Run: 2026-02-19-01KHT00215KFAET4KEZ6JTJVB6

Run Details

Duration:
2m 1s
Cost:
$0.004091
Provider:
OpenAI

Model input

System
You are an expert and award-winning novel writer in the dark Romance 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="4415" name="Lucien Moreau" aliases="Lucien, Luc, the Frenchman" pronouns="he/him" species="Half-Demon" storyRole="Ally"> <eyeColor>heterochromatic — one amber, one black</eyeColor> <hair>slicked-back platinum blond</hair> <height>5'11"</height> <age>32</age> <cane>ivory-handled cane that conceals a thin blade</cane> <dress>tailored charcoal suits</dress> <description>An impeccably dressed fixer and information broker in London's supernatural underworld. He speaks four languages fluently.</description> <backstory>Born in Marseille to a human mother and a demon father from the realm of Avaros.</backstory> </character> <location id="858" name="Eva's Flat" aliases="Eva's place, the flat on Brick Lane" realm="Earth"> <cat>tabby cat named Ptolemy</cat> <security>three deadbolts on the front door</security> <description>A cramped one-bedroom flat above a curry house on Brick Lane, East London. Every surface is covered with books, scrolls, and research notes.</description> </location> </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 romance genre. Two people who parted on complicated terms are forced together again when one shows up unannounced at the other's flat. There's history between them — attraction, hurt, and things left unsaid. Write the scene from the moment the door opens. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for characters and setting. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
The door slammed inward with a polite, killing quiet, and the corridor light carved Lucien Moreau’s silhouette in sharp lines across the room. Rory stood framed by the doorway, a scorch of heat answering the intrusion she hadn’t invited. Her blue eyes narrowed to a sliver, and the small crescent scar along her left wrist caught the glow of the lamp behind her. Books rustled somewhere in the flat, a kettle hissed on the stove, and the air smelled faintly of pepper and rain-wiped leather. Lucien’s cane tapped once on the polished floor, a precise metronome in a room that suddenly felt too still. He wore a charcoal suit that hugged every confident line of him, the ivory handle of his cane gleaming as if it knew secrets this city kept close. His hair was slicked back as always, platinum and perfect, and his eyes—one amber, one black—pinned her where she stood. A breath of warmth broke the line of her mouth, then vanished. She didn’t invite him in. She hadn’t invited him in months. But the door was open, the space between them charged with a history they both pretended didn’t exist. A word. Rory’s lips pressed into a thin line at the edge of a smile she didn’t want to give him. What the hell are you doing here, Lucien? He stepped inside without invitation, letting the door close behind him with a soft sigh. The air shifted, a salt-and-metal tang clinging to him from some street corner deal he’d just closed. He wore his usual interlaced calm, but the tension beneath it hummed like a wire about to snap. You’re not welcome at my door, he said, cool as winter rain, but the cane leaned a fraction closer to the floor, a blade’s whisper just barely concealed. Rory moved as if to retreat, but her body refused to retreat. The flat’s clutter—the papers, the maps with their spiralling symbols, the coffee cups left to cool—stood as if to guard a forest from a hunter. She crossed her arms, the motion drawing a taut line along her wrists, the crescent scar catching the lamp light again. Not here to debate, are you? she said, and the words came out sharper than she intended. Lucien’s mouth twitched at the corner, a rare, almost tired thing. You know I do nothing but debate, Rory. You know that’s how we survive what London throws at us. Rory’s jaw tightened. The past was a wound that wouldn’t stay buried, not with him. Explain what you’re doing here, she demanded, the words clipped, her tone cool as the river under a frost. To help you. Or to hinder you, depending on the moment. But mostly to help, since the city has a habit of chewing people up if they forget to swallow their pride. She didn’t flinch. She didn’t blink. But her shoulders shifted, a small, almost boyish sign of letting him in or pushing him away. It was impossible to tell which she meant. You’ve got a reason, he went on, turning a measured gaze toward