Note – This is a downloadable zip file. Get this standalone Chemistry Inspired Action Adventure Sci-Fi Fantasy Novelette (PDF) plus Bonus Teacher Lesson Plan (PDF) and printable Magical Elementals periodic table (PDF) today.

Barsena the Alchemical Wizard with Barium Magic: A Chemistry-Themed Fantasy Adventure with a Free Companion Lesson Plan (Element 56, Book 56 of the Magical Elementals Series)

Step into the magical world of MarBryn, where an ancient philosophy binds every kingdom together: no metal, no magic. In this chemistry-themed action-adventure fantasy, alchemical wizard Barsena wields magic drawn directly from the real science of barium — Element 56 on the periodic table — channeling its striking green flame, its volatile reaction with water, its radiopaque power to reveal hidden structures, and its density, toxicity, and protective oxide layer into an original magic system grounded in genuine chemistry.

When the witherite veins beneath Emberreach fall silent, Barsena and her devoted companion Corivan uncover a conspiracy reaching back to her own mentor — and a former student turned adversary determined to prove that metal itself makes civilization weak. Their journey, joined along the way by a smoke-teleporting fox spirit, a fearless metallurgist warrior, and an awakening bronze golem, spans flooded archives, rail-lined cities, and a fortress under siege, building to a full-scale battle and a complete, satisfying ending with no cliffhanger.

This edition goes further than the story alone. A companion glossary defines every real science term used in the book — flame tests, oxidation, radiopaque contrast agents, density, ion channels, passivation — paired paragraph by paragraph with the fictional magic it inspired. Educators can also download a free, ready-to-teach five-day middle school lesson plan (grades 6–8, flexible for grades 5–9) built directly from the novel and glossary, complete with NGSS and Common Core alignment, vocabulary, hands-on flame test and rust investigations, discussion questions, a creative capstone project, sample quiz questions, and a grading rubric.

Perfect for readers and classrooms alike: fans of elemental magic systems, science-inspired fantasy, and found-family adventure will love the story, while teachers, homeschool parents, and STEAM programs will find a turnkey way to bring real periodic table chemistry to life through narrative fiction. Discover why barium doesn’t announce itself — it waits, it reveals, and in Barsena’s hands, it illuminates everything, in the classroom and on the page alike.