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Once we stepped out of the room into the hallway we found four guards, two Solar and two Lunar, were waiting for us. They took up positions on opposing corners around Shining and myself as we headed down the hallway towards wherever was were going.

As we passed through the halls, I noticed we were starting to pick up a procession of Guards following behind us. Judging by the relaxed nature of their formation, they were not involved in whatever this ritual was and were likely coming to watch. We were going to have an audience. Word travels fast, I guess.

After a period of silence as I waited for him to start explaining, Shining Armor spoke up, "As you are unfamiliar with our military traditions, I will try to explain. The Trial of Proving is complex in purpose, but rather simple for the one being challenged. There is a lot involved but most of it is my responsibility as the one testing you. That said, once we get to the courtyard, you may request the Princesses exempt you. I would be a bit disappointed if you do to be honest, but this isn't anything you will be forced into. The simplest way to say it, this is going to be a trial by combat, if you hadn't already guessed. Are you going to request exemption? There are other options if you choose not to agree to this."

I couldn't help a somewhat dry chuckle, "You should already know the answer after the fights I've been in, but no. What else?"

Shining gave a faint smirk at that, then continued with a nod, "If you don't request exemption, neither of us will be allowed to leave until several things have taken place. In particular, physical combat, challenging each other by will alone which I will explain at the right time, magical combat, aerial combat neither of us has to worry about for obvious reasons, and an all-out open battle to test comprehensive skill and endurance in the final part until one of us collapses or the Princesses feel enough has been done. Usually, that means one of the participants has reached their limit and can no longer stand or use magic after even the partial healing no longer leaves enough energy. Each part we go through, you are being evaluated. Both by me as the one making the challenge and by the Princesses. Don't hold back."

"I see. Start with the rules governing the physical combat, I suppose." I said in return, not very bothered by what was really sounding like a much more serious sparring match than anything else, so I was just curious about the whole thing for the most part.

As Shining Armor explained the fairly straightforward rules of the coming fight, I couldn't help but notice some details about the guards escorting us that suddenly caught my eye, seeming different than they had been this morning, yet also felt like nothing had changed. Their armor seemed...more defined somehow.

The Solar Guard flanking Shining Armor and walking a little ahead of us was wearing golden-looking armor, but it was sharper and more complete in some way. After a moment, it dawned on me that the barding plate or whatever it was on the show was not even close to the solid looking plate armor I now saw on the stallion. It was a bit difficult to be certain, standing so much taller as I did, but it looked obvious now that it wasn't draped across his back. Instead, it was wrapped around the stallion with a proper chestpiece and his belly appeared covered. There was some sort of segmented gorget-like piece around his neck as well, making a well-protected throat up to his jaw. Aside from some stronger looking plating in the hoofguards and jointed bits at the top of each leg, the guard's legs were still exposed. The armored hoofsteps seemed faint, even muffled despite metal hoofguards on the stone of the hallway.

Another glance at the Lunar Guard walking a little forward as he flanked me on my right told a very similar story, just in cobalt blue with few differences beyond identifiers. Far better armored than I thought I saw before. I couldn't help but give a perplexed stare at the Lunar Guard, my eyes already on him.

Shining Armor noticed.

"Something wrong with that stallion's armor?" Shining Armor asked, causing me to look at him again before looking down the hall once more.

"Not wrong, just...different from what I thought I saw before." I said before giving a small sigh, "Probably that backlash last night. I'm not really sure what I was supposed to expect but until just now, I would have sworn every guardspony I saw was wearing less protection, with exposed throats and no belly armor. Now I look and it reminds me of half-plate or something. I know it doesn't really make much sense."

I saw Shining Armor raise a brow out of the corner of my eye with a frown, "You broke a strong spell last night? Well, I'm glad you told me. I will need to keep it in mind for the magical combat if you go through with this. How powerful was the spell?"

With a small shrug, I simply said, "Don't really know right now. Pretty powerful, from what I gathered."

"Ok...how many thaumic measures then?" Shining Armor asked.

After a moment to blink, I raised a brow as I glanced at him, "I don't even know what a thaumic measure is. I might just be lacking the memory right now. It was a strong mind spell, but that's all I really know. I haven't studied the branch yet, nor did Twilight get into most of the specific functions last night. Should take about two months to get my full memory back for the stuff I can't remember. Does it matter?"

