In a world divided, three defiant lives converge on a secret that was never meant to be discovered. Eliza was forged in the scrapyards of Grant, where innovation is survival. Raylee escaped the algorithmic grip of Glacian, a city that sees all but understands nothing. Arty deserted the militarized might of Glaician, and became one of Teton's Living Legends. Drawn together by fate-or something deeper-they uncover Donivan, a dormant cybernetic prototype buried beneath a ruin. He wasn't finished. He wasn't freed. And he wasn't meant to be found. Now hunted from above by the cities that built him and stalked on the ground by forces that fear what he may become, the four must navigate shifting allegiances, unravel buried truths, and confront a future neither human nor machine was prepared for. Because Donivan doesn't just hold the key to survival, He is the question the world tried to bury. Austere is a cinematic sci-fi epic blending deep world-building, AI intrigue, and emotional stakes. Perfect for fans of Dune, Mass Effect , and The Book of the New Sun .