Twilight finally reached the magnificent gates of the School for Gifted Unicorns. She had dreamed of this moment for so long. The tall towers of the school rose high above her into the sky, their gleaming marble facades adorned with intricate ornaments and carvings. No matter where Twilight looked, her eyes discovered another work of art. Twilight knew it couldn't be a dream, for she couldn't have even imagined such artistry. Her mouth was wide open.

As she stepped through the gates, a mixture of awe, wonder, and nervousness overwhelmed her. The ceilings soared many meters high, painted with images of the sky. Elaborately designed stone columns and statues of famous magicians lined the path. Golden chandeliers with magical candles lit the hall.

A stern-looking unicorn stallion in a neat uniform greeted her at the entrance. "Name?" he asked, his voice curt and efficient.

She stared at him for a few moments with wide eyes. "He must be a teacher at the school," she thought. He was tall and powerfully built, with light gray fur and a slicked-back black mane. Traces of age marked his features, but a youthful energy burned behind his eyes.

"Name?" the stallion repeated, now in a slightly more energetic tone.

Twilight stuttered. She had been in the school for maybe ten seconds and had already managed to annoy the first teacher. "T-Twilight," she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper.

He consulted a list and nodded. "Follow me." He led her through the school's grand halls, the walls adorned with portraits of famous graduates and tapestries depicting historical events. Occasionally, they passed by more statues. Twilight's eyes widened as she took in her surroundings, feeling more out of place with each step.

"Everything here exudes so much history and significance," she thought in awe.

Finally, they reached a large red oak door. The stallion nodded and indicated for Twilight to enter the room. Twilight swallowed and approached the door. She pushed it open just a crack and slowly stepped into a vast lecture hall filled with dozens of other young unicorns. Most of them wore fine clothes and exuded a confidence that Twilight found intimidating.

Twilight entered hesitantly. Her eyes searched for an empty seat. Her footsteps echoed lightly on the marble floor as she cautiously moved through the rows. Almost immediately, she felt eyes on her. A few foals in the front row turned to whisper to each other, casting glances her way.

"Who is that?" Twilight heard one foal whisper. "Did you see her clothes?" another foal hissed. "If only it were just that. She must have escaped from a circus," a third foal replied. "She probably comes from the lower district," the first foal said somewhat haughtily.

Twilight tried to ignore the comments, but the words still stung.

Twilight was a relatively small, delicate unicorn. Her mane was neatly cut and of a dark, almost black shade that had a bluish shimmer in certain light. Two differently colored purple streaks ran through her hair. Her horn was unusually long and sharp, proudly protruding from her forehead. It was dark purple to match her coat but lightened towards the tip. Her eyes shone with an intense magenta, expressing a fierce curiosity. Her coat was as dark purple as the base of her horn and was matted and thin due to lack of care. Her dark overall appearance was complemented by her sharp teeth, which were only noticeable upon closer inspection and had often caused a stir and mockery.

"They only see the outside," Twilight thought. "They have no idea who I really am."

Her thoughts drifted briefly as she remembered how many hours she had spent secretly reading and learning, how many nights she had pored over books by the dim light of a candle. How she had snuck through the streets under the cover of darkness to obtain books or practice her magic. "I'm not here to hide. I'm here to prove myself."

Finally, Twilight found a solitary seat on the edge of the room and sat down, hoping not to attract much more attention. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I will prove to them that I am just as good as they are."

Shortly thereafter, the teacher from earlier entered the room and stared expectantly at the examinees. The room was quiet except for the faint rustling of paper and the distant hum of the magical lighting. He tapped a hoof on the podium to gain the attention of those present.

"Welcome, young unicorns," he began in a firm voice that echoed through the room. "My name is Professor Lumens. You are all here because you believe you have the potential to become a great magician. I am pleased to see so many attentive and eager faces. The exams ahead will test your abilities and knowledge. I expect nothing less than your best."

