What it Takes
Act 1: Chapter 3: Emotional Upheaval
By: N30N-THUND3R
-(T)-
Tourmalyte was sitting atop a gently sloping hill beside the small slab of stone he was carrying earlier that day. His eyes were closed and fresh tears were flowing freely down his face. Memories from his childhood were flashing through his head, causing more emotional trouble for him.
"There he is!" Tourmalyte heard from the base of the hill. He didn't even need to see him to recognize Formalendale's voice. Tourmalyte could hear the soft clatter of hooves on the grass as the group of people and ponies made their way up the hill.
"Tourma. Why did you react like that?" Formalendale asked, trying his best to soothe Tourmalyte's raging emotions.
"You wouldn't understand. None of you would." Tourmalyte answered glumly, opening his white eyes.
"Try us." Said an orange pony with a blonde mane and tail in a country accent. Something in her voice made Tourma want to open up and tell them everything.
"I-i-i just can't." Tourmalyte stuttered.
"It will only hurt worse if yah don't let it out." The orange pony spoke again. The 'thing' in her voice increased Tourma's conviction to reveal his entire story. "Please tell us." She begged. Tourmalyte's will to resist telling finally failed.
"It was thirteen years ago. I was only seven..."
~(Flashback)~
Citrine Marina Glare was a successful demon hunter in his youth. Amethyst Glare and him had retired after ten years serving in the hunters legion. The two of them had their entire lives planned. They planned to start a family on the land they had purchase in the Delta Forest. They planned to support the entire family by running a wax farm in the surrounding forest.
The start of their life together began with the birth of their eldest son, Zircon Darius Glare, eighteen years previously. The boy was born with light blue hair and the same blue eyes of his father. Zircon was an athletic boy who loved to prove he was the best. He wasn't a bully, however. Instead, he was a protector of the weak.
Their second child, who was born a year later, was a boy as well. Topaz Amaria Glare had an even brighter blue hair color than his older brother. He was the exact opposite of his brother as well. He was the brother that was very studious and always needed protecting. He always had ideas for inventions that were supposed to revolutionize the way the kingdoms were run. Ninety percent of his inventions failed within the first week of testing.
Next to be born were the third and fourth child exactly two years later. Ruby and Sapphire Glare were twin sisters, except for their red and blue hair respectively. They both were very mischevious and cunning. The two of them had managed to burn down seven doors, explode eight toilets, and managed to get four teachers fired while at school. And that was only what was proved to be them. The only time they weren't planning something was when Topaz and Zircon were watching them. Both of them, along with Zircon, were born with their mother's soft green eyes.
Three years passed by before the next child came to be. Garnet Obsidia Glare was the fifth child and the third boy born unto the Glare family. He admired his older brother Topaz and strived to be like him. The two looked like twins aside from their different hair and eye color. Garnet had deep black hair and red eyes that were unlike anything the Glare family had ever seen. Amethyst always told them his eye color came from her father. Garnet was even better than Topaz when it came to dedication to his studies.
Another five years passed by by the time sixth child was born. Tourmalyte Marquee Glare was born eleven years after the family started to settle down. Being the youngest son, Tourmalyte had a lot to live up to. He was determined to be better than his brothers. After he heard about what his parents used to be, Tourmalyte decided that was what he needed to be. If he were a demon hunter, he would be able to outshine his other brothers. He always tried to outdo his siblings in anything and everything. His determination surprised his parents. Citrine had even said that Tourmalyte was like him in determination.
The seventh and final child was born two years later. Agate Rista Glare was born on the twelfth day of March. It was on that day that Amethyst Glare died. Her heart had failed only minutes after her final daughter had been born. Everyone in the family was distraught at the loss of their mother.
~(Flashback Over)~
"... and Father had to work harder to provide for the seven of us. As soon as Zircon turned fifteen, he became a knight-in-training to help out with the family. A year later, Topaz became an assistant librarian to do the same as Zircon. Then, two years later, on March twelfth, disaster struck again"
~(New Flashback)~
Seven year old Tourmalyte was sitting in his fathers lap as he listened to his father talking. Outside the house, a thunderstorm was raging.
"Daddy. Can you tell me another one of Grandpa Chromatic's stories again?" Tourmalyte asked with wide, blue eyes. Citrine chuckled at his son's curiousity.
"Sure I can tell you again, but where would the fun be in that?" Citrine asked playfully. Young Tourmalye seemed to ponder his question.
