XSTRIN Series Bible
XSTRIN
Logline: A boy is mysteriously transported to the mystical realm of XSTRIN, and through intense training and loving relationships, he learns to form an identity in an alien place to bring peace to the turbulent realm.
OVERVIEW
XSTRIN is a story about identity and finding oneself. It’s about challenging ourselves in new ways to find the Magic in us all.
What is XSTRIN? Good question. XSTRIN is a dream. It is an ethereal universe of gods and goddesses, Magic, advanced techno-mystics, kingdoms and city-states. It is populated by various species such as the majestic Dulu, the carnivorous Fangs, the conniving Abwan, and many more.
XSTRIN is a living universe, and it is the source of all Magic. Magic is the manipulation of the external world via a practitioner’s Essence, or soul. Essence is the measuring stick for Magical potential; the more Essence and the more potent that Essence, the more powerful the practitioner. Eziyael has a lot of Essence, and is potentially the most powerful Magician…ever.
Eziyael is brought into XSTRIN on the brink of war. Wyng, a demigoddess, usurped the throne from Oruba, her mother. After becoming queen, Wyng decided to begin conquering XSTRIN so that she could protect it from…Eziyael! As Wyng begins mobilizing to protect her homeland, Eziyael navigates this strange and mystical place with little recollection of his life on Earth. As he travels, he meets many denizens of XSTRIN that teach him Magic and help him discover who he wants to be in this ethereal realm.
XSTRIN is a Black fantasy action adventure. The show carries mature themes and deals with heavy concepts such as the loss of family, war, and survivor’s guilt. With this in mind, XSTRIN aims to be on the level of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Vampire in the Garden in terms of violence and maturity. Look to the shonen genre of anime for inspiration; these shows (Naruto: Shippuden, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Jujutsu Kaisen) hardly shy away from shocking violence, dark concepts, and mature questions about life, faith, and hope. In addition to the mature themes and violence, XSTRIN wraps in younger demographics (e.g. adolescents and early adults) with themes such as finding oneself, the importance of healthy adjustments, and more.
XSTRIN’s episodes will run 25-30 minutes, and will follow a three act structure. The three seasons will also follow a three act structure. The plot of each season and the episodes are heavily influenced by the characters themselves; that is, each character has their own journey relating to the overarching theme of identity. Each journey has ramifications that will be seen in the show. Characters represent different answers to the questions “What is identity?” and “How does one form it?” The characters and the world of XSTRIN will best be displayed in an animation style similar to Legend of Korra and Arcane.
Artistically, XSTRIN represents a unique opportunity. The characters, creatures, species, deities, and settings are heavily influenced by multiple cultures. The typical elements of fantasy are present: massive kingdoms, royal courts, warring nations, and fantastical creatures akin to elves and dragons. However, XSTRIN was created with Swahili, Yoruba, and African American cultural influences. This is an Afrofuturist show; the characters are modeled with Black features, the garb is heavily inspired by African and hip-hop cultures, and the lessons these characters convey are conveyed from a Black perspective. Furthermore, XSTRIN boasts one of the most unique soundtracks with its lofi score. This works well; lofi is a mixture of jazz, house, and hip-hop, encapsulating audiences with its nostalgic and wondrous feel, perfect for the aesthetic and message of XSTRIN. Lofi is a particularly popular genre with lovers of anime, which also influences the show stylistically and structurally. Anime itself is a blend of East Asian and Black culture, so the audiences of XSTRIN will recognize and appreciate the homage to the growing medium of anime.
XSTRIN Settings
XSTRIN is 1,003,735 years old at the beginning of the show
Years were not counted until after Divine Settlement (DS), which is when some of the gods and goddesses decided to create kingdoms throughout XSTRIN
Story takes place in the year 1.2 DS (approximately 1.2 million years after DS)
Season One Locations
The Ether is the plane of existence that exists within the fabric of reality. It is both inside and outside of XSTRIN, and is equivalent to the afterlife. The Ether houses the Nether Plane. The Ether is an uncontrollable dreamscape independent of XSTRIN, and is where Essences go when the bodies housing them expire. Essences rest in The Ether. Some Essences retain their individuality, while others don’t. The Essences that don’t retain their individuality are simply stored, while those that do are free to roam The Ether. The Ether is endless, and there are many different regions. Essences can be recalled using Nether Magic to enhance the Essences of living beings. The more Essence one retains upon death, the likelier they are to retain their individuality. Anyone can be returned, although it’s far easier for gods, goddesses, and powerful Magicians. The dreamscape is only accessible by Essences that don’t retain individuality; the dreamscape is tailored to the lives of the Essence.
The Nether Plane is a specific region created by the First-born Rays to house the most powerful and deplorable Magicians. The Nether Plane is a nightmarescape for evildoers. These individuals were extremely powerful, and their Essences were typically transported to the Nether Plane by the enslaved remains of Malbrakka’s Essence. Escape of the Nether Plane is impossible unless an immense amount of Nether Magic is used for necromancy, and the ritual typically involves the sacrifice of a powerful Magician.
Kingdom of Tempus is the biggest kingdom in all of XSTRIN. Tempus is ruled by Oruba, and the kingdom is known for its pacifist ways. The kingdom has never known war; it grew so large because Oruba’s nearby siblings no longer wanted their kingdoms, so they gifted them to her, seeing how she was a benevolent ruler whom her people loved. The kingdom adopted the armies of the other kingdoms, and thus has the largest standing army, although it isn’t the best trained. The kingdom’s center is a sprawling city with stone and wood architecture. There are many trees and much wildlife in the kingdom’s center, with nature being seamlessly integrated into much of the architecture and homes. The castle is beautiful Magically endowed wood and porcelain, helping Oruba and the occupants of the castle to easily connect to nature. The kingdom’s center is surrounded by the assimilated kingdoms, which vary in architecture, culture, and peoples. Tempus has a poor relationship with the nearby techno-mystical city-states. Based on City Park in Nola and mixed with Afrofuturistic elements.
Rekenna Kingdom is the closest to the Tempus Kingdom. It is ruled by Althita. The Rekenna Kingdom has the best trained standing army in all of XSTRIN, and it takes pride in this security. The people are safe and prosperous, so they have lots of time to complain. This kingdom is almost always in political turmoil. Provincial governors are always vying for power and manipulating their people into thinking poorly of Althita, who foolishly doesn’t care. Her apathy towards her political rivals is funny but given some serious undertones. There are constant attempts on Althita’s life. The Rekenna Kingdom is characterized by its powerful stone architecture, bustling province centers, and elegant steampunk castle from which Althita dominates her people. Based on Overton Park and mixed with Afrofuturistic elements.