Twilight listened attentively as Professor Lumens explained the exact procedure of the exam. "Your exam is divided into two parts. First, you will take a written exam," he explained. "There, you will demonstrate your knowledge and ability to understand complex issues, analyze problems, and solve them. I wish you the best of luck."

His horn glowed, and he began distributing exam sheets, quills, ink, and paper to the examinees. Once Professor Lumens had handed out the materials to each of the present examinees, he spoke again. "You have 165 minutes to complete the exam. I recommend you use this time effectively. You may now begin the exam."

With this statement, the foals began to turn over their exam sheets and read them intently. Twilight looked at the exam sheet in front of her. Her heart pounded wildly, and her breathing became frantic. The questions seemed to stare back at her from the page as if challenging her. Her quill hovered uncertainly in the air as her thoughts raced.

"What if I'm not good enough?" The thought drilled into her mind. "What if all the others are right and I don't belong here?" She looked around and noticed the confident faces of the other examinees. Their elegant clothing and posture exuded a confidence she herself did not feel. "I have only this one chance to escape a life of poverty," she thought.

Twilight firmly grasped her quill and began to read the questions carefully. She tried to block out her surroundings and self-doubt, focusing only on the here and now. The rustling of quills and the scratching on paper from the other examinees slowly faded into the background. The first questions were more difficult than expected, but Twilight did not let herself be deterred. She knew that all the nights of studying and practicing had not been in vain.

With each question she answered, she felt a tiny spark of hope ignite. "I can do this. There is too much at stake to fail here." The thought of one day becoming a great magician and standing beside Celestia filled her with new energy. She imagined what it would be like to impress the other examinees and teachers, finally receiving the respect and recognition she so desperately desired.

Time passed faster than she had expected. Some of the questions were challenging and required much thought, but she did not give up. Slowly, her thoughts became sluggish, and it was exhausting to keep writing. She collected herself briefly and looked at the exam sheet. She had already answered more than half of the questions. As she looked around, she saw the other foals working diligently on their questions. Some of them, like her, took a short break and looked around.

With each additional sentence she wrote, her determination solidified. "I must not give up now," she admonished herself. "I must stay focused and give my best." The thoughts of the orphanage and Silver filled her mind. She would escape from there.

When the time for the written exam expired, Twilight put down her quill and took a deep breath. She had given her best and could only hope that it was enough. Slowly, she calmed down again. She no longer even noticed how nervous she had been. She looked around and noticed that the other examinees had also put down their quills.

After a few more minutes, Professor Lumens stepped back to the podium and tapped a hoof loudly on the wood to gain the attention of the examinees. "The time for the written exam is now over," he announced. "Please put down your quills and remain seated while I collect the exam papers."

His horn began to glow again, and one by one, he collected the exam papers and filed them away. Twilight's heart was still racing, but she also felt relieved. The first part of the exam was over.

"Now we come to the second part of the exam." Some exam assistants entered the hall and stood behind Professor Lumens. Each of the exam assistants carried a banner with a number on it. "Each of you will find a card with a number on it at your seat. I ask you to stand up in the order called and follow the pony with the corresponding banner," he said to the foals.

Twilight looked at her table and discovered a small card with a beautifully drawn two on it in the right corner. Her heart rate accelerated again, this time from a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She scanned the ponies at the front of the lecture hall and spotted a white unicorn mare with a pink mane and a matching banner.

"The examinees with the number one may now stand up and follow the dear Aetherlight."

The pony with the banner marked with a one stepped forward and waited until all the foals with the corresponding number had come down. Then he turned and left the room through the right door. The foals followed him closely behind.

Twilight observed the scene and tried to calm her nerves. Soon, it would be her turn. "It can't be long now," she thought, looking at the white mare holding the banner with the two. She could hear the whispers of the other foals discussing their own strategies and hopes for the practical part of the exam.

Some of the examinees continued to cast skeptical glances at her. Twilight tried to ignore these and instead focus on the upcoming challenge.

When the last group had left the room, Professor Lumens raised his voice again. "Now the examinees with the number two are up."

