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// Chapter 4: Rotgut 
// Story: Glowing in Everglow 
// by Darkmoon9 
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Diary Cozy Glow

The fight against Midnight Cat and Valentine was the closest brush with death I think I ever had, when I fought against Twilight and her friends, they were never willing to go for the kill, but Midnight Cat was more than willing to kill every single one of us if that meant he was able to escape the law. It seems I was too used to how things were done in my homeland, and I needed to accept the fact that ponies in this reality were far darker than I was used to. 

But in a way that meant I fitted in more here than I ever did in my homeland. I seem to have awakened some kind of latent magical ability during the fight with Midnight Cat. In our desperate hour of need I had remembered the words Sunset spoke when casting her cure spells and I was able to channel that energy for myself. I didn’t have a horn, so I channeled that energy through my voice alone, even I were surprised it was successful. By healing Sunset, she was able to heal Silverwing and Silverwing was able to finish off Midnight Cat. While we failed to bring in the criminal alive, we were able to survive and fight another day. It was the most scared I had ever been in my entire life, yet some part of me also found the danger exhilarating. Had I finally found a challenge that was worthy of my abilities?

I spent a great deal of time during the evening talking to Sunset, she seemed grateful to me saving her life, her being in my debt was something I could use. To be honest I had started to grow fond of her, but she was naïve for believing that I could be a good person and that my friendliness was anything other than a means to an end. I merely saw the case of the Prince’s missing horn as an opportunity to ingratiate myself into the royal family and earn power and prestige for myself. But I could not let her know that because she like Twilight could decide to turn me to stone one day. 

The next morning, we were summoned into an audience with Staybright. He told us that they had been examining the papers found in Midnight Cat’s lair as well as talking to sources of information around the city. This Rotgut that Midnight Cat and Valentine was working for was apparently a known criminal element. Rotgut had paid to have the maid blackmailed and to smuggle a package out to the castle, while nopony knew what was in the package, it was exactly the right size for the Prince’s horn.

Staybright explained that he thought that the Gem Gnolls were trying to disrupt the succession of Prince Shining Horn and make the kingdom weaker. I thought that sounded reasonable considering I had learned that the Gem Gnolls were longtime enemies of Taralos, and it was the sort of thing I would’ve done if I were their enemies. Staybright told us that while he already had people out looking for the gnoll, he wanted to add us to the search, and that he was willing to lend us an artifact from the royal vault to help with our mission. He showed us a wooden figurine of a bloodhound. This figurine could apparently only be activated once per year, but once activated it could track the scent of a target that had been around it for the last week. He gave the figurine to me and told me they found someone who saw the gnoll leaving town two days previously. He gave us a royal warrant to arrest Rotgut and seize any items he might be carrying. Once we met up with Staybright’s contact, I commanded the figurine to track Rotgut, the figurine animated into a wooden construct that behaved in a manner similar to a dog. It immediately picked up Rotgut’s trail, which led to the north.

We followed the trail into the forest to the north, the vegetation around us was significantly less green than in the Forest of Dreams, yet not any less rich in wildlife. Suddenly a wild boar burst from the vegetation, staring at us with angry eyes. Silverwing moved quickly to engage the beast, Cipher flanked the boar to put a dagger in its back. The boar went into a rage as it got wounded, but the combination of strikes from Silverwing’s greatsword, the dagger of Cipher and my arrows would eventually manage to bring it down with only Silverwing having suffered any wounds. Which were quickly patched up by me and Sunset working as a team.  

After our encounter with the boar, the trail turned more towards the east and then climbed up a steep gully. The little wooden dog turned and panted at us then scampered easily up the steep slope. Before following the dog, Sunset stopped us, pointing out the hidden log traps in the woods, probably set up by Rotgut, I wasn’t sure how I was able to miss these. But one more step and they might’ve turned us into paste. Cipher did his best to disarm the trap, when he was finished, we were able to cross the area safely. The trail dropped down into a muddy hollow, the wooden dog running ahead of us. 

