Run: 2026-07-25-01KYD5TZBB2N251BYVFT6166HJ

Run Details

Duration:
8.6s
Cost:
$0.000238
Provider:
Poolside

Model input

System
You are an expert fiction writer. Always keep the following rules in mind: - Write in past tense and use General English spelling, grammar, and colloquialisms/slang. - Write in active voice - Always follow the "show, don't tell" principle. - Avoid adverbs and cliches and overused/commonly used phrases. Aim for fresh and original descriptions. - Convey events and story through dialogue. - Mix short, punchy sentences with long, descriptive ones. Drop fill words to add variety. - Skip "he/she said said" dialogue tags and convey people's actions or face expressions through their speech - Avoid mushy dialog and descriptions, have dialogue always continue the action, never stall or add unnecessary fluff. Vary the descriptions to not repeat yourself. - Put dialogue on its own paragraph to separate scene and action. - Reduce indicators of uncertainty like "trying" or "maybe" When writing text: - NEVER conclude the scene on your own, follow the beat instructions very closely. - NEVER end with foreshadowing. - NEVER write further than what I prompt you with. - AVOID imagining possible endings, NEVER deviate from the instructions. - STOP EARLY if the continuation contains what was required in the instructions. You do not need to fill out the full amount of words possible.
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> <character id="4418" name="Nyx" aliases="Nyx, the Shadow, Nightwhisper" pronouns="they/them" species="Shade" storyRole="Wild Card"> <eyeColor>faintly glowing violet</eyeColor> <height>approximately 6'2" in solid form</height> <age>ageless</age> <form>humanoid silhouette of living shadow, can shift between solid and incorporeal</form> <voice>sounds like a whisper carried on the wind</voice> <description>A being of living shadow, existing between the mortal plane and the spaces between realms.</description> <backstory>Nyx was once a human sorcerer named Aldric who became trapped between realms during a failed summoning ritual in 1643. They now exist as a Shade, bound to the mortal plane but able to slip between shadows.</backstory> </character> <character id="4424" name="Isolde Varga" aliases="Isolde, the Seer" pronouns="she/her" species="Half-Fae" storyRole="Oracle"> <eyeColor>pale lavender</eyeColor> <hair>silver, reaching her waist</hair> <height>5'5"</height> <age>300 years old</age> <appearance>ethereal, ageless</appearance> <speech>speaks in riddles</speech> <footprints>leaves no footprints when she walks</footprints> <compulsion>cannot lie (Fae compulsion) but can mislead</compulsion> <description>A Half-Fae seer exiled from the Fae Courts for sharing visions with mortals.</description> <backstory>She now lives in a hidden grove in Richmond Park, offering cryptic prophecies to those who seek her out.</backstory> </character> <location id="853" name="Dymas (Gluttony)" aliases="Dymas, gluttony, Dymasian" realm="Hel" sin="Gluttony"> <ruler>Prince Belphegor</ruler> <skyColor>warm amber</skyColor> <description>A place of excess and indulgence. Sprawling vineyards, orchards, and gardens provide exotic ingredients for master chefs — often helbound souls contracted from Earth. Grand feasts and culinary competitions are common.</description> </location> <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> <item id="2006" name="Fae-Forged Blade" aliases="the Fae blade, Isolde's gift" type="Weapon" origin="The Fae Courts"> <material>moonsilver</material> <shape>slender, leaf-shaped dagger</shape> <temperature>always cold to the touch</temperature> <glow>faintly luminescent in moonlight</glow> <power>can cut through magical wards; particularly effective against demons</power> <givenTo>given to Aurora by Isolde as a gift</givenTo> <description>A weapon of the Fae Courts, rare and highly coveted.</description> </item> <lore id="7001" name="The Veil" aliases="the Veil, the Barrier, the Boundary" category="Cosmology"> <solsticeEffect>weakens during the winter solstice, strengthens during the summer solstice</solsticeEffect> <appearance>faint shimmering distortion visible only to those with supernatural sight</appearance> <monitoring>rift points (tears in the Veil) are monitored by the Wardens</monitoring> <description>The Veil is the metaphysical barrier separating Earth from Hel and the Fae Realms.</description> </lore> </codex> Continue the story using the following instructions: <instructions> Write a fully fleshed out scene of at least 1000 words in the fantasy genre. A small group enters an ancient, otherworldly place for the first time. The environment is alien and wondrous. Describe their exploration — what they see, hear, and feel as they move deeper. Include moments of discovery, unease, and wonder. Let the world-building emerge through the characters' experience rather than exposition. Use the codex entries above as your world reference for characters, setting, and lore. Only include the prose of the scene without any markdown or commentary. </instructions>

Model response

AI
