Speaker 1: 0:00

Episode 2 the Wizard's Guilt and the Sky Market Chase. The neon glow of Enchantium's sky markets shimmered high above the city, suspended on enchanted platforms and connected by glowing bridges. Stalls of magical artifacts floated in midair while sleek drones zipped between them delivering goods or, in this case, hunting fugitives. Zara, el and Arlo weaved through the bustling crowd, dodging magical merchants and wary shoppers. The platform swayed under their feet and the air buzzed with the energy of both magic and tech. Above them, cyrus's drone circled like vultures. This was a terrible idea. L shouted, sprinting beside Zara, as a drone fired a pulse of blue energy that barely missed his head. You're the one who said coming to the Sky Markets was the safest route. Zara shot back, gripping her glowing grappling hook. Okay, I was wrong, noted. Zara aimed her grappling hook at a higher platform and launched herself upward. El groaned, fumbling to grab onto her leg as she yanked them both into the air. Their destination loomed ahead a floating tower tethered to one of the uppermost platforms of the markets. Its surface was overgrown with magical ivy that shimmered faintly, and flickering runes guarded the entrance. This is Brynn's place, el asked as they landed on the platform, panting. Zara nodded, pulling him along. Yeah, he's the only one who can help us reverse engineer the Nullifier's tech. He taught Cyrus everything he knows about blending magic and machines and you're sure he'll help. Nope, great Zara didn't wait for more protests.

Speaker 1: 2:18

She marched to the door and tapped a glowing rune etched into its surface. The door creaked open, revealing a dark, cluttered interior filled with enchanted gadgets, dusty tomes and faintly glowing blueprints pinned to the walls. Brynn, zara called out. A gravelly voice replied from the shadows. I told you before I don't take visitors.

Speaker 1: 2:41

From the far end of the room, bryn Ember emerged, his silver hair pulled back into a loose braid and his robes worn and patched. His piercing eyes glimmered with a mix of exhaustion and annoyance. I'm not a visitor. Zara said, stepping forward. I'm here to save Enchantium. Bryn snorted, turning his back to her and rummaging through a pile of scrolls. Enchantium doesn't need saving, it needs to burn.

Speaker 1: 3:12

El glanced at Zara, his expression skeptical. This is the guy you think can help Shut it. Zara hissed before addressing Brynn. We found the blueprints for the nullifier. It's powered by the Heart of Balance. If we don't stop Cyrus, magic is gone for good.

Speaker 1: 3:34

Brynn stiffened but didn't turn around. And what do you expect me to do about it? You worked with him, zara pressed. You know his methods, his weaknesses. You're the only one who can help me build something to counter his tech. Brynn's shoulders slumped and he let out a bitter laugh. I'm the one who helped him create it in the first place.

Speaker 1: 4:03

The room fell silent. Zara blinked, stunned what Brynn turned to face her guilt etched deeply into his face. Years ago, before Cyrus became what he is, I mentored him. He was brilliant, curious, but reckless. He wanted to build machines that could contain magic, control it. I thought. I thought I could guide him, teach him balance. Instead, I gave him the tools to destroy everything. Sounds like a fun guy, el, muttered. Brynn ignored him, looking directly at Zara. You don't understand. I created the first prototypes for the nullifier. It's my fault. He's doing this.

Speaker 1: 4:53

Zara's expression softened, but her tone remained firm. That doesn't mean you can just sit here and let him win. Brynn shook his head. I've already caused enough harm. Find someone else to clean up the mess. Arlo, who had been silently floating nearby, chimed in. You're not exactly winning. Mentor of the year. Brynn Not helping Arlo, zara snapped.

Speaker 1: 5:27

Before Zara could argue further, a loud hum filled the air, the walls of the tower vibrated and a glowing red light spilled through the windows. Drones, el muttered, peering outside. Great Looks like they tracked us. Tracked you, zara corrected, grabbing her grappling hook. Brynn sighed this tower is warded. They can't enter, but they'll hover out there until they're satisfied you're dead. Well, that's comforting, el said dryly. Zara glanced at Brynn. We're not leaving without your help. Then you'd better figure out how to deal with those. Brynn said, gesturing to the swarm of drones gathering outside. With a resigned sigh, zara grabbed El by the arm. Come on, if he's not going to help us, we'll have to handle this ourselves.