Twilight felt her legs tremble as she stood up and made her way forward. The white unicorn mare with the banner smiled encouragingly at her, which brought a hesitant smile to Twilight's face. Along with Twilight, nine other foals came down, including two of the foals who had made fun of her earlier. Once the small group had gathered around the mare, she opened her mouth. "Please follow me, yes," she said gently and led the group through the left door.

The foals formed a line and followed the white mare down a wide corridor decorated like the rest of the school with paintings, statues, plants, and other artworks. The smell of lavender and old books hung in the air, and the light streaming through the tall windows bathed everything in a warm, golden glow.

On the way to the next exam, Twilight tried to calm herself by going over in her head what might come up in the practical exam and how she would handle it. She imagined successfully mastering the tasks, but the nervousness remained.

Suddenly, she was pulled out of her thoughts when one of the other foals spoke to her from behind. "Hey, you there, from the lower district, right?" The voice was full of arrogance and mockery.

Twilight turned and looked into the eyes of a light blue filly with perfectly groomed fur and a chic red uniform with a golden crest on it. Her gaze was disdainful, and her lips twisted into a mocking grin. "Yes, what is it?" Twilight asked cautiously, trying to stay calm.

"Why are you even here? You must know that someone like you has no chance. I bet you didn't even have a private tutor," the filly said in a tone as if discussing the weather. "I'm surprised you can even write. Do you really think you have a chance here?" She laughed softly, and another foal, her friend from earlier, joined in.

Twilight felt her stomach knot. She wanted to retort something clever, but her insecurity made her silent. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and said quietly but firmly, "Unlike you, I wasn't born into this. But I've worked hard and earned my place. I don't need a private tutor."

The light blue filly's face twisted into a smug smile. "We'll see how far you get. I wouldn't be surprised if you ran crying to your loser parents."

Twilight felt her anger rising. Her ears twitched nervously, and she began to stomp harder as she walked. But she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't afford to stand out negatively now.

Before the situation could escalate further, the white unicorn mare stopped in front of a large double door. "We're here," she announced.

In front of them was a massive metal door with the royal seal on it. The mare used her magic, and the massive door creaked open slightly, revealing an impressive arena. Magical devices and obstacles were already set up, and the air was filled with a palpable energy. On the other side, important-looking unicorns sat on a podium, overseeing everything. Twilight took in her surroundings while her heart began to pound again.

The white unicorn mare turned to the group. "This is the practical part of the exam," she explained with a clear, soothing voice. "Each of you will take turns solving various tasks. I will call the order."

Twilight took a deep breath to calm her nerves. "I will make it," she told herself inwardly, her gaze fixed on the upcoming tasks. "I have no other choice."

The mare began calling the names of the foals. The tension in the group was palpable, each foal ready to prove themselves. When Twilight finally heard her name, she stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the challenges ahead. It was time to prove her skills.

Once the mare had called all the foals names, she paused briefly to lead the group into the arena and to the first task. The arena reminded Twilight a bit of a coliseum. It was circular and vast, with a diameter of at least a hundred meters. The roof was open, but a magical barrier ensured no rain could fall in. The high walls were made of polished marble, and archways and tribunes surrounded the arena. The tribunes were covered with fine fabrics, and numerous ornate decorations adorned the structure. Twilight even spotted some spectators in the high seats of the tribunes. Twilight could feel the expectant gazes of the examiners and spectators.

Suddenly, the mare stopped about ten meters from the podium with the examiners and pointed to a small glass table with a black box on it. "The first test will take place here," she said in a calm but firm voice. "For this test, you will demonstrate your magical control and precision. In front of you is a box with 100 small glass marbles, each with a slightly different weight. Additionally, the box contains a stack of cards depicting various geometric shapes. Your task will be to lift as many marbles as possible and have them float in the pattern shown on the card."

Twilight let her gaze drift over the other foals. She didn’t miss the confident stance that many of them displayed. They stood there, hooves firmly planted on the ground, heads held high, as if this were just another routine exercise for them. A hint of envy crept up inside her. "They probably had private tutors or at least attended special preparation courses. They probably know this exam inside and out."