the chaos of documents scattered across the desk, toward the map of the North Bank where runes looked like scars drawn in ink. You always do. Rory didn’t look at the papers. Her gaze stayed on him, and her voice lowered, not quite a whisper, but intimate enough to feel like a warning. If you’re here for trouble, you’ve found it. The cane’s tip tapped again, a staccato that matched the pounding in her temples. There’s trouble in this city that even you can’t fix with a clever line and a sharper blade, she said, almost to herself, the words a soft assertion she hadn’t intended to utter aloud. Lucien stepped closer, the scent of old leather and rain curling with him. The distance between them, the space where hurt lived, shrank and then widened again as if pulled by a magnet. He looked past her, into the room, into the life she’d rebuilt with patient hands and stubborn luck. You left me, Rory. Not in anger, not in a scream, but with a quiet decision that echoed for months. And you never told me why. Her fingers twitched at her sides, a micro-expression that betrayed her. She told me nothing, she almost said, but she didn’t. Instead, she said something else, something nothing and everything at once. You left me, too. And you’ve never stopped climbing walls to reach the top of some new lie you’re selling to the city. He paused, the blade of the cane glinting in the lamplight as if aware of the sting his next move would carry. The city doesn’t forget, Rory. And we both know you’re not as far from me as you like to pretend. That blade wasn’t for show. It never was. The demon part of him—though barely visible in the daylight she preferred—snapped into focus in the aura around him, the way the room seemed to lean toward him, listening. Rory stepped into the narrow spoon of space between the desk and the sofa. The stance was deliberate, not defensive, if a touch defensive by nature. She drew a slow breath, a practiced calm that could fool a layman but not the two of them. What do you want, Lucien? What is so urgent it can’t wait until tomorrow, or the week after? Lucien’s eyes fixed on hers, unblinking, and for a moment it felt as if the years slipped away—the clever, dangerous edge of his mouth, the way his hand always seemed to rest on the edge of control. Then he spoke just softly enough for the room to hear. There’s a client who won’t pay for your silence. There’s a threat that doesn’t care what you know or don’t know. And there’s a reckoning headed your way, Rory, with your name on it. She did not flinch. She did not reach for the pepper spray she kept in the drawer by the kettle. She did, however, cross her arms even tighter, as if to shield the fragile line between safety and danger that always seemed to hum just beneath her skin. Who is this client? What reckoning? she asked, voice low, wary. Lucien shrugged, the movement almost lazy. Names drifted through his mind as if he’d plucked them from the wind. The usual suspects in this city—the kind who didn’t mind breaking a few laws to get what they wanted. But he didn’t name them. Not yet. He slid his gaze across the room, taking in every detail—the way the desk’s corner bore the imprint of a dozen nights, the way a favourite mug lay abandoned with a lipstick-stain on the rim, the way the bookshelves held too many titles to be normal. You’re not safe here, not with me in the room and not with them circling outside. They’ll smell it soon enough, and they’ll come with more than knives and bravado. You know that. Rory’s patience wore thin, not from fear but from a stubborn fatigue she wore like a second skin. I’ve kept myself out of their sights, she said flatly. I’ve kept you out of mine. What’s changed? Lucien’s voice dropped, the sharpness smoothing to a darker, more intimate edge. A girl went missing last night in the East End. A girl who shares your face, Rory, though not your name. The rumor is that someone’s collecting debts you thought you’d paid. Rory’s eyes narrowed. Who’s collecting? Whoever wants a door they can slam on your life and walk away with a polite smile. Whoever believes you’ve got something they want more than you have it. Her pulse quickened in a way that felt almost physical, the same way a storm builds in the sea the moment the horizon shows the first signs of anger. The room seemed to shrink and expand with the tremor of that knowledge. A debt you don’t owe—yet. A debt you won’t refuse to pay if they press hard enough. That’s what’s changed. She considered him, weighing the