His brow furrowed as he considered what I said, "Yes it does matter. The strength of the backlash can potentially disrupt your magical resonance, both casting and receiving. Casting is going to be more draining for you. Defensively speaking, it won't matter to a fireball or telekinesis, but some things like illusions and compulsions won't perform normally against you, even fail or run out early until your reserves and mind balance again. That's an odd timetable for a mind spell affecting memory though. Two months to get memories back...that sounds familiar..."

Giving another shrug, feeling a little frustrated for no real reason other than I suppose he was asking about something I was still angry about, I just brushed it aside knowing we'd work it out soon enough in the coming fight, "Back to the combat ritual. Tell me abou--"

I was cut off as he suddenly stopped, his head snapping to me with widened eyes, his raised voice sounded incredulous, "You broke out of a Rose Window?!"

A scowl crossed my features at that, now annoyed, "Yeah, what about it? I know, it's a powerful mind spell. You want any details though, ask Celestia or Luna on account of it being a private matter. I won't argue if they think you should know."

There were murmurs amongst the guards around us. I was getting the impression that managing to break the spell was more of a feat than I thought. Brushing the thought away, I just wanted to work off some of yesterday's stress with a good match and I wasn't going to have real downtime until the end of the Summit and we all went back to Ponyville. This was not helping right now.

"Mister Drayce, why aren't you in the hospital?"

That caught my attention.

Looking at him with a confused glare from yet another something going sideways, I spoke with an irritated tone, "Because I'm standing right here. Why?"

Shining Armor met my eyes, looking a bit worried behind the steel in his gaze, "That level of backlash could have been fatal and should have left you in a coma for a day or more. Not only that, but as a member of the Guard and a Prince on top of it, I need to be sure you report this. That spell is on the borderline of legality and abuses are not treated kindly. We need to know the details so the Guard can track down the unicorn responsible. How long were you under it's effects?"

"I don't know how I am supposed to feel about that, having not even lost consciousness when the spell broke, which really bloody hurt by the way, but I'm not talking about this, Prince Armor," I told him, watching his expression harden, "Like I said, it's a private matter. Celestia and Luna both know how long, when, and who. If they feel you should know, they alone can tell you. Otherwise, you're bloody well out of luck on this."

He tried to stare me down but slowly cooled, voice stern, "If the Princesses know, then that is good enough for me and I won't question their approach. I'll speak with them about it and not trouble you further, but know that if you're lying I will have to sit you down for evaluation and scanning. This is a very serious matter."

"Fine, whatever. Let's just focus on the trial you challenged me to. Before you lay out the things I need to know about the stages or whatever they're called, I have a question for you that's been bugging me." I said slowly, waiting for him to return to walking and start our procession again, "What was so important about this Trial of Proving that you were willing to piss off all four Princesses, including your own wife, to challenge me to it?"

He coughed a bit, looking a bit taken aback before a faint smirk began to appear, "You're being given a command rank and a fast track to a squad to go with it in short order."

As he started walking again, I followed for a moment before speaking again, "What does that have to do with us beating each other up?"

"We're getting close, by the way." Shining Armor said, his face turning more serious, "You're being given a command rank rather suddenly, Mister Drayce. And you got drafted into the Guard only moments before that. I know the Guard I served with for years. I also know a little of how much trust and importance the Princesses are placing upon you. You are going to need a way to earn years' worth of respect in short order. The Trial of Proving will help you do that, for your fighting abilities at least. If your life is going to be on the line with fellow members of the Guard, ponies I still consider family, they need to know they can rely on you and that you will be able to back them up in turn when in need. Perform like I'm thinking you will and you'll be a lot closer to where you have to be at your new rank and position, regardless of your special considerations or having rank hoofed to you on a silver platter. Which I don't agree with for the record, but I have never seen Princess Celestia make a move like this that didn't prove to be right later. As for earning personal respect outside of combat situations, you're on your own as that will only come with time."

I quirked a brow, looking at Shining Armor in a different light, "So you're just doing this to help me? And you thought it was important enough to piss off your wife?"