Zindia’s village is on the border of the Rekenna Kingdom. As such, it has faced attacks from Wyng’s encroaching army. The village rests in rolling plains, providing no advantage. It is a large village, with mostly wooden homes and buildings but a few stone buildings in the village center. The aftermath of the first few attacks forced the villagers to build a large stone and enchanted wooden wall around the village. The villagers are hard, demonstrating the effects of impending war. They refuse to ask Althita for help since they believe her to be an incompetent queen. They are led by Zindia, the hardest Elva woman out. The villagers are mostly Elva, with some Yelvan and Okoshe.
The Ruins of the Sajes are where the once great civilization of the Sajes existed. The Sajes had architecture inspired by the ancient Egyptians and Aztecs. The ruins are of earthy materials that were clearly pyramid-like structures. The ruins have wildlife and shrubbery all throughout. There is a small stone and glass home that Busarah keeps clean. It was her home before her people went extinct. It is the only restored building in the ruins. The ruins are sprawling, going on for miles. The Souls of powerful Sajes roam the streets, reminiscing about life. They typically keep people from robbing the ruins. Busarah has cast a hiding spell that covers most of the ruins from most people’s vision; only Warlock+ level Magicians can see through the veil.
The Freelands is where XSTRIN begins. It is an area of XSTRIN of dense vegetation and sentient earth. It is a nexus of Primordial, Quantum, and Nature energies, teeming with wildlife. It is beautiful, with a single gigantic river that flows through it, trees of all colors reaching hundreds of feet into the air, with multicolored grasses and shifting earth (dirt that is alive). It is dangerous; the wildlife can be deadly, the shifting earth is often malevolent, and the amount of Magical energy can overwhelm people. In addition, there are many Souls that wander the Freelands, endangering the living even further. The Ruins of the Sajes is here. It is one of the most Magical places in all of XSTRIN.
Season Two Locations
Earth is a planet with little life left on it. The atmosphere was so deteriorated that humans tried to fix it. We worsened the problem, and as a result the weather became extremely volatile, fluctuating between extremes at a moment’s notice. Within a decade, 90% of the population had died, and the GOAT of mass extinctions happened. Earth is 100 years into this tragedy when the show takes place.
Techno-mystic city-states exist throughout XSTRIN, and are in clusters. These vary in appearance, but all are hi-tech, wood and metal infused buildings. Some are more advanced than others, ranging from a Magical steampunk influenced architecture to a Magical, wood-infused Cloud Atlas architecture. Cities are run by oligarchies that report to Lin-baji, who lives in a techno-mystic city-state that floats in the sky.
XSTRIN Season One Species
Rays are the white blood cells of XSTRIN. They were the second beings created by XSTRIN. These Rays live in a different dimension than all other species in XSTRIN, and come into this dimension when XSTRIN calls on them. As living beings, Rays had the ability to procreate, but their offspring were significantly weaker in power and overall Magical makeup than their parents. In order to exist within the home dimension of the Rays, one must be of a certain Magical makeup, thus, the offspring could not live in that dimension and became wild Rays in the normal dimension. Wild Rays are extremely powerful beings as well. Rays don’t have Essences because they’re beings of pure Magical energy, or in a way, life energy. As such, wild Rays are often captured to be used as a source of energy for techno-mystical companies. Poachers take wild Rays to these people and sell them for the highest bidder. Rays are called as an absolute last resort, because XSTRIN can only interfere in the affairs taking place within it so much. Rays can take any appearance they please, but they all tend to be ghostlike in appearance. Second-born and Third-born Rays are made of specific Magical energy types, creating subspecies of wild Rays.
Various gods and goddesses were the first beings created by the overabundance of energy present in the early stages of XSTRIN. XSTRIN’s overabundance of energy resulted in the rapid individualization of pockets of Essence, and these newly sentient pockets of Essence created forms for themselves, thus becoming gods and goddesses. These gods and goddesses communed with XSTRIN, and from it learned to manipulate it via Primordial Magic. These new beings used Primordial Magic to create offshoots of Magic since Primordial Magic was so difficult to use. One god, Malbrakka, learned how to absorb the Magic from his brothers and sisters, and used this knowledge to create Nether Magic. He used this new form of Magic to kill many of his brothers and sisters as the power made him mad. An intense war culminated in Malbrakka’s death. After this, the various remaining gods and goddesses decided to rule XSTRIN as other species emerged. The gods and goddesses are considered as such because they were the first beings created. They became the first kings and queens, and all were benevolent (with the exception of Malbrakka). As time went on, some gods and goddesses were killed, but most simply left their kingdoms in the hands of mortals. Very few gods and goddesses continue to rule their kingdoms. The relationships between many have soured over the years. Gods and goddesses are extremely powerful, with varying personalities and beliefs. They typically master one form of Magic; those that specialize are the absolute best in those forms. Others master multiple forms. They vary in appearance. The gods and goddesses aren’t essential to XSTRIN, and some are worshipped. Their children are all demigods and demigoddesses. The gods and goddesses are immortal, but they can be killed, only if their entire Essences are destroyed. If their Essences aren’t completely destroyed, they can recreate their bodies and regain their strength via powerful Primordial Magic or Nether Magic.
Demigods and demigoddesses are the sons and daughters of the gods and goddesses. One of their parents is mortal, which means they have varying appearances and Magical abilities. However, they are still very powerful in their own rights. Demigods and demigoddesses are physically gifted with abilities that their divine parents do not have; the mortal parentage can grant natural gifts not seen in the divine parent. Demigods and demigoddesses can never be as Magically powerful as their parents. Since one of their parents is mortal, they just have extremely long lives, but do die natural deaths. The rate at which they age varies.
Elva are the most plentiful race in XSTRIN. These creatures are humanoid, and they all have the same basic characteristic of sharp ears. However, the Elva have three different offshoots. In order of number: Elva (characterized by African features and shades of brown for skin), Yelvan (characterized by longer ears and thinner hair, along with Eurasian features), Nelv (rare and considered to be exceptionally beautiful, their skin is like the night sky, swirling with black and stars, dark blue eyes, African features, often their ears are in ceremonial garbs). The Elva are in most cities, villages, kingdoms, and armies. Unlike most of the other creatures in XSTRIN, the Elva are most likely to worship the gods and goddesses. They see Magic as something to use to make life easier when possible, but other than that, typically don’t engage in much. In order of most to least powerful: Nelv, Elva, Yelvan. All of these offshoots can become Masters. All Elva reach maturity and then stop aging physically, but they can still look old depending on genes. They live to around 90 years.
