Run: 2026-02-19-01KHSZ5PY9M7VN4MQW85RPCWVN

Run Details

Duration:
53.6s
Cost:
$0.026406

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 pendant burned against Aurora’s collarbone before she even saw the fissure. She skidded to a halt on the rain-slick pavement, one hand flying to the crimson stone. The warmth pulsed through her fingers like a second heartbeat. Behind her, Eva’s breath hitched—she’d felt it too, the sudden prickle of wrongness in the air. Nyx materialised from the alley’s shadow, their violet eyes narrowing to slits. “Portal,” they whispered, voice like wind through dead leaves. The fissure wasn’t a door. It was a wound. A jagged tear in the fabric of the world, hovering above the cracked tarmac of a derelict car park in Vauxhall. The edges shimmered, not with light, but with the absence of it—like someone had cut a hole in reality itself and left the void exposed. Beyond it, the sky wasn’t London’s bruised grey. It was amber. Warm, golden, endless. Aurora’s stomach twisted. “That’s not—” “Dymas,” Nyx finished, their shadowy form rippling. “Gluttony’s realm. And we’re standing in its back garden.” Eva stepped forward, her boot hovering over the threshold. “It’s just… hanging there. Like a fucking painting.” “More like a buffet,” Nyx murmured. “Hel doesn’t do doors. It does *invitations*.” The pendant flared hotter. Aurora gritted her teeth and stepped through. The transition was seamless. One moment, she was breathing in the damp stink of London rain; the next, the air was thick with the scent of ripe fruit and something richer, darker—spiced wine, caramelised meat, the sweet rot of overripe peaches. Her boots sank into soft earth, not tarmac. She looked down. The ground was a carpet of crushed petals, deep red and gold, like autumn leaves ground into the soil. Eva stumbled after her, swearing under her breath. “Fuck’s sake, Rory, warn a girl before you—” She cut off, eyes wide. “Oh. Oh, *bollocks*.” They stood at the edge of a valley that shouldn’t have existed. The amber sky stretched endlessly, but the horizon wasn’t flat—it curved, like they were standing inside a vast, hollowed-out fruit. Terraced vineyards climbed the slopes in neat, geometric rows, their vines heavy with grapes the size of plums, glistening like jewels. Beyond them, orchards of twisted trees bore fruit Aurora didn’t recognise—some glowed faintly, others pulsed like hearts. The air hummed with a low, rhythmic thrum, like the distant beat of a drum. “This place is *alive*,” Eva breathed. Nyx’s form solidified beside them, their edges less defined here, as if the realm itself was tugging at their shadows. “It’s not just alive. It’s *hungry*.” A path wound down from where they stood, lined with lanterns that floated without tethers, their flames burning blue. Aurora took a step forward, and the petals beneath her feet crunched, releasing a burst of scent—cinnamon, cloves, something sharper beneath, like ozone. The pendant at her throat cooled, its pulse steady now, as if satisfied. Eva nudged her. “You feel that?” Aurora did. A pull, deep in her gut, like the first tug of a tide. “It wants us to follow.” Nyx’s laugh was a dry rustle. “Of course it does. This is Dymas. Everything here wants to be consumed.” They started down the path, the floating lanterns bobbing ahead of them like eager guides. The valley opened up as they descended, revealing more of the realm’s impossible geography. To their left, a river of molten caramel wound through the landscape, its surface glistening with swirls of darker brown. On the opposite bank, figures moved—human-shaped, but too tall, too thin, their limbs elongated like stretched taffy. They carried platters of food, their laughter ringing out in a language that made Aurora’s teeth ache. “Helbound,” Nyx said, nodding toward them. “Souls who traded their eternity for a taste of something forbidden. They’re the chefs here. The servers. The *ingredients*.” Eva made a face. “That’s…” “Efficient,” Nyx finished. “Hel doesn’t waste resources.” The path led them to a bridge of blackened wood, its planks carved with intricate designs of feasting figures. Below, the river of caramel flowed thick and slow, steam rising from its surface. Aurora hesitated at the