H. P. Lovecraft: The Alchemist
The Alchemist is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, published in November 1916 in The United Amateur magazine. The story is narrated by Antoine, the last descendant of an ancient and ruined French noble lineage marked by a mysterious curse that condemns its members to die young. From childhood, the protagonist grows up isolated in a ruined castle, surrounded by solitude, books, and dark omens about his lineage. As he investigates the origin of the family tragedy, he discovers ancient documents that connect him to a past full of secrets, alchemy, and a dark threat that seems to defy time.