The first test of my magic was a simple one: Luna and I went into a magically shielded room and then I tried to use any amount of magic while Luna absorbs. I felt out for my magic, and a rush of power flowed through me as I tried to make it do anything. I nearly gave up after a while of nothing happening. I tested the boundaries and collected some power into my arm. I jokingly decided to go through the motions of alchemy from Fullmetal Alchemist, and placed a hand onto one of my arms and waved it as if my hand was transformed into a blade with the expectation that-

My arm went numb, and I heard a sickening sound of flesh tearing and bone breaking. Sensation returned to me and I saw my right arm had bent and realigned, my clawed hand replaced with a massive blade of muscle and bone. I yelped and waved my arm about as if it were on fire, and I felt all of the magic drain from my arm as it returned into being my hand.

"Well then! It would seem your magic is tied into transformation..."

I looked at Luna as she said this, somewhat unsure.

"Okay, what's that mean?" I said apprehensively

"Well most magical beings have are born with a natural affinity towards a certain school of magic, destruction, illusion, conjuration, restoration and the like. Transformation is one of these, based around transforming ones self, other beings, or changing materials. It would seem you are magically directed towards transforming your physical form."

I looked back at my hand.

"Well how about that?"

I prepared to continue my testing when a thestral mare walked in, a small thing with orange eyes, a dark red coat and a gray mane.

"Excuse me your highness, but I was sent to retrieve the human Jack for an entrance exam to the Night Guard. If it is an issue then I can inform them that he is busy here"

Luna shook her head.

"If you want to gain entrance to the guard it is important you are there without my influencing outcomes in your favor. I will see you when you have completed your trial, though I must warn you that it will be a difficult ordeal. Captain Crimson Blade you may take him"

I turned and followed her to the room where I would be tested for entrance. As I knew of it, the night guard were less of a guard for the castle and more of a private guard. The Night Guard acted as a personal force for Luna, with them protecting her as well as receiving specific assignments that the normal guards of pony settlements were unable to handle from her.

The test itself was constructed as an obstacle course, meant to determine magical, physical, and strategical abilities in the ponies...er, people in my case, seeking entrance and training from the Night Guard. I would be left in the entrance chamber, and then I would proceed through all of the rooms ahead, solving each puzzle, test and challenge set against me. As I proceeded, I would be magically monitored for all that I did so that they would be able to fairly determine my abilities and they had presented me a simple bronze amulet that I could use to alert them that a test was too much for me to handle, and so the chamber would cancel and I'd go to the next. I wondered early on about why there wasn't anything to test intelligence, but from what I'd seen Equestria was similar to medieval Earth in terms of the nobility being the ones that focused on education, even though Luna and Celestia were fair and kind rulers.

The first chamber was simple; a room full of holes, with spikes popping out at quick intervals with a few small points without spikes to stand upon. I took a moment to learn the patterns, then dodging through to the other side. the next was strange, an empty room without an extra door or any obstacles. The only thing there being a small table with a button on it. I walked to it, and took a look. There was nothing on it, no inscriptions or wiring or anything. I pressed the button, and immediately flinched away as the walls all around me opened into magical lightning. A small part of the floor rose into a barrier that I hid behind as one of the walls shined with magic to reveal the exit.

The magical blasts kept me pinned down, and the possibility of using the amulet passed through my mind. It seemed that the chamber couldn't be passed without my taking a massive hit. Then something hit me. I could transform and get the abilities of a nercomorph, so what was there to say that I couldn't use abilities from the other breeds? I thought of all the varieties I could for something that I could use before I took my gamble. I focused power through my right arm, legs, and the half of my torso in between. I rushed forward as I forced my body into changing shapes. Muscle folded and grew, bone expanded and hardened a  charged forward. I was exhilarated that I had succeeded, and I was glad for at least having a fraction of the power of a necromorph Brute as I charged forward. My affected arm grew out into a massive shield of bone and hardened skin, absorbing most of the lightning flying at me as I charged forward and smashed through the door to the next chamber.

I took a moment to recover after my body reverted. Okay note to self: the bigger the necromorph, the bigger the physical drain once I returned to human. Still, having the power of an actual necromorph was pretty exhilarating. I stood up and looked around, finding myself in a large corridor. There was a thestral stallion standing in the center of the room, a dark gray pegasus wearing the armor of the Night Guard in my way. He spoke to me slowly, in a deep voice.

"Greetings. I am Iron Shield, the test of strength. To continue you must find a way to get past me."

I wasn't sure if I could manage another transformation to a Brute form again, and even then this stallion was almost as tall as me, with a good deal of muscle. As I was, strength to strength wasn't going to work. I decided I'd test myself a bit further, sending a wave of magic down my  arm. I rushed forward, making it half way before I lashed out, cracking the whip to my side with my arm, shredding it into three barbed tentacles, those of a lurker necromorph. I whipped back and forth, sending a wave of barbs all around the stallion, catching his attention as I darted past, rushing to the door and barely getting through before the door shut behind me.

I wasn't sure if I would pass the test or not, but either way it was gonna be one hell of a way to test my new abilities out.