Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8V99BWP1G3A1ANMQ4P8A4

Run Details

Duration:
23.5s
Cost:
$0.002233
Provider:
xAI

Model input

System
You are an expert and award-winning novel writer in the dark Thriller 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="4416" name="Detective Harlow Quinn" aliases="Quinn, Detective Quinn, Harlow" pronouns="she/her" species="Human" storyRole="Antagonist"> <eyeColor>brown</eyeColor> <hair>closely cropped salt-and-pepper</hair> <height>5'9"</height> <age>41</age> <jawline>sharp jaw</jawline> <watch>worn leather watch on her left wrist</watch> <bearing>military precision</bearing> <description>A Metropolitan Police detective with 18 years of decorated service who suspects the clique is involved in criminal activity.</description> <backstory>She lost her partner, DS Morris, during a case three years ago under unexplained circumstances that had supernatural origins she doesn't yet understand.</backstory> </character> <character id="4417" name="Tomás Herrera" aliases="Tommy, Tomás, Herrera" pronouns="he/him" species="Human" storyRole="Support"> <eyeColor>warm brown</eyeColor> <hair>short curly dark brown</hair> <height>5'10"</height> <age>29</age> <skinTone>olive skin</skinTone> <scar>scar running along his left forearm from a knife attack</scar> <medallion>Saint Christopher medallion around his neck</medallion> <birthplace>Seville, Spain</birthplace> <description>A former paramedic who provides off-the-books medical care for the clique.</description> <backstory>Born in Seville, Spain. He moved to London to work for the NHS but lost his license after administering unauthorized treatments to supernatural patients.</backstory> </character> <location id="854" name="The Raven's Nest" aliases="the Nest, Raven, Silas' bar" realm="Earth"> <signColor>distinctive green neon sign above the entrance</signColor> <secretRoom>hidden back room accessible through a bookshelf, used for clandestine meetings</secretRoom> <description>A dimly lit bar in Soho, London. The walls are covered with old maps and black-and-white photographs.</description> </location> <location id="856" name="The Veil Market" aliases="Veil Market, the Market, underground market" realm="Earth"> <currentLocation>abandoned Tube station beneath Camden</currentLocation> <entryRequirement>bone token</entryRequirement> <schedule>moves locations every full moon</schedule> <description>A hidden supernatural black market that sells enchanted goods, banned alchemical substances, and information.</description> </location> </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 thriller genre. A detective is pursuing a suspect through rain-soaked city streets at night. The chase takes them from the street level down into an underground market. The detective must decide whether to follow the suspect into unfamiliar and potentially dangerous territory. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for characters and setting. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
Harlow Quinn's boots slammed against the slick pavement as she vaulted over a fallen crate, her breath ragged in the downpour. The suspect—dark coat, hood up—glanced back once, eyes flashing under the streetlamp, before ducking into a narrow alley off Camden High Street. She cursed under her breath, fingers tightening around the grip of her service pistol tucked in its holster. Eighteen years on the force, and chases still boiled her blood like fresh tea. Rain hammered the cobblestones, turning the alley into a black mirror that reflected the neon haze from the main road. Quinn splashed through puddles that soaked her trousers to the knee, the worn leather watch on her wrist ticking relentlessly against the pulse in her throat. The figure ahead moved with purpose, not panic—too controlled for a common thief, too elusive for the junkies she usually collared. She'd spotted him slipping out of that dive bar in Soho two hours earlier, The Raven's Nest, its green neon sign flickering like a dying firefly. Whispers from her informants pointed to off-the-books dealings, the kind that vanished into the ether. Supernatural ether, if the rumours held water. Three years since DS Morris, and she still chased shadows. He rounded a corner sharp, coat flapping like raven wings. Quinn pushed harder, lungs burning, the metallic tang of rain mixing with the rot of overflowing bins. Camden's backstreets twisted like veins, pulsing with late-night crowds spilling from pubs—drunken laughter cut short as she barrelled past. A bloke in a flat cap staggered into her path; she shoved him aside without breaking stride, his pint shattering on the ground. "There!" she barked into her radio, clipped to her shoulder. "Suspect heading east on Delancey