1947. The moon isn't a barren rock, but a gleaming testament to human ingenuity, a silver sphere pulsing with alchemical energy. Cities of glass and steel pierce the lunar dust, dirigibles navigate the thin atmosphere, and clockwork automatons maintain the rhythm of daily life. But this lunar paradise hides a dangerous secret.
When a catastrophic reactor meltdown rips through Argentis, brilliant engineer Velkan Hayes loses everything. Driven by grief and suspicion, he refuses to accept the official explanation. The oppressive lunar gravity, the constant threat of meteor showers, and the claustrophobic habitats amplify his growing sense of dread. He suspects the Lunar Consortium, a shadowy organization controlling the coveted alchemical technology, is responsible. Every step he takes toward the truth is met with resistance, leaving him questioning his own sanity.
Velkan's path collides with Cressida Quinn, a renegade alchemist wielding a forbidden gravity manipulator capable of reshaping the lunar landscape. Branded a threat by the Consortium, Cressida becomes Velkan's uneasy ally. Together, they navigate a labyrinth of power and deception, joined by a grizzled prospector haunted by ignored warnings and an information broker fueled by vengeance. Their investigation unearths a conspiracy far more insidious than corporate greed, one that threatens to ignite a devastating war between the lunar colonies.
But the true danger lies deeper still. The alchemical core, the source of their power, is not merely a wellspring of energy, but a slumbering, sentient entity awakened by humanity's technological hunger. The reactor meltdowns are not sabotage, but tremors of an ancient force stirring beneath the lunar crust, a force capable of reshaping reality itself.
In a desperate race against time, Velkan and Cressida must confront not only the Consortium's ambitions but also the terrifying consequences of their reliance on a power they barely understand. The fate of the moon, and perhaps Earth itself, hangs in the balance, resting on the choices they make in the lunar crucible.
