Run: 2026-02-19-01KHSZAFZTN4NFKCNZ5NXP57C0

Run Details

Duration:
1m 4s
Cost:
$0.063102
Provider:
Anthropic

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 silvery blade pulsed in Aurora's hand as she stepped through the veil of fog. The Fae-Forged Blade grew colder against her skin with each step, as though recognizing its own realm drawing nearer. "Are you certain this is the right way?" Aurora kept her voice low, eyes scanning the dense wall of mist that surrounded them. Nyx glided beside her, their shadowy form rippling and condensing with each movement. "The Veil is thinnest here. Can't you feel it?" Aurora couldn't deny the strange electricity in the air, a tingling sensation that danced across her skin and made the small crescent-shaped scar on her wrist itch fiercely. The Heartstone Pendant against her chest had grown warmer since they'd entered Richmond Park, its deep crimson glow intensifying with each step toward the ancient oak standing stones Isolde had described. "It's pulling us forward," she whispered, cupping the pendant through her shirt. "Like it wants to go home." "Artifacts have memories," Nyx's voice whispered like autumn leaves scraping across stone. "The stone remembers Dymas." A flicker of movement caught Aurora's eye. She spun, blade raised, but saw only the swirling mist. Richmond Park had been empty when they arrived—unsurprising at three in the morning—but she couldn't shake the feeling they weren't alone. The fog parted suddenly, revealing a circle of ancient oak standing stones, their surfaces covered in swirling patterns that seemed to move when she wasn't looking directly at them. The trees surrounding the circle were impossibly old, their trunks wider than cars, branches reaching toward a sky Aurora could no longer see. "We're here," she breathed. The pendant burned against her skin, and the blade in her hand vibrated with a low, musical hum. The air felt thick, almost gelatinous, as she took another step forward. Time itself seemed to stretch and compress around them. "Wait." Nyx's form solidified slightly, one shadowy hand extending to block Aurora's path. "Something's not right." "What do you mean?" "The Grove exists in a pocket between Earth and the Fae realm," Nyx replied, their violet eyes glowing brighter. "But I sense... something else. Something from Hel." Aurora's fingers tightened around the Fae blade. "Dymas?" "Perhaps." Nyx's form rippled with uncertainty. "The realms aren't meant to intersect this way." "Isolde said she would meet us here," Aurora reminded them, her breath visible in the suddenly cold air. "We can't turn back now." The Heartstone Pendant pulsed against her chest, almost painfully hot, as though urging her forward. With a deep breath, Aurora stepped past the first standing stone and into the Grove. The world shifted. The air changed first—from the crisp London night to something heavier, sweeter, filled with unfamiliar scents that reminded Aurora of spiced wine and summer berries. Sounds came next: distant chimes, the flutter of wings, and underneath it all, a low thrumming vibration that she felt in her bones rather than heard. "By all the shadows," Nyx whispered, their form becoming more substantial as they crossed the threshold. The mist had vanished. In its place stretched a vast clearing that couldn't possibly fit within Richmond Park—or London itself. Wildflowers carpeted the ground in impossible colors: blues that shimmered with their own light, purples deep enough to fall into, and whites so pure they hurt to look at directly. The trees had transformed as well, their bark shining like burnished silver, leaves in colors Aurora had no names for. "It's beautiful," she said, momentarily forgetting why they had come. "Beauty is the most effective lure," Nyx replied, still tense. "Remember why we're here." Aurora nodded, forcing herself to focus. They needed Isolde's guidance to understand the pendant's connection to Dymas—and what it meant that a relic from Hel's realm of Gluttony had found its way to her. They moved deeper into the Grove, stepping carefully among the wildflowers. Aurora noticed how the blossoms turned toward her as she passed, opening wider, their colors intensifying. The ground beneath her feet felt strangely springy, almost responsive, as though the earth itself acknowledged her presence. "Look." She pointed to a patch of grass where her footprints glowed briefly before fading. "The ground remembers us." "Not me," Nyx observed, gesturing to the untouched earth beneath their shadowy form. "I leave no