The stone archway had not been there yesterday, Aurora realized, her breath fogging in the unnatural chill that clung to the clearing despite the late autumn warmth. She pushed aside the curtain of moss that had somehow grown across its carved threshold, revealing letters that seemed to writhe in the dim light filtering through the canopy above. "Rory?" Yu-Fei's voice came from behind her, sharp with concern. "What the hell are you doing?" Aurora didn't turn around. Her fingers traced the ancient script, feeling the stone's weathered surface beneath her touch. "This isn't right. The Heartstone—it's been pulsing since we left the grove." The pendant at her throat grew warm against her skin, its crimson gemstone throwing off a faint inner light that made the surrounding trees look blood-red in the gloom. She could feel Nyx's presence a few paces behind her, a chill that had nothing to do with temperature. They'd come seeking answers. Isolde had given them only riddles—"When shadows dance with starlight's cry, the path reveals what truth denies." The Seer's words had led them here, to this forgotten place where time itself seemed to bend and warp. The clearing beyond the archway defied every law Aurora knew. The grass was silver and hummed with a low vibration that made her teeth ache. Flowers bloomed in colors that had no names—some shimmered like opals, others burned with an inner fire that cast dancing shadows on the twisted trees that surrounded them. Their bark was smooth as marble, and when the wind stirred their leaves, it sounded like distant music. "Okay," Nyx said, their voice like wind through dry grass. "This is... different." Aurora finally turned to face her companion, noting how their form seemed to shift in the periphery of her vision. Shadows clung to them like a second skin, and their violet eyes glowed faintly in the twilight. "Different how?" "Can't feel the Veil," Nyx replied, stepping forward. Their footsteps made no sound on the humming grass. "Usually I can sense when we're near a breach, but here... it's like the barrier isn't just thin. It's not there at all." The Heartstone pulsed again, stronger this time, and aurora pressed it against her palm. The warmth seeped into her skin, spreading through her veins like liquid fire. She closed her eyes and tried to hear what the stone was telling her. A memory, sharp and sudden: a feast table stretching beyond sight, piled high with foods that shimmered and changed color as she watched. People sitting at the table—too many to count—reaching for dishes that transformed into something else entirely when touched. Laughter echoing off walls of crystal and flame. She opened her eyes to find Yu-Fei staring at her with obvious alarm. "What?" Aurora asked, her voice hoarse from the strange air. "You're having one of those episodes." Yu-Fei moved closer, her practical shoes sinking slightly into the silver grass. "Your eyes went all glassy, and you started talking about... about feasts and whatnot." "They were real memories." Aurora pulled the pendant from her pocket and held it up. The gemstone flared crimson, casting long shadows across the alien landscape. "Or visions. I'm not sure which." The ground beneath them began to tremble, gentle at first, then building to a noticeable roll. Aurora looked around wildly, searching for the source. "Earthquake?" Nyx materialized beside her, their form solidifying from the shadows like ink bleeding into water. "Probably," Aurora said, but even as she said it, she knew it wasn't right. No tectonic activity had been recorded in this area for decades. "The ground here is too strange for a normal quake." The trembling intensified, and the silver grass began to sway in patterns that hurt to watch. Aurora stumbled back, catching herself against a tree whose bark now felt warm to the touch. The flowers nearby reacted too, closing their petals and releasing spores that glittered like tiny stars in the dim light. Then the world tore open. A rift appeared in the air itself, a jagged wound that showed the amber glow of another realm beyond. Aurora could smell it then—wine and spices and something else that made her stomach clench with recognition. Hel. "Well," Nyx said, their voice carrying an edge of wonder that didn't match the situation. "That's new." Yu-Fei grabbed Aurora's arm, and she was grateful for the anchor. "We need to get out of here. Now." But before they could move, the rift pulsed, and figures emerged from its depths. Not demons, exactly—more like reflections of what she'd seen in her visions, people whose forms seemed to shift and flow like liquid. They moved with purpose toward the clearing, drawn to the Heartstone's light. Aurora drew the Fae blade, its moonsilver surface cool against her palm. The weapon hummed in response to the pendant's energy, and she felt its true purpose settle into her bones. This wasn't just a place of magic—it was a crossroads. "One of you is bound to this realm," Nyx said quietly, watching as one of the approaching figures raised a hand in greeting. "The stone chose you." Aurora's pulse quickened. "It chose all of us, didn't it? Look at them." She gestured toward the figures emerging from the rift, each one carrying dishes that seemed to contain nothing and everything at once. "They're not hostile. They're... celebrating." The figure that had been approaching them stopped, and Aurora saw that it wore a crown of black thorns and smiled with teeth too sharp for kindness. But there was no malice in their eyes, only hunger—endless, patient hunger. "Prince Belphegor," Nyx breathed. "Of all the bastards—" "He's not here to attack," Aurora said, lowering the dagger slightly. "He's here because we're late for the competition." The realization hit her like a physical blow. In her visions, she'd seen rules and regulations, contracts and obligations. This wasn't just a place of excess—it was a marketplace, a contest between worlds. Souls came here to serve, to eat, to indulge, but they also came to compete. And she had unwittingly signed up. The prince's smile widened. "Ah, the new recruit. We've been expecting you." His form began to shift, becoming less human and more like the shadows Nyx had come to embody, but darker, hungrier. "Come now, there's no need for theatrics. The Veil weakens, and you know what that means." Aurora looked past him to where Yu-Fei was trying to pull her away, where Nyx stood rigid with something like recognition. The Heartstone at her throat grew hot, burning through her shirt and into her skin. The feast was calling.
