Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTQZ07FXVMQVQ75TEM2A528

In the heart of Richmond Park, where the city's breath held its peace and the night's cloak draped heavy, Aurora Carter found herself beneath an obsidian sky, punctured by stars that seemed too close for comfort. The Fae Grove, Eva had called it, her voice echoing in Rory's mind like a distant whisper. She'd been here before, hadn't she? Yet, the place felt alien, the air thick with an unseen tension. The ancient oak standing stones loomed like silent sentinels, their gnarled fingers reaching out as if to warn her away. Rory stepped between them, her boots sinking into the damp earth. The Grove's boundary crossed, she felt a shiver run down her spine, a prickling sensation that raised the hairs on her arms. She shook it off, attributing it to the chill night air. Her flashlight beam danced over wildflowers that bloomed defiantly out of season, their colors muted under the moon's cold gaze. The Grove was supposed to be a sanctuary, Eva had said. A place where time moved differently, where the veil between worlds was thin. But all Rory felt was unease, a gnawing sense of wrongness that clung to her like the damp fog. A twig snapped. Rory spun around, her heart pounding in her chest. "Hello?" Her voice echoed, swallowed by the silence. She saw nothing but the swaying shadows cast by her flashlight. Shaking her head, she muttered, "Just an animal." Yet, her hand reached for the Heartstone pendant hanging around her neck, a habit born of recent events. The pendant, a deep crimson gemstone set in a silver chain, pulsed faintly with warmth. Rory's breath hitched. It had never done that before. She looked around, her eyes widening as she noticed the subtle glow emanating from the wildflowers. They pulsed in rhythm with the Heartstone, their colors shifting, intensifying. The air hummed, a low vibration that resonated in her bones. Rory took a step back, her mind racing. This wasn't right. None of this was. She turned to leave, but the standing stones seemed farther away than she remembered. Panic clawed at her throat. She took off running, her flashlight beam bouncing wildly. Suddenly, she stopped. A figure stood at the edge of her light, tall and gaunt, its face obscured by shadows. Rory's breath caught, her heart hammering in her ears. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. The figure didn't move, didn't speak. Instead, it tilted its head, a slow, unnatural motion. Rory's stomach churned. She took a step back, her hand closing around the Heartstone. It pulsed faster, hotter. The figure took a step forward, its feet not quite touching the ground. Rory turned and ran, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The Grove seemed to stretch out around her, the trees closing in, their branches reaching like skeletal fingers. She could hear it now, a soft, wet sound, like something moving through mud. Something following her. She dared a glance back. The figure was closer, its face still hidden. But she could see its hands now, long fingers tipped with sharp nails. They clicked together, a soft, rhythmic sound that sent ice through her veins. She stumbled, her foot catching on a root. She fell, her hands sinking into the damp earth. The figure loomed over her, its breath a cold wind on her face. Rory scrambled back, her hand closing around a rock. She threw it, her aim true. It hit the figure square in the face. There was a soft thud, a wet sound. The figure staggered back, its hands reaching up to its face. Rory didn't wait. She turned and ran, her heart pounding in her ears. The standing stones loomed ahead, their ancient faces mocking her. She reached them, her hands closing around the rough bark. She stepped between them, the boundary crossing with a jolt. She fell to her knees, her breath coming in ragged gasps. The Grove was silent behind her, the wrongness retreating like a tide. Rory looked down at the Heartstone, its glow fading, its warmth dissipating. She took a deep, shuddering breath, her body shaking with reaction. Whatever was in the Fae Grove, it wasn't something she wanted to meet again. She stood up, her legs wobbling, and walked away, leaving the Grove and its secrets behind.