02x01 - A Secret and a Spark

[bunniefuu]

Ba-bum.

It feels like a lifetime
since we left home...

but it's only been a week.

We left because we found something
the world thought was destroyed...

the egg of the Dragon Prince!

Ezran and I decided to take a dangerous
journey across the world...

and carry this precious egg home
to its mother in Xadia.

Maybe then we can stop the w*r.

It's been an amazing adventure.
I'm even learning how to do magic!

Ow!

Though it hasn't always been easy.

In fact, it's probably been
the hardest thing we've ever done.

But we haven't done it alone.

We've been traveling
with a new friend, Rayla,

who is a Moonshadow elf.

Nothing I believed about elves is true.

Rayla is kind and good.
She's fearless, fast, strong...

And daring. Oh, so daring!

Hey, have you just been
standing there the whole time?

Don't let me interrupt.

You were looking for another
good word to describe me, right?

Well, I consider myself quite daring.

Quite?

Well, I'll be sure to tell my stepdad how
"quite daring" you are.

You're writing a letter... to the king?

He'll be worried about us.

It'll mean a lot to him to know
why we left, and that we're doing okay.

In journeys, there are always surprises.

Things never go as you plan.

We dropped the egg,
and thought all was lost.

But something incredible happened.

Now, instead of carrying an egg to Xadia,
we're taking care of someone new.

The most powerful creature
in the entire world.

Dragons!
The Xadian thr*at grows every day.

There have been sightings of
terrifying shadows in the clouds,

flying high above the towns
and cities of Katolis.

w*r dragons!
We must take action.

No, we should wait.

Xadia sent assassins
and they took the king's life.

And we must answer!

There hasn't even been the slightest
skirmish since then. Maybe that was it?

They've had their revenge,
and everything will just settle down now.

Settle down?
Can't you see the danger we're in?

General Amaya reports
that elven forces are gathering

on the Xadian side of the Breach.

We must be prepared to fight, and we
won't be able to fight them alone.

We must call for
a summit of the Pentarchy.

You're out of order, Lord Viren.

Only a king or queen
can call for a summit.

Frankly, I doubt the other rulers
will even look at a message

that doesn't bear the king's seal.

But this is a crisis
of historic proportions.

Humanity could face extinction

if we don't work with the other
four kingdoms to do something!

None of that matters
while we have no king.

Therefore, our top and only priority
must be finding the princes.

Until we do, our hands are tied.

Come and get it, everyone.

Elves and humans over here,

and those with three or more legs
can sit there, with Phoe-Phoe!

You named her Phoe-Phoe?

She is a Moon Phoenix.
Her name is short for "Phoenix-Phoenix."

You have the best food up here.
What's your secret?

Well, my secret is...
is that it's all fake.

- What do you mean?
- You know, fake.

They're delicious illusions.

You're actually eating grubs.

Oh, you must mean "grub."
As in, "Wow, this is some good grub."

No. Do you see what Phoe-Phoe is eating?

That bowl of worms?

Yes, that's right.
Those are grubs!

I don't care.

This illusion pie
is the best I've ever had.

Hey, everybody.

Well, you're in a good mood.

It does feel good to have two
working hands again.

Uh... no offense, Ava.

I can slish and slash
with both swords again!

- I can clap.
- Do handstands...

I can even do that thing you do when you
finish a nice song and dance, you know?

And how's everybody else feeling?

- Amazing!
- Great!

- Fantastic!
- Good!

‘Cause it's time to go.

- What?
- No!

- We can't!
- Why do we have to go?

We've only been here two days.

Danger's coming for us, I know it.

The longer we stay here,
the higher the risk.

Hmm, she's right.
The night the Dragon Prince was born...

I sensed something amiss.

Those strange purple wisps...

Dark forces are pursuing you.

Nobody likes dark forces, which is why...

- Making use of those two hands, huh?
- You bet.

Besides, we've got
precious cargo to deliver.

w*r is coming like the world's never seen,

unless we get the wee dragon
home to his mum.

But Zym, he's so little.
He still needs to learn how to fly.

You seem to have a special
connection to the dragonling.

Perhaps you could teach him?

Me? I could try.

And I was hoping to learn something
about Moon Magic while we're here.

Hmm. I could show you some things.

Hey! I thought you were on my side?

A few more days, Rayla,
that's all we're asking.

Fine. One extra day. One!

But I'm serious about the danger.

I'll keep patrolling.
Everyone else, stay on your toes!

Except you.
You work on getting off those toes.

I can't believe I'm going to learn magic
from a real mage!

How do you know I'm real?

Uh...

Don't worry, I'm real.

This is the Moonhenge.

Thousands of years ago,
when Xadia was one land,

the ancient ancestors of Moonshadow elves
performed fantastic rituals here.

Historia Viventem.

The legends say
they could use the power of the Nexus

to open a portal to another plane.
A shimmering world beyond life and death!

But it's ruins now.
What happened?

The Moon Druids destroyed it themselves
when Xadia was divided in two.

They decided it was safer
to disable this magical place.

That's so sad.

Ever since then, there has always
been a guardian of the Nexus.

A mage, like myself, whose duty
is to prevent humans from discovering it.

What happens when humans do discover it?
Do you...

like, k*ll them?

Nah, why k*ll them when you can
break their brains with insane illusions?

I've got some real mind melters.
They would completely freak your bean.

Interested?

I'll pass.

Okay, it's time to buckle down
and get to work.