Souls are Essences of powerful (or lucky) Magicians that tethered to XSTRIN instead of going to the Ether or Nether Plane. They are tied to a medium, and only powerful Magicians can see and interact with them. Some souls are stronger than others; they vary in moral alignment. Shetani influenced species. Shetani are evil African spirits.
The Dulu is a species consisting of humanoid bird-like (officials and scholars, the oldest of the Dulu), canine-like (warrior-philosophers and second oldest), and feline-like (most Magical and youngest) types. Each type has wings. They can interbreed to create mixed Dulu. The bird-like types are tall and slender with huge wings. They can transform into giant birds capable of light speed flight. The canine-like Dulu are mesomorphic with wings like liquid steel that they can use as armor. They are natural conductors, meaning they can channel and absorb large amounts of electricity. This allows them to release powerful amounts of energy. The feline-like Dulu are tall with lean musculature. They are naturally electrokinetic, capable of generating and manipulating small amounts of electricity. Mixed Dulu take on the dominant traits of their parents. The Dulu are the oldest race in XSTRIN, and are highly revered for their elegance and altruistic society. The Dulu are a beautiful and powerful species that is spread throughout XSTRIN. They take up many official positions in both the kingdoms and the city-states, and make excellent warriors. The Dulu are descendants of the main species (resembling animalistic angels) that assisted the gods in their battles against Malbrakka.
Hagons are the horses of XSTRIN. They are an amalgamation of dragons and horses. They act just like horses. The smallest are horse sized, largest are hippo sized.
Okoshe (o-kosh-ee) are little gremlins. They are highly intelligent, having spread across XSTRIN searching for knowledge that exists outside the realm of Magic. They have a more scientific view of XSTRIN, having created theories about its creation that exclude Magic. They are consumed by their pursuit of knowledge, which is what Lin-baji used to control them into helping him create the techno-mystic city-states. They are pretty ugly, often with distorted proportions and greenish hues for skin color. Their outward appearance stands in contrast to their earnest and curious nature. Those that were not persuaded by Lin-baji continued their nomadic lifestyle. The Okoshe roam XSTRIN in bands of 20-40 members, setting up hi-tech camps when they stop. The Okoshe and the Elva have a very poor relationship.
Fangs/demifangs/Talons. Fangs are fierce reptilian Magical predators that are carnivorous. Fangs roam XSTRIN in packs, and are plentiful. They are like four legged velociraptors and act as natural antagonists. It is said that the Fangs were created by Malbrakka to serve as his army; they are innately powerful in Nether Magic. Although they cannot cast spells, they can act as powerful Nether Magic nexuses, boosting Nether Magicians when near them. Demifangs are those that have been bitten by a Fang; they involuntarily turn into Fang-fused, mindless, Magically powerful beasts that devour everything in sight. Demifangs can only be saved through the ritual Talon’s use. Demifangs eventually become mutated Fangs permanently. Talons are evolved Fangs that travel XSTRIN helping the Demifangs. Talons walk upright and have longer arms than Fangs. They have lighter colored eyes than the Fangs as well, and are intelligent beings. They have made it their mission to travel XSTRIN hunting Fangs and saving Demifangs. Unfortunately, Talons take decades to mature, so their numbers suffer constantly. The Talon Ritual is Warlock level Nether Magic, and requires a Talon to sacrifice its life to save a Demifang. Talons are honored throughout XSTRIN for their bravery and dedication. Talons are phenomenal trackers, and are amongst the hardest working and most accepting species in XSTRIN. Some people are wary of them though; their presence can mean a Fang pack is nearby. Talons live in villages near Fang nests, and they move after newborns have matured, so typically a 20 year period.
Chi’Yahi are underground peoples. They live in an isolationist society, with very few venturing above ground. They are highly adept at Nature Magic considering how they live underground. They reproduce via a process similar to budding; a male chooses which traits to allow a female to absorb, and the traits combine with random traits from the female to produce a bud. After several days of growing, the bud falls off and begins to take form. As such, the Chi’Yahi are pretty homogenous. This makes them have a very competitive culture; ambition, success, and differentiation are significant in the society. They are progressive Magicians since Magic helps them survive being underground and since it is an avenue many Chi’Yahi use to differentiate themselves. However, they tend to be well versed in Nature and Body Magic since they are the most useful for them. Kali and Qim are Chi’Yahi. They vary in color, but most are white. They have naturally bendy bodies; they evolved this to increase chances of surviving tunnel collapses and for getting through tight spaces.
The world of XSTRIN is filled with animals that are random mixes of different creatures, or new takes on mythical creatures.
Magic
Rules
All sentient organic beings are capable of using Magic.
Magic only exists where there is life.
Magic can only be channeled through living things.
Magic depletes one’s Essence, so practitioners have to recharge via meditation.
Using too much Essence results in sickness or death.
There are six forms of Magic.
Different Essences have different compositions, affecting one’s usage of certain forms.
Forms and spells require different amounts of Essence, so Magic must be used efficiently.
Three uses of Magic: Battle Magic, Simple Magic, and Techno-mystics.
Mastery of a form of Magic requires mastery of all that form’s techniques.
Rank of Magicians from most to least powerful: Olu’wan/Masters, Warlocks, Wizards/witches, Mages, Moofunzus.
Essence
Essence = life force
Inanimate organic objects have small amounts of Essence.
Essence that becomes aware = animate living beings
Forms
Each form comes with its own unique limitations and advantages. The skill of the practitioner also comes into play. In order of most to least powerful and also in order of creation:
Primordial Magic- Grants user control over reality. Extremely taxing and permanently removes a part of a user’s Essence. These spells take considerable time to create and perform, and one misstep can have disastrous results. No outcome can occur twice; if a spell for a particular outcome has already been cast, then another attempt to duplicate will result in death.
Nether Magic- Dark Magic, this form allows users to enhance their Essences using the Essences of the deceased. Highly frowned upon, it is extremely volatile, but grants abilities such as Shadow Casting, emotional leeching, necromancy, Magical leeching, and more. Improper use can result in the mixing of Essences, causing one’s soul to be influenced by others.
Quantum Magic- Magic that allows the manipulation of the laws of physics. Basic spells allow for energy projection, force fields, manipulation of space-time, mild matter manipulation, electrokinesis, and many more. The only limitation of this form is the user’s knowledge and imagination. The spells cast for this form use Essence directly in proportion to the complexity of the spell.
Psychic Magic- This is Magic of the mind; telepathy, mind control, setting up Psychic barriers, memory inception and control, and communication over long distances. Psychic Magic is a costly form; it requires more Essence than Quantum Magic but the spells exist on a smaller scale. Users shy away from this form because it requires an immense amount of concentration, and mistakes can leave all parties involved in catatonic states.
