As the newest commander of the Royal Guard, it was Solemn Guard’s sworn duty to protect Equestria and its Princesses from any and every threat, actual and possible. That included threats the Princesses themselves didn’t or couldn’t recognize. Solemn Guard had to be ever watchful and vigilant. He had to see more than any other pony, or else ponies would die.

Two decades stationed in the lonely borderlands had shown him the dark hearts and ragged claws that wished for the destruction of Equestria, held at bay horrors few ponies were even aware of.

Now a new menace had arisen to threaten the lives of the Princesses, a menace unlike anything ever before seen by ponykind. And Solemn Guard was the only pony who saw it truly.

As he walked through the darkened halls of Canterlot Castle, he heard talk of the creature on the lips of every member of the castle staff. He heard no frightened tones, only excited whispers and lighthearted gossip.

Fools, he cursed them. Utter fools.

Even the Princesses had fallen under the creature’s sway. They welcomed it with gifts and open hooves. Even now, it stayed in private quarters of Canterlot Castle completely unsupervised. The Princesses had ignored Solemn Guard’s warnings and insistence that the creature at least be assigned a guard.

The Princesses were wise in the ways of diplomacy and administration, but it amazed Solemn Guard how naive they were in ways of security. The creature could be doing anything now, plotting anything, and the Princesses refused to monitor it.

Solemn Guard passed two of his guardsponies in the hall and nodded to them. They stood silent and strong in the darkness. He wished he could enlist their help. Confronting the creature alone was a risk. He couldn’t guess at its abilities, only prepare himself for the worst. But it had to be done alone. When his task was done, there would be accusations, trials, punishments, and Solemn Guard would bear those alone. He had always been prepared to lay down his life for Equestria and his Princesses. Martyrdom was an expected aspect of the job.

Solemn Guard raised his head high. There were forces at play greater than he, he understood that. He was but a tool of the cosmos, a tool with a purpose. And that purpose would be fulfilled tonight.

Destiny was at play here tonight. Or an incredible series of coincidences. Was it not amazing that a stallion of Solemn Guard’s talents was captain of the guard at the time the creature arrived? It could have come in any other age, could it not? That Shining Armor had left the position open only weeks before? That Solemn Guard had returned from border duty just a day before the creature appeared? That Solemn Guard had been present at the very time and place of its arrival?

Solemn Guard’s mark was a spyglass. Most ponies misunderstood its meaning. Solemn Guard could see, both far and clear. He could scan a crowd of faces and immediately know who were the pickpockets, who were the gamblers, who were the miscreants, who was cheating on his wife, who was stealing office supplies from work. He could see into a pony’s eyes and know their hearts.

And so when the creature emerged from its vehicle, the function and magic of which had proved incomprehensible to the Princesses’ mages, Solemn Guard had seen the red crazed haze of violence in its eyes.

Its vehicle had appeared from nowhere in the castle gardens. Not even with a flash of light or sound. And then it had emerged, walking on fleshy legs and raising disfigured appendages towards Solemn Guard. It came with a smile and a soothing tone, and it named itself Human.

Solemn Guard had looked into Human's eyes and seen avarice and cunning and coming destruction.

Human dazzled the Princesses with wondrous artifacts and displays of power. It told them that hundreds of millions of its kind remained wherever it had come from, and that they were eager to make the journey to Equestria.

Only Solemn Guard saw the ill in its heart. Only Solemn Guard recognized the scouting party for what it was. Only Solemn Guard could stop the impending invasion.

He would be denounced, insulted, exiled. But he would know that he had saved his home and its Princesses.

He came upon the door of Human's quarters and slipped quietly inside.

He locked the door behind him.

Solemn Guard found Human asleep.