Chapter 1
There's No Time to Explain!
World Destroyed: 0 Times
"Boy am I glad that's over with!" Spike walked through the doorway to the library and headed straight upstairs to his little wicker bed. He climbed in and pulled the covers over his head. "Remind me of today the next time I make such a fuss over not coming on more adventures with you and the girls."
Twilight Sparkle's horn glowed briefly, illuminating the interior of the library with pale violet light as she used her magic to pull the door shut behind her. She shrugged off her saddle bag, which landed on the floor with a thud, then lumbered upstairs and flopped face-first onto her bed with a heavy sigh. There was a moment where she contemplated staying in that position and falling asleep then and there, but she still hadn't finished her book on the subtleties of dragon vernacular, and it certainly wasn't going to read itself.
She tucked her wings in tight and rolled onto her back, where she studied the shadows that danced across the ceiling. "Oh, Spike. I really enjoy it when you're able to come along with us, but after today I must say I know how you feel." A violet aura surrounded one of the books on her desk as it drifted through the air and into Twilight's waiting hooves. She opened the book and flipped through the pages until she reached the spot where she had left off, then started reading as she talked. "There are some nights when it feels like Equestria's in mortal peril pretty much every other day." She took a moment to readjust one of her wings before continuing. "It's like I can't go a single minute without having to do something that can't wait until later."
A series of gentle snores was the only response Twilight received. She moved the book down and peered over the top of it at Spike. The little dragon was out cold, lying on his back with one leg hanging over the edge of the wicker bed, and she couldn't help but feel a bit of envy. Oh, to be a foal again, where the only real worries were what spells you were going to study, and making sure your books were returned to the library on time.
Twilight closed her book and set it on the bedside table.
Why not? she thought. Though the detailed speech patterns and social complexities found within the book fascinated her, there was no rule that said she had to finish reading it tonight. She really should complete it; she wanted to complete it. Her body and mind just needed to take a bit of time off. Just one night getting to bed at a decent hour should be more than enough to rejuvenate her, and besides, she was a princess now. She was pretty certain she could take a night off to relax if she wanted to.
Maybe she should ask Princess Celestia first, just to be sure.
Twilight was contemplating some way of getting a message to the princess without having to wake Spike up when a brilliant burst of light illuminated the interior of the library, momentarily blinding her, followed by a quiet pop.
"Twilight Sparkle!" an authoritative voice boomed. "There's no time to explain, you must travel immediately to the Everfree forest if you are to save Equestria!"
Twilight tried to blink the spots out of her eyesight. "Princess Luna?" she asked hesitantly. She couldn't see the Princess of the Night, but she most certainly heard her. "What's going on? Why are you in my bedroom?" Her ears perked up as she realized something. "Did you say Equestria is in danger?"
Princess Luna grimaced and raised a hoof to her forehead. She then sat slowly on her haunches and gazed at Twilight with a patience born of a thousand years of isolation. "An Evil Lord has stumbled across an ancient magical spell that will destroy the world once it is cast. For reasons beyond my understanding, he has decided he wants to cast it. If you do not stop him, everyone you know and love will die."
"I... what!?" Twilight exclaimed. She sat bolt upright in her bed and stared at the princess. "Does he know how to cast it? How much time do we have to stop him?"
"Yes, he is casting it as we speak, and we have thirty seconds from the time he started."
Twilight blinked. "How long have you been here?" she asked meekly.
"Twenty-seven seconds."
"Oh." Twilight only had a moment to allow that knowledge to sink in before the night sky was illuminated by a brilliant flash of white-hot light that ripped through Equestria and destroyed the world.