created_at"2026-07-25T17:40:46.072Z" 7/25/2026, 5:40:46 PM
model"poolside/laguna-xs-2.1-20260625"
app_id182717
external_user(null)
streamedtrue
cancelledfalse
latency93
moderation_latency(null)
generation_time7773
tokens_prompt1763
tokens_completion1682
native_tokens_prompt1851
native_tokens_completion1516
native_tokens_completion_images(null)
native_tokens_reasoning0
native_tokens_cached1840
num_media_prompt(null)
num_input_audio_prompt(null)
num_media_completion0
num_search_results(null)
num_fetches(null)
web_search_engine(null)
origin"https://ncbench.com/"
is_byokfalse
finish_reason"stop"
native_finish_reason"stop"
service_tier(null)
usage0.00023778
router(null)
provider_responses
0
endpoint_id"089ec178-f6dc-4450-aff5-46f68798ce97"
id"chatcmpl-1b6285cf22e64301802f81f3367fd2e5"
is_byokfalse
latency92
model_permaslug"poolside/laguna-xs-2.1-20260625"
provider_name"Poolside"
status200
user_agent"langchainjs-openai/1.0.0 ((node/v24.18.0; linux; x64))"
http_referer(null)
request_id"req-1785001246-SrMwBLgOK7BWg7Ytjp7i"
session_id(null)
preset_id(null)
api_type"completions"
id"gen-1785001246-w6l0L2bsorOIiuxAB3c2"
upstream_id"chatcmpl-1b6285cf22e64301802f81f3367fd2e5"
total_cost0.00023778
cache_discount0.000092
upstream_inference_cost0
provider_name"Poolside"
response_cache_source_id(null)
data_region"global"

Evaluation details

Result Evaluator Details Meta Data
100.00% Adverbs in dialogue tags
Target: ≤10% dialogue tags with adverbs
totalTags15
adverbTagCount1
adverbTags
0"Nyx said quietly [quietly]"
dialogueSentences30
tagDensity0.5
leniency1
rawRatio0.067
effectiveRatio0.067
90.99% AI-ism adverb frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism adverbs (58 tracked)
wordCount1110
totalAiIsmAdverbs2
found
0
adverb"slightly"
count2
highlights
0"slightly"
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)
5.41% AI-ism word frequency
Target: <2% AI-ism words (290 tracked)
wordCount1110
totalAiIsms21
found
0
word"chill"
count2
1
word"warmth"
count2
2
word"traced"
count1
3
word"gloom"
count1
4
word"could feel"
count1
5
word"dance"
count1
6
word"shimmered"
count2
7
word"dancing"
count1
8
word"marble"
count1
9
word"footsteps"
count1
10
word"pulsed"
count2
11
word"echoing"
count1
12
word"crystal"
count1
13
word"stomach"
count1
14
word"depths"
count1
15
word"pulse"
count1
16
word"quickened"
count1
highlights
0"chill"
1"warmth"
2"traced"
3"gloom"
4"could feel"
5"dance"
6"shimmered"
7"dancing"
8"marble"
9"footsteps"
10"pulsed"
11"echoing"
12"crystal"
13"stomach"
14"depths"
15"pulse"
16"quickened"
100.00% Cliché density
Target: ≤1 cliche(s) per 800-word window
totalCliches0
maxInWindow0
found(empty)
highlights(empty)
100.00% Emotion telling (show vs. tell)
Target: ≤3% sentences with emotion telling
emotionTells1
narrationSentences66
matches
0"was grateful"
0.00% Filter word density
Target: ≤3% sentences with filter/hedge words
filterCount1
hedgeCount8
narrationSentences66
filterMatches
0"look"
hedgeMatches
0"seemed to"
1"tried to"
2"began to"
100.00% Gibberish response detection
Target: ≤1% gibberish-like sentences (hard fail if a sentence exceeds 800 words)
analyzedSentences81
gibberishSentences0
adjustedGibberishSentences0
longSentenceCount0
runOnParagraphCount0
