The afternoon light filtered through my bedroom windows, painting the walls in a warm hue. Determination and excitement filled my thoughts as I looked at my great invention with pride… a single-line spell.
I had been studying non-stop for three days, trying to understand the structure of basic arcane runes. My notes were full of circles, arrows, failed combinations, and exclamation marks marked by frustration. But today… today everything started to make sense.
Miss Maple's words echoed in my head:
"A single-line spell is more than a formula: it is a magical sentence, a pure intention channeled through the unicorn's soul. The runes must be felt, not just understood."
I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath. I felt the magical current flow through my body, like a luminous breeze from within. I no longer tried to force the connection with the runes; this time, I let them come to me.
In front of me, on the desk, I drew a small circle with my magic. Inside it, I traced three key runes: Light, Presence, and Coronation. Then I added one more, one I had found in an old, worn-edged book: Elevation, the symbol of ascent and revelation.
My horn sparked. The energy condensed along the line connecting the runes. My heart beat faster. I knew I was close.
The magic began to move within the circle, like old, rusty gears slowly grinding back to life. And finally, the energy flowed… and the spell was released.
In that moment, the air grew lighter. The spell no longer resisted my magic. Its purpose had been fulfilled. The magical circle was no longer needed.
I opened my eyes. There, in the mirror, my reflection stared back… but what caught my attention was the halo. A halo of light floated above my head.
"I did it," I whispered, a mix of disbelief and pride in my voice.
My first single-line spell.
I rushed to the mirror and stared in awe. The halo wasn't just a symbol of light; it was proof of what I could accomplish if I truly connected with magic. It wasn't an illusion. It wasn't borrowed. It was mine.
That little glowing circle became, for a few minutes, the center of my world. Not out of vanity, but because of what it meant: the promise of all I had yet to discover.
And so, with the halo still floating above me, I knew I was ready for more.
After a while, I let the halo fade when I noticed the time. I was running late. I quickly tidied up my desk, rolled up my scrolls and put them in place, cleaned the ink off my quills and wiped the blotches off the desk. I also dumped all the paper scraps into the trash bin, or Mom would scold me.
Excited, I hurried down the stairs.
"Don't run on the stairs!" Mom shouted from her room.
"Sorry! But I'm late to meet Flash and Lyra!" I replied quickly, slowing my pace. I could try using Flash to teleport to the door, but I wasn't confident enough to use it again yet.
"Alright, sweetheart. Be careful. If anything worries you, go to the royal guards stationed at the park," Mom said, poking her head out and waving when she saw me at the door.
The park was the same place we always met. I trotted the whole way there. Some adults greeted me, especially the shop owners who often saw me going to and from school. I waved back but didn't slow down.
Canterlot was as lively as ever, so I weaved between ponies with agility, slipping through the little spaces only a colt could manage.
"Excuse me! Coming through!" I said, signaling with my hoof where I planned to pass.
"Easy, speedster! Don't crash!" joked a royal guard watching the carriage traffic.
When I got to the park, I headed straight to the one giant magical tree with bright orange leaves. From a distance, I could already see Flash lying down, watching the clouds.
I walked up with a grin.
"Hey, Flash!"
"Wiz!" He sat up quickly and we bumped fists with energy. "Great to see you, buddy! You're looking… shinier than usual."
I chuckled a little. If only you knew…
Before I could answer, a familiar voice came through laughter.
"I knew you'd both be here!" Lyra popped out from the bushes, practically bouncing with excitement. "Flash! It's been forever!"
Flash opened his arms for a quick hug. Lyra tried to lift him.
"Uunh!" But she gave up quickly; physical strength wasn't her thing.
"Lyra! Wow, are you taller, or is it just the new hairstyle?"
"Both!" she said proudly, puffing out her chest like she wanted to prove she was the tallest among us.
We sat in a circle under the shade of the tree. The grass was fresh and smelled of new flowers. Flash broke the silence first with his usual energy.
"Flight camp this year was wild. Little pegasi everywhere, some so slow it looked like they were falling with style. It was fun, but frustrating trying to keep up with them."
"Sounds intense!" said Lyra. "Were you assigned to train with the slowest ones?"
"Yeah. I think they wanted to test my patience… and to slow me down a bit. " He made a face and shrugged. "I guess I learned something, though not what they probably intended."
"Wow!" I said. "Still sounds like a great experience. Nothing like flying every day."
"Yeah, especially the view," he replied with a soft smile.
"I've got something cool to share too," Lyra chimed in. "I made a new friend outside of school! Her name's Bon Bon. I met her at her family's candy shop, and she's so sweet. She even taught me how to make cinnamon candy!"
"Cinnamon? Not my favorite flavor," Flash said, sticking out his tongue.
"Hey! I like it! That's an insult to me!" Lyra playfully punched his shoulder.
