Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTX73MQ7BRPJCEVN9QB7QNP

Run Details

Duration:
9.7s
Cost:
$0.000000
Provider:
Stealth

Model input

System
You are an expert and award-winning novel writer in the dark Horror 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> <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> </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 horror genre. A character is alone in a strange, isolated place at night. They came here for a reason, but something feels off from the moment they arrive. The wrongness builds slowly — sounds that shouldn't be there, things that move at the edge of vision, a growing certainty that they are not alone. Build tension through restraint, not through gore. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for the character and setting. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
“Don’t turn around.” The voice in her head sounded like a cracked record, but the words came from her own throat. Aurora pressed the pendant against her wrist, feeling the faint heat pulse against the scar on her left wrist. The thin silver chain tugged as she steadied herself against the ancient oak that loomed at the grove’s edge. The standing stones rose like weathered sentinels, each one a rough slab of moss‑covered granite, their tops etched with indecipherable runes. Light filtered through the wildflowers that bloomed year‑round, casting a strange amber glow that never seemed to shift. The air smelled of damp earth and something metallic, like fresh blood after a rainstorm. A rustle crackled from the darkness behind the stones. Aurora’s breath caught; the sound was too deliberate to be wind. She shifted her weight, her boots scraping the soft grass, and the pendant throbbed brighter, a dull crimson pulse that matched the rhythm of her heart. “Who’s there?” she whispered, voice barely a breath. No answer came, only a low hum that seemed to emanate from the stones themselves. A shadow flickered at the edge of her vision, a dark smear moving against the underbrush. She turned, eyes narrowing, but the darkness swallows the shape. The wind shifted, carrying a faint scent of burnt incense. Aurora’s mind raced: she had come for the Heartstone, an artifact promised by an unknown benefactor, but the grove felt alive, as if it watched her every step. The pendant’s glow intensified, a soft inner light spilling onto the moss. She reached into the pocket of her jacket, fingers brushing the cool metal of the chain. The scar on her wrist twitched, the crescent‑shaped mark humming in response. “Stay calm,” she muttered, though the words sounded like a mantra than than a command. A low, guttural chant rose from somewhere within the stones, the cadence irregular, as if sung by many voices at once. Aurora’s eyes darted to the ancient oak, its bark fissured like a cracked face. A thin line of light seeped from a knot in the trunk, curling upwards like a ribbon of smoke. She stepped forward, the pendant’s warmth spreading up her arm, a gentle pressure that seemed to guide her. The ground beneath her feet felt softer, as if the earth itself were breathing. The wildflowers swayed in a rhythm that did not match any wind. “Okay,” she said aloud, “let’s see what you want.” A rustle turned into a scrape, and a branch snapped under unseen weight. Aurora pivoted, scanning the darkness. A pair of eyes glinted for a heartbeat, then vanished. She swallowed, feeling the scar throb again, the pendant’s pulse syncing with an unseen rhythm. “Don’t make a sound,” she whispered, though the words felt redundant. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint chirp of a distant insect, out of place in the night’s gloom. She moved toward the centre of the grove, where the stones formed a rough circle. The centre held a shallow depression, a smooth stone basin that seemed to collect moonlight even though no moon rose. The pendant’s glow reflected off the water, creating a ripple of crimson that spread across the basin. A sudden chill brushed her cheek, and she shivered. The cold seemed to come from within the basin, as if the water itself had turned to ice. She knelt, hands hovering above the surface, feeling the temperature drop. The pendant’s heat fought the cold, a tiny flame against an expanding darkness. “Come on,” she hissed, “show me the portal.” A low rumble rolled through the stones, a tremor that made the runes vibrate. The water in the basin began to swirl, a vortex of dark liquid forming a thin, silvery membrane. Aurora’s breath hitched; the Heartstone’s pulse matched the vortex, beating like a second heart. She reached out, fingertips brushing the edge of the vortex. The air tasted metallic, like iron in a river. The pendant’s chain tightened, pulling her hand forward as if an unseen hand guided her. “Stop,” she