Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTRQ1X8A047GJ53E5Q1R1SW

In the heart of Richmond Park, where the city's hum faded into the whispering rustle of leaves, Aurora Carter stood at the edge of the Fae Grove. The ancient oak standing stones, gnarled and silent, marked the boundary like sentinels from a forgotten age. She had come here seeking solace, a respite from the city's relentless pace and her own troubled thoughts. Yet, as the last light of day surrendered to the night, she felt an unease prickling her skin, a wrongness that made the hairs on her nape stand on end. The Grove was bathed in silver moonlight, casting long, dancing shadows that seemed to writhe and twist at the corners of her eyes. She stepped inside, her boots sinking into the soft earth, the wildflowers beneath her feet releasing their sweet perfume into the cool night air. An owl hooted softly in the distance, a sound that should have been comforting, yet it sent a shiver down her spine. Aurora walked deeper into the grove, her fingers tracing the silver chain around her neck, the Heartstone Pendant resting against her collarbone. It was a gift from an unknown benefactor, its deep crimson gemstone pulsing faintly with warmth, a beacon in the gathering darkness. She had felt its pull towards this place, this pocket between Earth and the Fae realm, but now that she was here, she questioned her impulse. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves, the snap of a twig. She turned her head sharply at a sound like laughter, faint and distant, echoing through the trees. It was gone as soon as she focused on it, leaving only the heavy silence in its wake. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She was being foolish, letting her imagination run wild. There was nothing here but the grove and the night. Yet, as she continued her walk, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She caught movement at the edge of her vision, a flash of white disappearing behind a tree. She stopped, her breath hitching in her throat. "Hello?" she called out, her voice barely above a whisper. Silence. Then, a soft chuckle, like the wind through the leaves, but not quite. She spun around, her eyes scanning the grove, but there was nothing. She decided to leave, her earlier desire for solitude replaced by a growing urgency to escape. She turned back the way she had come, her steps quickening. The standing stones loomed ahead, their gnarled forms casting eerie shadows in the moonlight. She was almost there, almost safe, when she heard it again - the laughter, closer this time, clearer. She froze, her heart pounding in her ears. "Who's there?" she demanded, her voice steady despite the fear coiling in her stomach. The laughter stopped abruptly, leaving only the heavy silence. Then, a voice, soft and sweet, like a child's, "Aurora." It whispered through the trees, carried on the breeze, surrounding her. She spun around, her eyes wide, her breath coming in short gasps. "Who are you?" she cried out, her voice echoing in the silence. There was no answer, only the rustling of leaves, the snap of a twig. Then, a figure stepped out from behind a tree, a small girl with long white hair and bright blue eyes. She was dressed in a white nightgown, her feet bare, her skin glowing in the moonlight. Aurora stared at her, a chill running down her spine. The girl smiled, her eyes never leaving Aurora's. "You shouldn't have come here, Aurora," she said, her voice like the rustling of leaves, soft and cold. Aurora took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. "Who are you?" she asked again, her voice barely a whisper. The girl took a step forward, her eyes never leaving Aurora's. "I am Isolde," she said, her voice echoing through the grove. "This is my grove, my place. You shouldn't have come here, Aurora. You shouldn't have brought that with you." She pointed at the Heartstone Pendant, her eyes narrowing. Aurora's hand went to the pendant, her fingers closing around it. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice steady despite the fear coiling in her stomach. Isolde took another step forward, her eyes never leaving Aurora's. "It belongs to them," she said, her voice cold. "They will come for it, and for you. You should leave, Aurora. Leave now, while you still can." Aurora took a deep breath, her mind racing. She didn't know who 'they' were, or why they would want the Heartstone Pendant, but she knew she had to leave. She turned to go, but Isolde's voice stopped her. "It's too late, Aurora," she said, her voice echoing through the grove. "They're here." Aurora spun around, her eyes scanning the grove. She saw them then, figures moving through the trees, their eyes glowing in the darkness. They were tall, their forms thin and angular, their skin pale and luminescent. They moved with a grace that was almost hypnotic, their eyes never leaving Aurora. Fear gripped her, cold and paralyzing. She took a step back, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to run, had to get away, but her feet felt rooted to the spot. The figures moved closer, their eyes never leaving hers. She could see their faces now, their features sharp and angular, their eyes filled with a hunger that made her blood run cold. She took a deep breath, her mind racing. She had to move, had to run. She turned to go, but it was too late. The figures were upon her, their hands reaching out, their eyes glowing in the darkness. She screamed, a sound that echoed through the grove, a sound that was swallowed by the night. The last thing she saw was Isolde, standing at the edge of the grove, her eyes filled with sorrow. Then, everything went black.