Run: 2026-02-20-01KHXQ9PQM0REF3NX23V6NNJYX

The night air was thick with the scent of damp earth and wildflowers, the kind that bloomed only in places where time bent like a bowstring. Rory adjusted the strap of her messenger bag, the Heartstone Pendant tucked safely beneath her shirt, its faint warmth a steady pulse against her skin. She had come to the Fae Grove for answers—not that she expected them to be kind. The standing stones loomed ahead, their gnarled oaks black against the indigo sky. The boundary hummed with a quiet energy, like the moment before a storm breaks. She hesitated, fingers brushing the crescent scar on her wrist. *Just like old times*, she thought, though the last time she’d crossed into a place like this, she’d been running from something far worse than the unknown. The moment she stepped between the stones, the world shifted. The sounds of Richmond Park—the distant hum of traffic, the rustle of deer in the underbrush—fell away, replaced by a silence so deep it pressed against her eardrums. The grove stretched before her, bathed in silver moonlight that didn’t quite touch the ground. The wildflowers here were too bright, their petals shimmering like wet paint. A breeze stirred, carrying the scent of something sweet and rotten. Rory exhaled slowly. "Alright," she murmured. "Let’s get this over with." She moved deeper into the grove, her boots sinking slightly into the mossy earth. The Heartstone Pendant grew warmer, its crimson glow seeping through the fabric of her shirt. She pulled it out, watching the light pulse in time with her heartbeat. *Hel portal*, the codex had said. She didn’t know what that meant, only that the pendant had led her here. A twig snapped. Rory froze. The sound had come from behind her, too deliberate to be the wind. She turned slowly, scanning the trees. Nothing. Just shadows clinging to the trunks like spilled ink. "Hello?" Her voice sounded too loud in the stillness. No answer. But the air had changed—thicker, heavier, like the moment before a held breath is released. She turned back, quickening her pace. The grove seemed to stretch longer than it should, the path ahead winding through stands of trees that hadn’t been there a moment ago. The Heartstone’s glow flickered, dimming for a heartbeat before flaring bright again. Another sound—this time from the left. A whisper, too soft to make out, like a voice speaking just below hearing. Rory’s pulse jumped. She forced herself to keep moving, though every instinct screamed at her to run. The trees thinned ahead, revealing a small clearing. In the center stood a stone pedestal, its surface carved with spiraling symbols. The Heartstone Pendant flared hot against her skin, and she knew—this was why she’d come. She approached the pedestal, her breath shallow. The symbols were familiar, though she couldn’t place why. She reached out, fingers hovering just above the stone. The moment she touched it, the world *tilted*. The whispers became voices. "—not supposed to be here—" "—shouldn’t have come—" "—hungry—" Rory jerked her hand back. The voices stopped. The grove was silent again, but the wrongness had seeped into her bones. She wasn’t alone. Something moved at the edge of her vision—a shadow detaching itself from the trees. Tall. Too tall. Its limbs bent at angles that made her stomach clench. It didn’t step so much as *unfold*, its movements jerky, like a marionette with tangled strings. Rory’s breath hitched. She took a step back, then another. The thing tilted its head, though she couldn’t see a face—only darkness where features should have been. The Heartstone Pendant burned against her chest. The thing took a step forward. Rory turned and ran. The grove twisted around her, paths shifting, trees closing in. Behind her, the thing moved faster, its footsteps silent but for the wet *click* of something dragging against the earth. She didn’t dare look back. The pendant’s glow flickered wildly, casting jagged shadows that danced just ahead of her. A root snagged her boot. She hit the ground hard, pain flaring up her knee. The thing was close—she could feel it, a cold pressure at the base of her skull. She scrambled up, lungs burning, and bolted for the standing stones. The boundary was just ahead. She could see the faint shimmer of the real world beyond. The thing let out a sound—half-scream, half-laugh—and lunged. Rory threw herself forward. The world snapped back into place. She stumbled onto the damp grass of Richmond Park, gasping. Behind her, the grove was silent, the standing stones still. The Heartstone Pendant cooled against her skin, its glow fading to a dull pulse. She didn’t wait to see if anything followed. She ran.