Tales of the Sentinels of Harmony

by ChronicleStone

Chapter 7: Keeper and Riptide

New Chincoteague

September 12, 12:16 PM

The pair of unicorn mares dashed through the brush, heedless of the ruckus they were making. “We should be close!” shouted the one in the lead. “Hurry!”

Keeper looked ahead at her best friend. Riptide had always been the most enthusiastic among the trio of mares that formed their circle: Riptide, Keeper, and Razor. While Keeper had always tried to keep her cool and respond with a calm temperament, Riptide was known for embracing her role with all four legs. She wasn’t reckless, per se—she was just…ambitious.

“I don’t like this, Rip,” Keeper muttered to the seafoam-colored mare ahead of her. She ducked a broken tree branch without breaking stride. “Razor never asks for help. She never needs it.”

She thought she heard a snort, though among the sounds of hoofsteps, snapping twigs, and scattered wildlife, it was hard to make out any distinct sound on its own. “Then it must be really bad,” Riptide answered.

Magical flares were hardly new developments for the Sentinels. They had been developed centuries earlier, during the darker, more tumultuous years of Equestria following the fall of Princess Luna. Used as warnings against enemy advances or locations of interest, each flare spell had been designed to indicate its purpose: a star flare was an important find, a cross flare indicated a dangerous location, a circle flare was meant to be the sign of completion, and so on and so forth. It was a relatively straightforward system that had served the ponies well for eons. And while ponies like Ace had managed to advance the ability to communicate beyond the capabilities of the flares, the truth of the matter was that Ace’s abilities were extraordinarily unique, and as such, impractical for widespread use. The flares were still the premier form of long-range communication.

But there was one flare that had seen very little use within the Alicorn Guard and the Sentinels. Not for impracticality, but because a situation warranting its use had been so rare that it was almost never seen—the swirl flare. It was a rallying symbol, a call for reinforcements from nearby allies. In the days of war, it had been a common sight. But since the coming of the days of peace it had fallen out of use. What was more, the extraordinary gifts of the Sentinels meant that it was highly unlikely that a single Sentinel would be unable to handle a situation on their own.

But not thirty minutes ago, Keeper and Riptide had witnessed a bright magenta swirl flare not far to the east, and the truth was clear: Razor was in trouble.

Keeper shook her head, flinging the sweat from her forehead as she pressed on through the brush. If Razor really was in over her head, then it was good that she and Riptide were nearby. In truth, they were merely passing through the area after responding to an earthquake far to the south in Saddle Arabia. They were headed back to Canterlot for their next assignment when they spotted Razor’s flare.

So here they were—racing to the shore outside the Haysead Swamps to find out what was so dire that one of the three most powerful pegasi within the Sentinels could not handle it herself.

“I can feel the ocean,” Riptide announced to her friend. “We’re close! A few hundred yards and we’ll be there!”

“Then we’d best prepare ourselves,” Keeper replied. “Who knows what’s going on out there.”

A distant boom came to their ears, and Keeper’s brow furrowed in concern. “What was that?”

A much closer blast shook the ground beneath their hooves, and the unicorns came to a screeching halt in tandem. Keeper’s face changed from concern to alarm. “That sounded like a cannon,” she realized aloud.

Riptide’s eyes became narrow slits. “Pirates,” she growled.

Keeper knew that look. It was the first thing that had drawn Razor, Riptide, and herself into their comradery: their strong dislike for pirates. They were bandits on the seas, unworthy of both trust and friendship.

Or at least, that had been the idea.

Ever since the disbanding of the Alicorn Guard, Celestia and Luna had become more open to discussions with those outside the Solar Empire. And while pirates were definitely on the wrong side of the law, the belief held that nopony was completely irredeemable. They had Blitz to blame for that.

And so, somehow, the three ponies that despised the pirates the most were now the ones forced into facing them. Of course, Keeper thought to herself. What were we expecting?