giantParagraphCount0
wordSaladCount0
repetitionLoopCount0
controlTokenCount0
repeatedSegmentCount0
maxSentenceWordsSeen36
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Markdown formatting overuse
Target: ≤5% words in markdown formatting
markdownSpans0
markdownWords0
totalWords1101
ratio0
matches(empty)
100.00% Missing dialogue indicators (quotation marks)
Target: ≤10% speech attributions without quotation marks
totalAttributions7
unquotedAttributions0
matches(empty)
61.60% Name drop frequency
Target: ≤1.0 per-name mentions per 100 words
totalMentions34
wordCount905
uniqueNames5
maxNameDensity1.77
worstName"Aurora"
maxWindowNameDensity3
worstWindowName"Aurora"
discoveredNames
Aurora16
Nyx9
Heartstone3
Yu-Fei5
Fae1
persons
0"Aurora"
1"Nyx"
2"Yu-Fei"
places
0"Heartstone"
globalScore0.616
windowScore0.667
0.00% Narrator intent-glossing
Target: ≤2% narration sentences with intent-glossing patterns
analyzedSentences57
glossingSentenceCount4
matches
0"letters that seemed to writhe in the dim light filtering through the canopy above"
1"sounded like distant music"
2"dishes that seemed to contain nothing and everything at once"
3"something like recognition"
100.00% "Not X but Y" pattern overuse
Target: ≤1 "not X but Y" per 1000 words
totalMatches0
per1kWords0
wordCount1101
matches(empty)
100.00% Overuse of "that" (subordinate clause padding)
Target: ≤2% sentences with "that" clauses
thatCount1
totalSentences81
matches
0"saw that it"
100.00% Paragraph length variance
Target: CV ≥0.5 for paragraph word counts
totalParagraphs35
mean31.46
std16.49
cv0.524
sampleLengths
057
116
230
348
440
571
613
739
840
941
1049
1113
1210
1332
1432
1524
1616
1735
1852
195
2037
2117
2219
2348
2441
2527
2640
2739
288
2919
3048
316
3249
3336
344
99.95% Passive voice overuse
Target: ≤2% passive sentences
passiveCount1
totalSentences66
matches
0"been recorded"
80.95% Past progressive (was/were + -ing) overuse
Target: ≤2% past progressive verbs
pastProgressiveCount3
totalVerbs168
matches
0"was telling"
1"was trying"
2"was calling"
0.00% Em-dash & semicolon overuse
Target: ≤2% sentences with em-dashes/semicolons
emDashCount9
semicolonCount0
flaggedSentences8
totalSentences81
ratio0.099
matches
0"Isolde had given them only riddles—\"When shadows dance with starlight's cry, the path reveals what truth denies.\" The Seer's words had led them here, to this forgotten place where time itself seemed to bend and warp."
1"Flowers bloomed in colors that had no names—some shimmered like opals, others burned with an inner fire that cast dancing shadows on the twisted trees that surrounded them."
2"People sitting at the table—too many to count—reaching for dishes that transformed into something else entirely when touched."
3"Aurora could smell it then—wine and spices and something else that made her stomach clench with recognition."
4"Not demons, exactly—more like reflections of what she'd seen in her visions, people whose forms seemed to shift and flow like liquid."
5"This wasn't just a place of magic—it was a crossroads."
6"But there was no malice in their eyes, only hunger—endless, patient hunger."
7"This wasn't just a place of excess—it was a marketplace, a contest between worlds."