trace here." A stream cut through the clearing ahead, its water crystal clear yet somehow containing swirls of color that moved independently of the current. Aurora knelt beside it, careful not to touch the liquid. "What happens if I drink from it?" she wondered aloud. "Nothing good," Nyx replied. "Fae water binds. Changes." Aurora noticed small creatures darting beneath the surface—not fish, but something else entirely. They had too many fins, their bodies translucent enough to see tiny constellations of lights pulsing within them. "Everything here feels... aware," she said, standing again. "Like it's watching us." "It is." Nyx's voice had grown fainter. "The Grove itself is semi-sentient. An extension of the Fae realm." The trees around them had begun to shift subtly, their branches bending inward to create a natural path leading deeper into the Grove. The Heartstone Pendant pulsed in time with Aurora's quickening heartbeat. "It's guiding us somewhere," she said, following the newly formed path. As they advanced, the quality of light changed. The ambient glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere grew brighter, then dimmer, cycling through colors that cast strange shadows across the landscape. Aurora noticed creatures watching from the branches—not birds, but small humanoid figures with butterfly wings and eyes that reflected light like a cat's. One fluttered close, hovering at eye level. It was no larger than Aurora's hand, with skin like polished wood and wings that looked like stained glass. It chittered something incomprehensible before darting away. "What was that?" Aurora asked. "A lesser fae," Nyx explained. "A messenger, perhaps. They serve the courts." The path widened into another clearing, this one dominated by a massive tree unlike any Aurora had seen. Its trunk spiraled upward, the wood itself flowing like liquid frozen in time. Fruits hung from its branches—glowing orbs that pulsed with their own heartbeats. "Don't touch those," Nyx warned, their voice urgent. "Fae fruits bind mortals to this realm." "I know the stories," Aurora said, though she couldn't deny the strange hunger that had awakened at the sight of them. Each fruit seemed to whisper to her, promising knowledge, pleasure, power. The Fae blade in her hand grew colder, almost painfully so, as if in warning. Aurora forced herself to look away from the fruits. Beneath the tree stood a circular stone table, its surface etched with intricate patterns that mirrored those on the standing stones at the Grove's entrance. Around it were three chairs—one made of twisted roots, one of crystalline material that caught and refracted light, and one that appeared to be formed from living shadow. "She's expecting us," Aurora realized. "And you." "I've never met the Seer," Nyx said, approaching the shadow chair cautiously. "Our kinds rarely interact." "Shades and Half-Fae?" Aurora asked, running her fingers over the crystalline chair. It hummed pleasantly beneath her touch. "Creatures of Hel and creatures of Fae," Nyx corrected. "We represent different cosmic forces." The air around the tree began to shimmer, folding in on itself like fabric being creased. Aurora gripped the Fae blade tighter, watching as space itself seemed to part. Isolde stepped through, her movements so graceful she appeared to float rather than walk. Her silver hair flowed around her as though underwater, and her pale lavender eyes held ancient knowledge that made Aurora feel impossibly young. "The mortal who carries Dymas in her heart." Isolde's voice sounded like distant wind chimes. "And the shadow who once had a name." Nyx stiffened beside Aurora. "You know who I was?" "I know all that was and much that will be." Isolde glided to the chair made of roots, which seemed to reach up to embrace her as she sat. "Come. Sit. Time moves differently here—we have moments or centuries, depending on how you count." Aurora cautiously took the crystal chair, which adjusted beneath her, conforming to her body perfectly. Nyx hesitated before melting into the shadow seat, their form briefly blending with it before resolidifying. The fruits on the tree above them pulsed faster, their glow intensifying. Aurora felt the Heartstone Pendant respond, matching their rhythm. "The pendant recognizes its siblings," Isolde said, nodding toward the tree. "These fruits are seeds of realms, possibilities made manifest." "Seeds of realms?" Aurora repeated. "Like Dymas?" "Not exactly." Isolde waved a hand, and the air above the table shimmered, forming an image of swirling cosmos. "The