Street. Male, mid-twenties, olive skin. Arm scar visible—don't let him rabbit." Static crackled back from Dispatch. "Copy that, Quinn. Backup en route. Five mikes." Five minutes. Too long. She holstered the radio and drew her pistol, the weight familiar, grounding. The suspect vanished around a boarded-up storefront, its windows smeared with graffiti that looked like ancient runes in the sodium light. Quinn followed, senses sharpening. The air grew thicker here, laced with something acrid—not just bin rot, but ozone, like a storm about to crack open the sky. Footsteps echoed ahead, then silence. She slowed, pistol raised, sweeping the shadows. The alley dead-ended at a chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, but a grate lay ajar in the pavement beside it, leading down into darkness. Steam rose from the opening, carrying a whiff of damp earth and something sweeter, forbidden. Incense? Spices from the markets above? Quinn edged closer, heart thudding. The grate creaked under her boot as she nudged it wider. Below, a ladder descended into the bowels of what used to be the old Tube lines—abandoned since the war, or so the maps claimed. But maps lied. She'd heard the tales from beat coppers: the Veil Market, a rabbit warren for the freaks and phantoms who didn't play by human rules. Bone tokens for entry, goods that bent reality—enchanted blades, vials of liquid moonlight. Morris had dismissed it as bollocks, right before he vanished mid-case. A scuffle echoed from below. She holstered her pistol—too risky in tight quarters—and gripped the ladder's rungs, slick with condensation. Descend or wait? Backup would seal the exits, but if he slipped into that underbelly, he'd melt away like smoke. Her jaw clenched, sharp against the rain's chill on her skin. No more ghosts. She dropped onto the ladder, boots finding purchase rung by rung. The metal groaned, cold biting through her gloves. Darkness swallowed her whole after ten feet, the alley's glow fading to a pinpoint above. Her eyes adjusted slowly, picking out faint outlines: brick walls slick with moisture, cables snaking like veins along the ceiling. The air down here hummed, alive with distant voices—murmurs in languages she half-recognised from old case files. Spanish? Latin? Something older. Footsteps splashed ahead, fading. Quinn hit solid ground and crouched, hand straying to her holster again. The tunnel stretched into gloom, lit sporadically by what looked like bioluminescent fungi clinging to the arches—blue-green glow that cast long shadows, turning puddles into liquid sapphire. She moved forward, silent as her training allowed, military precision guiding each step. Salt-and-pepper hair clung to her forehead, but she ignored it, focused on the echo of movement. The tunnel widened into a chamber, abandoned platforms on either side piled with crates stamped in faded Cyrillic. But these weren't relics; the air buzzed with energy, electric and wrong. Voices grew clearer—barter and hagle, sharp and urgent. She pressed against the wall, peering around the corner. There: the suspect, hood down now, revealing short curly dark hair and olive skin marked by a jagged scar along his left forearm. He flashed something small—a bone token, carved with spirals that seemed to writhe in the low light—to a hulking figure at a makeshift gate. The guard, skin pallid as milk, nodded and swung aside a rusted door camouflaged as part of the wall. Beyond, light spilled out: torches flickering with unnatural purple flames, stalls crammed with oddities. Jars of writhing shadows. Amulets that whispered when touched. The Veil Market, alive and throbbing beneath Camden's oblivious bustle. Quinn's breath caught. Tomás Herrera—ex-paramedic, rumoured fixer for the clique that danced on the edge of the unnatural. Lost his licence patching up things that shouldn't bleed. She'd tailed him from the Nest, piecing together fragments: meetings in hidden rooms, deliveries that vanished. If he was here, he carried more than secrets. He slipped through the gate, melting into the crowd. The guard's eyes—solid black, no whites—scanned the tunnel. Quinn ducked back, pulse racing. Follow, and she breached the veil herself. Unfamiliar ground, rules she didn't know. Creatures that could snap her like a twig. But Morris's file burned in her mind: unexplained wounds, symbols that matched the graffiti up top. Turn back, and the trail went cold. Another partner lost to the dark. She weighed it, fingers drumming her watch. The tick-tick marked seconds slipping away. Voices from the market rose—laughter, sharp as shattered glass, mingled with cries that weren't human. A scent wafted out: blood and cinnamon, intoxicating, pulling at her like a hook. Decision made. She straightened, checked her