Every autumn, the legendary hala appears and wreaks havoc. Some view the hala as sacred, others view it as a nuisance, and some believe it could be the key ingredient for crafting the Philosopher’s Stone. For Margaret Welty, she believes it could be the key to convince her alchemist mother to finally return home from her research, so determined, she wants to enter the Halfmoon Hunt in an attempt to slay the mythical creature. Problem is, she only knows how to shoot a gun and not the actual alchemy required to kill the hala. She needs an alchemist for that. Fortunately, Weston Winters is an alchemist-in-training who shows up at Margaret’s doorstep in the hopes of becoming her mother’s apprentice. She promises to introduce him to her mother … in exchange for teaming up with her in the Halfmoon Hunt. Reluctantly, he agrees, and as the two prepare for the hunt, they face rivalry from other alchemists as well as the conflicted feelings of love that begins to blossom between the two of them....