Speaker 1: 6:32

The pair launched out of the tower and back into the bustling sky markets. The drone spotted them immediately, firing off blue energy pulses that sent vendors scattering. Zara swung from platform to platform using her grappling hook while L struggled to keep up. This is insane, he shouted, dodging a blast. It's called ingenuity. Zara yelled back, flinging a small enchanted device at one of the drones. The device latched on, sparking with magic and the drone spiraled out of control. L ducked behind a floating stall and pulled out a sleek handheld device. Okay, let's see if this works. He hacked into a nearby drone, his fingers flying across the screen. The drone hesitated mid-air, then turned toward its companions Ha Got one. L exclaimed grinning.

Speaker 1: 7:34

The hijacked drone careened into another, causing a fiery explosion. El pumped his fist, but his victory was short-lived as his drone began spinning wildly. Uh, I think I broke it. Try not to crash it into me. Zara shouted, dodging another blast. Arlo floated beside them, flickering cheerfully. If you two could stop bickering for five seconds, you might survive this.

Speaker 1: 8:11

The chaos intensified as Zara, el and Arlo darted through the maze of floating platforms. Zahra, el and Arlo darted through the maze of floating platforms, weaving between magical merchants, enchanted bridges and panicked shoppers. Back in his tower, brynn watched the chase through a crystal window, his expression grim, he muttered to himself Fools, they're going to get themselves killed. The image of Zahra's determined face flashed in his mind. She reminded him of Cyrus before his fall, full of hope and ambition, but without the hubris. Brynn sighed heavily, grabbing his staff from the corner of the room. This is a terrible idea. With a flick of his wrist, he activated a portal rune stepping through the sky.

Speaker 1: 9:08

Markets were in chaos. Drones darted through the glowing stalls, firing energy blasts that shattered enchanted pottery and sent magical creatures fleeing in every direction. Zara swung from platform to platform, her grappling hook glowing faintly. As it latched onto the edge of a hovering vendor's cart, el stumbled behind, barely keeping up clutching his hacking device as though it were a lifeline. You know? L shouted, dodging another blast. I thought fairies were supposed to be I don't know dainty and graceful. Zara twisted mid-swing, flipping to land on a higher platform, and I thought hackers were supposed to be good at hacking. Below them, a drone spiraled out of control thanks to L's earlier attempt to commandeer it. The damaged machine swerved dangerously close to a bridge of glowing runes, sending shoppers scrambling. Hey, I got one. L said, grinning triumphantly. You hacked one. Zara corrected you also just took out someone's bread stall. A frustrated vendor shouted curses in a language neither of them understood Details. L muttered, ducking as another drone fired in their direction. Arlo zipped between them, flickering erratically as its sarcasm processor kicked into high gear. If this is your idea of teamwork, I'd suggest a new strategy. Stop existing.

Speaker 1: 10:54

High above, on a secluded balcony of his tower, bryn Ember watched the chaos unfold. His piercing eyes flicked between Zara's determined movements and El's clumsy but resourceful attempts to fight back. You're both fools, bryn muttered, gripping his staff. He glanced back at his cluttered workshop, his gaze lingering on a series of blueprints scattered across the table. They depicted the early designs of a device horrifyingly similar to Cyrus' nullifier, a design he had once believed could harness magic for good. I should have stopped this years ago, brynn whispered, guilt weighing heavily on him.

