Crucible

Alter-humans were made to fight a war humans started — but couldn’t survive themselves.

In the thirteenth century, the War has ended. Peace reigns across the unified Solar System. Alter-humans have long since been discarded.

But peace is not enough to ensure humanity’s survival.

Three spaceships are preparing for departure — leaving a collapsing Solar System, bound for a distant world. A new home. A new hope for humankind.

But beneath Operation Eden, something else lurks:

Kept in cryo-stasis, one hundred and eight Alter-humans have been hidden aboard the warship Parvus.

When UN.SY. technician Alba Fauster discovers that Adam Zweihander is among them, she does what she does best:

Something illogical.

Follow the journey of Crucible’s characters as they discover that the new world is not what they were promised — and that an ancient plot, older than their journey, has followed them across the galaxy.

If you prefer my own words instead of tags:

Crucible is a long-form, slow-burn dark fantasy novel with sci-fi elements (starts in space — continues in high-fantasy world) told through multiple POVs.

What to expect from the novel: 

-The novel is predominantly dark fantasy: the sci-fi elements are more present at the beginning, but as the characters merge with the new world, technology shifts into the background — acting more like a “magic system.”
-Action, fights, war — just not every five minutes.
-Travel and exploration.
-Moral greyness: heavy themes are explored through character perspective. Some condemn, some justify, some don’t even understand the difference between good and evil.
-Romance and character psychology: emotions often drive decisions.
-Social and political themes from both the old world and the new are part of the novel’s lore.

One last thing:

There are a few ugly lines at the end of the prologue. They’re not the whole point of the book — but they’ve survived every draft for a reason.

They represent one of the core themes of this story:

The price of being human versus the price of being something else.

3 weekly updates. (More on first and last chapter of an arc.)

Note: This novel uses AI assistance for Latin/Greek translations and for developing fictional languages.