pistol's chamber—full—and stepped into the light. The guard's head snapped towards her. No time for subtlety. "Metropolitan Police," she announced, badge flashing in her palm. "Step aside." The guard's lips curled, revealing teeth filed to points. He reached for a horn at his belt, but Quinn lunged, slamming her elbow into his throat. He gagged, staggering, and she drove her knee into his gut. The horn clattered away as he crumpled. Crowd noise hushed. Heads turned—human, not, eyes gleaming from stalls heaped with forbidden wares. Tomás froze midway through the throng, twenty paces in, his Saint Christopher medallion catching the torchlight. He met her gaze, warm brown eyes narrowing. No flight this time. He raised a hand, almost casual, and the market stirred. Quinn advanced, pistol drawn low. Whispers rippled around her—curses in tongues that twisted her gut. A stallkeeper, face veiled in shadows, hissed and hurled a vial. It shattered at her feet, releasing smoke that clawed at her lungs, bitter as regret. She coughed, vision blurring, but pushed on. Tomás backed away, weaving through bodies that parted like water—or closed ranks like a noose. A figure lunged from the side—clawed hand grazing her arm, tearing coat and flesh. Pain flared, hot and immediate, but she fired a warning shot into the ceiling. Purple flames sputtered, raining embers. "Stay down!" she roared, authority cracking like thunder. The market didn't care. Chaos erupted. Stalls overturned, enchanted goods spilling: a dagger that sang as it hit the ground, powders that ignited mid-air in bursts of green fire. Tomás vanished into the melee, but not before she caught his profile—determined, not afraid. Quinn dodged a swinging chain from a tattooed brute, her military bearing kicking in: assess, strike, move. She pistol-whipped the attacker, bone crunching under brass. Blood slicked her knuckles, mixing with rain from above that dripped through cracks. Deeper now, the platform sloped into a cavernous hall, arches carved with sigils that pulsed like heartbeats. Buyers scattered, but some circled back—predators scenting weakness. A woman with eyes like polished obsidian blocked her path, nails lengthening into talons. "Wrong place, copper," the woman snarled, voice gravel and smoke. Quinn feinted left, drove her boot into the woman's knee. Cartilage popped. As the figure howled, Quinn shoved past, scanning for Tomás. There—climbing a makeshift stair to an upper tier, bone token clutched tight. She pursued, legs pumping, the air growing thicker, laced with chants that hummed in her skull. Visions flickered at the edges: Morris's face, pale and pleading, reaching from the dark. She shook it off. Not now. The upper tier opened onto a balcony overlooking the market's heart: a central pit where auctions raged, bidders cloaked in illusion. Tomás reached the edge, glancing back. Their eyes locked again. He mouthed something—warning? Taunt?—before leaping down into the crowd below. Quinn skidded to the rail, peering over. The pit seethed, bodies surging like a living tide. He was gone, swallowed whole. A roar built behind her. She spun. The guard from the entrance had roused a pack—half a dozen shadows closing in, weapons glinting: curved blades, vials bubbling with venom. No backup down here. No rules. Just survival. She raised her pistol, steady despite the burn in her arm. One shot cracked out, dropping the lead pursuer. The rest charged. The first blade whistled past her ear. She countered with a headbutt, nose breaking under her forehead. Pain exploded in her skull, but she grabbed his wrist, twisted until the knife clattered free. Another lunged from the side, claws raking her thigh. Fabric tore, skin parting in fire. Quinn fired point-blank, the recoil jarring her shoulder. The attacker crumpled, twitching. Three left. They circled, wary now. The market below watched, a coliseum of the damned. Chants rose again, weaving through the air like threads, pulling tight. Tomás's voice cut through, amplified somehow—from a stall? "Quinn! Walk away. This isn't your fight." She barked a laugh, bitter. "Every shadow's my fight, Herrera." He emerged from the throng, medallion swinging, a satchel slung over his shoulder—contraband, no doubt. "Shadows eat the light, Detective. You'll burn." The pack tensed, waiting her signal. Quinn's finger hovered on the trigger. Descend into the pit after him? Or fight her way out, trail broken but life intact? A vial arced from the crowd below, shattering at her feet. Gas billowed, acrid and paralysing. Her limbs went numb, pistol slipping from nerveless fingers. Tomás watched, expression unreadable. The pack closed in. As darkness clawed at her vision, Quinn lunged for the rail, tumbling into the pit's chaos below.
