“Spike, bring me Advanced Magical Theory, The Encyclopedia of Magic, and my research notes.”
“Not that one. Not that one either. Spike, have you seen my copy of The Sociological Meaning of Pony Society?”
“Not that one either! Never mind. Bring it too. It might come in handy.”
After dinner, Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed with brilliant purple light as dozens of thick books floated through the air.
Spike stood on a ladder with an unsteady stack of books in his arms, looking completely exhausted.
“I don’t get it, Twilight,” Spike said helplessly.
“Do we really need this many books? Are you planning to turn him into a professor overnight?”
“Of course not. This is only the first stage.”
Twilight waved her magic, causing several more books to appear.
“You should understand that Dusk Glow is a genius, but he hasn’t received any systematic education in magic. Studying these books will help him build a proper foundation.”
“Princess Celestia entrusted this responsibility to me because she believes I can guide him.”
Dusk Glow might have considered himself an “ordinary person,” but Twilight had already firmly classified him as a genius.
“But there are so many books,” Spike said.
“Are you sure he’ll be able to get through all of them?”
“I believe in him. With his abilities, I’m certain he can.”
Twilight spoke with complete confidence.
“But even a genius needs proper guidance. Otherwise, talent itself can become dangerous.”
Dusk Glow stared at the mountain of books filling the room.
His eyes widened.
“Wait…”
“Are all of these for me?”
Twilight smiled and nodded.
“That’s right. They’re all here to help you study magic.”
“Dusk Glow, you have an incredible amount of magical potential, but you still need a systematic understanding of how magic works.”
“I believe you’ll gain a great deal from these books.”
Dusk Glow stared at the enormous pile.
Part of him was excited.
He desperately wanted to learn more about magic.
But another part of him was beginning to worry.
How am I supposed to get through all of that?
Spike climbed down from the ladder and gave Dusk Glow a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry. With Twilight helping you, you’ll be fine.”
Twilight used her magic to gently float a copy of Advanced Magical Theory toward Dusk Glow.
“We’ll start with this one.”
Dusk Glow took a deep breath.
He accepted the book and looked at it with determination.
It was time to begin his magical education.
A few hours later, the library had become completely silent.
The only sounds were the soft rustling of pages and the occasional scratching of a quill against parchment.
Spike had gone to bed early.
After all, he was still a young dragon and needed plenty of sleep to grow.
Dusk Glow was slumped over his desk.
His mane was sticking out in every direction, and his eyelids felt as heavy as lead.
The copy of Advanced Magical Theory lying open before him was covered in notes.
Unfortunately, the farther down the page the notes went, the messier they became.
By the final few lines, his handwriting had degenerated into little crooked waves.
This feels like studying for some nightmare exam…
Dusk Glow complained silently.
“Dusk Glow?”
Twilight gently nudged him.
“Are you all right?”
“I… I can keep studying…”
Dusk Glow struggled to lift his head.
His eyes were unfocused.
“It’s just…”
“The formulas keep dancing around…”
Twilight glanced out the window.
The moon had already begun to sink below the horizon.
A faint glow had appeared along the edge of the sky.
“Perhaps that’s enough for tonight.”
She closed the book and softened her voice.
“Learning magic isn’t something you can accomplish all at once. Rest is important too.”
Dusk Glow looked as though he had just been granted a royal pardon.
He immediately collapsed face first onto the desk.
Within moments, a soft snore filled the room.
Twilight blinked.
Then she couldn’t help giggling.
Her horn glowed softly.
A gentle magical light surrounded Dusk Glow, easing the exhaustion from his body.
She then carefully lifted him with her magic and carried him to his bedroom.
After placing him gently on the bed, she pulled the blanket over him.
“Good night, future archmage,” she whispered.
Then she quietly closed the door.
Outside the window, the first rays of dawn slowly crept across the horizon.
A new day was beginning.
And Dusk Glow’s journey into the world of magic was only just getting started.