They burst through the foliage onto an open, sandy beach. Small wooden huts were lined up a short distance from the tree line, with the waterfront not but another thirty feet beyond that. It would have been a quaint scene if it hadn’t been for the several smoking craters in the sand, the dozen or so pirate ships not far off shore, and the large group of pirates grinning wickedly at the few townsponies that stood before them. And lying underneath the hoof of the lead pirate was a familiar pegasus mare…

“Razor!” Riptide shouted, racing forward before the pirates turned towards her with swords drawn. She slid to a quick stop, but her clenched teeth were a sure sign that it was taking every ounce of restraint to keep her from strangling each one of the pirates where they stood.

The pirate who was standing on Razor leaned down next to his prisoner. “Ah, some o’ yer’ Sentinel friends, lass? Don’t ye have some stallions in yer’ ranks? Tain’t much pleasure in picking on naught but mares!”

The group of pirates all laughed, showing virtually no concern over the two new arrivals. Riptide’s face was a mix of rage and concern, and her eyes never wavered from the pirates. Keeper turned her attention to the frightened townsponies. None of them seemed to be injured—just scared. Razor, however, hadn’t moved since their arrival. Keeper could tell that she was breathing, but without being able to get closer, she wouldn’t be able to assess the extent of her friend’s injuries.

“Well, lasses, what say ye?” the captain asked, still smiling. “Ye be wantin’ to try yer’ luck against me and me mates? They still be hungry for battle, yar har!”

Another cheer rose from the pirates, but Riptide was undaunted. “Better idea: how about you just leave while you’re ahead?”

“It’d probably save you at least a little dignity. You know, instead of being beat by a group of girls,” Keeper added. She noticed that there was a certain amount of curiosity growing among the townsponies, particularly with a handsome navy blue pony standing at the head of the group. Despite his youthful appearance, the way the townsponies stood behind him seemed to indicate that he held some position of authority.

The pirate captain began to laugh again, with his crew following suit. “Haha! Dunno if ye’ve noticed, lass, but the odds ain’t exactly in yer’ favor,” he replied with a smirk.

Keeper’s horn lit up, and she saw several of the pirates recoil in response. “Then perhaps you just aren’t familiar with our abilities.”

The captain, however, pressed his hoof further into Razor’s back as his smirk turned into a snarl. “We were familiar enough with this one’s abilities,” he growled, “and we dealt with her already. What’s two more?”

Riptide merely rolled her eyes. “A really stupid question, that’s what,” she answered. Several of the pirates stamped in preparation to charge, but she winked and blew them a kiss.

“Could we please focus on the task at hoof, please?” Keeper whispered, looking exasperated. Riptide and Razor might have been fond of having fun on the job, but when one’s life might have been on the line…well, that didn’t seem like a wise approach.

“Well, lassies, we be reasonable pirates, so we’ll make ye an offer,” the captain said, though the mischievous twinkle in his eye told Keeper everything she needed to know about his offer. “If ye be willing to surrender and come with us, we’ll spare this here town and leave the ponies here alone, on our honor.”

“What little honor you have,” Riptide muttered, and Keeper shot her such an intense look that she winced and looked away. Keeper might have been meek and unassuming most of the time, but there was one thing everypony knew about her: you did not want to make her upset.

“And if we refuse?” Keeper asked, though she suspected she knew the answer.

“Then we’ll wipe this little village of the map and take all o’ ye prisoners by force, yar har! What say ye to that?”

Keeper tapped her chin mentally. They want us as prisoners…why? Slave trade? Ransom? I wonder… “A moment to discuss this with my partner, if you please,” she asked, reaching out with her magic and dragging her partner into a small huddle.

“We’re not considering this, right?” Riptide asked quietly, dusting herself free of sand while constantly peering back at the pirates.

“Of course not,” Keeper answered back in a hushed voice. “We’re not negotiating. But we need to get Razor away from those pirates.” She looked out into the harbor, where the pirate ships all sat, cannons aimed right at the tiny village. “And deal with the ships. But they’re such a long way off…can your magic even reach them out there?”

A smile spread across Riptide’s face. It reminded Keeper a little of Ace whenever he asked if somepony wanted to bet on something. “My magic won’t have to—only the water. And I can promise you that the water will get there.”

“Then that just leaves the pirates to deal with. It may be best if we—”

A sudden choir of shouts startled her and interrupted her mid-sentence. She spun around, only to find the group of pirates being pulled out into the harbor by a suspiciously-picky wave that had chosen to leave only Razor where she had been.