muttered, but her voice was swallowed by the vortex. The membrane rippled, and a shape emerged—a figure cloaked in shadows, its form shifting like smoke. It raised a hand, palm open, and the vortex widened, revealing a gaping maw of darkness that seemed to swallow light itself. Aurora’s mind flashed to stories of Hel, the underworld of the dead, and she felt the weight of ancient myth pressing against her ribs. The pendant’s glow faltered, then flared, a desperate burst of crimson that painted the figure’s outline. “Who are you?” she demanded, voice louder now, echoing off the stones. The figure did not answer. Instead, it extended a finger, and within its grasp a single, withling blossom appeared—a wildflower that never bloomed in daylight. Its petals glowed with an inner fire, a sickly amber that pulsed in time with the Heartstone. Aurora’s eyes widened. “What do you want?” she asked, though she knew the answer already. The figure tilted its head, and a whisper slipped into her ear, cold as breath on a winter night. “Your time is not yours. The grove remembers.” A sudden gust ripped through the clearing, scattering wildflowers and stirring the standing stones. The vortex expanded, and the ground beneath Aurora’s feet trembled. She felt the scar on her wrist flare, a sharp sting that shot up her arm, as if the cut itself were being reopened. She stumbled back, the pendant slipping from her wrist and clattering onto the stone floor. The chain fell, the silver link catching a sliver of light before darkness swallowed it. The Heartstone lay still, its crimson gem suddenly dark, as if its life had been snuffed out. “Hel—” she began, but the word died in her throat as the ground split open beside the basin. A fissure widened, jagged black teeth tearing through the earth, exhaling a foul, sulphuric stench. From the breach rose a thin, trembling figure—half‑woman, half‑shadow, eyes hollow yet burning with an inner fire. Aurora’s breath caught. The figure reached a clawed hand toward the broken pendant, its fingers brushing the gemstone. The moment contact was made, a scream of glass shattered in the silence, and the statue’s fissure widened, spewing a torrent of black water that surged toward the standing stones. “Run!” Aurora shouted, turning on her heel. She sprinted toward the oak, the pendant’s chain still clutched in her hand, its silver links rattling against the stone. The black water surged behind her, a tide of darkness that lapped at the roots, pulling at the moss. She leapt over a fallen stone, her boots slipping on the slick grass. The grove’s ancient oak groaned, its bark splitting, releasing a scream that sounded like a thousand children crying in unison. Aurora’s heart hammered, her lungs burning as she pushed herself harder. The standing stones began to crumble, the runes glowing with a dying light before fading into ash. The vortex above the basin collapsed, sucking the darkness back into a single, black vortex that spun faster, a vortex that seemed to swallow the very sound around it. Aurora felt the scar on her wrist flare again, a searing pain that made her drop the pendant. She scrambled, hands digging into the earth, trying to find purchase. The black water rose like a wave, its surface shimmering with unseen faces that whispered her name. “Help me!” she cried, voice hoarse, but the wind swallowed her plea, scattering it among the rustling leaves. A hand, cold and skeletal, brushed her shoulder. Aurora spun, eyes wide, but the figure was gone, leaving only a faint imprint of frost on her skin. The pendant lay half‑buried in the mud, its crimson gem now dull, its pulse ceased. She lunged for it, fingers closing around the cold metal. The moment she touched it, a surge of heat shot through her, a flash of memory—her mother’s lullaby, the taste of tea, the scent of rain on a city street. The heat rose, spreading through her arm, erasing the chill. The black water surged, the surge reaching the oak’s roots. The tree shuddered, a crack forming in its massive trunk, and a single, guttural howl erupted from the grove, reverberating through the night. Aurora stood, clutching the pendant, heart pounding, breath ragged. The darkness pooled at her feet, a thick, viscous ink that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. The grove’s stones lay shattered, the runes erased, the ancient oak trembling on the brink of collapse. She turned, eyes scanning the darkness, searching for any sign of an exit. The grove seemed to close in, stone air thickening, the black water now a river of obsidian curling around her ankles. “Enough,” she whispered, voice barely audible. The pendant glowed faintly, a single crimson spark fighting the surrounding gloom. A sudden, sharp crack rang out—a branch snapping under unseen weight. A figure emerged from the darkness, its