Twilight felt a knot in her stomach. "Oh, why am I so nervous?" Fighting against the wave of insecurity, she took a deep breath. "I only had the old books... but I made the most of them. It has to be enough. Stay focused, Twilight." She clenched her teeth as she tried to calm the storm in her mind, forcing herself to put on a determined face.

The mare gave an encouraging smile and stepped back. "Dreamweaver, you are first."

The light blue filly from earlier stepped forward confidently and walked to the table with the box. She picked up a card and held it high for everyone to see. A glowing pyramid shape appeared above her head, matching the pattern on the card. Dreamweaver set the card aside, lit her horn, and began to grasp ten of the glass marbles.

With remarkable ease, she formed the outer edge of the pyramid with the ten marbles and had them float in the air. Gradually, she added more marbles, her expression concentrated and focused. At 34 marbles, she began to sweat, and her movements became slightly uneven.

"She's slowly reaching her limits. The movements of the marbles are becoming more erratic." Twilight narrowed her eyes, focusing all her attention on Dreamweaver's aura. She noted every tiny change with precision. It was fascinating: the aura enveloped each marble in the same way, regardless of its size or weight.

"Interesting." Twilight's thoughts raced. "She's using the exact same amount of energy for each marble, even though it should take significantly more effort to control the larger ones." Twilight furrowed her brow slightly as the scene continued to unfold before her. "That probably makes the exercise easier for her. If she doesn't have to focus on the different weights, she can apply her energy more evenly."

At 37 marbles, Dreamweaver finally lost control, and the marbles clattered to the ground.

The examiners immediately looked away and began taking notes. The white mare quickly gathered the fallen marbles and placed them back in the black box. "Thirty-seven. Not bad, you can be proud of yourself," she said in a friendly tone.

One by one, the foals stepped forward and did their best in the test. Most managed to move fifteen to twenty-five marbles accurately. Some showed impressive skills, while others were noticeably nervous and clumsy. Twilight oversaw each performance and tried to devise her own strategies. Unfortunately, Twilight had never had the opportunity to practice her magic in such a way. While the others had long prepared for such an exercise, this was Twilight's first time using her magic for such precise movements.

"Next is Twilight Sparkle," said the white mare, her gaze falling on Twilight.

Twilight felt all eyes on her. With a deep breath, she stepped forward. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, and her breathing quickened. It felt like her heart was at the bottom of the ocean, fighting against immense pressure.

Standing before the table, she picked up one of the cards and showed it to the examiners. A complex star shape appeared above her head, its many edges and points looking both beautiful and intimidating to Twilight.

"A piece of cake," she said in an uncertain tone as she set the card aside and lit her horn with her magenta magic. Slowly, she lifted the first marbles from the box, her magic gently enveloping them. Twilight felt the different weights of the individual marbles, but tried to divide her aura evenly between the marbles, as she had seen Dreamweaver do. Lifting them was easy, but arranging each one in the pattern proved difficult. Her forehead began to sweat, and she bit her lip in concentration.

The first ten marbles were still relatively easy to fit into the shape, but with each additional marble, it became increasingly difficult for Twilight to focus on the pattern and maintain control. Slowly and carefully, she added one marble after another, careful not to lose control. The star shape became more complete. As she added the thirtieth marble, she felt her strength slipping. Sweat dripped from her forehead, and her magic wavered briefly, but she persevered, her determination giving her the necessary strength.

At the thirty-fifth marble, the movements of the marbles became more uneven. Twilight felt her head pounding from the effort, but she focused even more intensely and forced the marbles to stay in the star shape. Finally, she reached the fortieth marble and held the complex star shape stable for a few seconds before collapsing from exhaustion and letting the marble fall to the ground.

The sound of the examiners' quills scratching on paper could be heard as Twilight took a step back and breathed deeply. She had given her best, and even if her result wasn't perfect, she had managed to outperform the arrogant foal from earlier.

