Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTX47N77J7FK8RX5N1WR178

Rory stood at the edge of the Richmond Park, staring into the darkness between the trees. The Heartstone pendant hung heavy against her chest, pulsing with a faint warmth that seemed to beckon her forward. She'd come here on a whim, following an inexplicable pull that had woken her in the middle of the night. Now, standing at the threshold of the ancient grove, doubt crept in. "You're being ridiculous," she muttered to herself, taking a tentative step forward. The grass beneath her feet felt unnaturally soft, almost spongy, and the air carried a sweet, cloying scent that reminded her of rotting flowers. As she ventured deeper, the trees seemed to close in around her, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. The pendant grew warmer with each step, until it felt like a brand against her skin. Rory's heart raced, but she pressed on, driven by a need she couldn't quite explain. Suddenly, a twig snapped behind her. Rory whirled around, her pulse pounding in her ears. Nothing. Just the endless expanse of trees and shadows. She laughed nervously, trying to shake off the feeling of being watched. "You're losing it, Rory," she whispered, turning back to continue her journey. But then she saw it. A flicker of movement between the trees, too quick to make out. Her breath caught in her throat as she strained to see more. There it was again, a dark shape darting between the trunks, always at the edge of her vision. "Who's there?" Rory called out, her voice trembling. "Show yourself!" Silence. The grove seemed to hold its breath, waiting. Rory's hand instinctively moved to the pendant, its warmth now bordering on painful. She took a step back, then another, her eyes never leaving the spot where she'd seen the movement. That's when she heard it. A soft, melodic humming, like a lullaby sung by a voice not quite human. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, wrapping around her like a suffocating blanket. Rory's skin crawled as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She turned to run, but her feet wouldn't move. It was as if the very ground had become quicksand, pulling her down into its embrace. The humming grew louder, more insistent, and Rory felt a presence behind her. A cold breath on the back of her neck. "Don't be afraid," a voice whispered, close enough that she could feel the words against her skin. "We've been waiting for you." Rory's scream caught in her throat as strong hands gripped her shoulders, spinning her around. She found herself face to face with a figure cloaked in shadows, its features obscured but for two glowing eyes that seemed to pierce her very soul. "What do you want?" Rory managed to choke out, her voice barely audible over the pounding of her heart. The figure leaned in closer, its breath icy against her cheek. "You have something that belongs to us," it hissed. "The Heartstone. Give it to us, and perhaps we'll let you leave this place alive." Rory's hand flew to the pendant, her fingers closing around it protectively. "I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, her mind racing for an escape. The figure laughed, a sound like shattering glass. "Oh, but you do. And we'll have it, one way or another." With a sudden movement, the figure reached out and grabbed the pendant. Rory screamed as a searing pain shot through her body, the warmth of the stone turning to white-hot agony. She felt herself being pulled forward, into the waiting arms of the shadowy figure. As consciousness began to slip away, Rory caught one last glimpse of the grove around her. The trees were no longer still, but writhing like living things, their branches reaching out to embrace her. And in the center of it all, a swirling vortex of darkness, pulsing with the same crimson glow as the Heartstone. "Welcome home," the figure whispered as Rory fell into the abyss, the last thing she saw before the darkness claimed her.