silhouette grotesque, limbs elongated, eyes like polished on. It moved with a jerky, unnatural gait, its mouth opening to emit a guttural chant that resonated with the stones’ broken runes. Aurora’s breath caught. She raised the pendant, its faint glow now a desperate beacon. The figure paused, its head tilting, as if listening to the heartbeat of the stone. She pressed the pendant to her chest, feeling the heat surge, spreading through her ribs. The black water recoiled, forming a wall of darkness that began to recede, as if repelled by the pendant’s warmth. “Hold,” she whispered, voice steadier now. “You’re not alone.” The figure lunged, its elongated fingers reaching for the pendant. Aurora’s fingers tightened, the scar on her wrist burning with an ancient pain, a reminder of a childhood accident that left its mark. The black water surged forward, a wave of dread that threatened to drown her. In the instant before contact, the pendant erupted in a burst of crimson light, a flash that illuminated the grove, turning night into a brief, blinding day. The darkness recoiled, the figure screaming—a sound that cut like glass. The moment passed. The grove fell silent, the black water evaporating into a fine mist that drifted away. The standing stones lay shattered, their fragments scattered, the ancient oak still trembling but upright. Aurora fell to her knees, clutching the pendant, the scar throbbing, its pain now a pulse of energy. She stared at the empty space where the figure had stood, the air thick with a lingering sense of something unseen, watching. A low, guttural whisper rose from the ground, barely audible, like a distant chant. “You have opened the gate,” it said, the words echoing in her mind. She stared at the broken circle of stones, the wildflowers swaying in a wind that was not there. The night was still, but the forest felt alive, as if it held its breath, waiting. Aurora’s eyes narrowed. She clenched the pendant, feeling its warmth surge once more, a promise that something lay ahead. A shadow flickered at the edge of her vision, a dark shape moving just beyond the grove’s rim. She rose, the scar on her wrist still pulsing, the pendant’s glow now a steady ember. The grove’s silence broke with a sudden, low crack—a tree branch snapping far away, a sound that seemed to herald something larger, something that would not wait. She took a step forward, the ground trembling under her feet, the darkness nipping at her heels. The heartbeat of the Heartstone echoed in her ears, a reminder that the night was far from over. A cold wind brushed her cheek, carrying with it the scent of rust and old iron. Aurora pressed the pendant against her wrist, feeling the scar’s throb align with the stone’s pulse. She turned toward the path that led out of the grove, the ancient oak’s limbs reaching out like skeletal hands. The darkness beyond the clearing seemed to pulse, as if waiting for her next move. She inhaled sharply, the night air filling her lungs, and stepped into the shadowed path, the echo of the grove’s last scream lingering behind her. The black water surged again, this time from the earth itself, a tide that rose around her ankles, threatening to swallow her whole. Aurora’s eyes widened as the water curled like a serpent, its surface shimmering with faint, ghostly faces. She raised the pendant, its crimson glow flaring, a beacon that cut through the darkness. The water recoiled, the faces fading into a whisper of mist. A final, guttural howl rose from the trees, a sound that seemed to shake the very roots of the earth. Aurora felt the scar on her wrist burn, a reminder of the accident that had left its mark, now a conduit for something older than she could comprehend. She ran, the pendant’s heat guiding her, the darkness pressing at her back, the grove behind her collapsing into a vortex of stone and shadow. The night air rushed past, the scent of copper and ash filling her nostrils. She burst out of the grove, the ancient oak falling behind her in a cascade of dust and broken stone. The world beyond the grove seemed unchanged—London’s streets, the flickering neon of a distant sign, the muffled hum of traffic. Yet the air crackled with an unseen tension, a promise that something had followed her out. Aurora stopped, breath ragged, the pendant clutched tight, the scar throbbing in rhythm with her pulse. The darkness at the edge of the street seemed to pulse, a faint outline of a figure watching, waiting. A cold hand brushed her cheek, and she turned, eyes meeting the black void that lingered, a whisper of the grove’s curse. The pendant’s glow flickered, a heartbeat in the night. She tightened her grip, the scar’s pain blooming into a fierce fire, and stepped forward into the street, the darkness behind her closing like a lid, ready to swallow her next move.
