[62] The Gears of Change Begin to Turn

-Third Person POV-

Faustus Rugenstein, a man not yet thirty, had spent his life chasing an ambition that seemed to elude him at every turn. His unkempt, graying hair reflected a life devoid of order, while his gaunt frame bore the unmistakable signs of malnutrition—an unfortunate result of countless skipped meals sacrificed in the name of his work. His weary eyes, dark-circled from years of sleepless nights, were a testament to endless research on theories that had never received recognition.

Ten years ago, Faustus had fallen in love with alchemy. He had been captivated during an open lecture by a senior professor—watching liquids shift colors, metals melt and reform into something entirely new. At that moment, he believed he had discovered a world brimming with boundless possibilities. But reality proved far less kind.