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// Night Guard: Commander Sirius 
// Story: Ink Blot's Unassorted Encyclopedia of Absolutely Everything 
// by Nevlamas 
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Even to his own siblings, the stalwart Commander of the Night Guard is a mystery. Known for his tactical genius, Sirius has excelled in all of his roles, be it leader, warrior or priest. He is both devout and confident, rigid and passionate and most consider him the perfect example of what a star should be.

While there are quite a few things to be said about him, Sirius is mostly known for simply his age. While not being the first Night Guard Commander – four others held that title before him – he is indeed the first Night Guard. The first being ever to be raised to the stars, at a time when there were no stars in Equestria. He does not speak about his life before ascending, and no one has ever been foolish enough to push him; still it is commonly believed that even Luna herself is as not as ancient as he is, meaning that she would have raised him in her earliest years, when there still were mortals older than her. 

The romantically inclined often whisper about a deeper reason for this. It is obvious that Sirius’ dedication to Princess Luna exceeds any religious commitment by far. That he is in love with her is a generally accepted fact. Now some would say that his is not the love of an amorous admirer. Some would say that his way of worrying over ever little mistake she might do at some point is the typical reaction of any parent – some would say that he is her father, who could not stand to see his immortal daughter grow up without his guidance and who stopped at nothing to stay by her side. Some would say so, but only behind his back.

Whatever his true origins may be, first official mention of Sirius’ name was made in the third century of Equestria’s existence. The Canterlot archives include several reports written by Commander Night Sky concerning his distinguishing performance in every aspect of duty. 

He remained a common brother for four hundred peaceful years, ever adding to his spotless reputation. Even during Discord’s cursed reign, he never once stumbled. When things did eventually change for the worse, no one put the blame on him except for himself. Princess Luna fell into darkness and Nightmare Moon was born. The Nightmare declared war against Celestia and her people, knowing that the Guard would follow her. They did so, reluctantly. During the Twilight War, Sirius’ grew from an exemplary servant into a living legend. As the castes were forged, he chose the Silver Guard for his own, and they chose him as their Corporal. His allies admired his qualities as a tactician as much as the stalwart determination with which he forced his troops to hold the line in battle. His enemies came to know him as a merciful victor who treated his captives with respect and who punished any acts of cruelty done under his command. Stories tell of a duel between him and the Solari Glimmer Lance: right before engaging in lethal combat, the contestants were heard assuring each other of their utmost respect.

But his greatest hour of triumph – though he would never name it so himself – was the Battle of the Winsome Falls. Commander Silver Wind and Captain Zenith of the Royal Guard had fought each other before, but never had they met face to face. Between the rainbow falls of Cloudsdale, the two leaders did so for the first time. And for the last, as Zenith turned out be the greater fighter. Silver Wind was slain, his soldiers scattered. They suffered a crushing defeat that day. Had Sirius not ordered his caste to cover their retreat, it might have been that much worse. While their brothers and sisters fled back to the night sky, the Silver Guard held the line until the very last moment. Less than a third of them survived.

Upon returning from his grim duty, Sirius saw himself face to face with another foe. Nightmare Moon did not forgive her children their failure, and her wrath struck them terribly. She ordered her Corporals to bring forth a culprit, which they were all too happy to provide: their brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, everyone but themselves. Disgusted by their cowardice, she turned to Sirius, the last of her champions to answer her summoning. He had just returned from his desperate mission. He had lost hundreds of Night Guard dear to his heart. He had slain more than a dozen good soldiers with his own hands, soldiers whose only crime had been their wish to protect their families. He was the first of his race. He had watched Luna’s birth; he had watched her grow into her destiny. He loved her more than life, and now her soul had been imprisoned by a Nightmare that held her hostage and forced him to follow her. As much as he despised Nightmare Moon: without a way to free the true princess, he had no choice but to serve her captor.

And to lead his siblings to the slaughter.

He told her that she was the only one to blame for all the things that had happened. The Twilight War was her doing and hers alone. Every Guard that had died had done so by her command. Had she not ordered Silver Wind to engage in a battle right beneath Cloudsdale, the fiasco could have been prevented altogether. It was her who hadn’t accepted the Commander’s defensive battle plan and who had forced him into a much too aggressive charge against the martial pegasi, all the while knowing that they were still the greatest fighters in Equestria. She had sent her own children to their deaths, for nothing. She was the culprit, and no one else. 

As Sirius spoke, he was certain that those words would be his last, and in fact they almost were. Nightmare Moon came over him with the fury of a tempest. She thrashed and flailed at him, raged like never before and then turned calm, all of the sudden. Into the breathless silence that followed, she spoke the words that declared Corporal Sirius Night Guard Commander. He had proven a courageous warrior and a masterful tactician before, but by openly defying his own princess, he had now shown clairvoyance and bravery unlike any of his siblings. He had what it took to lead them to victory.

As it would turn out, he had not.

Even in his new position as Nightmare Moon’s general and first advisor, his voice of reason wasn't loud enough. The Nightmare Guard continued in their crimes, and so did the princess herself. Luna remained out of reach and he still lacked the power to stop the atrocities done by her shadow. Though he won battle after battle, he could not prevent the inevitable judgement that came in form of the golden princess, Celestia. In a final confrontation of cataclysmic proportions, she unleashed the Elements of Harmony against her enemies, striking down her nocturnal sister and banishing her to the moon.

Sirius hated the Nightmare with all his heart, but her loss still was devastating. He fled to the night sky, but without their princess to aid them, only very few could follow him. Rejoining with those that had not been part of the battle, there were still no more than hundreds were once there had been thousands. Mad with grief, the Night Guard turned their backs to Equestria. It would take decades until Sirius managed to break through their mourning and give them a new purpose: to set their lady free.

With their function returned their strength. Sirius held no grudge against the Equestrian people, who had fought only to defend themselves. He ordered his siblings to return to their duties, and all but the most resentful complied. Luna was still gone though, and nothing could fill the hole she left. The people beneath would still be plagued by nightmares for centuries to come. All the while, the wisest and most powerful of the Black Priests would work night in night out in search for a way to break the curse upon Nightmare Moon. 

A millennium later, Sirius was the first to welcome his mistress back. He watched her abduct her sister from the royal palace, watched her fight the Spirits of Harmony, watched with the other stars from above. When the Elements shattered the prison that was Nightmare Moon, their jubilation knew no limits. All the hatred of the past had been forgotten. Still today, Sirius is deeply grateful for the service the Spirits have done his kind. Luna met him the next night and commended him on his heart, his silver heart that had stayed pure even while serving the Nightmare. His reunion with the princess would be the only time that the Commander was seen shedding tears.

Today, the trust Luna puts in him is greater than ever. Although it was Nightmare Moon who raised him to power, he is no lesser man in the eyes of her true self. He commands over her children in her name and advises her on every decision, a paragon amongst the stars, keen of mind, courageous and pure like polished silver.