created_at"2026-02-20T19:36:23.626Z" 2/20/2026, 7:36:23 PM
model"x-ai/grok-4-fast"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency3227
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time23366
tokens_prompt4663
tokens_completion2941
native_tokens_prompt4201
native_tokens_completion2830
native_tokens_completion_images0
native_tokens_reasoning401
native_tokens_cached151
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"completed"
usage0.00223255
router(null)
provider_responses
0
endpoint_id"c9586d9d-97ff-40ca-ae94-22504d6f9b7e"
id"4a99eeb0-b72e-e377-b8b1-68dfa794e992"
is_byokfalse
latency154
model_permaslug"x-ai/grok-4-fast"
provider_name"xAI"
status200
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1771616183-IIh7Wg27vyIuxntuyImE"
upstream_id"4a99eeb0-b72e-e377-b8b1-68dfa794e992"
total_cost0.00223255
cache_discount0.00002265
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"xAI"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags4
adverbTagCount0
adverbTags(empty)
dialogueSentences10
tagDensity0.4
leniency0.8
rawRatio0
effectiveRatio0
97.29% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount1848
totalAiIsmAdverbs1
found
0
adverb"slowly"
count1
highlights
0"slowly"
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)
24.24% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount1848
totalAiIsms28
found
0
word"pulse"
count2
1
word"weight"
count1
2
word"familiar"
count1
3
word"footsteps"
count2
4
word"echoed"
count2
5
word"silence"
count1
6
word"jaw clenched"
count1
7
word"chill"
count1
8
word"gloom"
count1
9
word"echo"
count1
10
word"electric"
count1
11
word"hulking"
count1
12
word"scanned"
count1
13
word"racing"
count1
14
word"shattered"
count2
15
word"gleaming"
count1
16
word"determined"
count1
17
word"pulsed"
count1
18
word"scanning"
count1
19
word"pumping"
count1
20
word"flickered"
count1
21
word"glinting"
count1
22
word"charged"
count1
23
word"unreadable"
count1
highlights
0"pulse"
1"weight"
2"familiar"
3"footsteps"
4"echoed"
5"silence"
6"jaw clenched"
7"chill"
8"gloom"
9"echo"
10"electric"
11"hulking"
12"scanned"
13"racing"
14"shattered"
15"gleaming"
16"determined"
17"pulsed"
18"scanning"
19"pumping"
20"flickered"
21"glinting"
22"charged"
23"unreadable"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches1
maxInWindow1
found
0
label"jaw/fists clenched"
count1
highlights
0"jaw clenched"
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells0
narrationSentences169
matches(empty)
100.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount2
hedgeCount1
narrationSentences169
filterMatches
0"watch"
hedgeMatches
0"seemed to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences175
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen29
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords1799
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions5
unquotedAttributions0
matches(empty)
100.00% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions49
wordCount1746
uniqueNames18
maxNameDensity0.97
worstName"Quinn"
maxWindowNameDensity2
worstWindowName"Quinn"
discoveredNames
Quinn17
Camden3
High1
Street1
Soho1
Raven1
Nest2
Morris4
Static1
Dispatch1
Tube1
Veil2
Market2
Cyrillic1
Herrera1
Saint1
Christopher1
Tomás8
persons
0"Quinn"
1"Raven"
2"Morris"
3"Static"
4"Tube"
5"Market"
6"Herrera"
7"Saint"
8"Christopher"
9"Tomás"
places
0"Camden"
1"High"
2"Street"
3"Soho"
4"Dispatch"
globalScore1
windowScore1
88.52% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences122
glossingSentenceCount3
matches
0"looked like ancient runes in the sodium l"
1"looked like bioluminescent fungi clinging"
2"spirals that seemed to writhe in the low light—to a hulking figure at a makeshift gate"
100.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches1
per1kWords0.556
wordCount1799
matches
0"not just bin rot, but ozone, like a storm about to crack open the sky"
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount0
totalSentences175
matches(empty)
100.00% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs46
mean39.11
std26.39
cv0.675
sampleLengths
075
1125
269
326
413
564
658
791
854
975
1072
1147
1299
1352
1472
1542
1612
1710
1811
1944
2030
2122
2241
2355
248
2543
2638
2739
2810
2934
3036
3141
3221
3329
348
3522
3633
3727
3826
3915
4010
4122
4228
4325
448
4517
100.00% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount1
totalSentences169
matches
0"was gone"
100.00% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount0
totalVerbs349
matches(empty)
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount34
semicolonCount2
flaggedSentences29
totalSentences175
ratio0.166
matches
0"The suspect—dark coat, hood up—glanced back once, eyes flashing under the streetlamp, before ducking into a narrow alley off Camden High Street."