He nodded, glancing up at me for a moment with a small grimace, "Yes. She'll understand when I have a chance to tell her why. I may not know you before today or much of anything about you beyond the file given to me and this current talk, but if the Princesses are willing to put so much faith in you...unless you demonstrate yourself as undeserving at some point, I'm willing to do the same and help where I can."

"Then answer me some questions...," I returned, "Are we risking death or anything permanent, even by accident? Are we fighting at that level? Do you know how to fight someone my size and height? Have you learned any fighting methods outside the Guard? And finally, will you call me Vojin if I can call you Shining? I'd rather be on a more familiar standing with the pony I'm about to go a few rounds with for reasons other than life and death. No offense to you personally, but I'm seriously in need of a good fight to let out some severe stress and am rather looking forward to hitting you repeatedly. I'm not telling you what I mean but...the Rose Window was only half of the trouble I dealt with yesterday."

Shining's eyes flashed with concern for a moment before he smirked, looking a little amused now, "Alright then, Vojin

"As far as fighting someone your size, that's actually a part of basic Guard training. We have to be ready for things like minotaurs and diamond dogs, after all. And to touch on your earlier comment about belly armor, fighting bipedal creatures can often require rearing up on the hindlegs to effectively deal with or subdue them, which of course exposes a pony's underside in a major way, hence the armored plates there. I'm more concerned about you fighting somepony lower to the ground like I am. Fighting a quadrupedal stance makes a notable difference to most bipeds. I understand that you've sparred with Rainbow Dash a bit but have no real training or practice in it otherwise, not to mention only being trained against other humans. I'll make sure you get some real training when the squad being assigned to you arrives. And since you asked, as for knowing a fighting style beyond just Guard training...," Shining said with a sly grin as we approached the entrance to the courtyard, "Unity of the Tribes."

As I pondered the name of his style, we stepped out into the circular courtyard still flanked by the four guards that had been escorting us the entire time. The large gray stone bricks that made up the floor under the darkening late afternoon sky were fairly flat and smooth in a circular pattern, only having slight rounding along their edges. I wouldn't have to worry about any tripping hazards on the floor at least.

The space was probably thirty or forty feet across and a glance around showed the ring of pillars around the edge with a second level of what I assumed was stadium seating or something as numerous members of the Guard branches were finding seats. The ground floor was full of guardsponies standing shoulder to shoulder in quiet observance between every pillar with more behind them.

In the area that stood out from the rest on the second level, Celestia and Luna sat upon gray stone thrones. Beside them, Twilight and Cadence had what seemed to be more temporary thrones of wood, leading me to believe this Trial really hadn't been invoked in a very long time. In the space before them, Spike and the girls all sat quietly, looking uncomfortable and worried. The various high ranking officials from the meeting were off to one side.

The four guardsponies acting as our escort led us out to the middle of the courtyard and we faced the Princesses.

Luna spoke in a loud voice, though not the even-legendary-on-Earth Royal Voice, for which I was glad, "Thy Princesses await thy words, servant."

Shining Armor returned, "My Princesses, thy servant has found no reason with which to retract the request of this Trial. Yon stallion has been found reasonable in his understanding of his requirements."

Turning her eyes to me, Luna went on, "Thy Princesses ask you, one not native to our land or learned of our customs, dost thou wish to be exempt or to face this challenge of sanctioned battle? Thy Princesses, in thy lack of known skill, may test you in other ways to no shame."

The heavy moment of silent anticipation was a little unsettling, still I had some things I needed to know, "My...Princesses... May I ask and say a few things before my acceptance of the challenge?"

Luna blinked, one brow raising in curiosity as excited murmurs could be heard whispered around the courtyard, "It is quite...unusual, but you may do so."

I gave a nod and looked at the girls and Spike, "Fluttershy, Rarity, I want you to escort Spike elsewhere because he is still too young for this in my opinion and I don't think you want to see what we're about to do. This will not be a simple exhibition of skill like when I spar with Rainbow. It will not be for fun. We will be trying to hurt each other and there will be blood soon. I am told the Princesses will keep us safe from any true danger and tend us when it ends so you needn't worry as much. AJ, Pinkie, you stay if you want but keep in mind it will be hard to watch. Rainbow, you should know what's coming and you may see some of the techniques I couldn't properly show because of the danger. And Twilight..."

