Run: 2026-02-19-01KHTYFV0AV0EPF9HSE0XJC57K

The trees loomed like silent sentinels as Rory stepped into the clearing. Moonlight filtered through the branches, casting long shadows across the mossy ground. She clutched the Heartstone pendant, feeling its faint warmth against her palm. The Grove had seemed like the perfect place to clear her head after the day she'd had. Between Silas' cryptic warnings about "unseen dangers" and the strange, pulsing sensation from the pendant, she'd needed to get away from the city's noise. But now, standing alone in the darkness, every instinct screamed that she'd made a terrible mistake. The standing stones at the clearing's edge seemed to shimmer, as if they weren't quite solid. Rory shook her head, trying to dispel the illusion. Must be the moonlight playing tricks. "Hello?" Her voice sounded too loud in the stillness. "Is anyone there?" Only silence answered. The usual nighttime sounds of Richmond Park - owls hooting, leaves rustling in the breeze - were absent. It was as if the Grove existed in its own pocket of reality, cut off from the world beyond. Rory took a step forward, her boots sinking into the soft earth. The pendant grew warmer, pulsing in time with her quickening heartbeat. She should leave. This place felt wrong, unnatural. But curiosity kept her rooted to the spot. Movement caught her eye at the edge of the clearing. A shadow detached itself from the trees, resolving into the shape of a woman. She wore a long, flowing dress that seemed to shift colors in the moonlight - silver, then blue, then a deep, unsettling purple. "Welcome, Aurora." The woman's voice carried a melodic quality, like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. "We've been expecting you." Rory's hand tightened around the pendant. "Who are you? How do you know my name?" The woman smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Names have power, little one. Best not to give them away so freely." She glided closer, her feet not quite touching the ground. Rory's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't right. The woman's movements were too fluid, too graceful. Like a predator stalking its prey. "What do you want?" Rory's voice came out steadier than she felt. The woman tilted her head, studying Rory with an intensity that made her skin crawl. "We want what you carry, of course. The Heartstone. It calls to us across realms." Rory's fingers tightened around the pendant. "It's mine. I won't let you take it." A laugh, soft and mocking. "Oh, but you will. You all do, in the end. The Heartstone chooses its bearers, but it always returns to us." The air grew colder, frost forming on the ground at the woman's feet. Rory stumbled back, her heart racing. This wasn't just some strange encounter - this was dangerous. Supernatural. She needed to get out of here. But her feet wouldn't move. It was as if the Grove itself held her in place, the ancient oaks whispering secrets she couldn't quite hear. The woman's form began to change, her features elongating, her eyes growing too large for her face. Rory's breath came in short, panicked gasps as she watched the transformation. "What are you?" she whispered. The thing that had been a woman smiled, revealing teeth far too sharp. "We are the guardians of the Heartstone. And you, dear Aurora, have overstayed your welcome." It lunged for her, moving faster than any human could. Rory threw herself to the side, rolling across the frozen ground. Pain lanced through her shoulder as she collided with one of the standing stones. The creature's claws scraped against the stone where she'd been moments before. It turned, its eyes glowing with an unnatural light. Rory scrambled to her feet, the pendant burning against her chest. She had to get out. Had to escape this nightmare. But the Grove seemed to shift around her, the trees closing in, the moonlight dimming until she could barely see. A root snagged her ankle, sending her sprawling. The creature was on her in an instant, its weight pinning her to the ground. Rory screamed, fighting against its grip, but it was like struggling against a statue. "You cannot escape your fate," it hissed, its breath cold against her face. "The Heartstone will be ours." Rory's hand found the pendant. The gem was hot now, searing her palm. She closed her fingers around it, feeling a surge of power flow through her. It wasn't just an artifact - it was alive, ancient, and it recognized her. "No," she whispered. "I won't let you take it." The creature's eyes widened as a crimson glow spread from Rory's fist. The Heartstone's light grew brighter, pushing back the darkness of the Grove. The creature shrieked, recoiling as if burned. Rory pushed herself up, the pendant's light forming a barrier between her and the creature. It cowered, its form flickering like a bad television signal. "This is mine," Rory said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her. "I won't let you or anyone else take it." The creature's form dissolved, melting back into the shadows of the Grove. The light from the pendant faded, leaving Rory alone in the clearing once more. But the wrongness remained, a palpable presence that made her skin crawl. She had to leave. Now. Before whatever that thing was could regroup and return. Rory ran, not caring about the branches that whipped at her face or the roots that tried to trip her. The Grove seemed to stretch endlessly, each step taking her nowhere. But finally, blessedly, she stumbled out into the familiar surroundings of Richmond Park. She collapsed against a tree, chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath. The Heartstone still pulsed against her palm, a steady reminder of what she'd faced and survived. But as she looked back at the Grove, she knew this wasn't over. Whatever lived in that strange, timeless place would be back. And next time, it might not be so easily deterred. Rory pushed herself to her feet, the pendant's warmth a small comfort against the chill of the night. She had questions now, and she wouldn't rest until she had answers. The Heartstone had chosen her for a reason. And she was determined to find out why.