Keeper looked back at her comrade and stared at her glowing horn. “Rip…”

Riptide put on her most innocent face and stared at her partner. “Oh. You didn’t mean now?”

Keeper sighed. Riptide was nothing if not enthusiastic—often frustratingly so. But this went beyond that. She was also ambitious and playful, and both traits were on full display now. “Riptide, just…why?”

“No time to chat!” the aqua-colored unicorn said with a smile as she ran to the water’s edge. “Make sure that Razor’s okay! I’ve got this!”

Maybe she is borderline reckless, Keeper surmised as she watched her partner push back the tide with her magic. But she knows how good she is, and she’d never do anything if it put a friend’s life in danger. Speaking of which…

She darted across the beach, kneeling beside the limp form of Razor. The townsponies crowded around, but Keeper raised a hoof. “Get to cover! If those cannons start firing, you’ll be completely vulnerable!”

There was a moment’s hesitation from the crowd before the navy stallion turned and spoke to the group. “Let’s do as she says,” he said with an authoritative, yet gentle, tone. “They’ve got the situation under control here. We should stay out of their way.”

“But Miss Razor…” a filly protested.

Keeper looked up and offered a reassuring smile. “Don’t you worry about her. I’m going to fix her up so she can help us beat the pirates, alright?”

The filly managed a not-entirely-convinced smile, but turned obediently with the rest of her village and headed for the shelter of the trees. Keeper turned her attention back to the unconscious pegasus at her hooves. With a quick flash of her horn, she fired off a recovery spell that caused Razor to lurch forward, gasping for air as her eyes snapped wide open.

“Thank Celestia,” Keeper said with a relieved sigh, cradling her patient’s head between her hooves, “you’re alright!”

“Oh, hi, Keeper,” Razor managed between coughs. “Saw my distress flare, huh?”

“Sure did,” came her response. She looked up to see the pirates, still struggling to get back to shore against Riptide’s constant changes in the movements of the water. The ships out in the bay were still silent, but the likelihood of that changing was high. “But Rip and I would still appreciate any help you could give us.”

Razor’s eyes widened and twinkled as Keeper spoke. “Riptide’s here, too? Oh, goody,” she said, sitting up. “Hey, while you’re there, could you do your thing on my back?” She gestured to a place between her shoulders. “Feels like somepony’s been driving a post into my spine.”

Keeper rolled her eyes knowingly. “Or standing on it, at the least…”

“Pardon?”

“Nothing. Hold still.”

Keeper’s horn lit up, emitting a magic beam into Razor’s back. “Ahhh, that’s the spot,” Razor sighed, head down in relaxation. “Much better.”

“Glad I could help.”

Almost faster than Keeper could trace, Razor leapt to her hooves, taking in the scene before her. “Looks like Rip’s got the situation taken care of here. Where do you need me?”

Keeper gestured out at the pirates’ ships. “We heard those cannons firing earlier. They’re the larger problem right now. If they start firing again, we’re in trouble here.”

Almost as if on cue, the pirate’s captain surfaced from beneath the waves, screaming at the top of his lungs. “Blast it, ya’ dogs! We be pirates, not a bunch o’ landlubbers! Fire on that village!”

Keeper frowned. A screaming bandit wasn’t generally something to worry about. But the fact of the matter was that sound travelled extremely well over water.

Which was a problem.

A sudden boom from the harbor confirmed her fears. She looked up to mark the trail of a cannonball, headed for the houses just twenty feet behind her.

“Razor!” she shouted, pointing up. “Stop that!”

The order hadn’t even been necessary. Before she could even finish shouting, the pegasus was in the air, reaching out with her magic. For a split second, nothing seemed to happen. But gradually, the cannonball slowed down until it had stopped entirely in midair. “Got it!” Razor shouted back, her wings and eyes glowing with magic. She patted the cannonball approvingly. “Whaddya wanna do with this?”

A wry smile came to Keeper’s lips. “How about ‘return to sender’?”