realms exist in delicate balance—Earth, Hel, Fae. The Veil separates them, preventing catastrophe." The image shifted, showing the familiar crimson stone of Aurora's pendant. "This Heartstone is a fragment of Dymas itself, torn from that realm during a rare convergence of powers." "But why was it given to me?" Aurora asked, touching the pendant through her shirt. "I was just a delivery person bringing someone's takeaway." Isolde smiled, her expression both knowing and sad. "Nothing is random when realms intersect. The pendant chose you because you carry something of Dymas within you already." Aurora felt the blood drain from her face. "What does that mean?" "It means," Nyx interrupted, their violet eyes fixed on Isolde, "that she's been to Hel before. To Dymas specifically." "Impossible," Aurora protested. "I think I'd remember visiting the realm of Gluttony." "Would you?" Isolde reached across the table, her fingers stopping just short of touching Aurora's forehead. "The mind protects itself from truths it cannot bear. But your soul remembers. It's why the Veil thins around you. It's why you found Nyx when no mortal should be able to perceive a Shade." The pendant burned against Aurora's skin, and suddenly the Grove around them seemed to waver, the colors bleeding into one another. For a moment, the warm amber sky of Dymas appeared overhead, and Aurora smelled rich spices and wine. "The Grove responds to your memory," Isolde said urgently. "You must control it, or you'll tear the Veil here." "I don't know how," Aurora gasped, clutching the pendant. The Fae blade in her hand grew painfully cold, its edge glowing with moonlight. "You do," Isolde insisted. "The knowledge is within you. It's why you were sent back." "Sent back? From where?" Aurora demanded, rising from her chair. The crystal cracked beneath her, and the world around them flickered again, the Grove and Dymas overlapping like double-exposed film. "From Prince Belphegor's feast," Nyx said suddenly, their form expanding as shadows from the Grove flowed into them. "The reason you fled Cardiff wasn't just your ex. You were running from what you saw in Dymas." The words struck Aurora like a physical blow. Images flashed through her mind: a grand banquet hall with tables stretching endlessly, plates piled with foods she couldn't name, goblets that never emptied—and Belphegor himself, watching her from the head table, his eyes the exact crimson of the pendant. "No," she whispered, but the memories kept coming, breaking through whatever barrier had held them at bay. The Grove responded to her distress, the ground trembling beneath them. The fruits on the tree began to fall, shattering like glass when they hit the stone table, releasing bursts of otherworldly light. "Aurora!" Nyx called, reaching for her, but their shadowy hand passed through her arm. "You must ground yourself!" The pendant pulsed one final time, then grew suddenly cold against her skin. The Fae blade in her hand shattered, its fragments hanging suspended in the air for a heartbeat before reassembling, the blade now etched with new patterns. "The Grove has shown you truth," Isolde said calmly, still seated while chaos erupted around them. "Now you must decide what to do with it." The overlapping realms snapped back into place, the Grove once again solid and real around them. The fruits had stopped falling, though many now lay broken on the ground, leaking luminous sap that crawled across the earth like living creatures. Aurora stared at the reforged blade in her hand, then at Isolde. "Why can't I remember how I escaped Dymas?" "Because," Isolde said, her lavender eyes meeting Aurora's, "you haven't escaped it yet."
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cache_discount(null)
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"Anthropic"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
63.64% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags44
adverbTagCount6
adverbTags
0"Nyx's voice whispered like [like]"
1"Nyx's form solidified slightly [slightly]"
2"she wondered aloud [aloud]"
3"Isolde said urgently [urgently]"
4"Nyx said suddenly [suddenly]"
5"Isolde said calmly [calmly]"
dialogueSentences82
tagDensity0.537
leniency1
rawRatio0.136
effectiveRatio0.136
75.62% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount2051
totalAiIsmAdverbs10
found
0
adverb"suddenly"
count5
1
adverb"slightly"
count1
2
adverb"carefully"
count1
3
adverb"cautiously"
count2
4
adverb"perfectly"
count1
highlights
0"suddenly"
1"slightly"
2"carefully"
3"cautiously"