Suddenly a bright green frog with vivid blue markings leaps up and tries to bite the dog! The dog ignores the tiny attacker, continuing to follow the trail when the frogs chewed at its back. As we engaged the frogs, more came up from the swamps to attack us, I tried to use my voice to inspire my allies while taking pot shots at the frogs. We made quick work of them, but Cipher was wounded by them, but the frogs seem to have been coated in some kind of poison that had now affected Cipher. Both mine and Sunset’s magic, more meant to heal the wounds rather than poisoned, were inefficient at healing Cipher. So we decided to make camp for the night and hope it would be enough for Cipher to recover. 

We set off again the next morning, Cipher still didn’t seem entirely well, but he definitely seemed better than he had been day before. I asked him if he was okay, but he only said: “I’m fine”. The little wooden dog scampered ahead of us, some part of me started to think it might have been broken, as it led us directly towards a sheer cliff. Nonetheless we continued following the dog, the vegetation seemed to get thicker and we had to push our way through tree branches and undergrowth until we reached. As we approached it became clear that there was a cave opening in the cliff that had previously been invisible due to being obscured by the vegetation around it.

The trail went inside. As we approached the cave I saw sturdy wooden door to the south with a barred window and it, looking into the barred window, we could see a pair of ponies huddled together in a cell, they looked terrified. Cipher was able to open the lock to the door. The ponies got out to meet us, thanking us and introducing themselves as Fair Deal and Bargain Hunter, a husband and wife team trading team. They explained that they were captured by gem gnolls, who should still have some of their trading goods that they told us to take as thanks for rescuing them. I asked them about the Gnolls in this cave, they told me that there was currently only a single Gnoll present, but that he is well-equipped. They also told me that they think the gnolls buried something as they heard digging noises echoing through the cave shortly before they were captured. 

As we continued deeper into the cave, I noticed what the rooms looked like it had been carved out of the rock, but not very neatly. The floor was mostly flat, but the ceilings and walls were all rough and uneven. Rubbish and debris were strewn across the floor and I was able to see bones and other remains of meals, which made me shudder, while in one corner was a sleeping area formed out a pile of furs and rags. 

It’s here where we encountered a single Gnoll warrior, armed to the teeth with heavy armor and a greatsword. It was a difficult fight, with Silverwing being wounded, but nothing that Sunset’s magic couldn’t cure. I took one look at the greatsword the gnoll left behind and immediately noticed it was of exceptional quality, giving the sword to Silverwing. He thanked me, saying that the sword did seem like it was the work of a master smith. The gnoll was also carrying a set of scale mail as well as two keys, one which probably led to the jail we encountered earlier. We spent some time searching the cave for any sign of something buried, we recently came across oil but seem to have been recently disturbed, I told Silverwing to dig in that spot and we soon came about a chest. Using our newly acquired key on the chest we found a hoard of various potions, weapons and jewelry.

Still, we have yet to find to find Rotgut, as the trail continued, the gnoll we killed earlier wasn’t him. As we came to the top of a ridge, we saw a river winding away below us. The trail headed straight towards the river and to a camping site, the little wooden dog we had been following ran up the river edge and then looked out sorrowfully. It seemed our quarry crossed the river, and the figurine could not track them over water. 

I decided to investigate a camping site, we found a cooking fire, may be a day-old, there were bones and skin scattered around where the gnoll made his food, it still had a foul stench around it. I found it absolutely revolting. Looking towards the river I noticed the shape of a Piranha swarm in the water. When I told Cipher he told me that the area was well known for piranha swarms that would eat almost anything. Silverwing could identify the remains around the campsite being from a foul eel, something that while not poisonous, not even a gem gnoll would eat something that revolting. These eels lived around the banks of the river; Cipher suggested that maybe Rotgut used the foul-smelling eels to get through the piranha swarms in the water. We discussed with the rest of our group how we were going to cross the river, I suggested that most of us had wings and therefore it should not be any obstacle at all. The only problem being how we were going to get Sunset and Cipher across the river. Silverwing suggested he could carry them on his back, one by one, he wouldn’t be able to fly with the weight of them both weighing him down at the same time. Once we were on the other side of the river the figurine once again picked up the trail.