"I was thinking about bringing her over sometime so you two can meet. She's super friendly and sweet — just like the sweets she makes!" Lyra waved her arms excitedly, swaying side to side.
"Uhm… we could meet her later, but we'll need to plan it," I said, thinking about how someone managed to catch Lyra's attention, considering how picky she was with friends. Twilight, Flash, and I were her closest circle, even though she took music classes on weekends and hadn't befriended any of the fillies there.
"I'm fine meeting her, but I'm not promising we'll be best friends. As long as she's not a noble snob, it'll be fine… I'm just jealous of you two," Flash suddenly changed the subject, leaning back on his hooves and staring at the sky.
"Why?" I asked, a little surprised.
"Because you go to a real school. I'm stuck at the magical primary school in Canterlot, full of noble kids who think flying fast ruins their uniforms. Pfff. They only care about their hairstyles. We just study basic math and history… not to mention the awful calligraphy classes."
"I get it, I went through something similar. There's not much we can do about it. At least we can still meet up like this," Lyra said with a smile.
"Cheer up, Flash! Your school ends earlier, so you have more time to come here and fly. Honestly, you wouldn't enjoy our school. You're not a fan of magic or theory. If you struggled training with slow colts, our place would be your personal nightmare. Even if you were with us, we'd be in separate classes. This way is better—focus on what you're good at," I said, trying to cheer him up, though I wasn't sure my words helped. Encouraging others isn't my strongest trait.
"Thanks. It's just something that's been on my mind lately. It's not a big deal… although my hoof does hurt from writing so many letters. Let's hang out more so I don't suffer alone!" Flash held his right hoof, letting it hang like it was broken.
Laughter filled the air. It was like no time had passed since we earned our Cutie Marks. It hadn't been long, but each of us had already started to grow. We all had goals in mind.
Then, I felt it was the perfect moment.
"I've got something to share too," I said, sitting up straighter with a proud smile. "Today I made my first single-line spell."
"What!?" Lyra nearly choked. "Seriously? That's super advanced! We've only learned three magical formulas, and none of them connect to form a spell!"
"What did you make?" she asked, scooting closer.
"A light halo. A manifestation spell. I used the runes for Light, Presence, Coronation, and Elevation."
Lyra stared at me like I had just claimed to speak to the stars. Literally.
"That's amazing! Is the magic circuit stable?"
"Yeah… and it was beautiful," I answered, my voice softening.
Flash nudged me playfully but looked surprised when I stopped his motion with my hoof.
"I don't understand any of that, but congrats, Wiz. Sounds like a big step… and nice reflexes. Are you working out as well as playing with magic?"
"Hey!" I laughed. "Magic is a workout… but yeah, I guess I needed more movement. I exercise with my dad after school now."
"Don't look at me. I've got music classes, no time for exercise. In the future, if I need muscles, I'll call one of you," Lyra laughed proudly.
We stayed there a while longer, sharing stories, laughing, talking about the future… and the past. Beneath that tree, with the two of them by my side, I realized it didn't matter how brilliant the magic we discovered might be.
What made it truly special was having someone to share it with.
After saying goodbye to Flash and Lyra, I took the path home with a smile I couldn't wipe off my face. There was still sunlight in the sky, painting Canterlot's rooftops in warm, golden hues. It was the weekend, so there was no pressure from homework or urgent magical duties, and the fresh air filled me with energy.
As soon as I stepped through the door, the scent of cinnamon and lavender welcomed me. Mom always filled the house with relaxing fragrances when she had free time, and it seemed today was one of those days.
"I'm home!" I called, dropping my small magic satchel by the coat rack.
"Hi, sweetheart!" Mom answered from the kitchen. "Did you have fun?"
"Lots! Flash and Lyra had so many stories to tell too," I replied, peeking into the dining room where Dad was flipping through an old magical training book, wearing a focused expression.
Dad looked up and smiled.
"And what about you? Anything to share?"
My smile grew even wider.
"Yeah! I managed to create my first one-line spell today!"
They both paused and stared at me, eyes wide. Mom dried her hooves with a kitchen towel and stepped closer.
"One line!?" Dad exclaimed, setting his book down. "Really?"
"Can you show us?" Mom asked, already using that excited tone she always got when I did something special.
I nodded and stood in the center of the living room. I took a deep breath, felt the magic flowing in my chest, and gently let it rise to my horn. Recasting the magic circle was much easier this time. I'd already done it once—doing it again shouldn't be hard… in fact, it should be easier. The mental image of the magic circle was clear now. What used to take effort came naturally. I moved the magic with ease… and there it was: the halo of light appeared above my head, floating with a soft golden glow, pulsing gently.
"Ooooh…" they both said in unison.
*Click!* Dad didn't hesitate to snap a photo. I have no idea when he got the camera.
"It's beautiful," Mom said, her eyes shining.