bridge’s edge, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. The wood looked ancient, but not rotten—more like it had been *preserved*, pickled in time. “It’s safe,” Nyx said, though their voice lacked conviction. Aurora stepped onto the first plank. It didn’t creak. It *sighed*, as if exhaling after centuries of holding its breath. The bridge held firm beneath her boots, but the moment Eva followed, the wood beneath her feet darkened, the grain shifting like something alive. “Did you *see* that?” Eva hissed. Aurora didn’t answer. She was too busy watching the river below. The caramel wasn’t just flowing—it was *breathing*, rising and falling in slow, rhythmic waves. And then she saw the faces. Dozens of them, pressed against the surface from beneath, their features distorted by the thick liquid. Eyes blinked. Mouths opened in silent screams. “They’re trapped,” she whispered. Nyx’s voice was grim. “They’re *fermenting*.” Eva gagged. “I’m never eating dessert again.” They crossed the bridge quickly, the wood groaning beneath them like a living thing. On the other side, the path widened into a plaza paved with smooth, warm stones that pulsed faintly underfoot. At its centre stood a fountain, but not of water. Instead, thick, golden syrup cascaded from the mouths of carved cherubs, pooling in a basin below. The liquid shimmered, catching the amber light, and for a moment, Aurora thought she saw shapes moving within it—hands reaching up, grasping at the air. “Don’t touch it,” Nyx warned, but Eva was already crouching, her fingers hovering just above the surface. “It’s warm,” she said, voice hushed. “Like bathwater.” Aurora’s pendant flared again, hot enough to sting. She grabbed Eva’s wrist and yanked her back just as the syrup in the fountain *rippled*, the surface breaking as something beneath surged upward. A hand—pale, bloated, fingers too long—breached the surface before sinking back into the depths. Eva stumbled back, her face pale. “What the *fuck* was that?” “Dessert,” Nyx said dryly. The plaza opened into a market. Stalls lined the path, their awnings woven from what looked like spun sugar, their wares displayed on tables of polished bone. Aurora’s stomach turned. The first stall held an array of fruits—some she recognised, others alien. A vendor with too many teeth grinned at them, holding out a pomegranate split open to reveal seeds that glistened like rubies. When Aurora shook her head, the vendor’s smile widened, and he popped one of the seeds into his mouth. His eyes rolled back, his body shuddering with pleasure. “Fresh from the orchards,” he moaned. “Ripe. *So* ripe.” Nyx steered them away, their shadowy fingers brushing Aurora’s arm. “Don’t make eye contact. Don’t accept gifts. And *do not* eat anything.” “Wasn’t planning on it,” Eva muttered. The next stall was worse. A butcher’s display, but the cuts of meat weren’t beef or pork. They were *human-shaped*, arranged neatly on platters of silver. A leg, still twitching. A torso, ribs splayed open like a flower. The butcher, a hulking figure with skin the colour of raw liver, winked at them as he ran a cleaver through a slab of meat that still bore the faint imprint of a face. Aurora’s breath came fast. “We need to move.” They hurried past, the market’s sounds fading behind them—laughter, the clink of glasses, the wet *thunk* of a cleaver through bone. The path led them deeper into the valley, toward a grand estate perched on a hill in the distance. Its walls were made of something that looked like honeycomb, golden and translucent, and its towers spiralled upward like the horns of some great beast. Smoke curled from its chimneys, carrying the scent of roasting meat and spices. “Belphegor’s palace,” Nyx said. “The heart of Dymas.” Aurora’s pendant burned hotter. “We’re not going there.” “No,” Nyx agreed. “But whatever we’re looking for is.” The path forked ahead of them. One branch led toward the palace, winding up the hill through terraced gardens where figures in fine clothes lounged on divans, feeding each other grapes and laughing. The other branch veered into a dense thicket of trees, their trunks gnarled and blackened, their branches heavy with fruit that pulsed faintly, like hearts. Eva eyed the palace. “The