Flying is a natural
and beautiful thing.

Now, that doesn't mean
it's going to be easy.

You don't need to keep doing that.

Ready, Zym? Wings out... and flap!

Come on! You have to flap those wings.

Oh, no, are you okay?

One more time. We'll try it nice and slow.

Flap...

That's not flying,
but it's a very, very good start.

"Oh, can't we stay a bit longer
so I can learn some magic tricks?"

And, "Oh, I wanna play around
with the wee dragon." Humans!

Only the noble elf cares about keeping
us all alive, apparently.

There's something out here, I know it.
Something bad.

Ugh, you again.
Save it for someone who cares.

And we're back.
This time we're here with a special guest.

She's mystical, magical, moon-powered
and she knows how to fly.

Please welcome Phoe-Phoe!

Ready, Phoe-Phoe? Show him how it's done.

See? It's easy.

Yes! Yes, that's right!

Now, I'm going to show you
what flying feels like.

Can you feel it? Can you feel
the whoosh of the air beneath your wings?

- He's doing it! He's amazing!
- Yes, yes! You can do this!

Ezran, you k*lled the Dragon Prince!

Oh, no! I'm so stupid!
Oh, no, no, no!

I'm so sorry, I wasn't trying to hurt you,
I promise. Are you okay?

Though Primal Energy
is everywhere,

it may be weaker or stronger
at different times and places.

The ocean is strongest at high tide,

sky is strongest in a storm, and the moon
is strongest...

When it's full!

Please don't interrupt, but, yes.

And there is more. There are six special
places where the magic of Primal Energies

are most pure and powerful in this world.
Such a place is called a Nexus.

This is the Moon Nexus.

It reflects the moon perfectly.

When the moon is full,
its light completely fills the lake.

I love this. I love learning about magic.

But I want you to teach me to do
some Moon Magic.

You know, maybe some hands-on learning.

We get in there, you show me how to do
a moon beam, a moon ray, a moon... shine?

Humans can't do magic.

Um... but I did do magic.

Right, with a Primal Stone.

But then you smashed it, so now
you're just a standard human again.

Ah, but look on the bright side,
you've got those extra fingers.

The little ones,
what do you call them? Pinkos!

But I know other humans who do magic.

We do not call that practice magic.
It's an atrocity.

This can't be.
I thought magic was my thing.

I was good at it.

It looks like you could use some cake.

That's really a plate of worms.

Ah, you're too smart
for old Lujanne's illusions!

How about some nice
old-fashioned iced-cream? Hmm?

Worms again.

So, he had a whole day of training.
Can he fly now?

No, not yet. I'm doing my best, Rayla.

And so are you. I know you are.

Well, either way, we're leaving tomorrow.

There's danger coming, I know it.
We have to get moving.

Then we should all get some rest.

Nope, not for me.

I'm going out on patrol again.
One more perimeter check.

- Tough day?
- You could say that.

Us too. Lots of jumping and flapping,
but no flying.

But we'll get it.
No matter how impossible it seems.

We believe in ourself,
and we're not giving up, are we?

Know what? Neither am I.

Crow Lord.

Crow Lord.
You! Sir! Crow Lord!

Oh! Sorry, I heard you calling
for the Crow Lord.

Uh, he's not here right now.

Then, who are you?

Oh! Well, I'm... I'm the Crow Master.

It's sort of like... Assistant Crow Lord.
I just got promoted.

Congratulations.
Are you able to send the mail?

Sure! Sure, of course!

Oh, um... hmm. These...
these seem to bear the king's seal.

Yes.

Well, uh... yikes.
Uh, the king is... you know...

I can't send these.

Hmm. I understand your dilemma.
You were recently promoted, yes?

And you are trying to do a good job?

Yes. Yes, exactly.

Right, well let me be
perfectly clear, Crow Master.

You will send these to the leaders
of the other four kingdoms immediately.

If you refuse, you will also be...
you know.

Um, now that I think about it,

I'm just gonna go ahead
and take care of these for you.

Mmm, I thought you might.

You're wrong.

Callum! What are you doing here?
It's late.

- I'm never giving up.
- Callum...

Growing up, I was supposed to learn
horseback riding, sword fighting,

archery, battle tactics,
but I was so bad at everything.

But then, you didn't give up?
And you got good?

Well, no, I gave those up,
but then I tried magic, and it felt right.

It felt like I was finally
good at something.

I will learn magic. It's who I am.

Hmm. I admire your determination.

But learning magic is not your destiny.

You can't do Primal Magic because you
weren't born connected to a Primal Source.

I don't get it.
What do you mean, "connected"?

In Xadia, all creatures are born
connected to a Primal Source.

They have a piece of it inside them.
We call that piece an arcanum.

Wait, what's an arcanum?

It's like... the secret of the Primal,
or its meaning.

- The secret of the Primal?
- Yes.

That secret becomes a spark.

The tiniest possible flicker
of a Primal Source inside you.

But enough to ignite the world
with its magic.

All right, so what is it?
What's the arcanum of the moon?

It's something I just... know.
It's not easily put into words.

- Well, try. Please.
- Very well.

The arcanum of the moon is about
understanding the relationship

between appearances and reality.

Most people believe that reality is truth
and appearances are deceiving.

But those of us who know the moon arcanum

understand we can only truly know
the appearance itself.

You can never touch the so-called reality

that lies just beyond the reach
of your own perception.

I'm confused.

I don't blame you.
After all, you're only human.

Do it.