1"The figure ahead moved with purpose, not panic—too controlled for a common thief, too elusive for the junkies she usually collared."
2"Camden's backstreets twisted like veins, pulsing with late-night crowds spilling from pubs—drunken laughter cut short as she barrelled past."
3"A bloke in a flat cap staggered into her path; she shoved him aside without breaking stride, his pint shattering on the ground."
4"The air grew thicker here, laced with something acrid—not just bin rot, but ozone, like a storm about to crack open the sky."
5"Below, a ladder descended into the bowels of what used to be the old Tube lines—abandoned since the war, or so the maps claimed."
6"Bone tokens for entry, goods that bent reality—enchanted blades, vials of liquid moonlight."
7"She holstered her pistol—too risky in tight quarters—and gripped the ladder's rungs, slick with condensation."
8"The air down here hummed, alive with distant voices—murmurs in languages she half-recognised from old case files."
9"The tunnel stretched into gloom, lit sporadically by what looked like bioluminescent fungi clinging to the arches—blue-green glow that cast long shadows, turning puddles into liquid sapphire."
10"But these weren't relics; the air buzzed with energy, electric and wrong."
11"Voices grew clearer—barter and hagle, sharp and urgent."
12"He flashed something small—a bone token, carved with spirals that seemed to writhe in the low light—to a hulking figure at a makeshift gate."
13"Tomás Herrera—ex-paramedic, rumoured fixer for the clique that danced on the edge of the unnatural."
14"The guard's eyes—solid black, no whites—scanned the tunnel."
15"Voices from the market rose—laughter, sharp as shattered glass, mingled with cries that weren't human."
16"She straightened, checked her pistol's chamber—full—and stepped into the light."
17"Heads turned—human, not, eyes gleaming from stalls heaped with forbidden wares."
18"Whispers rippled around her—curses in tongues that twisted her gut."
19"Tomás backed away, weaving through bodies that parted like water—or closed ranks like a noose."
20"A figure lunged from the side—clawed hand grazing her arm, tearing coat and flesh."
21"Tomás vanished into the melee, but not before she caught his profile—determined, not afraid."
22"Buyers scattered, but some circled back—predators scenting weakness."
23"There—climbing a makeshift stair to an upper tier, bone token clutched tight."
24"He mouthed something—warning?"
25"Taunt?—before leaping down into the crowd below."
26"The guard from the entrance had roused a pack—half a dozen shadows closing in, weapons glinting: curved blades, vials bubbling with venom."
27"Tomás's voice cut through, amplified somehow—from a stall?"
28"He emerged from the throng, medallion swinging, a satchel slung over his shoulder—contraband, no doubt."