fancy route’s got fewer… *body parts*.” Nyx shook their head. “The thicket. It’s older. Less guarded.” Aurora didn’t argue. The pendant’s heat was becoming unbearable, like a brand against her skin. She took the left fork, pushing through the undergrowth. The trees closed in around them, their branches twisting overhead to form a tunnel of darkness. The fruit here wasn’t like the others. It was darker, almost black, and it *beat*, slow and steady, like a drum. Eva reached out, her fingers brushing one of the fruits. It *twitched*. “Don’t,” Aurora snapped, but it was too late. The fruit split open with a wet *squelch*, revealing a cavity filled with writhing, worm-like things. Eva recoiled, wiping her hand on her jeans. “What the *hell*?” Nyx’s form flickered, their edges blurring. “The rotten heart of Dymas. The things that grow here… they’re not meant to be eaten. They’re meant to *eat*.” The trees thinned ahead, opening into a clearing. At its centre stood a tree unlike the others—massive, its trunk wider than a house, its roots twisting deep into the earth. Its bark was blackened, split open in places to reveal a core of pulsing, crimson light. And hanging from its branches, like obscene fruit, were *hearts*. Human hearts. Still beating. Aurora’s breath caught. The pendant at her throat flared white-hot, searing her skin. She gasped, clutching at it, and the moment her fingers closed around the stone, the world *tilted*. The clearing vanished. She was standing in a grand hall, its walls lined with mirrors that reflected not her, but *other versions* of her—some younger, some older, some with eyes black as pitch. A feast was laid out on a table that stretched the length of the room, but the food was wrong. The meat moved. The wine bubbled like blood. And at the head of the table sat a figure, its form shifting between a man with too many teeth and something far worse. “Aurora Carter,” it purred, its voice like honeyed poison. “We’ve been waiting for you.” She tried to run, but her feet wouldn’t move. The figure leaned forward, its smile widening. “Stay awhile. Taste. *Indulge*.” The pendant burned so hot it blistered her palm. She screamed—and the vision shattered. She was back in the clearing, gasping, her hand still clenched around the stone. Eva was shaking her, her face pale. “Rory! *Rory*, what the fuck was that?” Aurora’s voice was hoarse. “A warning.” Nyx’s form solidified beside them, their violet eyes wide. “That wasn’t a vision. That was a *summons*.” The tree’s roots *twitched*. The hearts hanging from its branches beat faster, their rhythm syncing with the pendant’s pulse. And then, from the darkness between the trees, a voice—smooth, rich, *hungry*. “Little morsels,” it crooned. “How kind of you to come to me.”
total_cost0.026406

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags20
adverbTagCount1
adverbTags
0"Nyx said dryly [dryly]"
dialogueSentences52
tagDensity0.385
leniency0.769
rawRatio0.05
effectiveRatio0.038
97.32% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount1864
totalAiIsmAdverbs1
found
0
adverb"quickly"
count1
highlights
0"quickly"
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)
40.99% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount1864
totalAiIsms22
found
0
word"warmth"
count1
1
word"pulsed"
count4
2
word"shimmered"
count2
3
word"stomach"
count2
4
word"glistening"
count2
5
word"rhythmic"
count2
6
word"pulse"
count2
7
word"efficient"
count1
8
word"intricate"
count1
9
word"depths"
count1
10
word"hulking"
count1
11
word"flickered"
count1
12
word"searing"
count1
13
word"shattered"
count1
highlights
0"warmth"
1"pulsed"
2"shimmered"
3"stomach"
4"glistening"
5"rhythmic"
6"pulse"
7"efficient"
8"intricate"
9"depths"
10"hulking"
11"flickered"
12"searing"
13"shattered"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches1
maxInWindow1
found
0
label"air was thick with"
count1
highlights
0"the air was thick with"
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells0
narrationSentences149
matches(empty)
100.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount0
hedgeCount1
narrationSentences149
filterMatches(empty)
hedgeMatches
0"tried to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences181
