Now with an audio drama produced by truesailorcomet, as well as TVTropes page!

Princess Luna takes on a Night Apprentice, her counterpart to Princess Celestia's Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle. Nova Shine, a wandering unicorn from Canterlot, is given the position for the first time in a thousand years. What neither of them know is that there exists a long and secret history between the positions of the Faithful Student, the Night Apprentice, and a mysterious shadow that seems to keep popping up in Nova's and Twilight's dreams. This shadow, whatever it is, and the dreams it appears in do not bode well, but the Princesses remain tight-lipped about these nightmares.

Nova and Twilight agree to investigate the nightmares themselves, and this mission occupies them for some time. But as they continue their search, their relationship starts to develop into something more than just fellow students. As if to make matters any more chaotic, Trixie Lulamoon arrives on Twilight's doorstep announcing that she, too, has been dealing with nightmare problems.

Finally, there's also the shadow itself. An ancient and dangerous enemy, it has lain dormant for the last thousand or so years. Why it chooses to reveal itself now is anyone's best guess, but unless Twilight and Nova can stop it, there's no telling what will happen to Equestria...

First featured under the old system on 25 November 2013, with occasional reappearances in the new system.
Featured again on 19 November 2022, on its 10th anniversary, and again on 19 November 2023 when the final chapter of the rewrite was published. Many thanks, everyone.

This story is a sequel to The Apprentice, the Student, and the Charlatan

Now with TVTropes page!

It has been four years since Nova Shine and Twilight Sparkle sealed away Envy at the base of the Everfree Vaults and got engaged, and a lot has happened. Nova has been training to become the archmage, Twilight and her friends defeated Cozy Glow, Tirek, and Queen Chrysalis, and now here they stand, with Nova's Ascendancy to come, his and Twilight's wedding (finally) on the horizon, a new apprentice for Nova to teach, and Twilight's coronation as the Ruler of Equestria set for the coming weeks. Though it's time to say goodbye, Nova and Twilight have made their peace with their lot, and are happy to begin a new chapter as they prepare for their new lives ahead of them.

But this happy life, in the midst of upheaval and transition, does not last.

Nova discovers that his old nemesis, whom he had believed sealed away for several years more, has escaped. He also learns she is now seeking out several objects with the potential to cause untold horrors and devastation. With Equestria still reeling form the attacks by Cozy, Chrysalis, and Tirek, Twilight and Nova are forced to leap into action once again, to stop Envy before she can acquire the mythical Gems of Being, and use them to assemble the Crown of Life.

And on top of all of this, Envy isn't the only one who wants to assemble the Crown. Someone else is after it too. And if he acquires all of them, it could mean the true end of all things.

Racing against time and against their enemies, and battling themselves just as much as their foes, Nova and Twilight, his apprentice Bright Gleam, as well as their friends Aegis, Trixie, the Princesses, Star Swirl, and Sharp Eye, have their work cut out for them. They must find these Gems of Being first, or at the very least, keep them out of the hooves of Envy and the other mysterious being, in order to win a battle that will determine the very fate of the entire world, and everyone in it.

Cover art by Winterline13
Chapters 1-2 proofread by Karibela.