risk, measuring the distance between him and her again. The air between them crackled, not with romance, but with the dangerous electricity of two halves that knew how to hurt and heal in the same breath. What do you want me to do? she asked, voice even, though the tremor of tension rode the words. Lucien stepped closer still, so close their shadows overlapped on the desk like two broken strings trying to knit together. I want you to play nice with me, Rory. I want us to be useful to each other for once instead of pretending we hate what we need the most. She lifted her chin. You think we don’t need the other? You think I’m here because I enjoy the sight of your perfect suit and those ridiculous shoes you wear like armour? A small, rare smile tugged at his mouth. I’ve never worn them to win a fight, merely to win a mind. But tell me, what would you prefer to wear when you’re about to face the consequences of your choices? Rory’s eyes flared, then cooled again, a blade of blue in the dim room. We aren’t in the business of choosing costumes, Lucien. We’re in the business of surviving. Silence fell for a heartbeat, thick enough to feel in her lungs. Then the flat’s kitchen radio clicked on somewhere, a stray note of pop music that clashed with the room’s gravity, and the sound felt almost vulgar, as if a joke had been played at their expense. You’ve got a choice now, Rory. Stay quiet, stay safe, and wait for them to come. Or stand with me and fight it, even if the price is blood and more versions of yourself you’ll hate tomorrow. She did not answer with words. Instead she stepped forward and closed the remaining distance, their bodies an echo of the moment they’d last touched—an almost accidental brush of his sleeve, his breath catching at the curve of her jaw as she spoke softly without looking away from his eyes. There’s always a price, Lucien. You know that. He did not blink. He did not avert his gaze. He simply studied her, the kind of study that felt like a touch in another life, the kind of touch that could ignite or destroy. Right now, there’s a price we both can afford to pay. We’ll pay it together, or we’ll bleed separately and call it fate later. As he spoke, something else shifted in the room. A sudden, soft thud from the hallway outside, as if a door somewhere else had given way to a person or something that had no business being here. The sound wasn’t loud, but it carried with it the familiar shudder of a threat moving closer. The building seemed to hold its breath. Rory’s shoulders tensed, not in fear but in a calculated readiness. Her eyes flicked toward the doorframe that led to the hallway, then back to Lucien. The room’s quiet intensified the note of danger, a kind of quiet that made even the breath feel loud. We’re not alone, she said, not accusing, simply stating. No, we’re not, he agreed, eyes narrowing just a fraction. The blade of the cane winked again, catching the lamplight, a warning in metal. The pause stretched, thick with memory and gravity. The past pressed in like a weight between them, heavy and cold and exacting. They had both chosen different doors in previous nights, and the city had chosen for them to walk parallel lines again, even if the space between them crackled with every breath. A sudden, sharp ring of a phone cut through the room’s tension, the sound brittle and urgent, as if the device knew it was interrupting something they both pretended didn’t matter. The ringtone was one Rory recognised from a friend in the trade—an old code, a summons that meant trouble had found its way into daylight through a back door. Lucien reached for his coat, a quick, practiced move that suggested he’d been here before, many times, and would be again. Rory watched the movement with a disciplined calm that hadn’t always belonged to her, a guard rail she’d learned to rely on during long nights delivering meals that might as well have been warnings. Who’s it for? she asked, the question almost casual but with an intensity that betrayed her. Not for you, not yet. It’s for us. The phone kept its stubborn ring, a stubborn, insistent bead of sound that refused to be ignored. Rory reached for it with a measured, almost clinical motion, but Lucien’s hand shot out first, catching her wrist with a light pressure that still spoke of danger. Don’t answer it here, he said, the words a soft command rather than a suggestion. Rory stared at him for a long moment, reading the lines of his face as if they held the truth she’d spent years trying to avoid. Then