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen38
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans30
markdownWords33
totalWords1843
ratio0.018
matches
0"invitations"
1"bollocks"
2"alive"
3"hungry"
4"ingredients"
5"preserved"
6"sighed"
7"see"
8"breathing"
9"fermenting"
10"rippled"
11"fuck"
12"So"
13"do not"
14"human-shaped"
15"thunk"
16"body parts"
17"beat"
18"twitched"
19"squelch"
20"hell"
21"eat"
22"hearts"
23"tilted"
24"other versions"
25"Indulge"
26"Rory"
27"summons"
28"twitched"
29"hungry"
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions19
unquotedAttributions0
matches(empty)
83.33% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions58
wordCount1596
uniqueNames5
maxNameDensity1.32
worstName"Aurora"
maxWindowNameDensity2.5
worstWindowName"Aurora"
discoveredNames
Aurora21
Eva17
Vauxhall1
London2
Nyx17
persons
0"Aurora"
1"Eva"
2"Nyx"
places
0"Vauxhall"
1"London"
globalScore0.842
windowScore0.833
75.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences100
glossingSentenceCount3
matches
0"as if exhaling after centuries of holding its breath"
1"looked like spun sugar, their wares displ"
2"looked like honeycomb, golden and translu"
91.48% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches2
per1kWords1.085
wordCount1843
matches
0"not with light, but with the absence of it"
1"not her, but *other versions* of her"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount0
totalSentences181
matches(empty)
100.00% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs67
mean27.51
std26
cv0.945
sampleLengths
012
154
29
369
45
516
617
713
811
971
1024
1185
126
1326
1455
156
1620
1719
1883
1925
205
217
2263
239
2444
256
2654
274
286
297
3084
3117
328
3346
3411
354
3692
379
3822
396
4072
418
4278
438
448
459
4658
4711
4810
4961
93.49% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount5
totalSentences149
matches
0"been *preserved"
1"were *human-shaped"
2"were made"
3"was blackened"
4"was laid"
67.55% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount6
totalVerbs302
matches
0"was breathing"
1"were standing"
2"was tugging"
3"was *breathing"
4"was standing"
5"was shaking"
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount19
semicolonCount1
flaggedSentences17
totalSentences181
ratio0.094
matches
0"Behind her, Eva’s breath hitched—she’d felt it too, the sudden prickle of wrongness in the air."
1"The edges shimmered, not with light, but with the absence of it—like someone had cut a hole in reality itself and left the void exposed."
2"One moment, she was breathing in the damp stink of London rain; the next, the air was thick with the scent of ripe fruit and something richer, darker—spiced wine, caramelised meat, the sweet rot of overripe peaches."
3"The amber sky stretched endlessly, but the horizon wasn’t flat—it curved, like they were standing inside a vast, hollowed-out fruit."
4"Beyond them, orchards of twisted trees bore fruit Aurora didn’t recognise—some glowed faintly, others pulsed like hearts."
5"Aurora took a step forward, and the petals beneath her feet crunched, releasing a burst of scent—cinnamon, cloves, something sharper beneath, like ozone."
6"On the opposite bank, figures moved—human-shaped, but too tall, too thin, their limbs elongated like stretched taffy."
7"The wood looked ancient, but not rotten—more like it had been *preserved*, pickled in time."
8"The caramel wasn’t just flowing—it was *breathing*, rising and falling in slow, rhythmic waves."
9"The liquid shimmered, catching the amber light, and for a moment, Aurora thought she saw shapes moving within it—hands reaching up, grasping at the air."
10"A hand—pale, bloated, fingers too long—breached the surface before sinking back into the depths."
11"The first stall held an array of fruits—some she recognised, others alien."
12"They hurried past, the market’s sounds fading behind them—laughter, the clink of glasses, the wet *thunk* of a cleaver through bone."
13"At its centre stood a tree unlike the others—massive, its trunk wider than a house, its roots twisting deep into the earth."
14"She was standing in a grand hall, its walls lined with mirrors that reflected not her, but *other versions* of her—some younger, some older, some with eyes black as pitch."
15"She screamed—and the vision shattered."