I paused, all too aware of the members of the Guard watching intently and knowing anything I said would soon spread after this was over. Just looking into Twilight's eyes for a long moment, sharing with her my troubled emotions because of what she was about to see me bring out, "Remember our conversation on the bench after we met with the press."

Twilight looked back down at me with an expression of deep understanding, sharing emotions of comfort and love with me as she knew what I just said to her before taking a moment to encourage the girls to follow my words despite some protest from Spike. Both AJ and Pinkie remained where they were. Twilight's gaze returned to me then, telling me with her eyes that nothing would change after this. Though the look was brief, we shared volumes.

Then turning to Celestia and Luna, feeling apprehensive, "My Princesses... Should certain facts from yesterday be...witheld for now? I am uncertain of how you wished to handle them."

The two of them looked both surprised and pensive, then Celestia gave a small nod, "I believe that it would be prudent. Are you ready to make your acceptance now?"

I gave her a firm look as I began unbuttoning my shirt, noticing Shining choosing to slip off his dress uniform, "My Princesses, this servant accepts the challenge made."

Luna had a flash of unhappiness move across her features as Shining levitated both our articles of clothing to a guard off to the side, leaving me barechested and him pony-nude, "Thy Princesses accept the proceeding of this Trial of Proving. Honor guards, you may depart. Prover and Unproven, you are now barred from leaving this courtyard until thy task is done. Demonstrate all thy strength so those present may see thy all.

"Thy first test is of pure martial skill and fitness of body. Thy Princesses wish to see honor in thy actions and conviction in thy hearts. Thou shalt not raise thy magic, lest thy honor be questioned. Thy Princesses shalt issue command to cease when satisfied. When ready, thou may begin."

"Shall we respect each other as fighters? Stretch perhaps?" I said as I started taking slow steps away after facing Shining Armor.

He was mirroring my action until we were about ten feet apart, "Respect, definitely. We are expected to keep a certain pace though, so take your stance when ready."

Pressing a fist to the palm of an open hand and a small bow of my head, I saw Shining make a motion of a similar gesture with his chin nearly touching the ground, "Very well then. All is forgiven after we're done."

Shining gave a grim smile at that, "Same."

The ponies watching us were silent as the two of us settled into stances. I was surprised to see Shining set himself onto his hind legs, one forehoof turned up just to the side of his sight line with the other angled to the opposite elbow. If he didn't look so practiced at it, I'd have been concerned because it didn't look quite right in some way. He stood almost equal with me, just a little taller.

I opted for a looser, more flexible stance I'd found helpful against Rainbow and her speed, unsure how well it would work against Shining's particular techniques I was about to see. I knew Rainbow was only a little less capable than I was in total raw strength, making us fairly equal with her speed against my reach. Shining Armor was well trained with a stallion's muscle mass but I doubted he had Rainbow's speed and there were no wings to deal with. I was expecting to rely more on agility than strength in this.

Both of us knew the other was ready.

Slowly starting to circle to the right, we tracked each other as we observed each other's movement. Each looking for how much flexibility remained at every moment. Where we stepped, how it affected the stance or likely weakest direction of motion and how weight shifted. Each step brought us a little closer together. Our eyes were locked and watching intent hidden behind the focus present.

For several seconds, we only circled. I was taught patience, to see the intent in your opponent's eyes and move as they make their attempt. I was unused to pony styles but knew Shining would be more adaptive to a bipedal style than Rainbow because of his hinted at training against minotaurs and diamond dogs. I could only guess at Shining using a bipedal stance.

Then the moment happened when the slow silent dance broke into rapid motion.

A flash of a leg, weaving around each other as I worked my much larger range while Shining attempted to close in. The moments we were close enough to take solid shots and the blocks turning them away. At least with him in a bipedal stance, I had additional familiarity working for me.

It was clear we were both being cautious at first, testing each other rather than diving in. I also found Shining was a not inconsiderable amount stronger, forcing me to work harder to turn his strikes aside and giving hint of the force he would carry should one land. While I appeared to surpass him for speed, it was a fool's errand to assume he was all in yet. I wasn't either.

Putting speed to my advantage, I let him step closer for a higher strike and made a sudden drop below my own waist height as I snaked my right leg behind his right with a large forward step. Slipping under his guard and blocking his leg, my right arm shot out at his gut as I drove into him at an upward angle to sent him off balance and tumble back.