94.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount1793
adjectiveStacks1
stackExamples
0"short curly dark hair"
adverbCount49
adverbRatio0.027328499721137756
lyAdverbCount7
lyAdverbRatio0.0039040713887339654
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences175
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences175
mean10.28
std6.33
cv0.616
sampleLengths
021
122
218
314
420
526
621
726
815
97
1010
1110
1217
1319
1423
1510
1616
175
188
192
202
2112
2221
234
2423
255
267
2725
2815
291
305
315
3211
3324
343
3524
3613
3711
385
3915
403
4117
4211
433
4411
458
4615
4720
4817
491
71.62% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats3
diversityRatio0.44
totalSentences175
uniqueOpeners77
21.51% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount1
totalSentences155
matches
0"Taunt?—before leaping down into the"
ratio0.006
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount38
totalSentences155
matches
0"She cursed under her breath,"
1"She'd spotted him slipping out"
2"He rounded a corner sharp,"
3"she barked into her radio,"
4"She holstered the radio and"
5"She slowed, pistol raised, sweeping"
6"She'd heard the tales from"
7"She holstered her pistol—too risky"
8"Her jaw clenched, sharp against"
9"She dropped onto the ladder,"
10"Her eyes adjusted slowly, picking"
11"She moved forward, silent as"
12"She pressed against the wall,"
13"He flashed something small—a bone"
14"She'd tailed him from the"
15"He slipped through the gate,"
16"She weighed it, fingers drumming"
17"She straightened, checked her pistol's"
18"she announced, badge flashing in"
19"He reached for a horn"
ratio0.245
60.00% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount124
totalSentences155
matches
0"Harlow Quinn's boots slammed against"
1"The suspect—dark coat, hood up—glanced"
2"She cursed under her breath,"
3"Quinn splashed through puddles that"
4"The figure ahead moved with"
5"She'd spotted him slipping out"
6"Whispers from her informants pointed"
7"He rounded a corner sharp,"
8"Quinn pushed harder, lungs burning,"
9"Camden's backstreets twisted like veins,"
10"A bloke in a flat"
11"she barked into her radio,"
12"Static crackled back from Dispatch."
13"She holstered the radio and"
14"The suspect vanished around a"
15"Quinn followed, senses sharpening."
16"The air grew thicker here,"
17"Footsteps echoed ahead, then silence."
18"She slowed, pistol raised, sweeping"
19"The alley dead-ended at a"
ratio0.8
32.26% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount1
totalSentences155
matches
0"If he was here, he"
ratio0.006
10.58% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences81
technicalSentenceCount15
matches
0"Rain hammered the cobblestones, turning the alley into a black mirror that reflected the neon haze from the main road."
1"Quinn splashed through puddles that soaked her trousers to the knee, the worn leather watch on her wrist ticking relentlessly against the pulse in her throat."
2"Whispers from her informants pointed to off-the-books dealings, the kind that vanished into the ether."
3"A bloke in a flat cap staggered into her path; she shoved him aside without breaking stride, his pint shattering on the ground."
4"The suspect vanished around a boarded-up storefront, its windows smeared with graffiti that looked like ancient runes in the sodium light."
5"She'd heard the tales from beat coppers: the Veil Market, a rabbit warren for the freaks and phantoms who didn't play by human rules."
6"He flashed something small—a bone token, carved with spirals that seemed to writhe in the low light—to a hulking figure at a makeshift gate."
7"Tomás Herrera—ex-paramedic, rumoured fixer for the clique that danced on the edge of the unnatural."
8"She'd tailed him from the Nest, piecing together fragments: meetings in hidden rooms, deliveries that vanished."
9"But Morris's file burned in her mind: unexplained wounds, symbols that matched the graffiti up top."
10"Voices from the market rose—laughter, sharp as shattered glass, mingled with cries that weren't human."
11"Whispers rippled around her—curses in tongues that twisted her gut."
12"It shattered at her feet, releasing smoke that clawed at her lungs, bitter as regret."
13"A figure lunged from the side—clawed hand grazing her arm, tearing coat and flesh."
14"Stalls overturned, enchanted goods spilling: a dagger that sang as it hit the ground, powders that ignited mid-air in bursts of green fire."
0.00% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags4
uselessAdditionCount2
matches
0"she announced, badge flashing in her palm"
1"she roared, authority cracking like thunder"
0.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags4
fancyCount4
fancyTags
0"she barked (bark)"
1"she announced (announce)"
2"she roared (roar)"
3"the woman snarled (snarl)"
dialogueSentences10
tagDensity0.4
leniency0.8
rawRatio1
effectiveRatio0.8
76.6675%