4"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)
39.05% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount2051
totalAiIsms25
found
0
word"pulsed"
count6
1
word"scanning"
count1
2
word"flicker"
count1
3
word"vibrated"
count1
4
word"shimmered"
count2
5
word"crystal"
count3
6
word"fluttered"
count1
7
word"whisper"
count1
8
word"etched"
count2
9
word"intricate"
count1
10
word"crystalline"
count2
11
word"familiar"
count1
12
word"flickered"
count1
13
word"otherworldly"
count1
14
word"shattered"
count1
highlights
0"pulsed"
1"scanning"
2"flicker"
3"vibrated"
4"shimmered"
5"crystal"
6"fluttered"
7"whisper"
8"etched"
9"intricate"
10"crystalline"
11"familiar"
12"flickered"
13"otherworldly"
14"shattered"
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
emotionTells0
narrationSentences118
matches(empty)
0.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount1
hedgeCount11
narrationSentences118
filterMatches
0"feel"
hedgeMatches
0"seemed to"
1"appeared to"
2"began to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences156
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen41
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords2034
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions24
unquotedAttributions0
matches(empty)
0.00% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions115
wordCount1536
uniqueNames16
maxNameDensity2.73
worstName"Aurora"
maxWindowNameDensity6
worstWindowName"Aurora"
discoveredNames
Aurora42
Fae-Forged1
Blade1
Nyx19
Heartstone4
Pendant4
Richmond3
Park3
Isolde15
Fae6
Grove9
London2
Dymas3
Hel1
Gluttony1
Belphegor1
persons
0"Aurora"
1"Blade"
2"Nyx"
3"Pendant"
4"Isolde"
5"Gluttony"
places
0"Richmond"
1"Park"
2"Grove"
3"London"
4"Hel"
globalScore0.133
windowScore0
0.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences98
glossingSentenceCount6
matches
0"as though recognizing its own realm drawing nearer"
1"patterns that seemed to move when she wasn't looking directly at them"
2"as though urging her forward"
3"glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere grew brighter, then dimmer, cycling through colors that cast strange shadows across the landscape"
4"looked like stained glass"
5"sounded like distant wind chimes"
100.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches2
per1kWords0.983
wordCount2034
matches
0"not fish, but something else entirely"
1"not birds, but small humanoid figures with butterfly wings"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount2
totalSentences156
matches
0"meant that a"
1"colors that cast"
100.00% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs80
mean25.43
std14.43
cv0.568
sampleLengths
034
123
222
359
418
516
638
752
84
939
1016
114
1227
138
1414
1523
1630
173
1851
1916
2070
2110
2214
2334
2445
2519
2618
2733
2810
298
3031
3112
3218
3333
3411
3556
3633
375
3812
3943
4015
4132
4224
4353
447
4516
4618
4714
4829
4937
100.00% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount1
totalSentences118
matches
0"being creased"
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount1
totalVerbs296
matches
0"wasn't looking"
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount10
semicolonCount0
flaggedSentences9
totalSentences156
ratio0.058
matches
0"Richmond Park had been empty when they arrived—unsurprising at three in the morning—but she couldn't shake the feeling they weren't alone."
1"The air changed first—from the crisp London night to something heavier, sweeter, filled with unfamiliar scents that reminded Aurora of spiced wine and summer berries."
2"In its place stretched a vast clearing that couldn't possibly fit within Richmond Park—or London itself."
3"They needed Isolde's guidance to understand the pendant's connection to Dymas—and what it meant that a relic from Hel's realm of Gluttony had found its way to her."
4"Aurora noticed small creatures darting beneath the surface—not fish, but something else entirely."
5"Aurora noticed creatures watching from the branches—not birds, but small humanoid figures with butterfly wings and eyes that reflected light like a cat's."
6"Fruits hung from its branches—glowing orbs that pulsed with their own heartbeats."
7"Around it were three chairs—one made of twisted roots, one of crystalline material that caught and refracted light, and one that appeared to be formed from living shadow."
8"Images flashed through her mind: a grand banquet hall with tables stretching endlessly, plates piled with foods she couldn't name, goblets that never emptied—and Belphegor himself, watching her from the head table, his eyes the exact crimson of the pendant."
