belphegor1
Fae3
Dymas2
Vats1
persons
0"Rory"
1"Nyx"
2"Prince"
3"Belphegor"
4"Dymas"
places
0"Richmond"
1"Park"
globalScore1
windowScore1
54.76% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences105
glossingSentenceCount4
matches
0"felt like diving into a bath of honey"
1"looked like wine, dark red and sluggish"
2"felt like a heartbeat"
3"seemed almost artistic"
19.39% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches3
per1kWords1.806
wordCount1661
matches
0"Not jovial, relaxed laughter, but the high, continuous titter of a party"
1"not with water, but with what looked like wine, dark red"
2"Not the cloying sweetness of the vineyards, but something deeper, richer"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount0
totalSentences137
matches(empty)
100.00% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs54
mean30.76
std19.76
cv0.643
sampleLengths
08
157
222
347
450
515
610
735
837
94
1049
1142
1212
1357
1429
1525
1644
1737
1823
1942
2028
2118
2281
2348
2477
256
2633
2728
2817
2923
3015
3154
3238
3318
349
354
3643
379
3857
3927
4025
414
4274
4317
4428
4517
4642
4747
4862
4913
100.00% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount1
totalSentences131
matches
0"were laid"
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount0
totalVerbs243
matches(empty)
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount11
semicolonCount1
flaggedSentences10
totalSentences137
ratio0.073
matches
0"The ancient oak standing stones weren't just boundary markers anymore; they glowed with a soft, internal light, like embers held under moss."
1"Isolde had shown her the entrance—a gesture more than words, a silver hand tracing a complex shape in the air before the very fabric of reality seemed to part."
2"Rory took a breath, closed her hand around the cold Fae-forged blade at her hip—a parting gift from Isolde—and followed."
3"Their colours were too bright, too saturated—fuchsia, electric blue, a corrosive yellow that seemed to vibrate."
4"Each one had a complex play of colour beneath its translucent skin—swirls of crimson and indigo, veins of gold."
5"Orchards of impossible trees lined terraced hillsides, each tree heavy with perfect, geometric fruit—cubes of glowing orange citrus, pyramids of berries that gleamed like polished jet."
6"The smell was intoxicating from here—sugar, spice, roasting meat, and the underlying tang of yeast and decay."
7"The path led downwards, away from the open valley view and towards the looming shadow of a great structure built into the hillside—a sprawling mansion of honey-coloured stone, its windows dark and blank."
8"Spices, yes—cinnamon, star anise, cloves in overwhelming quantities—but under that, the coppery tang of fresh meat, the earthy smell of root vegetables stored in damp soil, and a sweet, sickly odor like overripe fruit beginning to rot."
9"Vats the size of canal barges bubbled with liquids—some clear and shimmering like aspic, others dark as molasses."
86.97% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount947
adjectiveStacks2
stackExamples
0"cold Fae-forged blade"
1"lazy, fat-bellied insects,"
adverbCount39
adverbRatio0.04118268215417107
lyAdverbCount9
lyAdverbRatio0.009503695881731784
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences137
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences137
mean12.12
std7.35
cv0.606
sampleLengths
08
122
219
316
422
511
622
712
82
929
105
1116
1215
1310
1415
1520
1610
1712
1815
194
2021
218
227
2313
248
2521
2613
278
284
2921
3020
3116
328
331
3420
3515
368
372
3810
3913
405
419
427
437
4419
4511
4610
4713
488
4911
72.99% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats10
diversityRatio0.48175182481751827
totalSentences137
uniqueOpeners66
80.65% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount3
totalSentences124
matches
0"Then she stumbled out onto"
1"Eventually, the vines gave way"
2"More unsettling were the figures"
ratio0.024
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount25
totalSentences124
matches
0"They stood in the grove,"
1"She’d simply watched, her lavender"
2"she muttered, the words dry"
3"It cast everything in a"
4"They stood on the edge"
5"Their colours were too bright,"
6"Their faintly glowing violet eyes"
7"They moved off the path"
8"It coated the back of"
9"She reached out, her fingers"
10"She glanced at her wrist,"
11"It felt grounding in this"
12"They wove through the rows,"
13"It wasn’t disgust at the"
14"she asked, gesturing towards the"
15"They skirted the edge of"
16"She could feel its weight,"
17"Her eyes adjusted to the"
18"They looked like…"
19"She turned her head away,"
ratio0.202
97.10% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount90
totalSentences124
matches
0"The veil between worlds tore"
1"The next, a rush of"
2"The Heartstone pendant resting against"
3"Nyx's voice whispered in her"
4"They stood in the grove,"
5"The ancient oak standing stones"
6"Isolde had shown her the"
7"The seer herself hadn’t crossed."
8"She’d simply watched, her lavender"
9"she muttered, the words dry"
10"Nyx flowed forward first, their"
11"Rory took a breath, closed"
12"The transition felt like diving"
13"Dymas unfolded before them."
14"The sky was a warm,"
15"It cast everything in a"
16"Rory blinked, her eyes adjusting"
17"They stood on the edge"
18"Rows upon rows of gnarled,"
19"The air hummed with lazy,"
ratio0.726
40.32% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount1
totalSentences124
matches
0"Now Rory stood, flanked by"
ratio0.008
16.81% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences68
technicalSentenceCount12
matches
0"The ground beneath her boots was soft and rich, a deep, loamy soil that smelled of ripe fruit and dark earth."
1"Not jovial, relaxed laughter, but the high, continuous titter of a party that had run too long and too hard."
2"Orchards of impossible trees lined terraced hillsides, each tree heavy with perfect, geometric fruit—cubes of glowing orange citrus, pyramids of berries that gl…"
3"Long tables groaned under mountains of food, platters piled high with roasted fowl glazed in shimmering sauces, whole fish baked in salt crusts that cracked ope…"
4"A rhythmic thump-thump-thump that felt like a heartbeat."
5"The slender, leaf-shaped dagger gleamed dully in the amber light of Dymas, its moonsilver blade radiating a cold that fought the pervasive warmth."
6"She could feel its weight, the promise of its edge against things that deserved cutting."
7"Her eyes adjusted to the gloom, lit by occasional crystallized sconces that emitted a soft, fungal green light."
8"Cages hung from the ceiling, holding creatures she couldn’t identify, their eyes glinting in the green light."
9"Butchered carcasses of unbelievable beasts hung on hooks, their flesh marbled with fat in patterns that seemed almost artistic."
10"The shapes were large, vaguely porcine, but with too many limbs, their skins crackling and glistening with rendered fat."
11"They were shorter, broader, with skin the colour of baked clay and small, intelligent eyes that darted about."
13.89% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags9
uselessAdditionCount2
matches
0"Rory said, her voice barely audible"
1"Nyx whispered, the words forming directly in her mind"
0.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags9
fancyCount6
fancyTags
0"Nyx's voice whispered (whisper)"
1"she muttered (mutter)"
2"Nyx whispered (whisper)"
3"Nyx murmured (murmur)"
4"Nyx advised (advise)"
5"it growled (growl)"
dialogueSentences14
tagDensity0.643
leniency1
rawRatio0.667
effectiveRatio0.667
75.5035%