Shining rolled with a smooth transition and back to four legs, flashing a slight smirk as he charged forward again before I could stand. Were it not for my practice bouts with Rainbow, I'd have been forced into hesitation for lack of experience.

Instead, I was able to adjust my torso as a hoof shot out. It was a poor in execution for a lack of practiced repetition, but I caught his foreleg as I rolled and twisted it into a lock before he could do much against me, despite taking a shot in the ribs as I did. He grunted as I pulled the limb to it's limit and held, both of us pausing.

The rush of pumping blood had a chance to make itself known as everything came to a sudden halt, "Are you allowed to yield and release in this first part?"

A strained huff of a laugh escaped Shining, "We can do that for now if it's really how you want to play. If you get lucky and it happens again in the last part of this, you better not hesitate to break my leg because I won't if I have a chance at yours."

I still wasn't sure how to feel about the level of fighting we were going to undertake later.

I didn't respond except to give him a firm couple of pats as I released the lock before we settled ourselves upright one more. The realization that he was an experienced combat veteran was starting to sink in.

I had a decent amount of practice from sparring, but there was a difference compared to real combat, fighting for survival. I tried not to even think very much about how outclassed I was magically in that sense.

In moments after we set our stances, we were back into the fray. Shining took advantage of his lower height on four legs, though it left his head more vulnerable. It was a bit hard to hit his head when he kept it low and out of reasonable range of my arms, however. He was able to land a lot more hits on my lower body in turn, leaving the muscles of my legs and hips a bit battered before long.

Then a hoof connected with the side of my knee as I was twisting into an elbow strike against the side of his face, both of us taking a harsh hit.

Having been in the middle of moving the same direction as his hoof, I didn't completely blow out my knee but it was at least sprained as I went down. The solid crack to the side of his muzzle told me he wasn't going to be any happier, though at least he'd be free to stand.

Lacking any indications of stopping, I grunted in pain as I put limited weight on my knee. I'd have been a lot more unhappy about the situation if I didn't see the hazy look in Shining's eyes right then, knowing I'd stunned him pretty good in return. Still left me at a terrible disadvantage.

Shining came at me again in a bipedal stance and though his motions were more clumsy, it was all I could do just to avoid the worst of it. A quick jab to his nose did send him reeling a little though, drawing a snarl of pain from him. I suspected he wasn't in favorable condition either, but he was much more free to maneuver.

After being left unable to respond or block as well while his head cleared, I had bruised ribs, a sore stomach and a swollen cheek to share the list of hurting body parts.

Shining's nose was bleeding heavily and several bruises were hinted beneath his white coat.

I was still standing but no longer able to get much past Shining's defenses even as he found ever more openings in mine. It was clear I was fighting on stubbornness more than anything else, knowing without life or death motivation I was just done.

I was thankful to hear Luna's voice ring out at this point, "Thy Princesses declare enough! Prover, what is thy result?"

Shining gave a small nod to me before turning and raising his eyes to Luna, "My Princesses, thy servant finds a need for further training but no shortage of willingness to fight or instincts to guide him. His physical potential has much merit."

"Thy Princesses agree with such assessment, Prover. Upon thy healing, begin gauging of his will."

"My Princesses, thy servant seeks to offer example and forego demonstration. Dost the breaking himself free of a Rose Window spell satisfy thy demand?" Shining said as the energy of healing washed over my body, focused at the worst places and driving things down to a dull ache like mundane sore muscles.

Luna seemed surprised for a brief moment, both her and Celestia both eyeing me from behind masks before turning to Shining again, "Thy Princesses are aware of his recent feat of spellbreaking. Thy example satisfies. Prover, thy task is now testing his magic. Begin when ready."

Shining turned to me, nose no longer bleeding, the blood being left to dry and his eyes looking clear once more, "Alright Vojin, this will be a bit tricky due to your lack of knowledge and experience wielding standard magics. Combat-qualified mages in the Guard prior to the specializations have four months of dedicated training in addition to standard unicorn combat training, which you lack any of. I understand you currently have little in the way of offensive spells or shields, though your wards are a little ahead of your suggested level. I think the best way to test your casting ability right now is to sit ourselves down and make it more of a game of skill and creative use. If I went all out you'd never be able to get past my shield, let alone properly defend yourself. Go have a seat a bit further back and we'll see what we can do."