she slid her gaze back to the phone and set it down on the desk, the screen still bright with an unread message. You want to hide? she asked, a dangerous quiet creeping into her voice. He answered with a shrug that was almost a bow. I want to survive this, and I want you to survive it with me, Rory. The city won’t spare either of us if we pretend we don’t hear its call. A heavy, grey moment hung between them, thick with what-ifs and unspoken apologies they wouldn’t give the city a chance to hear. Then the room’s lights flickered, the kind of flicker that suggested something beyond the ceiling was watching them, weighing their choices. The door’s latch rattled, a small, shivering sound that felt almost like a second heartbeat. The moment stretched, and for a breath, they forgot to breathe. And then the door began to yield to the pressure from outside, as if someone on the other side was determined to push its way in. The hinges groaned, a warn-tale crack that spoke of something ancient and hungry pressing forward. Lucien stepped closer again, a gloved hand resting lightly on the cane’s handle, eyes fixed on the doorway as if already calculating the angle of a retreat or a strike. Rory’s fingers closed into a fist at her side, knuckles whitening, wrists aching with the memory of past injuries and the present ache of wanting more than safety could offer. She kept her stance steady, not daring to move toward fear but ready to move toward whatever came next. The door gave another tremor, then a voice—calculated, male, and cold—slid through the crack, a tone that optimised menace. The voice didn’t ask for payment; it announced it, and it promised consequences. “You’ve got company, Rory. A very interested party,” it said, and the room seemed to tilt toward the new threat, as if gravity itself remembered a debt owed. Rory and Lucien froze, trading a glance that held years of unspoken alliances and betrayals. The moment stretched into a razor-thin line where every heartbeat could decide a life, or end it. The door creaked again. The doorknob turned with careful, deliberate pressure, and a figure stepped into the doorway, blocking the light and letting shadow crowd the room. The second intruder paused, a silhouette in the doorway that didn’t belong to this room or to either of them—the kind of presence that meant trouble wore a different kind of face tonight. Rory’s breath caught. Lucien’s cane shifted in a practiced, almost affectionate arc in his hand,blade kissing the light. The situation had changed from a tense reunion to a siege, and the chapter tore toward a single, breath-held moment where choices would fracture and bind them all at once. The intruder’s eyes flicked to Rory, then to Lucien, and a low, satisfied hum rolled through the air as something hot and dangerous moved inside the hallway, sliding closer to where they stood. And then, with the softest whisper of silk against steel, the world tilted toward chaos, and everything in the room—words, scars, and promises—began to twist into a single, blazing question: Who survives tonight when the past comes back with teeth? The answer came in a rush of shadow and sound, a heavy footfall on the stairs, a muffled crash, and the unmistakable clatter of a blade against stone as the door’s frame buckled under force. The room seemed to shrink to the size of a heartbeat as the threat crossed the threshold and the red glow of danger spilled into Rory’s eyes, lighting her will with a ferocity she hadn’t admitted she still possessed. We’ll talk later, Rory told herself, though she did not voice the thought. Tonight, we fight. Tonight, we live or die by what we did not finish saying. Lucien stepped to her side, closer than propriety would ever allow, and angled his body so their shadows stitched together, a single line of defiance against the coming storm. He spoke without looking away from the doorway, voice low, almost a whisper meant for her alone. We don’t pretend anymore. We conquer or crumble, together. Her reply was a breath she masked as a quip, quick and sharp. Then, for the second time in their long, complicated history, she did not pull away when the world asked them to choose. She leaned toward the edge of danger with him, and the room answered with a newborn thunder, as if the city itself exhaled a warning. Now, together, she thought, eyes on his, and the door finally giving its last, final groan as the unseen force pressed forward with a promise of answers—and a threat that would not be denied.
