Accidental Alchemist

Waking up in a dense bamboo forest in 10th-century China, 15-year-old Robert stumbles upon a secret workshop where Song Dynasty scholars are accidentally creating "e;The Fire Drug"e;—the world's first black powder. While the alchemists struggle to control the volatile substance, Robert uses his modern "e;mechanic's brain"e; and knowledge of physics to show them how to use bamboo tubes to direct the energy. He effectively invents the first "e;fire arrows"e; and spinning ground fireworks, turning a dangerous accident into a controlled wonder.The situation turns deadly when the local military discovers the breakthrough and demands Robert turn his "e;celebration powder"e; into a weapon of war. Caught between the peaceful inventors and a ruthless general, Robert must use his tactical hunting skills and his newly engineered pyrotechnics to stage a massive, distracting "e;Festival of Light"e; escape. As he outmaneuvers the soldiers under a sky of primitive fireworks, he tracks the shimmering "e;glitch"e; through the smoke, plunging through it to wake up safely in his own bed in 2020.