created_at"2026-02-19T12:15:24.833Z" 2/19/2026, 12:15:24 PM
model"openrouter/aurora-alpha"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency2566
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time9117
tokens_prompt4560
tokens_completion3599
native_tokens_prompt3982
native_tokens_completion2928
native_tokens_completion_images(null)
native_tokens_reasoning0
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"stop"
usage0
router(null)
provider_responses(null)
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1771503324-XN5NgqmTpKiFm9gWnO7c"
upstream_id"gen-1771503324-XN5NgqmTpKiFm9gWnO7c"
total_cost0
cache_discount(null)
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"Stealth"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags16
adverbTagCount1
adverbTags
0"she said aloud [aloud]"
dialogueSentences17
tagDensity0.941
leniency1
rawRatio0.063
effectiveRatio0.063
91.45% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount2338
totalAiIsmAdverbs4
found
0
adverb"suddenly"
count1
1
adverb"very"
count2
2
adverb"sharply"
count1
highlights
0"suddenly"
1"very"
2"sharply"
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)
0.00% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount2338
totalAiIsms61
found
0
word"pulse"
count11
1
word"loomed"
count1
2
word"sentinels"
count1
3
word"etched"
count1
4
word"weight"
count4
5
word"throbbed"
count1
6
word"flickered"
count3
7
word"raced"
count1
8
word"warmth"
count3
9
word"scanning"
count2
10
word"throb"
count2
11
word"silence"
count3
12
word"gloom"
count2
13
word"chill"
count2
14
word"maw"
count1
15
word"echoing"
count2
16
word"pulsed"
count1
17
word"whisper"
count4
18
word"trembled"
count1
19
word"shattered"
count3
20
word"searing"
count1
21
word"pounding"
count1
22
word"resonated"
count1
23
word"beacon"
count2
24
word"reminder"
count3
25
word"sense of"
count1
26
word"echoed"
count1
27
word"echo"
count1
28
word"tension"
count1
highlights
0"pulse"
1"loomed"
2"sentinels"
3"etched"
4"weight"
5"throbbed"
6"flickered"
7"raced"
8"warmth"
9"scanning"
10"throb"
11"silence"
12"gloom"
13"chill"
14"maw"
15"echoing"
16"pulsed"
17"whisper"
18"trembled"
19"shattered"
20"searing"
21"pounding"
22"resonated"
23"beacon"
24"reminder"
25"sense of"
26"echoed"
27"echo"
28"tension"
66.67% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches3
maxInWindow2
found
0
label"eyes widened/narrowed"
count3
highlights
0"eyes widened"
1"eyes narrowed"
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells1
narrationSentences148
matches
0"a wave of dread"
0.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount0
hedgeCount16
narrationSentences148
filterMatches(empty)
hedgeMatches
0"seemed to"
1"began to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences150
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen32
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords2331
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions22
unquotedAttributions0
matches(empty)
99.45% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions30
wordCount2275
uniqueNames4
maxNameDensity1.01
worstName"Aurora"
maxWindowNameDensity2
worstWindowName"Aurora"
discoveredNames
Aurora23
Heartstone5
Hel1
London1
persons
0"Aurora"
1"Heartstone"
places
0"London"
globalScore0.995
windowScore1
0.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences137
glossingSentenceCount14
matches
0"sounded like a cracked record, but the wor"
1"hum that seemed to emanate from the stones themselves"
2"sounded like a mantra than than a command"
3"pressure that seemed to guide her"
4"basin that seemed to collect moonlight even though no moon rose"
5"darkness that seemed to swallow light itself"
6"sounded like a thousand children crying in"
7"vortex that seemed to swallow the very sound around it"
8"ink that seemed to pulse with a life of its own"
9"as if listening to the heartbeat of the stone"
10"sound that seemed to herald something larger, something that would not wait"
11"as if waiting for her next move"
12"sound that seemed to shake the very roots of the earth"
13"seemed unchanged London’s streets, the flickering neon of a distant sign, the muffled hum of traffic"
100.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches0
per1kWords0
wordCount2331
matches(empty)
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount0
totalSentences150
matches(empty)
52.14% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs61
mean38.21
std12.7
cv0.332
sampleLengths
059
154
246
323
464
555
654
744
89
943
1034
1152
1251
138
1446
1534
1649
1740
1812
1942
2015
2127
2248
2347
2450
2548
2646
2744
2846
2946
3018
3142
3250
3333
3446
3534
3618
3748
3829
3935
409
4147
4238
4333
4440
4527
4634
4737
4843
4935
93.41% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount5
totalSentences148
matches
0"was swallowed"
1"being reopened"
2"been snuffed"
3"was made"
4"was gone"
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount1
totalVerbs370
matches
0"were breathing"
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount8
semicolonCount2
flaggedSentences10
totalSentences150
ratio0.067
matches
0"Aurora’s breath caught; the sound was too deliberate to be wind."