"You did very well," said the white mare, smiling reassuringly at Twilight.

Twilight returned a weak smile and rejoined the other foals. Her legs felt shaky, but she was relieved to have completed the first task. As she waited for the next task, she occasionally glanced at the examiners, who continued to take notes diligently.

After all the foals had completed the first test, the white mare stepped forward again. "You all did very well. You can be proud of yourselves." Her smile was almost infectious. "In the next test, you will each demonstrate your magical power," she explained, producing a smaller black box. "Each foal will have a metal ring placed on their horn," she said, opening the black box to reveal ten metal rings. "These rings are magical suppressors that make casting spells significantly more difficult." Next, she placed ten identical metal spheres one meter apart in a line. "Your task will be to hold a ten-kilogram metal sphere in the air. Every ten seconds, the suppressor ring's power will double. After sixty seconds, the suppression ring reaches its maximum power. Very few foals manage to last the full minute, so don't be disheartened if you don't make it to the end," she said with an encouraging smile.

Some foals looked nervous, while others nodded confidently. Twilight felt her stomach knot again. A magical suppressor ring? She could only hope her magic was strong enough. This test would be a real challenge. She watched as the first foals stepped forward and had the metal ring placed on their horns.

Dreamweaver was first again. The light blue filly stepped forward, donned the metal ring, and her horn began to glow with a faint violet aura. The ten-kilogram metal ball before her hesitantly lifted into the air. The effort was evident on Dreamweaver's face, but she held the ball for nearly forty seconds before collapsing, exhausted and panting to the ground.

One by one, the foals stepped forward and did their best. Some barely managed to hold the ball for more than a few seconds, while others struggled to the forty-second mark. The tension in the air was palpable. Many knew this exercise could mean their end.

Finally, it was Twilight's turn. She stepped forward, and the metal ring was placed on her horn. Immediately, she felt the magical suppression like a heavy weight on her head. With a deep breath, she lit her horn. Her magenta aura was dimmed, and small sparks shot from her horn, but after a short time, Twilight could adjust to the magical suppressor, and her aura stabilized.

With trembling concentration, she lifted the metal ball before her into the air. The first thirty seconds passed surprisingly quickly, but soon she began to sweat. The magical blockade felt like wading through thick mud. Her forehead shone with effort, and she clenched her teeth.

The seconds ticked by agonizingly slowly. Twilight could feel the gazes of the other foals on her, but she did not let herself be distracted. "I can do this," she said aloud this time, pumping extra power into her horn. Her aura around the horn began to glow more intensely, and the runes on the suppressor ring became visible. Tension built, and the examiners watched her with expectant eyes. Twilight mobilized her last reserves. After fifty seconds, she was still standing, her magic firmly holding the ball.

After sixty seconds, Twilight was sweating profusely, but the ball remained unchanged in the air as if destined to stay there. An amazed murmur went through the examiners. When the exam assistant said it was rare for a foal to hold out for the full sixty seconds, she did not lie. Even talented adult unicorns would struggle to keep the ball in the air for that long.

Twilight felt the increasing exhaustion, but she forced herself to maintain control. The last seconds felt like an eternity. Finally, as the magical pressure became unbearable, her body gave in. With a final powerful burst, she let the ball fall, which hit the ground with a loud thud.

At the moment the ball touched the ground, the magical aura around Twilight's horn faded, and she fell to the ground, exhausted. Her legs gave way, and her vision blurred as she listened to the shocked exclamations of the examiners. The white mare immediately rushed over, her eyes full of concern.

"Are you all right?" she called out, removing the suppressor ring from Twilight's horn. The cool touch of the metal vanished, and Twilight felt her own magical energy slowly returning.

"I'm fine," Twilight said as she struggled to get back on her hooves. "How long did I hold out?"

The mare stared at Twilight with incredulous eyes. "She doesn't even know what she just did," the mare thought in amazement. Then, a familiar smile formed on her muzzle. "You held out for sixty-eight seconds. That must be a new record for the entrance exam."