Body Magic- The manipulation of one’s body, this form of Magic is ideal Battle Magic. It allows users to shapeshift, enhance their physical attributes, and add additional body parts, amongst other abilities. This is one of the simpler forms of Magic, and is thus capable of being used very frequently. However, Body Magic can only be used to a reasonable extent. Using super strength only works if the density of bones and muscles is also increased. In addition, overuse of this form can result in permanent and often negative changes.
Nature Magic- The most basic form of Magic. It uses very little Essence. Abilities include the creation of potions, manipulation of natural elements (fire, water, earth, wind), animal and plant control, and more. This also makes ideal Battle Magic due to its Essence efficiency. There are a few limitations: potions, powders, and Magical mixtures require ingredients and time, and aspects of nature with Essence can resist manipulation.
Audience
The audience for XSTRIN is wide-ranging, bringing a unique opportunity to reach out to multiple demographics. As a show aimed at older kids, it has the elements of a classic kid’s show: comedy, action, simple stories and morals. This brings in children younger than twelve. In addition, the fantastical sci-fi elements will appeal to the imaginations of both younger and older children. For the older kids, they will be satisfied by the mature tones and will have the ability to better empathize with the teenage cast. The middle to high school ages will be a big draw for the show, especially with themes of identity, learning about self, and accepting who you are.
The cast of the show is diverse. The main cast consists of several female characters, characters of different races, and characters with a wide range of experiences. Eziyael King is a young Black boy, and this, coupled with the heavily Black aesthetic, makes it clear that the target racial demographic is Black. This show is made purposefully to increase representation of Black children, and to show Black children that they can be the face of something fantastical. XSTRIN shows many different people in positions of power, demonstrating that men and women of all races are capable of wielding power. The wide range of ages for these characters brings in young adults, especially given that older characters have more mature storylines to follow. Specifically, college aged kids (18-22) will appreciate the darker action, complex humor (missed by children), and anime inspiration. The heavy influence of anime, both visually and musically, will bring a growing base of loyal anime followers to XSTRIN. The story structure in later seasons begins to mimic those of popular anime such as Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Naruto: Shippuden.
XSTRIN will get deeply political with the theme of war. This presents a wonderful opportunity to appeal to a wider range of adults. Like Avatar: The Last Airbender, which captivated a wide range of age cohorts, XSTRIN can present these more complex political themes in a way that interests older adults (24-40). This is advantageous; XSTRIN will grow to be a family show, one for which every person in a household has a reason to watch.
Finally, XSTRIN is deeply multicultural, which will bring in different races and ethnicities. The African, Black American, East Asian, and European fantasy aesthetic will garner wide appeal. Our culture is at a turning point; we are seeking more nuanced and better diversified experiences in our media. For years, we have failed to see successful animated shows that featured a wide ranging cast with a Black character in the center. Now, XSTRIN provides that opportunity; it is the amalgamation of years’ worth of research into Swahili, Yoruba, and Black cultures.
Characters
Eziyael King
Eziyael King is the protagonist. When he first arrives in XSTRIN, his memories are erased by Wyng, who casts a powerful Psychic Magic spell on him. Easy begins not knowing where he is or much about himself other than his name. He retains fragments of his memory pertaining to survival skills and details of his personal life as the show progresses, thus creating tension between obligation to help in XSTRIN and urge to return to his former life. Easy is a 13 year old boy nearing his 14th birthday. As a 13 year old boy, he’s boyishly arrogant. Sometimes he states Earth idioms and quotes movies without realizing it (sometimes he does realize it). He’s snarky and sarcastic. Despite these characteristics, sometimes he can be very quiet due to his bouts of confusion and amnesia, called Psychic Feedback Episodes. These occur because of Wyng’s Psychic Magic spell. He’s a fast learner, and he always rushes to help others. He hates what Magic has done to him, but he recognizes that it’s important to learn about it to the best of his ability. He wants to remember who he was, and to discover who he wants to be. He wants to protect those that are helpless; he possesses a strong urge to see peace brought to XSTRIN. His character represents crafting your identity and being unafraid to learn and grow into who you are meant to be. In sum, he’s determined and dedicated, intelligent, and compassionate.
He uses an elastanium ball as a weapon from Earth, along with a grappling hook that enhances his exceptional acrobatic abilities. Easy is an elusive fighter, and as he gains Magical prowess he increases his aggressiveness.
Easy and Gale form a close relationship quickly as they begin to form their identities. Kali is a strong rival and sister-figure. She and Easy challenge one another to constantly improve. Easy is an eager student under Busarah’s tutelage.
Gale
Gale is Easy’s first companion. Gale was born to two wild Rays, meaning as a Ray, she’s the least powerful. Gale takes the wild part of being a wild Ray very seriously. She prides herself in not having the responsibilities of the First-born Rays, and she wants to live simply. She loves traveling and understanding nature, and she is immediately intrigued by the strange new creature that she comes across: Easy. Gale is free-spirited, she hates having responsibilities, is easily excitable, talkative, witty, and she can get serious quickly when need be. She and Easy share a liking for action, but she can get carried away easily. This is due to unreleased anger and anxiety from the feelings of not having a purpose and being alone all her life. She can be clingy sometimes, but it’s because she grows to quickly love Easy and the others they come to befriend. She doesn’t show this, though, because she doesn’t want to encourage Easy’s boyish ego. Gale loves nature and feels most at peace when she’s in it. In sum, Gale is comedic relief, she’s talkative, excitable, deeply sad, clingy, loving, judgmental, witty, impatient, and eager. She represents the importance of finding form amidst chaos.
Kali
Kali is the same age as Easy, and she develops a sibling rivalry with him. They compete to see who can become the more powerful Magician, and she becomes an important member of the group. Kali is a perfect juxtaposition to Easy. She is humble and prides herself in being respectful. She takes a no-nonsense approach to everything, and although Easy’s sarcasm typically flies over her head, she does enjoy matching his wittiness with childish insults of her own. She has a dry sense of humor, and enjoys beating Easy up playfully. She and Gale get off to a rough start at first since their personalities clash so much, but they eventually become extremely close. Kali acts like everyone’s older sister, to the irritation of most people. She’s always trying to take charge, even when she’s inexperienced, and she feels overwhelmingly responsible for everyone and everything. This want to be people’s protector can be good in some instances, while in others it can make her seem possessive. Her desire is linked to the tragic loss of her twin brother, Qim. She wants to get as strong as possible so that she can never be in a position for Magic to hurt her again. She uses a ring made from tree bark gifted to her by Qim to channel her Magic. She is a perfectionist. Kali is deeply knowledgeable about Magic due to her travels with Qim. They traveled to multiple TMCs, Tempus, a Nelv Temple, and finished studying in the Rekenna Kingdom where Qim died. Kali splices her CQC with her Magical knowledge, giving her unique choreography. She flows better than most, and this manifests itself in her interactions with others as well; her speech flows well. Kali’s journey represents using trauma as motivation rather than justification for who we are. In sum, Kali is ambitious, controlling, responsible, humble, dry, scared of loss, and respectful.
