Magic broke the world. Corporate greed broke him.

John Ranson is a washed-up combat engineer with a glitching arm, dwindling hope, and a family to protect in a threadcursed future.

Then came the package. Inside: Athena, a forbidden AGI who downloads herself into his broken mana and neural circuits—wearing the face of a dead friend.

Now he sees the code of reality: mana, monsters, memory, and threadways.

But power comes at a cost:

Corps want what's in his head. Threadbeasts want his blood. And something worse is already watching.

Good thing he's not alone, he's got:

» A forge-running oni who bleeds clan loyalty.
» An orichalcum katana once held by a fallen lover.
» Dog tags that still whisper blame.
» And a voice in his head who might believe in him more than he does.

When ghosts are real, the undercity eats intruders, and a dragon is president, there's only one way forward: dungeon-deep into a world that already gave up on him.

Forge your path. Burn your past.

If the corps or monsters don't kill you, the magic will.

Welcome to New Cascadia.