created_at"2026-02-19T03:44:45.649Z" 2/19/2026, 3:44:45 AM
model"openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency5017
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time120218
tokens_prompt4556
tokens_completion5289
native_tokens_prompt4075
native_tokens_completion9718
native_tokens_completion_images0
native_tokens_reasoning6016
native_tokens_cached0
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"completed"
usage0.00409095
router(null)
provider_responses
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endpoint_id"50329d77-04e1-4979-a184-c33030289476"
id"resp_0041459326a1b74f016996872de4808193aa481811ae4e0fe3"
is_byokfalse
latency145
model_permaslug"openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07"
provider_name"OpenAI"
status200
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1771472685-zhtjYlygCSaalqvQ5j0L"
upstream_id"resp_0041459326a1b74f016996872de4808193aa481811ae4e0fe3"
total_cost0.00409095
cache_discount(null)
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"OpenAI"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags1
adverbTagCount0
adverbTags(empty)
dialogueSentences1
tagDensity1
leniency1
rawRatio0
effectiveRatio0
91.62% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount2984
totalAiIsmAdverbs5
found
0
adverb"suddenly"
count1
1
adverb"softly"
count2
2
adverb"lightly"
count1
3
adverb"very"
count1
highlights
0"suddenly"
1"softly"
2"lightly"
3"very"
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)
38.00% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount2984
totalAiIsms37
found
0
word"gleaming"
count1
1
word"perfect"
count2
2
word"warmth"
count1
3
word"charged"
count1
4
word"tension"
count3
5
word"whisper"
count4
6
word"measured"
count2
7
word"pounding"
count1
8
word"echoed"
count1
9
word"glinting"
count1
10
word"silence"
count2
11
word"pulse"
count1
12
word"quickened"
count1
13
word"echo"
count1
14
word"familiar"
count1
15
word"calculated"
count2
16
word"flicked"
count2
17
word"weight"
count1
18
word"intensity"
count1
19
word"unspoken"
count2
20
word"flickered"
count1
21
word"flicker"
count1
22
word"determined"
count1
23
word"calculating"
count1
24
word"silk"
count1
25
word"footfall"
count1
highlights
0"gleaming"
1"perfect"
2"warmth"
3"charged"
4"tension"
5"whisper"
6"measured"
7"pounding"
8"echoed"
9"glinting"
10"silence"
11"pulse"
12"quickened"
13"echo"
14"familiar"
15"calculated"
16"flicked"
17"weight"
18"intensity"
19"unspoken"
20"flickered"
21"flicker"
22"determined"
23"calculating"
24"silk"
25"footfall"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches2
maxInWindow1
found
0
label"eyes widened/narrowed"
count2
highlights
0"eyes narrowed"
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells2
narrationSentences198
matches
0"t in anger"
1"t in fear"
12.99% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount8
hedgeCount10
narrationSentences198
filterMatches
0"know"
1"think"
2"feel"
hedgeMatches
0"tended to"
1"seemed to"
2"began to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences198
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen48
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords2958
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions22
unquotedAttributions1
matches
0"Instead, she said something else, something nothing and everything at once."
100.00% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions68
wordCount2950
uniqueNames9
maxNameDensity0.95
worstName"Rory"
maxWindowNameDensity2
worstWindowName"Rory"
discoveredNames
Lucien20
Moreau1
Rory28
London1
North1
Bank1
East1
End1
You14
persons
0"Lucien"
1"Moreau"
2"Rory"
3"You"
places
0"London"
1"East"
2"End"
globalScore1
windowScore1
100.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences160
glossingSentenceCount3
matches
0"looked like scars drawn in ink"
1"not quite a whisper, but intimate enough to feel like a warning"
2"felt like a touch in another life, the"
0.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches8
per1kWords2.705
wordCount2958
matches
0"not welcome at my door, he said, cool as winter rain, but the cane leaned a fraction closer to the floor, a blade’s wh"
1"not quite a whisper, but intimate enough to feel like a warning"
2"Not in anger, not in a scream, but with a quiet decision"
3"not in a scream, but with a quiet decision"
4"not from fear but from a stubborn fatigue she wore like a second skin"
5"not with romance, but with the dangerous electricity of two halves"
6"not in fear but in a calculated readiness"
7"not daring to move toward fear but ready to move toward whatever came next"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount1
totalSentences198
matches
0"is that someone’s"
94.96% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs83
mean35.64
std17.19
cv0.482
sampleLengths
023
162
267
341
42
519
68
750
828
958
1017
1130
1215
1319
1432
1531
1638
1735
1848
1951
2026
2132
2223
2342
2437
2545
2618
2748
2834
2948
3011
3191
3233
3336
3444
355
3629
3742
3820
3941
4019
4150
4232
4340
4429
4548
4637
4750
488
4935
96.40% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount5
totalSentences198
matches
0"was slicked"
1"changed"
2"changed"
3"been played"
4"was determined"
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount2
totalVerbs517
matches
0"was interrupting"
1"was watching"
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount18
semicolonCount1
flaggedSentences14
totalSentences198
ratio0.071
matches
0"His hair was slicked back as always, platinum and perfect, and his eyes—one amber, one black—pinned her where she stood."