Busarah, Queen of Sajes
Busarah is the Queen of Sajes (pronounced sages), and helps Easy unlock his abilities. Busarah is 2,400 years old, and she lives in secret in the ruins of the capital city of the Sajes. Busarah’s background is shrouded in mystery. However, she was born right before the Sajes went extinct, and she is in reality not royalty, because the Sajes didn’t have monarchs. However, the Sajes went extinct shortly after her birth, and she was raised by Second-born Rays. These Rays raised her as a “queen,” that is, they always told her to never let someone rule over her, and to be the queen of her life. In addition to raising her to be a confident person, they taught her the importance of being in tune with nature, XSTRIN as a whole, and remaining a humble servant of life. In the show, Busarah is a lively old Saje (she would only be considered 72 years old on Earth). She enjoys meditating for most of the day, adventuring in the wilds near the ruins at night, and communing with nature. Busarah believes Magic and life are things to be loved and revered, and she stresses the connectivity of all that is. She is extremely wise, often peering into people’s minds and discerning their character almost immediately. She respects people’s boundaries and wishes, and only offers people advice when they ask for it. She’s kind, patient, deeply compassionate, humble, yet firm, can be authoritative, and unrelenting. She pushes Easy to be the best Magician he can be, and she acts as a motherly figure, teacher, and confidante for Easy, Gale, and Kali. Busarah has a special relationship with Gale because of Busarah’s connection to wild Rays. Her bond with Gale is one that leads to Gale’s self discovery, and it is imperative to Gale’s character growth. They have a stronger bond than any of the other characters. She wants to see XSTRIN safe, peaceful, and wants people to feel connected to XSTRIN and one another. In sum, she is motherly, wise, fiercely loving and caring, aloof, mysterious, trustworthy, and powerful.
Wyng
Wyng is the main antagonist. She is a demigoddess. Wyng was the princess of the vast Tempus Kingdom ruled by her pacifist mother, Oruba. Wyng, a powerful Psychic Magician, received numerous prophetic dreams about a great power bringing the destruction of XSTRIN. She warned her mother, but her mother ignored her. Wyng grew ever more frustrated with her mother, until she decided to overthrow her and take over the kingdom. She achieved this by using Nether Magic, her mother’s vulnerability, to imprison her in a blood stone while she slept. The coup was silent and seamless, with dissenters being quelled quickly, albeit humanely, by Wyng. Norro was a powerful dissenter, and as a Master he was a considerable threat. To neutralize Norro, Wyng cut off his arm, forcing him into a permanent position of subordination. Wyng genuinely wants what’s best for her kingdom and XSTRIN. She believes that preparing for war is the best way to accomplish this. She is extremely confident and cunning. She uses Magic sparingly, preferring to use her natural gifts as a demigoddess to get what she wants. But when she uses Magic, she is extremely efficient, and takes a no nonsense approach to Magic and its usage. She does what she thinks is necessary, no matter how it may look. She has poor social skills, and prefers to let her generals and warriors fight while she deals with issues in the kingdom. Her social awkwardness contrasts with her normally confident demeanor. She’s only 17 years old. She holds tight to her beliefs, is stubborn, and when she’s frustrated, becomes savagely irate. Wyng’s self-righteous nature is challenged by her thematic journey, which is the importance of questioning who you are. In sum, she’s naive, cunning, confident, socially awkward, stubborn, and prone to moodiness.
Norro
Norro (aka the Shadow Prince) is Wyng’s 15 years old younger brother. Norro is the cool character, silent and badass. Before his sister took his arm, he was a Master. Norro is a Magical prodigy, mastering both Body and Nether Magic forms. He dabbled with Primordial Magic and Nature Magic, to the pleasure of his mother. His mother loves both of them equally, but she pushed Norro to study Magic more so than Wyng because of his outstanding potential. Norro and Wyng had a healthy sibling relationship. Wyng looked up to Norro, and Norro admired her confidence. Both of them are quiet, but she stands up for herself and her beliefs in instances when he wouldn’t imagine it, and that’s because Norro doesn’t believe in himself. Norro masks his self doubt with an aura of silent badass. After he lost his arm, his relationship with Wyng changed forever. He felt like he had failed his mother to the point that he didn’t deserve his freedom, so he completely gave himself to Wyng. She always tries to rebuild their relationship, and she’s genuinely sorry about taking his arm, but Norro normally shuts down or responds in a robotic manner. He follows his orders, and fears failure immensely. Norro loves his sister and his mother deeply, and would die for them, but he feels that Wyng’s path to building an army is against the pacifism of their mother. Norro himself excels in battle, but takes no pleasure in it. He believes Magic should be used for bettering lives, not taking them. Norro represents the significance of being unafraid of who you want to be. In sum, Norro is self-conscious, occasionally self loathing, has feelings of failure, is driven, loyal, unrelenting, and shy.
Malbrakka the Mad God
Malbrakka the Mad God is the overarching villain of the series. He is evil incarnate, having butchered countless gods and goddesses at the beginning of time. He is the most powerful Nether and Psychic Magician. Malbrakka created Nether Magic, and through discovering how he could enhance himself, he decided to use the power to tame XSTRIN. To Malbrakka, XSTRIN is an organism that lacks a brain, and he knows that he could achieve more controlling XSTRIN rather than living in it. So, he sought to attain enough power to bend XSTRIN to his will. He began absorbing the Essences of his siblings, igniting a war that lasted over a thousand years. In an act of desperation (or adaptation?) XSTRIN created the Rays, who were powerful enough to help the gods in defeating Malbrakka. Malbrakka’s Essence was splintered; most of it is imprisoned in the Nether Plane, some of it in various locations throughout XSTRIN, and a portion acts as the gatekeeper of the Ether.