1"Aurora’s breath hitched; the Heartstone’s pulse matched the vortex, beating like a second heart."
2"The membrane rippled, and a shape emerged—a figure cloaked in shadows, its form shifting like smoke."
3"Instead, it extended a finger, and within its grasp a single, withling blossom appeared—a wildflower that never bloomed in daylight."
4"From the breach rose a thin, trembling figure—half‑woman, half‑shadow, eyes hollow yet burning with an inner fire."
5"The moment she touched it, a surge of heat shot through her, a flash of memory—her mother’s lullaby, the taste of tea, the scent of rain on a city street."
6"A sudden, sharp crack rang out—a branch snapping under unseen weight."
7"The darkness recoiled, the figure screaming—a sound that cut like glass."
8"The grove’s silence broke with a sudden, low crack—a tree branch snapping far away, a sound that seemed to herald something larger, something that would not wait."
9"The world beyond the grove seemed unchanged—London’s streets, the flickering neon of a distant sign, the muffled hum of traffic."
100.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount1486
adjectiveStacks0
stackExamples(empty)
adverbCount27
adverbRatio0.01816958277254374
lyAdverbCount8
lyAdverbRatio0.005383580080753701
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences150
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
92.62% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences150
mean15.54
std5.93
cv0.382
sampleLengths
021
119
219
321
418
515
69
711
826
98
1015
1116
1210
1310
1428
1512
1616
1712
1815
1921
2014
2119
2218
2314
2412
259
2613
275
2810
2915
3011
3123
3215
3320
3417
359
3618
3711
3813
398
4014
4118
4214
4310
449
4515
4611
4716
4822
4924
39.33% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats16
diversityRatio0.17333333333333334
totalSentences150
uniqueOpeners26
22.68% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount1
totalSentences147
matches
0"Instead, it extended a finger,"
ratio0.007
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount43
totalSentences147
matches
0"She shifted her weight, her"
1"she whispered, voice barely a"
2"She turned, eyes narrowing, but"
3"She reached into the pocket"
4"she muttered, though the words"
5"She stepped forward, the pendant’s"
6"she said aloud"
7"She swallowed, feeling the scar"
8"she whispered, though the words"
9"She moved toward the centre"
10"She knelt, hands hovering above"
11"She reached out, fingertips brushing"
12"she muttered, but her voice"
13"It raised a hand, palm"
14"she demanded, voice louder now,"
15"Its petals glowed with an"
16"she asked, though she knew"
17"She felt the scar on"
18"She stumbled back, the pendant"
19"she began, but the word"
ratio0.293
0.00% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount142
totalSentences147
matches
0"The voice in her head"
1"Aurora pressed the pendant against"
2"The thin silver chain tugged"
3"The standing stones rose like"
4"Light filtered through the wildflowers"
5"The air smelled of damp"
6"A rustle crackled from the"
7"Aurora’s breath caught; the sound"
8"She shifted her weight, her"
9"she whispered, voice barely a"
10"A shadow flickered at the"
11"She turned, eyes narrowing, but"
12"The wind shifted, carrying a"
13"Aurora’s mind raced: she had"
14"The pendant’s glow intensified, a"
15"She reached into the pocket"
16"The scar on her wrist"
17"she muttered, though the words"
18"A low, guttural chant rose"
19"Aurora’s eyes darted to the"
ratio0.966
0.00% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount0
totalSentences147
matches(empty)
ratio0
0.00% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences119
technicalSentenceCount24
matches
0"Light filtered through the wildflowers that bloomed year‑round, casting a strange amber glow that never seemed to shift."
