Mist, Machinery, and an Unfinished Puzzle (End)

Long before the Technomancers, before their machines and artificial wards, Serewyn had been known as The City of Alchemists—a place where science and magic blended seamlessly, where mist wasn't feared but understood. The kingdom had thrived through its mastery over alchemy, its scholars unlocking secrets within the mist, using it not just for survival but for prosperity.

The mist had been a partner, not an oppressor.

Alchemists developed ways to purify it, to extract its latent properties, transforming it into elixirs, enchanted oils, and protective barriers that harmonized with the natural world rather than fought against it. Mist-brewers were once as common as blacksmiths, crafting potions that enhanced the body, fortified the mind, and even extended life.

But all of that had changed when the Technomancers arrived.

They did not seek to coexist with the mist—they sought to dominate it.