1"The flat’s clutter—the papers, the maps with their spiralling symbols, the coffee cups left to cool—stood as if to guard a forest from a hunter."
2"The demon part of him—though barely visible in the daylight she preferred—snapped into focus in the aura around him, the way the room seemed to lean toward him, listening."
3"Lucien’s eyes fixed on hers, unblinking, and for a moment it felt as if the years slipped away—the clever, dangerous edge of his mouth, the way his hand always seemed to rest on the edge of control."
4"The usual suspects in this city—the kind who didn’t mind breaking a few laws to get what they wanted."
5"He slid his gaze across the room, taking in every detail—the way the desk’s corner bore the imprint of a dozen nights, the way a favourite mug lay abandoned with a lipstick-stain on the rim, the way the bookshelves held too many titles to be normal."
6"A debt you don’t owe—yet."
7"Instead she stepped forward and closed the remaining distance, their bodies an echo of the moment they’d last touched—an almost accidental brush of his sleeve, his breath catching at the curve of her jaw as she spoke softly without looking away from his eyes."
8"The ringtone was one Rory recognised from a friend in the trade—an old code, a summons that meant trouble had found its way into daylight through a back door."
9"The door gave another tremor, then a voice—calculated, male, and cold—slid through the crack, a tone that optimised menace."
10"The voice didn’t ask for payment; it announced it, and it promised consequences."
11"The second intruder paused, a silhouette in the doorway that didn’t belong to this room or to either of them—the kind of presence that meant trouble wore a different kind of face tonight."
12"And then, with the softest whisper of silk against steel, the world tilted toward chaos, and everything in the room—words, scars, and promises—began to twist into a single, blazing question: Who survives tonight when the past comes back with teeth?"
13"Now, together, she thought, eyes on his, and the door finally giving its last, final groan as the unseen force pressed forward with a promise of answers—and a threat that would not be denied."
94.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount2976
adjectiveStacks1
stackExamples
0"single, breath-held moment"
adverbCount112
adverbRatio0.03763440860215054
lyAdverbCount16
lyAdverbRatio0.005376344086021506
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences198
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences198
mean14.94
std9.59
cv0.642
sampleLengths
023
116
224
322
419
528
620
712
85
96
1018
112
1219
138
1415
1517
1618
1728
1812
1925
2021
216
2211
2311
248
2511
263
2712
2819
293
308
3121
323
333
3417
358
3635
373
386
3921
408
4114
4234
4313
4420
4518
464
4716
486
4911
35.35% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats29
diversityRatio0.18686868686868688
totalSentences198
uniqueOpeners37
100.00% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount7
totalSentences193
matches
0"Instead, she said something else,"
1"Then he spoke just softly"
2"Then the flat’s kitchen radio"
3"Instead she stepped forward and"
4"Then she slid her gaze"
5"Then the room’s lights flickered,"
6"Then, for the second time"
ratio0.036
72.85% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount71
totalSentences193
matches
0"Her blue eyes narrowed to"
1"He wore a charcoal suit"
2"His hair was slicked back"
3"She didn’t invite him in."
4"She hadn’t invited him in"
5"He stepped inside without invitation,"
6"He wore his usual interlaced"
7"You’re not welcome at my"
8"She crossed her arms, the"
9"she said, and the words"
10"You know I do nothing"
11"You know that’s how we"
12"She didn’t flinch."
