The Alchemists of Rust (Realm II of Theoretical Realms)
In the smog-choked streets of Cogsworth City, progress is a double-edged sword?one that Dr. Malcolm Gearheart knows all too well. A brilliant investigator of the arcane and the mechanical, Malcolm has seen what happens when invention surpasses ethics. But when an old colleague vanishes without a trace, leaving behind only a pile of rust and an alchemical sigil scorched into the floor, Malcolm and his young apprentice, Jack Carter, are drawn into a mystery darker than any before.
Their search leads them deep into The Undercity, where outcast engineers and rogue alchemists thrive. There, they uncover a terrifying truth: The Alchemists of Rust, a long-forgotten sect, have resurfaced with a singular goal?to perfect the art of soul extraction, turning human essence into raw energy.
At the heart of their scheme is Veronica Ashford, a visionary with an iron will and an even colder heart. Her creation, a soul engine capable of fueling an entire city, promises limitless power?but at an unspeakable cost. As the Rusted Quarter trembles under the weight of her ambitions, Malcolm and Jack must race against time to stop the machine before it consumes the very lifeblood of Cogsworth City.
But Ashford is no ordinary scientist?she is one with the machine, her body fused with the very technology she commands. And as the final phase of her experiment looms, Malcolm must make an impossible choice: shut down the soul engine and risk destroying the city's fragile infrastructure, or let Ashford's twisted vision reshape the world forever.
Steampunk meets the supernatural in this high-stakes adventure of science, alchemy, and the cost of unchecked ambition. If you love brilliant detectives, eerie mysteries, and a world where magic and machinery collide, The Alchemists of Rust is a must-read.
Autorentext
GENSTIE is a husband-and-wife duo shrouded in mystery, much like the worlds they create. Blending minds as sharp as clockwork gears and imaginations as boundless as the Aetheric skies, they weave tales where science and magic collide.
While their true identities remain hidden, whispers suggest they may be alchemists of words, engineers of intrigue, or perhaps something far more extraordinary. Their stories are born from countless late-night musings, fueled by a shared fascination with the curious and the impossible.
The one truth about GENSTIE? Their greatest invention is the worlds they invite you to explore.