Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTXMZBZC8HAY0BDKJ00V9XG

The crimson gem against Aurora's collarbone burned like a coal. She stopped at the edge of the alleyway, fingers digging into the leather of her jacket. The air in front of them shimmered, a heat haze rising from the wet pavement despite the London chill. Nyx stepped out of the shadow of a dumpster, their form solidifying into a humanoid silhouette of living darkness. Violet eyes glowed within the void of their face. The stone pulses. Aurora touched the Heartstone Pendant. Heat radiated into her sternum. She drew the Fae-Forged Blade from the sheath at her hip. Moonsilver gleamed in the dim streetlight, cold biting into her palm. We cross now. Nyx tilted their head, the shadowy edges of their shoulders rippling. The Veil thins here. The Wardens miss this tear. Aurora stepped toward the distortion. The shimmering barrier stood waist-high, widening as she approached. She glanced at the crescent-shaped scar on her left wrist, then tightened her grip on the dagger. Stay close. She thrust her hand into the shimmer. Resistance clung to her skin like syrup. She pushed through. Nyx flowed after her, a stain of darkness sliding across the boundary. Gravity shifted. The smell of exhaust and damp brick vanished, replaced by the heavy scent of roasting meat and overripe fruit. Aurora stumbled onto soft grass. She looked up. The sky was a warm amber, devoid of clouds or sun, yet bright as midday. Vines thick as her thigh draped between stone archways overhead, heavy with grapes the size of fists. Nyx materialized fully beside her, their height looming over the treeline. Dymas. The realm of Gluttony. Aurora sheathed the blade but kept her hand on the hilt. The ground felt spongy, rich with decay and growth. She walked forward, boots sinking into the loam. To their left, an orchard stretched into the distance. Trees groaned under the weight of golden apples that dripped syrup onto the roots. This place breathes. Nyx reached out a shadowy hand. A grape hanging low on a vine turned to dust at their touch. Organic matter destabilizes in my presence. Aurora moved deeper into the grove. The air hung thick and humid. Her breath came slower here, as if the atmosphere itself resisted her lungs. She checked the pendant. The crimson glow intensified. It leads deeper. They followed the pull. The path widened into a boulevard paved with polished obsidian. Statues lined the walkway, carved figures holding platters of stone food. Moss crept over the faces of the sculptures, softening their expressions. Aurora ran a finger along a statue's base. The stone felt warm. Prince Belphegor rules this sin. Nyx drifted over the obsidian, leaving no footprints. His contractors feast above. Souls bound to the kitchens of Earth send offerings down. Aurora stopped. A low hum vibrated through the soles of her boots. The vines overhead swayed without wind. Do you hear that? Nyx froze. The violet light in their eyes dimmed. Voices. Many. Aurora crouched behind a cluster of giant ferns. She parted the fronds. Beyond the tree line, a valley opened up. Tables stretched for miles, laden with roasted beasts and towers of pastry. Figures moved between the tables, some human-shaped, others distorted by excess. She pulled the collar of her jacket up. The pendant throbbed against her skin, matching the rhythm of the hum. We need the source of the rift. Nyx leaned over her shoulder, their voice a whisper carried on the wind. The source lies beneath the feast. The ground swallows the waste. The energy cycles back up. Aurora stood. She wiped sweat from her brow. The amber light cast no shadows, which made Nyx stand out even more, a void in the illumination. Can you slip ahead? I can move through the shadows cast by the diners. But the light here... it is pervasive. Aurora looked at the sky. The amber glow came from everywhere, nowhere. Find the center. I'll follow the pendant. Nyx dissolved into a wisp of smoke and shot toward the valley floor. Aurora waited until the darkness vanished into the crowd below. She checked the Fae Blade again. The metal remained cold, a stark contrast to the humid air. She descended the slope. The grass gave way to packed earth. The smell of food grew stronger, cloying. Her stomach growled, a sudden sharp pain. She ignored it. The excess of Dymas sought to weaken resolve through indulgence. She reached the edge of the banquet. A figure sat at the nearest table, carving a joint of meat that smoked with aromatic spices. The figure wore the uniform of a delivery driver, similar to her own from the Golden Empress, but the fabric was woven with gold thread. The driver looked up. Eyes hollow, skin pale. Aurora stepped into the light. The driver did not react. She moved past the table. The pendant burned hotter. She navigated between the feasting souls. None acknowledged her. They ate with mechanical precision, stuffing food into mouths that never seemed to fill. Nyx reformed beside a massive pillar at the valley's center. Here. Aurora joined them. The pillar pulsed with a faint violet light, matching Nyx's eyes. Cracks ran down the stone, leaking shadow. This isn't natural to Hel. Nyx traced the crack. Shadow pooled around their fingers. Someone forced a connection. Earth to Hel. Using the Veil's weakness. Aurora placed her hand near the stone. The heat from the pendant matched the pulse of the pillar. The winter solstice weakens the Barrier. She looked around. The feasting continued, oblivious. The amber sky remained constant. We seal it. Nyx stepped back, their form expanding. My substance can fill the breach. But it requires an anchor. Aurora looked at the Fae-Forged Blade. The moonsilver hummed. Take the blade. Nyx hesitated, the violet eyes widening. It cuts wards. It will bind your shadow to the stone. Aurora gripped the hilt. She held it out. Nyx reached for it. Their shadowy fingers brushed the metal. Frost spread from the contact point, cracking the air. The ground shook. A table overturned nearby. Wine spilled like blood across the obsidian. The diners stopped chewing. Heads turned in unison. Aurora shoved the blade into Nyx's grasp. Do it. Nyx wrapped around the dagger. They plunged the weapon into the crack in the pillar. A scream tore through the valley. Not from Nyx, but from the ground itself. The amber sky flickered. For a second, the grey clouds of London showed through. Aurora grabbed Nyx's arm. The shadow felt solid, heavy. Hold the line. The diners stood. They dropped their cutlery. The metal clattered on the stone. They began to walk toward the pillar. Aurora drew her own backup knife. Steel against the approaching mass. Nyx pushed the blade deeper. The violet light intensified. They come for the anchor. Aurora planted her feet. The crescent scar on her wrist itched. Let them come.