Malbrakka’s measurement of meaning is power. This led him to create Nether Magic, and it led him to absorbing many of his siblings. He did this to feel special; to him, he was the same as his siblings, and he wanted more. He became ceaselessly hungry. The process of absorbing all of those Essences resulted in gradually losing touch with himself. He doesn’t know what’s him or what’s someone else’s Essence influencing him. This makes him insane; the lack of identity is a thematic opposite to the protagonists (particularly Easy). Like how Easy has random bouts of confusion, flashbacks, and forgetfulness, Malbrakka has bouts of intense hysteria. This is because he is literally fighting himself; all of the absorbed Essences fight Malbrakka’s Essence for control. He has put himself into a vicious cycle: using Nether Magic to absorb Essences weakens his own, so he can only absorb Essences at his strongest, which occurs after bouts of hysteria when he fends off the assaults on his Essence. So, his power levels ebb and flow affecting his outward mood. Malbrakka has an unpredictable and powerful presence, people are always on edge due to his bouts of hysteria and propensity for violence. Since he’s constantly at war with himself, he is quite lethargic, and these are the times when he cannot absorb Essences and when he is slightly weaker. After his hysterical bouts, he has subdued the Essences enough for him to absorb more to increase his reserves. During these times, he can seem to be animated (in a serious and evil way), laser-focused, and extremely violent and powerful. His end goal is his own twisted way to be “enlightened.” He is the spiritual antithesis of Busarah.
Kachi and N’ky
Kachi and N’ky are the two animals that are part of the crew. Kachi is Easy’s dog that is accidentally brought into XSTRIN with him. Kachi is an intelligent dog that listens to Easy… sometimes. He’s pretty aloof, and he always has funny reactions to the creatures they meet in XSTRIN (like raised eyebrows and what not). He’s loyal, funny, and a huge black lab. Everyone that meets Kachi is afraid of him at first. He often aids Easy in combat. He and the rest of the team get along well, and they grow to love and adore him.
N’ky (pronounced inky) is the first amicable creature Easy runs across. She becomes best friends with Kachi, and they have a funny relationship throughout the show. N’ky is absent-minded, innocent, and friendly.
Overarching Plot
S1
Eziyael King and his dog, Kachi, are transported mysteriously to a magical sci-fi world called XSTRIN. Eziyael, nicknamed Easy, is in this strange new land with few memories of his life before then, and is thus a clean slate in XSTRIN. While there, he comes across a friendly creature called N’ky, a Magical ghostlike being named Gale, Kali, a Magical prodigy, and a wise old Master named Busarah that aid him in learning about XSTRIN and Magic, and his attempts at creating an identity in this strange land. XSTRIN is in turmoil as the young demigoddess, Wyng, prepares for war and a hostile takeover of XSTRIN, aided by an amassing army of Magical beasts led by her evil brother Norro. Eziyael and his friends must stop them from becoming too powerful, and save XSTRIN from the violence of war. But are Wyng and Norro the true villains, or is there something more sinister occurring in the mystical lands of XSTRIN?
Identity: creating who you are.
S2
Easy and the crew are reeling from the apparent death of Gale. Despite the emotional toll, things move quickly in this season. Easy, Kali, and Busarah decide to continue traveling through XSTRIN and learning the ways of Magic. Norro embarks on a quest of atonement for betraying who he was. Oruba and Althita rebuild their sisterhood as they decide to merge their kingdoms amidst rising tension with the techno-mystic cities (TMC) and Lin-baji, who believes Oruba owes him Easy. Wyng and Gale are trapped in the Nether Plane, and they have to learn from their differences as they attempt to escape back to XSTRIN. Each of their journeys is different, carrying different themes, different characters, and different tones and moods. Despite the separation of the main cast, the one thing tying them together is the emerging power of Malbrakka the Mad God.
Throughout all of the separate journeys, Malbrakka collects his Essence from different places to completely reform in XSTRIN. Easy, Kali, and Busarah come across Aivu, the Demigod of Deceit. Aivu represents an alternative teacher to Busarah, and he challenges and corrupts the hearts of Easy and Kali, using them to further his own selfish goals and complete the mission bestowed to him by his uncle, Malbrakka. Malbrakka tasks Aivu with neutralizing Easy so that he cannot be a threat to his plans. Norro travels XSTRIN alone, retracing his steps as a warrior for Wyng and making atonements for his atrocities. In the process, he discovers a plot deep in the Abwan Swamps to collect as much Malbrakka Essence as possible, granting him power to resurrect himself entirely. Norro seeks to stop his uncle’s revival, and he learns much about himself and what it means to be a king. While Norro is tracing that plot, Malbrakka uses his powerful Psychic Magic to incite insurrections in the merging Rekenna and Tempus Kingdoms. Oruba and Althita try to bring peace to the new kingdom, and slowly discover that Malbrakka may be the mastermind behind the insurrections. The internal issues of the merging kingdom are spurred by Malbrakka. Lin-baji gives Oruba an ultimatum: bring him Easy or there will be war. While trapped in the Nether Plane, Wyng and Gale must set aside their differences and learn to trust one another enough to survive and escape to XSTRIN. During their journey, they quickly learn of Malbrakka’s plan, and they must race to find a way to warn XSTRIN.
Subplots: Upela and his investigation of Easy and eventual defeat of Lin-baji. Upela’s story intertwines with Easy and Kali’s story with Aivu, causing conflict before being resolved by Upela. Lin-baji’s origin is revealed.
Identity: loving who you are.
S3
Takes place a year after S2
Malbrakka plans to absorb enough Essence to bend XSTRIN itself to his will
All hell breaks loose, Rays released and engage in total war with Malbrakka
People of XSTRIN caught in the crossfire
Major character death(s)
Heavy Malbrakka characterization
XSTRIN is ravaged; Oruba captured and tortured by mind-controlled Althita, Wyng is an outcast, Easy and crew on the run, Busarah is dead
It’s an uphill battle the entire season
Malbrakka is killed and XSTRIN is returned to peace
Easy goes back home
Identity: knowing who you are even when you have to be something else
Follow up series
The series takes place on Earth five years after the end of S3. Easy is twenty years old, and he has been training vigorously so that he can gain enough power to heal the Earth in its entirety. The series follows him as he trains to become an elite Master and create the perfect spell necessary to fix the Earth. Although he’s had five years to adjust, Magic works differently on Earth, and he teaches himself how to deal with this. He must contend with the treacherous environment, heavily mutated and evolved wildlife, and of course, humans.
In addition, Easy still hasn’t found his parents. This sits in the back of his mind as he moves through the world pursuing a mission to return the Earth to something he’s never known. This series asks if power is enough to make change, and the relationship we choose to have with power in the face of adversity. Easy must learn how to control Magic in a new way, while also teaching himself and forming principles in the absence of a teacher.
This series takes a darker tone as it deals with more mature themes in a post-apocalyptic setting. Death and loss are prevalent, and viewers will be challenged to rethink their conceptions of a dystopian Earth.