Giving a nod, I rolled my stiff shoulders as I moved away from him, seeing Shining settle himself down on his flank about twenty feet away as I knelt in a Japanese sitting style.

After another moment to think, Shining rolled his neck, "Show me what you can protect yourself with and adapt when I break through."

Deciding I might as well start with things I'm halfway decent, I started placing wards around myself. Lacking a wide selection, I put extra focus on variations of a ward that forced an incoming spell to draw more energy to maintain stability or cohesion. I put the mixed wards on the ground around me, directly on my body and even set a number in the air. Despite pushing my knowledge to it's limits, I knew it was not that much of a defense like I would really need. With only simpler shields, I was faced with relying on magical reserves to block more than allowing true interference as I created one in front of myself. It was frustrating, not even knowing just how outclassed I was.

"Hmm...have you also been studying spell circles? It wasn't mentioned in your file," Shining said, a calculating look on his face.

I shook my head, "Not a bit."

"Interesting...," was all he said before his horn lit up and I felt my wards getting probed from varying directions with increasing force.

There wasn't time to consider what he meant by that as I had to start repairing wards to keep them in place as he picked at them in different ways. Sometimes he used subtle attacks, sometimes he shot small direct offensive spells like a fireball, shard of ice, or bolt of electricity.

The ways magic manifested from a caster was relative to the physical expression until much higher levels. Twilight could conjure a focusing point if she desired, letting her fling her direct spells from a remote point. She once mentioned if she practiced combat magic she could, in theory because of her magical strength, create such remote points rapidly enough to make it appear as if she were multiple casters at once so long as she kept the spells light. Her one-time comment about Shining Armor not having the necessary natural inclination to do much in that sense was a small reprieve now.

As he increased the force of his attacks, I had to work harder to keep the wards in place and tried to link them together more directly so they fed one another in a more adaptive way. Shining was already hitting the shield I had up with every attack, the wards not being enough to reduce the incoming energy by that much now.

Deciding to change my tactics, I cast a modified sensing spell around my immediate vicinity. Like I could sense motion, in theory it was easy enough to detect magical buildup or overt spells coming near. Drawing on my limited practice with the motion sensing spell, I tried to translate it into magic sensing and closed my eyes. I hoped I could make small moving shields or momentary fixed ones to reduce how much energy I was expending, or at least increase the strength of my defenses.

Had I not already known how to interpret the motion sensing spell, reading things in such a wide range and feeling the area around me, I would have been stunned by the sensory rush I experienced. The immense shift of trying to read magic was not something I expected and my eyes popped open in surprise at the level of awareness it granted. Shining only raised a brow at the odd look on my face as he continued his gradual increase of attacks.

Taking a different approach, I pushed the world out, for a moment ignoring my wards and letting my shield absorb the strikes that were starting to make it magically vibrate not unlike hitting a gong without sound. I used the focus to dive into the magic sensing, again reeling from the amount of information that rushed at me as I fought to adjust.

Though it felt longer, it was mere moments as I grasped I was reading something from every single pony nearby, a sort of brightness coming from each that dazzled. My mind's eye was nearly overwhelmed by just four though, when I turned my attention to the sheer brilliance coming from each of the Princesses. Twilight and Cadence were similar in it, yet they were so different in feel. Celestia and Luna though, the feel of them was scorching, like a blast of fire against skin that brought no pain and somehow. I sensed the two of them saw me looking at them in such a fashion and the gentle amusement it gave them, like they found my act of looking to be funny. Twilight and Cadence had no discernible reaction.

Once I had a handle on what was washing over me with such intensity, it was a lot like adjusting a dimmer switch so I wasn't overwhelmed. I felt everything being held at bay to a degree, but now focused in on Shining and the unique quality of his magic. It was all in mere moments, where time seemed to carry on even as it nearly froze.

I ran with what I sensed as I turned my focus back to the wards I had up. In this sensing spell, I had a clearer perspective of how they connected and set to strengthening them, even making small movements where they felt out of place. It was like seeing lines between them, a web of interconnections that seemed to grow stronger as I adjusted them. They were nearly at a point of restoring each other somehow as it grew easier to repair them as Shining's attacks rained in.