13"She didn’t blink."
14"It was impossible to tell"
15"You’ve got a reason, he"
16"You always do."
17"Her gaze stayed on him,"
18"He looked past her, into"
19"You left me, Rory."
ratio0.368
73.99% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount149
totalSentences193
matches
0"The door slammed inward with"
1"Rory stood framed by the"
2"Her blue eyes narrowed to"
3"Books rustled somewhere in the"
4"Lucien’s cane tapped once on"
5"He wore a charcoal suit"
6"His hair was slicked back"
7"A breath of warmth broke"
8"She didn’t invite him in."
9"She hadn’t invited him in"
10"Rory’s lips pressed into a"
11"He stepped inside without invitation,"
12"The air shifted, a salt-and-metal"
13"He wore his usual interlaced"
14"You’re not welcome at my"
15"Rory moved as if to"
16"The flat’s clutter—the papers, the"
17"She crossed her arms, the"
18"she said, and the words"
19"Lucien’s mouth twitched at the"
ratio0.772
100.00% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount5
totalSentences193
matches
0"To help you."
1"If you’re here for trouble,"
2"Whoever wants a door they"
3"Whoever believes you’ve got something"
4"Now, together, she thought, eyes"
ratio0.026
35.45% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences133
technicalSentenceCount20
matches
0"He wore a charcoal suit that hugged every confident line of him, the ivory handle of his cane gleaming as if it knew secrets this city kept close."
1"The cane’s tip tapped again, a staccato that matched the pounding in her temples."
2"Her fingers twitched at her sides, a micro-expression that betrayed her."
3"He paused, the blade of the cane glinting in the lamplight as if aware of the sting his next move would carry."
4"Lucien’s eyes fixed on hers, unblinking, and for a moment it felt as if the years slipped away—the clever, dangerous edge of his mouth, the way his hand always …"
5"Names drifted through his mind as if he’d plucked them from the wind."
6"A girl who shares your face, Rory, though not your name."
7"Then the flat’s kitchen radio clicked on somewhere, a stray note of pop music that clashed with the room’s gravity, and the sound felt almost vulgar, as if a jo…"
8"Instead she stepped forward and closed the remaining distance, their bodies an echo of the moment they’d last touched—an almost accidental brush of his sleeve, …"
9"He simply studied her, the kind of study that felt like a touch in another life, the kind of touch that could ignite or destroy."
10"A sudden, soft thud from the hallway outside, as if a door somewhere else had given way to a person or something that had no business being here."
11"A sudden, sharp ring of a phone cut through the room’s tension, the sound brittle and urgent, as if the device knew it was interrupting something they both pret…"
12"Rory watched the movement with a disciplined calm that hadn’t always belonged to her, a guard rail she’d learned to rely on during long nights delivering meals …"
13"The phone kept its stubborn ring, a stubborn, insistent bead of sound that refused to be ignored."
14"The hinges groaned, a warn-tale crack that spoke of something ancient and hungry pressing forward."
15"Lucien stepped closer again, a gloved hand resting lightly on the cane’s handle, eyes fixed on the doorway as if already calculating the angle of a retreat or a…"
16"Rory and Lucien froze, trading a glance that held years of unspoken alliances and betrayals."
17"The second intruder paused, a silhouette in the doorway that didn’t belong to this room or to either of them—the kind of presence that meant trouble wore a diff…"
18"And then, with the softest whisper of silk against steel, the world tilted toward chaos, and everything in the room—words, scars, and promises—began to twist in…"
19"Now, together, she thought, eyes on his, and the door finally giving its last, final groan as the unseen force pressed forward with a promise of answers—and a t…"
0.00% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags1
uselessAdditionCount1
matches
0"it said, and the room seemed to tilt toward the new threat, as if gravity itself remembered a debt owed"
100.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags1
fancyCount0
fancyTags(empty)
dialogueSentences1
tagDensity1
leniency1
rawRatio0
effectiveRatio0
78.1872%