Razor returned her partner’s smile. “Needs more postage, ya bunch of seafaring freaks!” she yelled, pivoting her body and mimicking a kicking motion as she sent the cannonball hurtling back to the wooden ships.

They were rewarded several seconds later as one of the boats rocked to the side and its foremost mast fell into the sea. “Nice shot,” Keeper commented.

“You say that like you didn’t expect it,” Razor answered with a wink.

A sudden spatter of yelling drew Keeper’s attention back to the pirates struggling to get back onto dry land. Riptide was obviously enjoying herself, toying with them as her magic twisted the water to her will. She was perhaps the most dangerous member of the Sentinels when she was in the right environment.

Beside the ocean, her potential power was titanic. The pirates stood virtually no chance of getting back to shore unless she let them. They were locked down.

But we need her to deal with a more pressing issue.

Another boom resonated from the water, and Razor nimbly swerved to intercept the incoming cannonball. It was easy enough to stop one, but if those ships ever started to fire together…

“Riptide!” Keeper called out, running over to her partner.

“Lemme guess—need me to do something else?” she asked, never diverting her eyes from the sputtering pirates in the water.

“We’ve got bigger problems than these pirates,” Keeper explained, opening her saddlebags and pulling out a pair of shooters. “We need to take out those ships before they can coordinate their cannons. Razor can only stop so many at a time.”

“No problem,” the cerulean unicorn smiled. “But that’s gonna take a bit of concentration. Who’s gonna handle these fools while I wreck those oversized bath toys?”

The shooters simultaneously slid into place with a pair of clicks. Keeper strode forward confidently, furrowing her brow as she mentally prepared for combat. “You can leave that to me.”

“Ooo, aggressive-mode Keeper,” Riptide said. “Just don’t go too rough on them, OK?”

Keeper snorted. The water around the pirates suddenly subsided, and they were left standing in water that was barely a foot deep. “I’ll try…but no promises.”

The captain staggered out of the water, looking not-entirely steady, but thoroughly upset. His eyes were red from having been splashed repeatedly with saltwater, but probably also from pure frustration. He glared at Keeper as she made her approach. “Ye lasses certainly carry more than meets the eye,” he admitted. “But ye can’t hold us off forever! Ye be outnumbered nearly a hundred to one!”

“Probably,” Keeper answered, continuing her approach. “But you’re sadly mistaken if you think that one of us isn’t worth a hundred of you. We may be outnumbered, but you’re out of your league.”

“Get her, lads! And when you’re done with her, then get the other unicorn and burn this village to the ground!” the captain ordered. Instantly, Keeper found herself staring at a group of twenty brutes storming up the beach toward her, each one bearing a bloodthirsty look in his eyes.

Let’s deal with that first, then.

Her horn lit up, and a wave of magic flew from it, dispersing into the crowd of advancing pirates. Almost immediately, half of them cried out in alarm and fell on their faces, suddenly struggling to so much as stand up.

“What’s the matter with ye?” the captain barked. “Can’t ye even walk straight! I said get that mare!”

“Good luck with that,” Keeper replied. “See, I’m normally a healer. I specialize in making sure that my friends and allies stay healthy and free from injury. But that’s only half the story.”

Her eyelids fell, changing her visage from a distinctly neutral face into one of hostility. “I’m actually well-versed in the magic of altering somepony’s physical state. I can heal wounds and treat illnesses, but I can also inflict my opponents with various ailments—such as temporary blindness, for one.”

The rage on the captain’s face drained with his tawny color, replaced by a look of sudden apprehension. She leaned towards the nearest pirate and lit up her horn. Instantly, the stallion lurched towards the sand, gagging and retching as though he had suddenly come down with a nasty illness. “Nausea is another. Uncontrollable itching, dizziness, temporary deafness—I really have quite an arsenal at my disposal.” She continued down the to the water’s edge while the crewponies staggered all around her. “So, the question is, captain,” she asked, stopping just as the waves ran up to her hooves, “how much can you endure?”

The captain gritted his teeth but said nothing. Keeper arched an eye, taking careful appraisal of the pirate’s body language. Few knew the full nature of her magical abilities. She typically reserved them only for very dangerous opponents, and even they were rather quick to back down when confronted with the full force of Keeper’s power. But this pirate captain, even with the demonstration of those effects on his crew, had yet to submit. Either he’s got a steel will, or he’s facing something else he’s more afraid of than me.