After crossing the river, the trail turned north again. Just as we were looking for somewhere to rest for the night, we came across a valley, although the trail seemed to be skirting around it. Inside the valley we could see brightly colored tents and large cats with tawny fur lounging around in the evening sun. The trail was skirting around the camp, but I was sure we could pick it up again if we wanted to visit the camp first. The cats were friendly and offered to share camp with them for the night. We happily obliged, needing rest after a day’s travel.

I spent the time telling campfire stories to the cats, including the story of my failed revolt against Twilight, making myself sound like the good guy of course, Sunset had a sour expression on her face while I told that story. And then I moved on to the story of our current quest to find the Prince’s horn they seem to be quite entertained. The cats told me that they had smelt a gem gnoll skulking in the area this morning. I could feel we were that far from our prey. 

The next morning, we left the encampment of the cats and continued following the trail. It headed north back towards the river again. Soon we came to the top of a cliff, and we could see the ends of a broken rope bridge before us. The dog figurine stood helplessly at the end of the bridge. It seemed like Rotgut had crossed the bridge and then cut the ropes of the bridge behind him in an act of petty vandalism, perhaps to shake any potential pursuers. Crossing wasn’t very difficult, me and Silverwing just attaching a rope to the other side of the bridge which allowed Sunset and Cipher to cross on the ropes. Silverwing and me assisting in holding Sunset and Cipher steady on the rope, being ready to capture them if they would fall. 

After crossing the ravine, suddenly the dog looked excited and sped up, I could hear voices coming from over the next rise. As we went over the top of the ridge, we could see a group of ponies wearing chainmail and a gem gnoll that must be Rotgut. One of the unicorns passed a small bag over to the gnoll who looked inside and nodded and then drew a long and thin package out of its own bag. It looked like it might be the horn.

At that moment they all saw us and froze. The leader of the soldiers shouted: “spies, get rid of them”. The leader then attacked Rotgut, bringing him to the ground in a pool of his own blood before turning to run away, swallowing a potion which allowed him to run at supernatural speeds, leaving his soldiers to block our way. The soldiers were not wearing any uniforms or anything that could give away who they were or who they were working for. But it was clear to me this was a conspiracy that went deeper than the gem gnolls. I told them to halt while I showed the soldiers the Royal warrant given by Staybright, telling them we were emissaries of the king. I used my magical power to put a glamour on me that would make every pony who laid eyes on me perceive me as the most beautiful person they ever seen. With a combination of the Royal warrant, my incredible charisma and my magic, the soldiers halted, once again sheithing their weapons. The leader of the group introduced themselves as Sergeant Burning Oaks and his men as White Down and Spiral Horn. Sunset rushed over to Rotgut to stabilize his wound. The gnoll quickly regained consciousness, it was fortunate he was still alive. 

The soldiers revealed they were low ranking soldiers from Taralos hired pretty much at random to serve as escorts for a pony named Duskflank, who the pony who had stabbed Rotgut and escaped, he was an advisor to Princess Scarlet Lance. He gave them orders to take the uniforms off, escort him and to keep their mouths shut. They apologized for trying to attack us. Telling us that they were just following orders, nothing personal. 

Rotgut was angry that he was betrayed and told us he would share everything he knew. But it didn’t seem to be much, he was hired to pick up a package from Midnight Cat in the city of Vil and to deliver it to someone who would meet him at this location. He had no knowledge about who hired him, and he was paid half upfront half on delivery in good-quality gems. He also arranged for the maid to drug the Prince but had no idea who cut off the horn. He was handed the horn by Midnight Cat who was told to fetch a package from a specified location at the specified time.  

It was clear to me that our next course of action had to be to track down this Duskflank, he could probably be found around Princess Scarlet Lance, who we were told were currently making war in the north, fending off attacks by gem gnolls.