Speaker 1: 11:44

As if on cue, one of the drones fired a blast that sent Zara tumbling off a platform. Her wings fluttered frantically, but the force of the hit left her disoriented. El shouted her name, but he was too far to reach her. Damn it. Brynn growled. He raised his staff, muttering an incantation under his breath. Runes glowed along the shaft and a wave of shimmering energy rippled through the air. In an instant, zara was enveloped in a soft golden glow. Her fall slowed and she landed gently on a lower platform, dazed but unharmed. She looked up, her gaze locking onto Brynn as he stepped through a glowing portal and onto the platform beside her. Through a glowing portal and onto the platform beside her. You're welcome, brynn said gruffly. About time, zara muttered, brushing herself off. I was starting to think you'd let me splat, just to prove a point. Don't tempt me. Brynn replied spinning his staff.

Speaker 1: 12:59

A pulse of energy shot out, disabling two nearby drones in a burst of sparks, with Brynn now in the fight, the tide began to turn. His mastery of magical wards and precise blasts of energy created openings for Zara and El to counterattack. Zara lobbed an enchanted smoke bomb from her pouch, filling the air with a shimmering mist that confused the drone's targeting systems. L Now, she shouted. L grinned, crouching behind a fallen stall and furiously typing on his hacking device. One by one, the drones froze mid-air, their glowing red lights flickering as he rewrote their directives. Gotcha L said, standing triumphantly as the drones turned on each other. The sight of them crashing into one another drew a round of cheers from the magical vendors. Not bad for a tech geek, zara admitted grudgingly. Not bad yourself, for a glitter addict. El shot back. Arlo hovered between them, its glowing orb flickering as if it were laughing. Oh, this is adorable. Can we get back to the part where we're not being chased? Brynn stepped forward, his expression as grim as ever. This isn't over. Cyrus will know what you've done and he'll send more than just drones next time. Then help us stop him. Zara said her tone firm. Brynn hesitated, his grip tightening on his staff. The weight of his guilt was palpable. But he couldn't deny what he had just witnessed Zara's inventions, el's quick thinking. They reminded him of the potential he had once seen in Cyrus before everything fell apart. Finally, he sighed Fine, but if we're doing this, we're doing it my way.

Speaker 1: 15:12

Far above, in the cold metallic halls of Skyspire, cyrus watched the scene unfold on a holographic screen. His expression was calm, but his glowing cybernetic eye pulsed faintly, betraying his growing irritation. So the old fool decided to come out of hiding. Cyrus murmured. I should have known of hiding. Cyrus murmured I should have known.

Speaker 1: 15:46

The lieutenant standing behind him shifted uncomfortably. Should we send reinforcements? Sir Cyrus waved a hand dismissively. No, let them think they've won this round. The more they fight, the more desperate they'll become, and desperation, he smiled coldly, leads to mistakes. He turned to the screen displaying the heart of balance, encased in a glowing containment unit in the depths of Skyspire. The relic pulsed faintly, its energy visibly draining. It's only a matter of time before the heart breaks completely, cyrus said. And when it does, there will be no magic left to save. The air in the sky markets was still thick with the scent of burned circuits and pixie dust.

Speaker 1: 16:35

As Zara El and Brynn regrouped in a hidden alcove beneath a floating platform, arlo's orb flickered nervously, its usually sarcastic tone, replaced by an uncharacteristic quiet. That was too close. Zara muttered, examining the scorch marks on her jacket. She shot Brynn a look. Thanks for the save, but don't think this means you get to bail on us jacket. She shot Brynn a look. Thanks for the save, but don't think this means you get to bail on us again.

Speaker 1: 17:05

Brynn leaned heavily on his staff, his eyes distant. I'm not bailing, but you need to understand something. Cyrus is ten steps ahead of us. He's always been like that. He'll anticipate every move we make. Then we don't make the moves he expects. L said, still catching his breath. His confidence seemed forced, but he held up his hacking device. I've got fragments of his nullifier blueprints. If we can piece it together, we can figure out how to counter it, and we'll need to move fast. Zara added Cyrus isn't just targeting magic, he's targeting the balance that keeps this city alive. Brynn's grip on his staff tightened, guilt flashing across his face. Then let's get to work before there's nothing left to save. The trio set off the weight of their mission heavier than ever. Tune in for new episodes weekly.