The next morning, warm sunlight streamed through the library windows, casting patches of golden light across the floor.
The sweet smell of freshly baked pancakes filled the air.
“Mmm… what time is it?”
Dusk Glow sleepily sat up in bed.
He suddenly realized that he was lying in his own bed.
He stretched lazily.
Then he caught the delicious smell drifting through the room.
“What smells so good?”
Spike’s cheerful voice came from outside.
“Breakfast is ready! Blueberry pancakes, apple pie, and fresh carrot juice!”
Dusk Glow’s stomach immediately growled.
He left his bedroom, stopped by the washroom to freshen up, and then headed downstairs to the dining table.
Twilight was using her magic to arrange the dishes.
When she saw Dusk Glow’s wildly messy mane, she couldn’t help laughing.
“Sleep well?”
She smiled.
“You practically fell asleep on top of Advanced Magical Theory last night.”
“Uh…”
Dusk Glow awkwardly scratched his head.
“That book even showed up in my dreams.”
“It chased me around all night.”
Spike burst out laughing and nearly sprayed pancake all over the table.
Twilight simply smiled and used her magic to straighten Dusk Glow’s mane.
“Eat first. I still need to plan today’s lessons.”
“We’re reading all those books again today?”
Dusk Glow casually picked up a sandwich with his hoof and took a bite.
It was sweet.
The petals had a pleasant sweetness from the nectar.
“Not today.”
Twilight used her magic to float a pancake into her mouth.
“I want to test your three-form transformation outdoors. I need to record how your physical abilities change between each form.”
Dusk Glow’s eyes immediately lit up.
Compared to sitting at a desk buried under books, outdoor testing sounded much more fun.
“Really? Then let’s go!”
He quickly finished his sandwich and eagerly urged them along.
Soon, the three of them arrived at a wide open grassy field outside.
Twilight began arranging several pieces of equipment while Spike pulled out his notebook and prepared to record the results.
“All right.”
Twilight used her magic to unfold a huge sheet of parchment.
A complicated magical array had been drawn across its surface.
“We’ll begin with your most stable form, the earth pony.”
Twilight’s horn lit up with brilliant purple magic.
The magical array began to rotate.
A gentle wave of energy swept across the field.
Dusk Glow’s horn gradually disappeared.
His body became sturdier and more powerful.
His earth pony form was complete.
“How does it feel?”
Twilight asked while Spike began recording the data.
Dusk Glow stomped one hoof against the ground.
The earth trembled slightly.
“Whoa!”
“I can feel the strength of the earth!”
He suddenly charged toward a large boulder.
With ease, he lifted it off the ground.
“This is amazing!”
“Good!”
Twilight nodded.
“Now let’s test your running endurance.”
She pressed the timer.
“Three laps around the field!”
Dusk Glow shot forward like an arrow.
His mane streamed behind him in the wind.
Spike had to quickly dodge to avoid the dust cloud kicked up behind him.
“Cough, cough!”
“He’s fast!”
“He’s like a train!”
Next came the pegasus form.
Twilight brought out an anemometer.
Dusk Glow’s back transformed as a pair of powerful wings unfolded.
He gave them a few strong flaps before taking off.
Dusk Glow raced through the sky, weaving effortlessly between the obstacles Twilight had set up.
The needle on the anemometer spun wildly.
His flying speed was astonishing.
“Whoa!”
“He’s almost as fast as a professional flyer!”
Spike quickly scribbled down the results with his quill.
“Flight power: 9.8.”
Once the pegasus test was complete, it was time for the unicorn form.
Dusk Glow’s wings disappeared.
A horn grew from his forehead once again.
He concentrated.
His horn began to glow.
With ease, he lifted a heavy stone into the air.
Twilight nodded with satisfaction.
“Your magical talent is truly remarkable in this form.”
Just then, Twilight heard an energetic voice from behind them.
“Twilight! I finally found you!”