"And stable," Dad added, studying it. "It doesn't seem to be draining you too much. How did you come up with this combination?"
"It was… like a whisper in my mind. A moment of clarity," I said, still feeling the magic flowing smoothly. "I just felt it. Like something told me the pieces fit. The formulas were hard to understand and implement, but the runes… they felt like parts of a puzzle. And together, they were exactly what I needed."
Dad ruffled my mane affectionately.
"My little wizard's growing up."
Mom hugged me from behind and rested her chin on my head.
"We're so proud of you, Wiz. Most ponies don't pull this off so soon."
"Thanks…" I replied, feeling a warmth stronger than any spell.
After that moment, I headed upstairs to my room. I checked the time—there was still a while before nightfall. Part of me wanted to keep practicing the light spell, but another… had an unfinished challenge.
The cube.
I approached the shelf where I'd stored it earlier today and carefully levitated it down. From the start, I used magic. As I placed it on my desk, the demonic cube reacted as always: it lit up with a bluish pattern on its edges and emitted a low hum.
I had passed level one a few days ago, but level two… that was a different story.
I shut my door and sat in front of it, adjusting my posture and entering a mindful state. The cube flickered as my magic touched it, recognizing me, and the pattern changed to a more complex design. Then the magic field activated: an invisible bubble surrounded the cube, and I immediately felt resistance when I tried to touch it with my hooves.
"No physical contact… only magic," I murmured.
I activated my telekinesis. The field allowed me to lift it magically, but a new problem appeared: a line of energy lit up on the cube, displaying a vibrant color scale. A gauge.
Only a specific amount of magic could pass through the field. Too much, and the cube reset. Too little, and it didn't respond.
I tried for the first time… too little. The cube vibrated, shut down, and returned to its original position.
"Okay, level two's not for slackers," I said with a determined smile.
I tried again. I started increasing the flow, like tightening a delicate string. Too much, and the gauge vibrated again. Reset.
Minutes passed, then an hour, leaving me with only one hour left. My magic kept flowing, and my attempts became more subtle, more calculated. Sometimes I got a little farther before the reset. The real problem was the rhythm of the magical flow—once I had control of the cube and tried to rotate one of its sides, I'd unconsciously send more magic, which pushed past the limit and caused a reset. So I had to gain enough control to maintain a steady pace while gathering enough magical strength inside the field to rotate the cube.
After a few more tries, I noticed that if I kept the magical flow constant while correcting the internal balance of the cube's rotation, it responded with more precision. From there, everything got easier.
Finally, just as the sky began to turn red and violet, the cube completed.
Instead of resetting, the magic field softened, and a line of arcane symbols emerged from its surface, floating in the air like a tiny poem of light. The cube spun on its own, revealing a new face with an inscription I hadn't seen before.
My eyes widened.
"Was that…?" I was speechless.
I had beaten level two.
"Mom! Dad!" I shouted as I raced down the stairs, levitating the glowing cube behind me.
They were both in the living room already, and when they saw me arrive with the cube lit up and the floating symbols—
"Level two? Took you long enough, kiddo," Dad said with a smile.
"Hey! I was focusing on other things! But now I know how to maintain a steady magical flow without losing concentration!"
Mom hugged me tightly, smiling.
"Nuestro pequeño maguito is reaching new heights."
Dad winked at me.
"And this is just the beginning. You've cleared the tutorial."
I sighed happily… until I realized what he meant. It had been a day full of magic, friendship, and achievement. And as I watched the cube spin slowly in front of me, teasing my earlier joy, Stella arrived to cheer me up—and claim some cuddles.
Holding Stella in my chest, she purred softly against my chest. I felt a gentle tug in my magic, like something stretching it slightly. A small current left my horn and drifted toward her for a moment. It worried me, but when I looked at her more closely, I noticed how her gaze was shifting… becoming more like mine.
Her eyes, once a deep onyx with iridescent flecks, began to change. The glow transformed, matching mine: a warm gold, with a soft inner radiance that had always been my signature.
"Stella?" I asked softly, surprised.
She just nuzzled my cheek lovingly, letting out a sweet little trill.
"I think she really liked your eyes," Mom said with a smile.
"Princess Celestia mentioned that her species has that ability," I recalled aloud. "They mimic traits from those they like or who make them feel safe. It's a way of forming bonds… or showing affection."
"So…" Dad chuckled softly. "Not only do you have a magical companion, you've also got a fan of your golden eyes."
"Little copycat…" I whispered, hugging her a little tighter.
Seeing that Stella had chosen to carry a piece of me in her appearance made me feel something special, like we were truly connected—beyond just magic. Like maybe… I was her safe place, too.
Even if our interactions weren't life-changing, just mutual companionship, it's always nice to feel loved. There's no purer love than what you get from a pet—or in this case, a magical family member.