100.00% Purple prose (modifier overload)
Target: <4% adverbs, <2% -ly adverbs, no adj stacking
wordCount264
adjectiveStacks0
stackExamples(empty)
adverbCount8
adverbRatio0.030303030303030304
lyAdverbCount1
lyAdverbRatio0.003787878787878788
100.00% Repeated phrase echo
Target: ≤20% sentences with echoes (window: 2)
totalSentences81
echoCount0
echoWords(empty)
100.00% Sentence length variance
Target: CV ≥0.4 for sentence word counts
totalSentences81
mean13.59
std7.68
cv0.565
sampleLengths
027
130
210
36
44
514
612
729
819
94
1036
1110
1215
1328
1418
1510
163
1720
1817
192
208
219
2223
2314
2413
2514
2623
2718
288
2913
3010
3118
3214
3315
3411
356
3616
378
3816
3914
4011
4110
4216
4316
4420
455
4619
4717
481
4915
82.30% Sentence opener variety
Target: ≥60% unique sentence openers
consecutiveRepeats5
diversityRatio0.5308641975308642
totalSentences81
uniqueOpeners43
52.08% Adverb-first sentence starts
Target: ≥3% sentences starting with an adverb
adverbCount1
totalSentences64
matches
0"Then the world tore open."
ratio0.016
100.00% Pronoun-first sentence starts
Target: ≤30% sentences starting with a pronoun
pronounCount11
totalSentences64
matches
0"She pushed aside the curtain"
1"Her fingers traced the ancient"
2"She could feel Nyx's presence"
3"They'd come seeking answers."
4"Their bark was smooth as"
5"Their footsteps made no sound"
6"She closed her eyes and"
7"She opened her eyes to"
8"They moved with purpose toward"
9"She gestured toward the figures"
10"His form began to shift,"
ratio0.172
14.69% Subject-first sentence starts
Target: ≤72% sentences starting with a subject
subjectCount57
totalSentences64
matches
0"The stone archway had not"
1"She pushed aside the curtain"
2"Yu-Fei's voice came from behind"
3"Aurora didn't turn around."
4"Her fingers traced the ancient"
5"The pendant at her throat"
6"She could feel Nyx's presence"
7"They'd come seeking answers."
8"Isolde had given them only"
9"The clearing beyond the archway"
10"The grass was silver and"
11"Flowers bloomed in colors that"
12"Their bark was smooth as"
13"Nyx said, their voice like"
14"Aurora finally turned to face"
15"Shadows clung to them like"
16"Nyx replied, stepping forward"
17"Their footsteps made no sound"
18"The Heartstone pulsed again, stronger"
19"The warmth seeped into her"
ratio0.891
0.00% Subordinate conjunction sentence starts
Target: ≥2% sentences starting with a subordinating conjunction
subConjCount0
totalSentences64
matches(empty)
ratio0
0.00% Technical jargon density
Target: ≤6% sentences with technical-jargon patterns
analyzedSentences39
technicalSentenceCount10
matches
0"The stone archway had not been there yesterday, Aurora realized, her breath fogging in the unnatural chill that clung to the clearing despite the late autumn wa…"
1"She pushed aside the curtain of moss that had somehow grown across its carved threshold, revealing letters that seemed to writhe in the dim light filtering thro…"
2"The pendant at her throat grew warm against her skin, its crimson gemstone throwing off a faint inner light that made the surrounding trees look blood-red in th…"
3"She could feel Nyx's presence a few paces behind her, a chill that had nothing to do with temperature."
4"Flowers bloomed in colors that had no names—some shimmered like opals, others burned with an inner fire that cast dancing shadows on the twisted trees that surr…"
5"A memory, sharp and sudden: a feast table stretching beyond sight, piled high with foods that shimmered and changed color as she watched."
6"People sitting at the table—too many to count—reaching for dishes that transformed into something else entirely when touched."
7"The trembling intensified, and the silver grass began to sway in patterns that hurt to watch."
8"The flowers nearby reacted too, closing their petals and releasing spores that glittered like tiny stars in the dim light."
9"The figure that had been approaching them stopped, and Aurora saw that it wore a crown of black thorns and smiled with teeth too sharp for kindness."
91.67% Useless dialogue additions
Target: ≤5% dialogue tags with trailing filler fragments
totalTags15
uselessAdditionCount1
matches
0"Yu-Fei moved, her practical shoes sinking slightly into the silver grass"
100.00% Dialogue tag variety (said vs. fancy)
Target: ≤10% fancy dialogue tags
totalTags8
fancyCount1
fancyTags
0"Nyx breathed (breathe)"
dialogueSentences30
tagDensity0.267
leniency0.533
rawRatio0.125
effectiveRatio0.067
72.6547%