Shining's incoming spells were another fascinating experience. How some moved like clouds of gas or others that were individual balls of energy and everything in between. I could feel what the spells were now and what their path was, even when Shining was adjusting them as they approached. I had no time to consider if I was sensing his intention before he made a move.

Holding my hands up, palms forward in a physical encouragement to my mind, I started putting small shields in front of each attack Shining made.

It was an interesting effect, seeing his brightness and the brightness of his magic moving separately while still a single whole. I felt restraint and a faint sense of his affinity for shields mixed in. The growing brightness of his magic field as I started deflecting his spells more easily was interesting.

In the end though, I was feeling my reserves of energy dwindling as I exerted myself more and more to hold off his attacks. His spells were hitting hard and my shields cracking each time.

I wasn't expecting to hold out and as a bolt of lightning at last connected with my chest and sent me sprawling, knocking me senseless for a second, I found my limit for what little I knew of magical combat.

Groaning, a hand gingerly touching my singed chest, I sat back up and looked at Shining, starting to put defenses back up when Celestia spoke, "Thy Princesses declare enough! Prover, what is thy finding?"

I gave a silent huff over taking so much abuse, healing washing over me as Shining replied, "My Princesses, thy servant finds him to be rich with potential. He requires a great deal of magical training but he displays great aptitude for flexibility and adaptive use of knowledge."

Celestia nodded with an unreadable mask, "Thy Princesses agree. Though his need for training is great, he shows promise. Now prepare thyselves. Thy last task is the field of battle. Thy Princesses shalt protect thee from true harm. Destroy thy enemy until told to cease. Failure to give thy all is death."

I swallowed at that as my eyes flicked to Shining, seeing him mentally preparing himself as he turned to me. If I went just on how that last part was worded, with how seriously this has been taken...

"This final part has no hesitation, Vojin. As a courtesy, I will wait for you to be ready, but once we begin you are my enemy on the field of battle. As your tester, I will vary my attacks and attempt to create a few scenarios but in the end, everything I do is with intent to kill. For the duration of this if it helps, assume I'm no different than the Timberwolves that tried to kill Twilight. When you fall, I will not wait to attack you again once we are released. Attack when ready." Shining said calmly, neither of us having moved from the start of the magic portion of this mess.

My eyes glanced up at Twilight before returning to Shining, clenching my jaw as I pulled up the memory of the Timberwolf attack. Part of me wished I had my sword. A few precious moments to do so, I pulled up that feeling of survival, knowing it wasn't quite the same but taking what I could until I was being attacked.

The observers around us were silent. My link with Twilight was full of apprehension and fear from her. My body was weary from fighting. My magic was reduced and sluggish from the prior effort. I was tense, knowing this was one-sided against me in my attempting to face a veteran warrior versus my having little live combat experience.

A charge of magic building in my hands was visible as I settled into the loose stance from earlier, a nervous bouncing on the balls of my feet the only visible expression of nerves.

Going for broke, I made a teleport a little behind and to one side of Shining Armor. I hoped to have some surprise, break a leg with a kick in hopes the sudden pain would disrupt his focus long enough for me to do more damage.

A shield snapped into being to block my kick before he slammed a hind hoof into my chest and sent me flying. Just after landing hard on the stone floor, I barely registered being struck by lightning before I felt myself be teleported back to where I'd been standing moments before, held for a couple seconds as I was healed.

Shining Armor had taken me down. Quick and with efficiency. I'd felt his magic being summoned before it became active spells, but realized I had no defense to counter it very well. I knew I was out of my league, but was starting to appreciate just how far.

It was frustrating, but I controlled it. As the restraint of healing dropped again I circled with him swiftly to close in. I stumbled as a foot stuck to the ground from a sudden spell, having no time to react as Shining's hoof broke the leg and released the trap, followed by a quick shot to the body and doubling me over with a push of telekinesis on the upper back, right into a hoof to the side of the head, leading to another teleport back to our starting places.

The healing was enough to leave me tired, but capable. Pain seemed to all but vanish after Shining made a successful incapacitation. Knowing some of what it was all for, I let myself give in to the frustrated anger at Shining Armor and let myself forget that much more that it was only a test, however brutal. I knew I needed to want to kill him during all this.

