Anthropomorphic white cat alchemist in an embroidered green robe — AI art by @CaylaCatz

I am old-school. I'd chosen to move to New Athens as it was built on the bones of past civiliations. If you scouted deep enough, you could find remnants of the ancient Greek ruins. Even in 2525 with its wired cities, mega corps and holo screen dramas, there were a few of us who were "superstitious", who practiced the old ways, who left small offerings beneath broken stone arches. They called me the Alchemist as I am among the best interstellar hackers. Laughing. Maybe that's what gave me the idea. I got bored with hacking, stealing into networks. It had gotten too easy. I wanted a challenge. And it popped into my head. Why not BE the Alchemist? like for real. My mind is quirky like that. So I searched the 'Net. It's true you can find anything there. I went deep until I found the Glimmer Net. Only a few know it. You either had to have magical skills -- yeah, turns out magic is real -- to enter. Or you had to be a really really good hacker like me. A whole new world out there. Can't say I've been bored in a very very long time. I had much to learn, putting together hints from fragments. Alchemists don't just give out recipes like a cookbook. That's not their way. They parcel out clues that might be true or lead to a dead end. Each alchemist has to find their own path, their own affinities, and create their own unique philosopher's stone to transform ingredients into more. Luckily I lived in New Athens. Turned out those ruins are gateways. I found myself visiting the past. Many ingredients were from plants are extinct now. Or you have to go sideways into the faerie realm to pluck them. Yeah, there are fairies, vampires and werewolves. Lethal bastards! Who knew? Myself? I make potions but my real affinity was for storms and lightning, for electricity, for the space between the wires. With power fueled by stormy lightning, clicking on the send button, I can email you a potion that'll pop out of your plasma screen in a physical bottle. Now I really am the Alchemist

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