16"And then, from the darkness between the trees, a voice—smooth, rich, *hungry*."
100.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount1617
adjectiveStacks0
stackExamples(empty)
adverbCount52
adverbRatio0.032158317872603585
lyAdverbCount7
lyAdverbRatio0.004329004329004329
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences181
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences181
mean10.18
std7.16
cv0.703
sampleLengths
012
116
210
316
412
59
65
74
821
925
108
113
123
133
142
157
169
179
188
196
207
214
227
234
2437
258
263
2719
288
2913
303
3112
3220
3321
3417
3515
366
3720
386
3919
4023
4113
423
433
442
4513
465
476
4813
4915
52.30% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats7
diversityRatio0.3370165745856354
totalSentences181
uniqueOpeners61
25.06% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount1
totalSentences133
matches
0"Instead, thick, golden syrup cascaded"
ratio0.008
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount29
totalSentences133
matches
0"She skidded to a halt"
1"they whispered, voice like wind"
2"It was a wound."
3"It was amber."
4"Her boots sank into soft"
5"She looked down."
6"She cut off, eyes wide"
7"They stood at the edge"
8"They started down the path,"
9"They carried platters of food,"
10"It didn’t creak."
11"It *sighed*, as if exhaling"
12"She was too busy watching"
13"They crossed the bridge quickly,"
14"she said, voice hushed"
15"She grabbed Eva’s wrist and"
16"His eyes rolled back, his"
17"They were *human-shaped*, arranged neatly"
18"They hurried past, the market’s"
19"Its walls were made of"
ratio0.218
31.43% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount114
totalSentences133
matches
0"The pendant burned against Aurora’s"
1"She skidded to a halt"
2"The warmth pulsed through her"
3"Nyx materialised from the alley’s"
4"they whispered, voice like wind"
5"The fissure wasn’t a door."
6"It was a wound."
7"A jagged tear in the"
8"The edges shimmered, not with"
9"It was amber."
10"Aurora’s stomach twisted."
11"Nyx finished, their shadowy form"
12"Eva stepped forward, her boot"
13"The pendant flared hotter."
14"Aurora gritted her teeth and"
15"The transition was seamless."
16"Her boots sank into soft"
17"She looked down."
18"The ground was a carpet"
19"Eva stumbled after her, swearing"
ratio0.857
37.59% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount1
totalSentences133
matches
0"To their left, a river"
ratio0.008
58.82% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences68
technicalSentenceCount8
matches
0"Nyx’s form solidified beside them, their edges less defined here, as if the realm itself was tugging at their shadows."
1"They carried platters of food, their laughter ringing out in a language that made Aurora’s teeth ache."
2"It *sighed*, as if exhaling after centuries of holding its breath."
3"A vendor with too many teeth grinned at them, holding out a pomegranate split open to reveal seeds that glistened like rubies."
4"Its walls were made of something that looked like honeycomb, golden and translucent, and its towers spiralled upward like the horns of some great beast."
5"Smoke curled from its chimneys, carrying the scent of roasting meat and spices."
6"She was standing in a grand hall, its walls lined with mirrors that reflected not her, but *other versions* of her—some younger, some older, some with eyes blac…"
7"The hearts hanging from its branches beat faster, their rhythm syncing with the pendant’s pulse."
25.00% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags20
uselessAdditionCount4
matches
0"Nyx finished, their shadowy form rippling"
1"She cut off, eyes wide"
2"Nyx said, though their voice lacked conviction"
3"she said, voice hushed"
0.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags15
fancyCount10
fancyTags
0"they whispered (whisper)"
1"Nyx murmured (murmur)"
2"Eva breathed (breathe)"
3"Eva hissed (hiss)"
4"she whispered (whisper)"
5"Nyx warned (warn)"
6"he moaned (moan)"
7"Eva muttered (mutter)"
8"Nyx agreed (agree)"
9"Aurora snapped (snap)"
dialogueSentences52
tagDensity0.288
leniency0.577
rawRatio0.667
effectiveRatio0.385
75.9790%