In a world beset by deadly fog -capable of eating through metal and flesh alike- the only protection comes from the Great Mother's gift of her forgiving light. City-states rise and fall at the whim of their upper class, and with little to do but survive within their city walls, humanity has poured its focus into machinery. Steam-powered marvels fill the streets, artful creations that reflect mankind's ingenuity. Yet even these mechanical wonders cannot shield them from the terror of the Great Purple. With no sky to gaze upon and no certainty in life, people live and die in a world that feels long past its prime, as though its warranty has expired. Sunshen was born into this decaying world with a silver spoon in his mouth and an arm that would never fully develop. Ambitious but plagued by doubt, brash and often at his wits' end, he struggles to reconcile his own desires with the duty he feels toward a world teetering on the edge of collapse. In a society driven by survival and steam, can Sunshen carve out a purpose for himself? Or is he destined to be another forgotten soul in the fog? Only time - and the reader - will tell. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]