It went on like that several times. I'd sometimes get in a strike or two, even broke one of his legs at one point. Each time though, I was the one that lost the attempt.

Each round, I found I was a little more exhausted, a little more magically drained. I had no false assumptions of matching Shining, even though he was breathing as hard as I was. I lacked the training I needed in magic, plain and simple. That much was driven home with every painful failed attack. At least I wasn't afraid of taking a hit.

Somewhere along the way, the sense of it being a test was at last lost to me and I sank into the need to survive. All that registered in my mind was needing to bring him down.

Though not being on the same level magically, Shining and I were close physically, even if he was better. When I had the option, I hammered him the way I knew. It was crude and draining to do, but I started managing a few effective shields here and there as I fought him. I felt strange new instincts with magic coming out as I did, though I was focused on needing to fight back.

At one point, lost in the fight as I was, a small shield appeared over each hand, my capacity to weave spells together somehow mixing in lightning with it. With the building charge on the shield and not my body, it couldn't bleed off or disperse. I only saw it as a tool to survive, pouring energy into the electrical charge held on the surface of each shield.

As I struck at Shining's own shield, the first punch actually cracked it. The second broke through and connected with the side of his head and neck.

As the immense discharge of electricity sent him rocketing away to slam into one of the stone pillars at the edge of the courtyard in which we fought, I tried to chase after him to hit him again only to find us teleported once more.

Again held in the magic that had been binding us during healing, I relished having gotten in a real victory and readied myself to try for more, almost not even registering the voice of Celestia over the pounding rush of battle. By the look of things, Shining Armor was feeling something similar as our widened eyes remained locked on each other, both of us craving for the opportunity to take each other apart and end the threat.

"Enough!" Celestia called out, "Thy Princesses find this Trial of Proving satisfied! Calm thyselves of thy blood fury and stand down!"

It was several seconds of heavy breathing and deadly focus, the demand to survive by destroying the threat slow to wane. I knew what battlelust felt like from the few times my life and more was at stake, but the chance to sink into it like that was a rush different from anything I'd ever felt.

A logical part of my mind that was freed of the rush pondered if that was important to this Trial of Proving mess. Perhaps even a majority of the real purpose. What we become when we go into primal states of survival.

Time was almost stuttering forward for a while as everything calmed back down. I felt myself collapse to the ground, not knowing when the magic field had released me and finding myself without the strength left to stand. I saw Shining wasn't too much better off, laying on his side, as both of us worked to catch our breath. It was a strange feeling to just crash in such a mundane way after such an ordeal, too weak to even lift a finger.

It wouldn't have been safe to do so on a real battlefield.

After a few minutes had passed, I forced myself to sit up, not feeling safe to stand. Shining had already sat back up.

I had a moment of confusion though, when I saw Luna. She was somehow the same size as Celestia now. It was so unexpected, all I could do was blink as things carried on.

Celestia spoke after giving us some time to recover, "Thy Princesses find this Trial of Proving complete. Prover, what is thy mind?"

Still breathing heavier than normal, Shining replied, "My Princesses, thy servant believes yon Unproved has been found worthy. If thou art so pleased, may he be declared Proven. Though greatly in need of further training, his worth has been shown and so earns my blessing in his pursuit of thy service."

"Thy Princesses find this acceptable proof of worth. Do any of the observers in attendance dispute this finding?" Celestia called out to the various Guard members that had been watching, her gaze sweeping the room before continuing, "Thy Princesses accept this Trial of Proving and the strength of the Proven."

After a pause, Celestia spoke again with a deep frown as the gathered crowd began to disperse, "You're still not off the hook, Shining Armor. Let us finish the healing..."

My eyes turned to Twilight, seeing compassion in her face and feeling support through our link.

Though I kept it internalized and only between us, I felt a rush of relief as I looked back at her. I hadn't quite doubted her willingness to accept the sides of myself that made me wary, but still...receiving that acceptance after such a display was treasured. It wasn't quite the same as when I was fighting to protect her, but still...it was close enough. Despite our being given a gift of intuitive trust between us, some things still needed to happen in their own time.

Somewhere inside myself, something towards her at last relaxed and began to grow warm.