Twilight's eyes lit up, and she nodded weakly, trying to calm her breathing. Her legs were still trembling, but a spark of pride filled her. The other foals stared at her, some with admiration, others with obvious envy or resentment.

After Twilight had recovered briefly, she rejoined the other foals. It wasn't long before this test was over as well, and the white mare stepped forward again. "Now that you have demonstrated your magical strength, we move on to the next test," she said with a smile. "Now it's time for you to show us that you can cast more complex spells than simple levitation." A mischievous grin spread across her face. "Some would say this is the most important test."

The mare led the group to another area of the arena, where several tables with apples on them were set up. "Your task will be to transform an apple into something else. We are also testing your creativity here, so transform the apple into whatever you like."

The foals slowly walked to the individual tables and stood before the apples. Twilight's thoughts began to race. Transmogrification? She had read about such a spell but had never practiced or paid much attention to it. It seemed too risky to her. She began to sweat again as she stood before her apple.

The first foals began their spells. Twilight watched as an apple turned into a banana, another into a flower. She took a deep breath and lit her horn as she focused on the apple in front of her. What should she transform the apple into? It had to be something she knew well enough to mimic and simple enough to cast the spell successfully.

"An orange," she thought. "That's similar enough to be doable," she said matter-of-factly, though her tone sounded anything but confident. Her magic enveloped the apple, and she imagined it changing. The spell took shape in her mind. Slowly, the apple began to change shape, its color shifting from red to orange and the surface becoming rougher.

Twilight tried to focus on the spell, just as it was described in the book. The complicated formulas were in her mind's eye. The process took more effort than she wanted to admit. Her spellwork was inefficient and could best be described as sloppy. She gritted her teeth and focused further. Finally, after a last spark of magic, an orange lay before her. It was not perfect, a bit misshapen with small red spots, but she had done it.

The exam assistant stepped forward and examined the results. Her gaze was slightly disappointed as she looked at the orange, but she tried not to show it. "Well done, Twilight," she said with an effortful smile. "You successfully performed the spell."

Suddenly, Dreamweaver stepped up to Twilight's table and stared at the orange. "That's it?" She laughed mockingly. "Ha, pathetic. As expected from someone like you. Your magical suppressor must have been broken earlier or something. Maybe you should be expelled for cheating."

Twilight felt her cheeks heat up. She wanted to respond, but before she could, the exam assistant intervened.

"That's enough, Dreamweaver," she said firmly. "Everyone here has given their best, and respect is paramount here. Such disparaging remarks have no place here. Understood?"

"Yes, of course," Dreamweaver said unconvincingly. She gave Twilight one last disdainful look and trotted back to her place. Twilight took a deep breath, glad that the exam assistant had intervened.

The exam assistant stepped forward and raised her voice once more. "You all did very well. It's wonderful to see that you all successfully performed the spell," she said, placing special emphasis on the word "all." "We now come to the final task for this part of the exam. This task will test the character of your magic. As you know, each unicorn has a magical profile. You could say your magic has its own character," she chuckled a bit at her comparison. "For example, I am particularly skilled in healing, fire, and barrier spells. Not that I'm not proficient in other branches of magic as well." She looked proud as she said this. "There are dozens of magical talents and combinations that make up the magical profile, and we need to know what your profile looks like." She paused briefly to let each foal process this information.

Twilight felt her curiosity piqued. A magical profile? She had read about it. Unicorns were naturally connected to three elements. The connections and combinations of the connections gave the unicorn's magic its unique aura. Depending on the connections, unicorns were talented in different areas of magic. The elements ranged from simple elemental magic like fire to emotion-based magic like love or dark magic like shadow magic.

"To this end, each of you will step forward one by one and wear this medallion." She brought out a golden necklace with a large pendant. The pendant was intricately designed, shaped like a unicorn proudly raising its head, with delicate curls along the edges. In the center of the pendant sparkled a large, faceted gemstone that shimmered in various colors in the light.