“Arr, ye be more fearsome than I surmised,” the captain said at last. “Ye Sentinels be full of surprises, ain’t ye?”

“I like to think so,” Keeper answered with a smirk. “Call off your cannons, or my friend up there will make sure they’re nothing but flotsam and jetsam,” she added, gesturing to Razor, who waved back cheerfully.

The captain sighed. “Ye have put me in a tight spot, lass. Beset by monsters on all sides, as it were.”

Keeper’s brow furrowed ever-so-slightly. “What do you mean?”

He met her gaze, and she could see the traces of desperation in his eyes. “Ye’ve placed me in a spot where I must make a choice, but there be no good one,” he explained. Then, turning to the water, he shouted, “Cease fire, ye dogs! I still be liking to have one boat to sail away in!”

A choice? she wondered. What’s he carrying on about? I mean fighting us is obviously a bad choice, but if he doesn’t have a good one, then that means that retreating away like this is also a bad choice. And that must mean…

“You’re being forced to do this,” she concluded. “It wasn’t your idea to attack this village. Someone’s making you do it.”

“We be pirates, lass,” the captain corrected. “It be our livelihood to plunder. But we would never have returned once we had met yer’ friend,” he added, nodding to where Razor hovered in the air, keeping a close eye on the ships in the harbor while also listening to the conversation. “So, I suppose that be the gist of it.”

“So you are being forced to do this. But there’s obviously something special about this location. Why are you being sent here?” Keeper queried, hoping that the captain would continue to play along with her interrogation.

“Forgive me, lass, but seeing as we be in a bit of a pickle,” the captain answered, “I’ve a mind to play things a little close to the chest.” He bowed slightly. “I’m sure ye understand.”

“I see,” Keeper answered, straightening up, but never releasing the captain’s gaze. “Well, since you don’t seem to be in a talkative mood, let’s see what we can surmise from what you did say.” She began to pace back and forth, her horn still aglow as her spell kept the captain’s crew temporarily neutralized. “So, there’s obviously someone who’s got you convinced to attack this village, apparently by scaring you into it, judging from how you talk about them.” She pivoted and began to retrace her steps in the sand. “And by sending you, it probably means that they don’t want to reveal their true identity yet. But since they keep sending you here, it means that there is something that they can specifically get from here.” She turned back to the captain. “So, my question remains: why? What is it that they’re after?”

The captain grunted. “Ye know, lass, I still see no reason to trust ye. What do we have to gain from giving you what we know?”

A collective groan rose from the disabled pirates lying on the beach, but Keeper ignored them. He doesn’t trust me? Well, that’s a feeling I’m rather familiar with myself.

But another thought rose up in her mind—the voice of Princess Celestia. “How could we call ourselves the paragons of peace, justice, and love if we do not extend those sentiments to those around us? And not simply those that we get along with—but also those that we disagree with. Because who knows what results a simple act of kindness could create?”

Keeper sighed to herself. Much as I hate to admit it…she’s got a point. “No?” she asked. “What about mercy? I mean, as it is, you’d be criminals within Equestria. But if you help us here, we can change that. You could be pardoned and given a chance at a new life.”

But the captain merely shook his head. “Pirates is all we’ve ever been, missy. Doubt we’d find much else to occupy our time.”

“Do you enjoy having to face off against us?” Razor suddenly interjected from above. The intensity of battle had faded from her face, and she looked as sincere and as concerned as she could have been. “I mean, even if you’re afraid of these other guys that keep sending you here, is it worth having to face us?”

“Ye fillies don’t understand what we be working with. There be horror tales of the ponies that sent us here.”

“Like what?” Keeper pressed. The captain wanted to spill the beans—she could tell. It was just convincing him that it was the best idea that was the hard part.

“They know,” the captain answered cryptically, his voice lowering. “They always be watching; always aware of what be happening. If any pony defies their orders…”

“What?” Razor asked.