Episodes 1-3 summaries
“Found”
Easy wakes up to Kachi licking his face. He sits up and finds himself in a large crater. There are a couple of intense seconds during which he looks around and sees that he is in a strange land. XSTRIN’s purple, blue, and black sky shimmers, majestic winged creatures fly through the air, beasts of varying sizes and appearances roam the crater, and Easy is overwhelmed with confusion and fear. He attempts to let out a scream, but a mysterious mark on his neck glows, and it prevents Easy from using his voice. This adds to his confusion, and when he looks up behind him, a large fluffy creature (N’ky) is staring down at him. He and Kachi make the same horrified faces as if they were screaming, and they bolt from the crater. N’ky tilts her head in confusion and walks back into the heavy brush surrounding the crater.
Easy and Kachi wander the Freelands, a heavily forested and powerfully magical place. As they wander, the audience is introduced to some of the wildlife that will be explored later in the series. They wander into a pack of Fangs, and a fun chase scene ensues demonstrating the funny relationship between Easy and Kachi. After barely escaping the Fangs, they wander around some more, again showcasing the impressive art and exceptional music of the show. Eventually, they come across a beautiful waterfall where they stop to rest. Easy looks into the water and sees the mark on his neck, and when he tries to speak he sees it glowing. He tries to touch the mark, but a magical spark hits his finger and he grips his head as he writhes in pain. He hears the voices of a man and woman saying his name, telling him to survive at all costs. After recovering from the headache, he gazes into his reflection again with a confused look, not recognizing the voices of his own parents. As he continues to stare into the reflection, he notices a green girl in the water. She has a quizzical look on her face, and Easy turns around and sees no one behind him. He looks back into the reflection, and the girl begins laughing as Kachi starts barking and Easy begins to freak out. She emerges from the reflection, sending both Kachi and Easy into a frenzy. She’s laughing as she calms them down and introduces herself as Gale.
Gale is instantly intrigued by these two aliens. She flies around them, to the dismay of Kachi, and asks questions at a million miles per hour. Easy is trying to understand what’s happening, but he can’t communicate with her. She notices the mark on his neck and remarks that he’s been cursed. She attempts to touch the mark, but it sends a painful magical spark her way, and Easy writhes in pain once again. Kachi gets even more aggressive with Gale, but Easy calms him down and attempts to communicate with Gale. He tries sign language, charades, and then interpretative dance, all to the entertainment of Gale. Gale and Easy give up on communicating for a while, and they go through Easy’s belongings, revealing a gadget to monitor weather, an elastanium ball, a communication device, a sophisticated grappling hook, and tracking equipment. Easy only recognizes the grappling hook and elastanium ball.
Eventually, Gale decides that she’ll try to remove the curse from Easy’s neck by using Magic. She briefly explains that she will try to create various potions using Nature Magic to help. There’s a small explanation of Magic, but Gale gets right to it due to her eagerness. There’s a short montage of Gale creating various potions, all of them failing hilariously. After a few trials, Gale gives up, to the chagrin of Easy. Disappointed, all three characters rest on a beautiful hill not too far from Easy’s incursion site. As they lie down to rest, they are startled by N’ky floating into the scene. Kachi begins to growl at the forested area N’ky originated from, and out steps the monstrous Dregg, licking his lips as he looks at the group.
“Confusion”
The first scene opens with Dregg towering over the group as Tempus scouts emerge from behind him. Gale, N’ky, Kachi, and Easy all look horrified at the monstrosity before them. Dregg leans down, breathing heavily and in an intimidating fashion. He then says that they found his dinner, glaring at N’ky. He looks at Gale and remarks that they have found another recruit for the army. After he speaks, Gale and Easy look at each other then bust out laughing at how squeaky Dregg’s voice is. Enraged, Dregg swipes Kachi away, to the horror of the kids. Dregg leans back in and notices the curse on Easy’s neck, stating that the Magical signature is familiar. When he attempts to touch it, there’s a powerful spark of Magic that startles Dregg. He figures out someone really didn’t want Easy to talk or remember anything, and after reading Easy’s Essence with Nether Magic, he is shocked at how powerful he is. Dregg orders Easy and Gale to be taken back to camp. Before the Tempus scouts can detain them, Kachi leaps onto Dregg and bites his ear, holding onto it as he whips his head back and forth. This gives the kids and N’ky time to run, and Kachi jumps after them. A chase ensues.
As they run through the Freelands, Easy’s curse continues to flare up with Magical sparks flying from it. Easy falls in pain and grips his head as he experiences his first Psychic Feedback Episode (PFE). During the PFE, Easy is heavily disoriented and nauseous, which forces Gale to take a stand against Dregg and the Tempus scouts. The Tempus lackeys surround the group. The battle begins, and through an impressive display of Nature and Body Battle Magic, Gale is able to force the Tempus lackeys to retreat. Gale, N’ky, and Kachi sit helplessly as Easy continues to suffer through the PFE.
The scene switches to Dregg and the Tempus scouts as they return to the Tempus camp. The camp is filled with 50 Tempus troops, led by Dregg, who rules purely through fear and his relationship with the queen. The camp is filled with soldiers completing various tasks, and there are cages with wild Rays and other creatures from the Freelands. Dregg telepathically calls out to Wyng, who answers. Dregg quickly reports his encounter with Easy, and how Dregg believes Easy may be the great threat that Wyng had warned him and Sir Vann about. Startled, Wyng quickly shuts this theory down. She orders Dregg to forget the boy and whatever else he saw and to silence any talk about their encounter. Dregg fights back, stating that he sensed the boy’s power, and he reveals that he recognized Wyng’s Psychic signature. Wyng uses her powerful Psychic Magic to force Dregg’s conscious mind into a tesseract-like cage, causing Dregg immense Psychic pain. She explains to him that a child couldn’t be the great threat, and that she took precautions to make sure he is neutralized, and that Dregg should simply follow orders. No one could think that a child is the great threat because no one would believe it. Dregg lies that he’ll leave Easy alone. However, Wyng orders Dregg to kill them all, to Dregg’s liking. Dregg is released from the Psychic hold, and Wyng leaves his mind.
After his meeting with Wyng, Dregg orders a camp meeting. During the meeting, Dregg discusses the progress they’ve made in mapping the Freelands, and he mentions some run-ins with Talons and Rekkena soldiers. He is happy with their progress in finding the fabled Saje Ruins, where they hope to make the Tempus outpost. Some soldiers in the crowd voice their concerns for the veracity of such a place’s existence, but Dregg silences the dissent by indiscriminately smashing one of the Tempus soldiers. All of them fall silent, then Dregg dismisses them. With his new orders from Wyng, Dregg gathers the same men that saw Easy, they grab more weapons, then they embark on their hunt.