1"She shifted her weight, her boots scraping the soft grass, and the pendant throbbed brighter, a dull crimson pulse that matched the rhythm of her heart."
2"Aurora’s mind raced: she had come for the Heartstone, an artifact promised by an unknown benefactor, but the grove felt alive, as if it watched her every step."
3"A low, guttural chant rose from somewhere within the stones, the cadence irregular, as if sung by many voices at once."
4"She stepped forward, the pendant’s warmth spreading up her arm, a gentle pressure that seemed to guide her."
5"The ground beneath her feet felt softer, as if the earth itself were breathing."
6"She swallowed, feeling the scar throb again, the pendant’s pulse syncing with an unseen rhythm."
7"The centre held a shallow depression, a smooth stone basin that seemed to collect moonlight even though no moon rose."
8"The pendant’s chain tightened, pulling her hand forward as if an unseen hand guided her."
9"It raised a hand, palm open, and the vortex widened, revealing a gaping maw of darkness that seemed to swallow light itself."
10"The Heartstone lay still, its crimson gem suddenly dark, as if its life had been snuffed out."
11"The moment contact was made, a scream of glass shattered in the silence, and the statue’s fissure widened, spewing a torrent of black water that surged toward t…"
12"The grove’s ancient oak groaned, its bark splitting, releasing a scream that sounded like a thousand children crying in unison."
13"The vortex above the basin collapsed, sucking the darkness back into a single, black vortex that spun faster, a vortex that seemed to swallow the very sound aro…"
14"Aurora felt the scar on her wrist flare again, a searing pain that made her drop the pendant."
15"The black water rose like a wave, its surface shimmering with unseen faces that whispered her name."
16"The heat rose, spreading through her arm, erasing the chill."
17"The figure paused, its head tilting, as if listening to the heartbeat of the stone."
18"She pressed the pendant to her chest, feeling the heat surge, spreading through her ribs."
19"The grove fell silent, the black water evaporating into a fine mist that drifted away."
20"Aurora fell to her knees, clutching the pendant, the scar throbbing, its pain now a pulse of energy."
21"The grove’s silence broke with a sudden, low crack—a tree branch snapping far away, a sound that seemed to herald something larger, something that would not wai…"
22"Aurora felt the scar on her wrist burn, a reminder of the accident that had left its mark, now a conduit for something older than she could comprehend."
23"She ran, the pendant’s heat guiding her, the darkness pressing at her back, the grove behind her collapsing into a vortex of stone and shadow."
0.00% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags16
uselessAdditionCount10
matches
0"her head sounded like, but the words came from her own throat"
1"she whispered, voice barely a breath"
2"she muttered, though the words sounded like a mantra than than a command"
3"she whispered, though the words felt redundant"
4"she muttered, but her voice was swallowed by the vortex"
5"she demanded, voice louder now, echoing off the stones"
6"she began, but the word died in her throat as the ground split open beside the basin"
7"she whispered, voice barely audible"
8"she whispered, voice steadier now"
9"it said, the words echoing in her mind"
0.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags13
fancyCount10
fancyTags
0"she whispered (whisper)"
1"she muttered (mutter)"
2"she whispered (whisper)"
3"she hissed (hiss)"
4"she muttered (mutter)"
5"she demanded (demand)"
6"Aurora shouted (shout)"
7"she cried (cry)"
8"she whispered (whisper)"
9"she whispered (whisper)"
dialogueSentences17
tagDensity0.765
leniency1
rawRatio0.769
effectiveRatio0.769
61.9245%