A week later, Lucian found himself in the dimly lit laboratory that Gideon had made his own. The room was filled with the scent of herbs and potions, the walls lined with shelves of exotic ingredients and arcane tomes. In the center of the room, Gideon was hunched over a table, carefully mixing a series of vials with the precision of a master alchemist.
Gideon was an enigma—brilliant, driven, but often caught up in his own world of experimentation. He had a passion for pushing the boundaries of what was possible with alchemy, a trait that had made him invaluable to Lucian's empire. But that same passion was also a double-edged sword, leading Gideon to take risks that sometimes bordered on reckless.
"Gideon," Lucian called softly, not wanting to startle the focused alchemist.
Gideon looked up, his eyes wide behind his round spectacles. "Lucian, I didn't hear you come in. Is there something you need?"
