The Clockwork Soul
In the Rusted City, where magic hums through copper wires and clock towers loom like silent sentinels, Astra Valen lives an unassuming life. But their world is built on secrets—secrets buried beneath the ticking streets and whispered in the shadows of forgotten history.
For as long as Astra can remember, a rhythmic ticking has echoed in their chest, a sound they’ve always dismissed as a quirk of their body. Until one day, the ticking falters, and Astra collapses, revealing a truth that will change their life forever: their heart is not flesh and blood, but a Clockwork Core—a masterpiece of magical engineering created by a long-lost craftsman known only as the Clockmaker.
As Astra grapples with their identity, the city begins to unravel. Machines malfunction, time bends, and the fragile balance of Aetherium—the magical lifeblood of the Rusted City—teeters on the brink of collapse. The Council of Tides hides the truth, while a shadowy force stirs, intent on harnessing Astra’s heart to reset time itself.
With the help of an eccentric inventor burdened by his past and a fiercely loyal best friend, Astra must unravel the mystery of their creation. But the Clockmaker’s legacy holds more than answers—it holds the power to end or save the world.
As the ticking grows louder and the stakes climb higher, Astra faces an impossible choice: embrace their humanity or become the machine they were destined to be.
In a world where time can be rewritten, what does it mean to be human? And how far would you go to protect a future you’re not sure you belong to?
