Page 143 of Saint Hope’s personal logs

Emerald, that colt I’d taken in not long ago, turned out to be consorting with demons. Joyride has since been missing, much to my dismay… he’d taken to visiting her every so often, possibly to ask about his “universe”, but I am never certain. Did she know? I’ve already tended to Bristle’s wounds. And to Larimar’s. Gods above, I fear for him. I don’t know what transpired in that room, but he’s been unresponsive since the event. He’s being tended to by the Order’s best medics as I write, so I can only hope that things turn out okay. In the meanwhile, Rocky is beside himself with grief. All of us had grown close to Emerald these last few weeks, but Rocky seems to have taken this the worst. He won’t let go of Emerald’s amulet…

I can’t say that such an event was expected. I acted like I knew all along, but a position like this requires a certain presence. An implication of foresight that no one could have reasonably seen. Emerald was suspicious of course, but to have been harboring not one, but two demons in his company…? I couldn’t have guessed. I knew there was something wrong, that a lot of what he told us was fantastical, but after weeks spent together… how could anyone expect something like this? He was such a sweet colt, just like my choir. Anypony who knows me, knows that I am a firm believer in the Order and everything it stands for. Those who dare deal with demons deserve to be strung up to an Arrowfix, their souls burned away in a purifying fire.

Emerald was hiding two demons, and I feel conflicted. He must have been a victim of his own inexperience… Throughout my lessons, I had the impression that he was somewhat sympathetic to the demons, much to my displeasure. He had the mindset of a child not yet taught the depths of evil a demon is willing, and all too happy to commit. I was even in the processes of curbing that naivete, but he was deceived long before I could ever get to him.

This only strengthens my resolve. Every last demon will be purged, every cultist exposed, and we will clear out Tartarus itself if we must.

Colt Quest is an adult-oriented adventure created by FicFicPonyFic! It can be read in its entirety here! And you can join Fic’s Discord here!