77.88% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount1549
adjectiveStacks2
stackExamples
0"small crescent-shaped scar"
1"came next: distant chimes,"
adverbCount77
adverbRatio0.04970948999354422
lyAdverbCount34
lyAdverbRatio0.02194964493221433
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences156
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences156
mean13.04
std7.49
cv0.575
sampleLengths
015
119
223
313
49
528
631
712
86
912
104
117
1210
1321
1429
1523
164
1718
1812
199
2013
213
224
2319
248
257
261
276
288
2918
305
3115
3215
333
3425
3526
3616
374
3816
3930
4020
4110
4210
434
446
4528
4611
4716
4818
4915
54.91% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats16
diversityRatio0.391025641025641
totalSentences156
uniqueOpeners61
0.00% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount0
totalSentences109
matches(empty)
ratio0
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount16
totalSentences109
matches
0"she whispered, cupping the pendant"
1"She spun, blade raised, but"
2"she said, momentarily forgetting why"
3"They needed Isolde's guidance to"
4"They moved deeper into the"
5"She pointed to a patch"
6"she wondered aloud"
7"They had too many fins,"
8"she said, standing again"
9"she said, following the newly"
10"It was no larger than"
11"It chittered something incomprehensible before"
12"Its trunk spiraled upward, the"
13"It hummed pleasantly beneath her"
14"Her silver hair flowed around"
15"she whispered, but the memories"
ratio0.147
0.00% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount101
totalSentences109
matches
0"The silvery blade pulsed in"
1"The Fae-Forged Blade grew colder"
2"Aurora kept her voice low,"
3"Nyx glided beside her, their"
4"Aurora couldn't deny the strange"
5"The Heartstone Pendant against her"
6"she whispered, cupping the pendant"
7"Nyx's voice whispered like autumn"
8"A flicker of movement caught"
9"She spun, blade raised, but"
10"Richmond Park had been empty"
11"The fog parted suddenly, revealing"
12"The trees surrounding the circle"
13"The pendant burned against her"
14"The air felt thick, almost"
15"Nyx's form solidified slightly, one"
16"Nyx replied, their violet eyes"
17"Aurora's fingers tightened around the"
18"Nyx's form rippled with uncertainty"
19"Aurora reminded them, her breath"
ratio0.927
0.00% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount0
totalSentences109
matches(empty)
ratio0
0.00% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences58
technicalSentenceCount15
matches
0"The Fae-Forged Blade grew colder against her skin with each step, as though recognizing its own realm drawing nearer."
1"Aurora couldn't deny the strange electricity in the air, a tingling sensation that danced across her skin and made the small crescent-shaped scar on her wrist i…"
2"The fog parted suddenly, revealing a circle of ancient oak standing stones, their surfaces covered in swirling patterns that seemed to move when she wasn't look…"
3"The Heartstone Pendant pulsed against her chest, almost painfully hot, as though urging her forward."
4"The air changed first—from the crisp London night to something heavier, sweeter, filled with unfamiliar scents that reminded Aurora of spiced wine and summer be…"
5"Wildflowers carpeted the ground in impossible colors: blues that shimmered with their own light, purples deep enough to fall into, and whites so pure they hurt …"
6"Aurora noticed how the blossoms turned toward her as she passed, opening wider, their colors intensifying."
7"The ground beneath her feet felt strangely springy, almost responsive, as though the earth itself acknowledged her presence."
8"A stream cut through the clearing ahead, its water crystal clear yet somehow containing swirls of color that moved independently of the current."
9"The trees around them had begun to shift subtly, their branches bending inward to create a natural path leading deeper into the Grove."
10"The ambient glow that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere grew brighter, then dimmer, cycling through colors that cast strange shadows across the landsca…"
11"Around it were three chairs—one made of twisted roots, one of crystalline material that caught and refracted light, and one that appeared to be formed from livi…"
12"Her silver hair flowed around her as though underwater, and her pale lavender eyes held ancient knowledge that made Aurora feel impossibly young."
13"The Fae blade in her hand shattered, its fragments hanging suspended in the air for a heartbeat before reassembling, the blade now etched with new patterns."
14"The fruits had stopped falling, though many now lay broken on the ground, leaking luminous sap that crawled across the earth like living creatures."
34.09% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags44
uselessAdditionCount8
matches
0"Aurora kept, eyes scanning the dense wall of mist that surrounded them"
1"Nyx replied, their violet eyes glowing brighter"
2"Aurora reminded, her breath visible in the suddenly cold air"
3"Nyx whispered, their form becoming more substantial as they crossed the threshold"
4"Nyx warned, their voice urgent"
5"Nyx interrupted, their violet eyes fixed on Isolde,"
6"Isolde reached, her fingers stopping just short of touching Aurora's forehead"
7"she whispered, but the memories kept coming, breaking through whatever barrier had held them at bay"
0.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags32
fancyCount15
fancyTags
0"she whispered (whisper)"
1"Nyx's voice whispered like (whisper)"
2"she breathed (breathe)"
3"Nyx whispered (whisper)"
4"Nyx observed (observe)"
5"Nyx explained (explain)"
6"Nyx warned (warn)"
7"Nyx corrected (correct)"
8"Aurora repeated (repeat)"
9"Nyx interrupted (interrupt)"
10"Aurora protested (protest)"
11"Aurora gasped (gasp)"
12"Isolde insisted (insist)"
13"Aurora demanded (demand)"
14"she whispered (whisper)"
dialogueSentences82
tagDensity0.39
leniency0.78
rawRatio0.469
effectiveRatio0.366
61.5066%