“Things start happening. They start hearing strange sounds. Then they start seeing things. Then, they simply disappear! Ye never see nor hear anything from them again!” The captain shivered and his eyes swept across the beach, suddenly looking very paranoid. “I shouldn’t even be speaking to ye at all!”

“But you have,” Keeper replied. “And you know how powerful we are. All you seem to know about these others are rumors. Do you think we could handle them? If we had all of the Sentinels together, I mean?”

The captain swallowed and focused on the unicorn. “Aye, perhaps,” he conceded. “But that be the thing with rumors, lasses: they always have a grain of truth to them.”

“You’ve seen more than a grain of truth from us. Let us help you make the seas a safer place for everypony,” Keeper beseeched. “Please.”

“There be no easy answer to this,” the captain replied.

“Then decide: would you rather have the opportunity to live freely on the seas, or do you prefer serving someone else who rules over you through fear?” Razor asked.

The earth pony’s head snapped up to look at the pegasus in surprise. But after a few moments, his expression softened and his head lowered in resignation. “Aye, ye have me there, lass. It may cost me, but at least I can help make the seas free again.”

“Thank you,” Keeper sighed in relief. “So, what are these ponies after?”

“Some pegasus stallion,” the captain answered. “Never gave us a name or a description. But he be looking for this pegasus for some reason.”

“Not entirely helpful,” Razor snorted. “There are loads of pegasus stallions in Equestria.”

“Oh, not just any pegasus,” the captain corrected. “He be one of yer’ Sentinels.”

The revelation hit Keeper like a load of bricks. Immediately, Blitz came to mind. He’s the most famous and unique among us—it’d be no surprise to find that somepony was after him, for one reason or another. But at the same time, any of our pegasus stallions are incredibly powerful. It could be Nighthawk, or Rimshot, or even Sprocket.

“So that’s why you seemed so relieved when I fired off my signal flare!” Razor realized, interrupting Keeper’s train of thought. “But why did they think they’d find him out here?”

“Arr, can’t say I understand that one meself, lass,” the captain answered. “But apparently, he thought that we might be able to find yer pegasus out here.”

“Wait,” Keeper ordered, realizing something. “Who’s this ‘he’ you keep referring to?”

The captain’s face darkened. “His henchponies call him ‘Captain Exo,’ but that may not be his true name.”

Keeper traded glances with Razor, who merely shrugged. “Exo? Like the letters, X and O?” the pegasus asked quizzically.

“Can’t say for sure. His name always came up in the hearing, not so much in the seeing.”

“You say that this ‘Exo’ was giving you orders. Did he meet with you specifically, or did he just have a courier?” Keeper asked.

“Arr, we never knew how, but he always found us,” the captain explained. “’Twas like he knew where we were at all times. There be no hiding from him.”

“So he did meet with you face-to-face?” Keeper pressed.

The captain snorted. “Aye, he was there, but we never saw his face. Always wearing this hooded coat, he was. And always at night he came.” Then, apparently seeing the thoughtful expression on the unicorn’s face, he shook his head. “Arr, missy, if ye be thinking of trying to ambush him, I’d kindly advise ye to reconsider.”

“And why’s that?” Razor asked, looking skeptical.

“Perhaps it be just a feeling, but Exo always spoke with confidence and swagger. ‘Twas unnerving. It made ye think that he had a plan for almost everything. It may have been just him that we saw, but I don’t doubt that he could have had a dozen ships hiding in the dark, ready to attack at his command.” The captain took a breath, and it was only at that moment that Keeper noticed how suddenly nervous he had become. Somehow, this “Captain Exo” had become a symbol of paranoia in the minds of his victims—to profoundly good effect.

“And that’s not to mention his own abilities,” the captain continued. “I think he may be a fair bit more dangerous than ye understand, lasses.”

Keeper hummed to herself in thought. As much as I hate to admit it, he may be right. Trying to engage an unknown foe is just asking for trouble. “So, which stallion were you after?” she asked, deciding to redirect her interrogation yet again. “Or did this ‘Exo’ even mention that?”

“I’m afraid he saw no need to give us that information, missy,” the captain answered. “But he never told us to try and capture him—just to draw him out.”

