A warrior seeks help from Alchemists to save a prince, but is refused as the Alchemist explains their multi-generational quest for immortality cannot be interrupted.
Longer summary
The post is a fictional story about an encounter between a warrior and an Alchemist. The warrior comes to request help from the Alchemists' guild to save a dying prince, but the Alchemist refuses, explaining that their work cannot be interrupted. Through a series of analogies involving architecture and knowledge accumulation, the Alchemist explains the nature of their work: a multi-generational effort to create the Philosopher's Stone and achieve immortality. The Alchemist argues that their work is so advanced and time-sensitive that even a brief interruption would set them back generations. The story explores themes of knowledge transmission, the limits of human lifespan, and the pursuit of immortality.
Shorter summary