The Failing Light Prequel

My name is Render Starfall, and according to history I died some 1132 years ago with the failure of Starswirl the Bearded's final experiment. The truth is somewhat more interesting, although I suppose if you're to understand any of it I'd better start from the beginning…

When I was young I lived with my parents on our farm, working hard and learning about nature and the world around me. I was quick to take up hobbies, curious about everything, and, to my parents frustration, always sought out the new and unusual rather than the tried and true. I could go on and on about the lessons I learned as a colt and how they came back to me during later events, but it wasn't until I started attending school that this story really begins.

See, I joined classes later than most; I was needed on the farm, it was only when my father was able to hire a helping hoof that I was allowed to attend. Perhaps due to this I was an outcast there; being the new colt while everypony knew everypony else certainly did not ease me into the social ranks. At first I was picked on and teased a bit, but after standing up for myself and winning a few playground scuffles I was largely left alone. Thus while my classmates gossiped and discussed the latest trends between lessons, I was left on the outside.

I was not on the outside looking in, however; I was captivated by the amazing new world around me: the lights, the books, the machines, the magic... I was fascinated, and being the curious type I had to know how it all worked. Many a happy afternoon was spent in the small library, learning about magic and history and many, many other things.

As I grew my studies became more focused. While anything new could grab my attention, my greatest interest lay in mechanical devices. What a incredible concept, even today I remember my excitement reading and learning about them for the first time. While any unicorn can use his or her magic to manipulate the world around them, with skill and practice it is possible to build a device that can function without the continuous application of magic on the makers part. Such devices were rare at that time, the most common and familiar being the town's clock, but even at an early age I knew they could do so much more. Not everypony could build such devices however, in order to construct even the simplest a pony had to have a nimble mind and a very delicate touch. Being a unicorn gave me some advantages in that regard, but if I ever wanted to build something of my own rather than just appreciate the work of others I would have to develop very precise control over my abilities...

This is, of course, a difficult point to explain to non-magic types so perhaps an analogy would serve best? Imagine asking an earth pony to tie a complicated knot in a thin cord while wearing boots; the poor pony would know how to tie the knot in their head, know what motions to go through with their hooves, but because of the boots and the size of the string he or she would be unable to even pick up the cord let alone do anything with it. This is how it is when using magic on small parts and pieces of a larger device; you can read what you need to do and learn the motions required, but actually being able to accomplish fine manipulations is a entirely different matter.

Although all unicorns develop the ability to manipulate their surroundings at an early age, as the objects we attempt to manipulate become smaller the task becomes ever so much more challenging. Most never progress beyond being able to hold basic tools and everyday objects like books and quills, and indeed most have no need for more precise control that that. This is why many of the machines that existed at that time were so large and bulky; it's not easy for anypony to make fine devices, then as now.

Fortunately, I had few distractions from such studies. It took several years of dedicated study and practice to be able to control my abilities to the point that I could stack tiny pebbles on top of each other forming a small pattern floating above the floor, and another year or so to learn how to hold that pattern together and remove the pebbles one by one without dropping any. Had I been in a larger school I am certain less primitive instruments would have been used in my quest for precision, but being a small farming town the stones were all that was available and in the end they proved to be adequate.

By the time I entered my 5th year of school I was developing something of a reputation. Actually, I was developing two; one with my teacher who was ever encouraging of my dedication and interest in such a difficult if unusual subject, and reinforcing my reputation among my fellow students for being slightly weird. Regardless, it was generally accepted that I was the most precise practitioner of magic in the schoolhouse although little acclaim went along with such recognition.

It wasn't until the  end of my 6th and final year of schooling that something special happened. I never found out exactly how the connection was made, but one day while I was contently studying a scroll from the far east discussing machines powered by water, I had a visitor; Star Swirl of Elm, known by most simply as Starswirl the Bearded.

Even then he was widely acclaimed as the greatest manipulator Equestria had ever seen; in his youth he had been deeply detached and lost in the ways of magic, going as far as developing his own incantations and spells when none existed to suit his purpose... While any unicorn could theoretically invent a new spell if they were brave enough to risk a failed casting, Starswirl literally invented thousands, many of which are taught even to this day. Legend has it he attended the princesses when they were young, teaching them to be wise and strong rulers over our beautiful land although of course such was impossible; he'd have be over 300 years old if that were the case.

Though perhaps not quite that old, when he came to me he was long into his twilight years, his flowing brown beard long since gone to gray. Although his mind was as sharp as it had ever been, he was no longer as precise in his castings as he once was. This, of course, was exactly why he came for me; word of my dedication and precision had reached him through some channel, and as fate would have it he was about to embark on a new branch of research that would require someone like me to assist him. As he stood before me that day and asked if I would study under him I felt as a pebble might before a mountain.

Naturally, I said yes.