Next, Wyng is revealed to be a teenager herself. She is sitting alone in the Tempus throne room, contemplating her next moves. She felt Dregg lie, so she knows to watch out for him; she does so in a dismissive manner since Dregg is stupid. She thinks about sending her brother, Norro, but she remembers that she sent him as part of the advancement army conquering the outer regions of the Rekenna Kingdom. Frustrated, Wyng begins talking to her mother, asking how she would peacefully deal with two aliens and a possible traitor. Although she gets no answer, she feels that she has to take a harder stance than her mother, and that some have to die in order to protect the Kingdom and the rest of XSTRIN. Wyng hardens herself then leaves the throne room to check on the progress of her War Witches.
N’ky is carrying Easy as the group continues to traverse the Freelands. Although she never gets tired, Gale can tell that the others will need rest soon, so she decides to grow a tree with Nature Magic to cover them while they sleep. She chooses a random plot of land. They all begin to rest, but they begin to suddenly fall into the ground as it slides open slowly, revealing a grotesque mouth with dirt tentacles. This is shifting earth, sentient ground that eats all that crosses its path. The group holds on for dear life, and they barely escape with the combined resourcefulness of Easy and Gale. Unfortunately, the shifting earth is expansive, so they begin to run for their lives once more. They tumble down a hill and fall onto solid ground, looking up and seeing the ruins of a once great people: the Sajes.
“Feedback”
Gale is taken aback by this strange part of the Freelands that she’s never seen. She’s been in the Freelands all her life and never noticed this place. The group is safe from the shifting earth, so they decide to sleep in the ruins of an old home. They all fall fast asleep. Easy is the first to wake up, and while he explores the ruins, he runs into an old lady. This old woman startles Easy, but she quickly calms him with her soothing words and promise of peace. She sensed him and the others, and she lowered the veil so that they could see this place and come to safety. She is intrigued by this alien, and she looks him up and down to figure out how good of a shape he’s in. She introduces herself as Busarah, Queen of Sajes. Easy points to his neck and shrugs. Busarah tells him that she can help him, but only if he wants to be helped. He nods. Busarah removes the curse using Psychic Magic, but the spell causes another PFE and Easy blacks out.
While he’s blacked out, there are quick flashes of a powerful storm, two women’s voices melding together to speak of the dangers of storms, a crown shattering and the pieces falling in Easy’s lap, then the pieces turning into shackles that chain him to a mystical tree. He then wakes up and sees Gale and Kachi sitting next to him. Busarah is petting N’ky in the corner of Busarah’s old home. Busarah stands up, and she explains to Easy that his memories will begin to come back, but his PFEs will get worse before they get better. Additionally, she explains that what he just experienced was the interference of three different Psychic spells. She knows one was from her, but she is unaware of where the other two spells originated from. She explains that she knew of his arrival while communing with XSTRIN. Easy speaks for the first time, prompting him to freak out because his voice is deeper than it used to be. He also freaks out because he can remember specific times when his voice was squeakier, but he can’t remember where he is in these few memories. Busarah continues, explaining to Easy where he is. Easy is amazed, and he begins to regale her with all the amazing things he’s seen. He is very excited about this place, and he immediately asks about Magic.
Easy and Busarah talk and Gale leaves and begins to explore the ruins. While she does, N’ky and Kachi join her, to her annoyance. She doesn’t understand why they follow her as if she knows where she is going. She tries to leave them by making her way to the top of a pyramid-like structure, but when she turns around, she sees them climbing. Gale is startled by Busarah appearing behind her. Busarah asks her where she is going, and Gale replies that she doesn’t know, but she does know it’s not here. She explains that her responsibility to Easy is now over, and Busarah agrees, to Gale’s surprise. Busarah explains that Gale is the master of her own fate, and that she never has to tie herself to anything she deems not to be worth her time. Then Busarah moves to the side, and Gale sees Easy sprinting up the structure towards them. He’s making great strides, but then stops in his tracks and grips his head. Kachi bounds over to him, making sure that he’s ok. Busarah looks at Gale while she watches the interaction, and she asks Gale if she would abandon a young boy just as lost as her. After all, they have more in common than she may know. Gale asks Busarah what she knows about being a wild Ray. Busarah smiles and beckons Gale to stick around and find out.
Easy reaches the top of the structure along with N’ky and Kachi. His demeanor is changing slowly, from an awe-struck child to his naturally calmer self. He asks Busarah to continue explaining Magic to him, to which she agrees. Through a mystical showcase, Busarah explains a little bit about the history of XSTRIN and how it is a living universe, tied intimately to the use of Magic. She explains Essence to him and how she is able to read his great potential through his Essence, and how Magic is tied to one’s relationship with XSTRIN and all living things. She also explains the brewing political turmoil, but she has limited information on it because she only knows what XSTRIN knows. After his brief introduction to Magic and XSTRIN, Easy stares defiantly at her and remarks that he wants to know it all, and he asks her to train him so that he can protect himself and others. Struck by his sense of responsibility despite a lack of identity, Gale smiles and takes note of Easy’s eagerness to help others, but more importantly, himself. The group stands at the top of the structure facing the beautiful ruins and setting suns.
Suddenly, a massive fireball seemingly engulfs the group, but Busarah uses Quantum Magic to transmute the fire into water, mesmerizing Easy in the process. Dregg and his squad are launching attacks from all sides of the structure. Busarah engages, flowing between Nature and Quantum Magic to dispatch the Tempus soldiers. The group is separated by a massive attack from behind Busarah. Easy and Kachi must fend for themselves, showcasing Easy’s expert agility and use of his elastanium ball. Gale is defending N’ky from Tempus soldiers. Gale is struggling to beat them when she is attacked by Dregg, who quickly overpowers her. He snarls that Gale will make a good addition to the Tempus army as a warrior slave. Then, Busarah arrives, easily defeating the Tempus soldiers and Dregg. Meanwhile, Easy gets cornered, prompting him to inadvertently release a powerful blast of Magic through his voice, making the Tempus soldiers disintegrate. Easy is both horrified and awestruck at his power.
The climax of the battle finds the group reuniting at Easy’s location. Easy excitedly tells Busarah and Gale what happened. Gale picks fun at his excitement, causing snarky back and forth banter. Busarah warns Easy about the use of his power. He realizes that he has a lot to learn, and he’s excited to take the challenge.
The final scene is at the Tempus camp in the Freelands. Dregg, broken and beaten, telepathically calls out to Wyng. Wyng answers as she is walking into a techno-mystical lab. Upon reading his mind about the mission, she is enraged. She ends the communication abruptly as she steps into a dark room with an organism welding on a mystical workbench. Wyng informs the organism of Easy and Kachi, and she says that he can do whatever he wants with them as long as it doesn’t interfere with Wyng’s plans. The organism agrees. As Wyng leaves, the red and yellow eyes of Upela and his cyborgs open in the dark.