Razor’s nose wrinkled. “Sounds like he knew that this pegasus was probably too much for a group of pirates, no matter how large.”

“Agreed,” Keeper nodded. “Which means they were probably after either Nighthawk or Blitz. No offense to Rimshot or Sprocket, but their reputations aren’t quite the same as those two.”

“We’ll need to warn them, then,” Razor concluded. “If ‘Captain Exo’ didn’t want the pirates to try and capture them, then he must have had some other plan to get them.”

“Yes, but we’ll have to warn all the Sentinels,” Keeper added. “If they’re after Nighthawk or Blitz, then they might try to take a hostage—or hostages—to try and force us to trade for them.” She reached up and unclipped her shooters from her legs and placed them back in her saddlebags. “Which means I need to get back to Canterlot immediately. Razor, can I trust you to keep this village safe?”

“Sure thing,” the pegasus answered enthusiastically. “What should I do with the pirates?”

The captain looked at her in surprise, but Keeper had expected the question. “Help them back out to their ships, then send them on their way.” She locked eyes with the captain as her horn’s glow faded. “This is your one chance, captain,” she advised over the relieved groans of the ponies in the sand. “If I were you, I’d try to put as much space between yourselves and this village as you can.”

“Arr, it matters not where we go, lass,” the captain answered sadly. “Exo will find us. There be no escaping that.”

“Perhaps not,” Keeper admitted, “but if he’s looking for you, then every moment he spends trying to find you is a moment we can use to track him down. If you can delay him long enough, we may be able to get to him before he gets to you.”

“What if you just meet with Exo and tell him that you were driven off by more of the Sentinels, but that no pegasus stallion showed up?” Razor suggested. “I mean, that’s the truth, right? It would buy you and us even more time!”

“True, lass,” the pirate conceded. “But he would probably send us back again with an even larger force. We can’t be keeping the charade going forever.”

“We wouldn’t have to,” Keeper answered. “Just long enough.” She looked to where Riptide stood on the shore, eyeing the ships in the harbor. “Rip! We need to get back to Canterlot! Let’s go!”

“We all clear here, then?” the unicorn called back.

“Yeah, we’re good!” She turned back to the captain. “For what it’s worth, captain, you have our thanks. You’re doing us all a favor. We’ll do our best to make sure that it isn’t wasted.”

“Time will tell,” the captain responded. He looked back to his crewmates, who stood at the water’s edge behind him. “To the boats, lads! These lasses be more than we can handle.”

Keeper watched the pirates climb into their small boats and shove off, headed for their ships. Riptide came up beside her. “Ready?”

“Yeah, let’s go.” She looked up to where Razor was hovering in the air. “Try to stay out of trouble, k?”

“Hey, you know me,” the pegasus answered with a wink.

Together, the two unicorns took off from the shore, plowing into the forest brush at a full gallop. But they had only gone about fifty meters in when Keeper came to a stop.

“Keeper? What’s wrong?” Riptide asked, confused.

“Nothing. I’m going on to Canterlot. But you’re not.”

“Huh?”

Keeper pointed back to the village. “Look, we just placed our trust for all of this to work in the hooves of pirates. Now, whether he’s a pony of his word or not, I’m not about to trust him blindly. So I want you to stay here with Razor. As a precaution.”

A smile slowly spread across Riptide’s face. “I like the way you think,” she commented.

“I don’t want you to reveal yourself until the pirates are gone,” Keeper ordered. “If they betray us, we’ll need an advantage. You’re going to be ours.”

“Got it. Be careful, Keeper.”

“Always.”

Author's Note:

And so, the shadow of a new adversary appears on the horizon. Who is this "Captain Exo," and what are his plans for the Sentinels...and Equestria?

Bit of a longer chapter here. While most of the other chapters merely serve to flesh out the Sentinels' characters, this one serves a dual purpose: one, I really wanted to give some time to Keeper, since she played such a pivotal role in the outcome of Oathbound, and two, I needed to plant the seeds of the next major story, so that took a little space. In any case, this chapter took a while, and I'm glad to see it done. We're getting close to the next big story, guys, so thanks for sticking with me! Here's hoping you continue to enjoy the story!