Gears of the Bleeding Requiem

In the bustling heart of Astear lies Flywheel City, a metropolis of steel, invention, and secrets. Among its citizens, none are more revered than Detective Hugo Arc—an extraordinary mind, famed for solving the impossible and known for his unshakable belief in redemption.



But that man no longer exists.



When Hugo’s younger brother, Jacob Arc, a brilliant inventor, is found brutally murdered—his lifeless body marked with the symbol of a burning phoenix—Hugo’s world shatters. Consumed by guilt and rage, the once kind-hearted detective becomes a cold and unfeeling shadow of himself, isolating from those he once cherished.



Seeking solace, Hugo travels to Caperpoint Village, the place where Jacob honed his genius. But instead of peace, he finds horror. The village lies in ruins, its people slaughtered—men, women, and children alike—all marked by the same burning phoenix that claimed Jacob’s life. Amid the carnage, Hugo discovers a small orphanage, where five children and a dying caretaker cling to their final breaths.



With his last strength, the caretaker begs Hugo to protect the children. Though he agrees, Hugo swears it’s not out of kindness, but for his own darker motives—to use them as the last thread connecting him to the truth and vengeance. Yet deep down, the caretaker knows the truth: Hugo Arc may be broken, but the heart of a hero still beats within him.



Haunted by the phoenix mark, Hugo begins a perilous journey. Who—or what—is behind these massacres? What secret did Jacob die to protect? As Hugo dives deeper into the shadows of Astear, he finds himself entangled in a conspiracy that stretches far beyond Flywheel City, one that could ignite the entire world.