"When you wear the amulet and let your magic flow through the gemstone, it will reveal the character of your magic to all of us," explained the exam assistant, holding the medallion high for everyone to see. The medallion sparkled in the light, drawing the foals' gazes like magic.

The foals looked at each other nervously as the exam assistant held the necklace aloft. "Dreamweaver, you may start," she said and approached the named foal. Dreamweaver stepped forward confidently, puffing out her chest so the exam.

The assistant could place the amulet around her neck. The gemstone immediately began to glow, shifting between a deep blue, a rich yellow, and a murky green.

The exam assistant nodded approvingly. "Fascinating, Dreamweaver. You seem to have a deep connection to transformation and illusion magic, psionics, and nature magic."

The other foals murmured in admiration as Dreamweaver proudly stepped back. The exam assistant called each of the remaining foals one by one, each stepping forward and wearing the amulet. Each time, the gemstone glowed in different colors, revealing the various magical profiles of the foals.

A light pink foal named Rose Petal stepped forward, and the gemstone glowed a soft pink, clear white, and bright green. "Healing and protection magic, light, and thought magic," commented the exam assistant. "Very versatile, Rose Petal."

Another foal, a gray colt named Steel Hoof, made the gemstone glow a deep red, brown, and metallic silver. "Ferromancy, geomancy, and pyromancy," noted the exam assistant. "You seem to have a talent for the elements."

Twilight watched intently as the magical profiles of the other foals were revealed. Finally, it was her turn. The exam assistant called her name, and Twilight stepped forward hesitantly. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as the necklace was placed around her neck.

Nothing happened. Twilight began to feel nervous. Did she break the amulet? Would she get in trouble? Just as she was about to say something, the amulet began to glow a pale white. A gentle glow, almost like moonlight, broke the silence. Then, without warning, the light changed. It became a bright red as if a sunrise was happening inside the small gemstone. Twilight's heart beat faster. Was it supposed to look like this?

But that was just the beginning. Suddenly, the glow turned pitch black. It was as if the amulet was swallowing the light itself. The darkness was unsettling and fascinating at the same time. Twilight's nervousness grew. Her breathing quickened, and she could hear the soft whispers of the other foals behind her. But before she could think further about it, the amulet changed again.

The exam assistant stepped closer to Twilight and positioned herself so the other foals could no longer see the amulet. Her eyes widened slightly as she recognized the pattern.

A soft, floating sound filled the air as white dots appeared on the gemstone's surface. They glittered and sparkled as if a thousand tiny stars were captured inside the amulet. Slowly and majestically, they formed a pattern resembling a starry sky—as if the gemstone itself contained the sky and the stars. Twilight stared in fascination at the shimmering display before her eyes.

With a quick decision, the exam assistant lifted her head and shouted, "Very interesting, Twilight. Your magic shows connections to void magic, pyromancy, and light magic," she said in a neutral tone. Twilight stared at her in confusion. That couldn't be right. But the exam assistant seemed confident and took the medallion.

Twilight could hardly believe what she had just experienced. The atmosphere in the room had changed; the air filled with a kind of electric tension. The other foals whispered among themselves, casting curious and partially distrustful glances her way. Twilight knew that what she had just seen was extraordinary.

The exam assistant, however, was already with the next foal, placing the medallion around their neck. After the exam assistant removed the medallion from the last foal, she quickly made the chain disappear into a small chest before anyone else could look at it. She turned to the examinees and explained, "Well done, everyone. That was the last part of this section of the exam. Now, we will take a short break, after which the results of the written and practical exams will be announced. Please follow me once more."

Author's Note

And that brings us to another chapter. To be honest, I originally wanted to have the whole exam in one chapter, but it got so long that I decided to split it up. I hope you are excited to see what happens next. Believe me, the exam is not over yet and the most exciting part is still to come.

As always, I would like to point out that English is not my mother tongue. If you notice any mistakes, please write them to me.

I am happy about every comment and really read everything.