"I always like it when you tell the stories, daddy. How about you tell me about the first demon you fought?" He asked innocently.
"Sorry, sport. I can't tell you that until you're older." Citrine answered in a tone that told Tourmalyte to drop the subject. Then, a bolt of lightning crashed near the house. The sudden flash of light and noise frightened Tourmalyte. The smell of ozone filled the air.
Then, the smell of smoke replaced the ozone in the air. Citrine recognized it immediately. The house was on fire!
"Tourmalyte, I need you to get out of the house with Agate. I want you and her to head down to the stream and wait for me and your other siblings. Can I trust you to do that for me?" Citrine asked forcefully. The tone of voice Citrine used alerted the young Tourmalyte of the severity of the situation. Tourmalyte nodded vigorously in response. Citrine let him down off of his lap.
Tourmalyte ran to his little sister's room. He opened the door quickly, rushing in to get to his sleeping sister. He shook Agate until she woke up.
"What's happening bwother?" Agate asked sleepily. She raised her balled fists to her eyes to wake herself up faster. Tourmalyte didn't know what to say, so he lied.
"Daddy told me to take you to the stream so we could play." Tourmalyte said smoothly and calmly. He grabbed Agate by the hand and let her out the back of the house. The trek to the stream was a short one. It only took Tourmalyte a minute to reach the stream with Agate in tow.
~(Flashback Over Again)~
"... Agate and I waited all night for them. They never showed up. When the sun rose the next morning, we went back to the hose. What was left of the house, anyways. All that was there was a smoldering wreck. I went in to find the rest of my family.-" Tourmalyte started to tear up, "-They were trapped in the basement. Asphyxiation. The smoke killed them before the fire even reached the basement. I couldn't let Agate see that. She wouldn't understand that they wouldn't get up. So we had to leave. The local orphanage took us in within the week.-" The tears were freely falling down Tourmalyte's face. Tears were forming in the eyes of everbody else, "- After exactly a year in the orphanage, March twelfth, a couple bullies decided to mess with me...
~(Yet Another Flashback)~
"HEY, TOURMA!" A couple of boys shouted at Tourmalyte. They were carrying small stones in their arms. Tourmalyte looked over to the building to see his little sister looking at him from the windows. Then the boys started to throw the stones at him. Each one found its mark, either in his chest or his face. Two of the boys picked up a larger stone together.
Hey, guys. How about we go after little Agate instead?" The leader of the group suggested. The boys all shouted in agreement. They proceeded to walk towards the building with haste.
Then Tourmalyte started to glow with a strange green aura. The boys took notice of this and backed away. He opened his eyes to show the same green glow coming from them. Some of the rocks the boys were carrying earlier began to glow with the same aura, even the larger ones that they hadn't even thought of using. The stones rose into the air.
"DON'T YOU DARE, HURT MY SISTER!" Tourmalyte shouted. The green aura became more intense as the rocks flew towards the boys. The rocks hit over and over as Tourmalyte lost control of his newfound power. After a minute, the power faded away, revealing five bodies. The four bullies had died, along with some bystander. Tourmalyte walked over to see who else he had harmed.
Tourmalyte retched.
The fifth body belonged to Agate. Tourmalyte had killed his own sister.
~(Final Flashback Over)~
"... I couldn't believe it. Even if it was an accident, I was responsible for my sister's death. I ran away from the orphanage. I figured that I had to control my power. I had to become stronger. When I turned twelve, I did two things. First, I had the enchantment done to get the demon-chains you see on me today. But something went wrong. The spell worked, but with a side effect. I became blind. Secondly, I became a demon hunter. The four kingdoms sent the applicants to the School. It was a place where we all trained together to become the best we could be. It was there that I met these two." Tourmalyte said, waving his hand at Formalendale and Tourmalyte. "When they met me, I was an emotional wreck. By that time, I had four links on each arm and leg. We stuck by each other. We passed or failed together. We even caused trouble together. We each had the same ability. Only one in seventy people are able to use magic freely. We graduated after six years. The rulers took notice of our extreme abilities and assigned us on the toughest of demon huntings. Then we were assigned a prophetic mission. The rulers said that we were the three to fulfill a prophecy. Don't ask me, because I don't remember it. And then we came here. The universe has a sort of sick sense of humor though. Today is March Twelfth, right? Everything happens to me on March Twelfth. I can see again. Every sight I take in reminds me of my family. The forest, the river, the stone." Tourmalyte finished, gesturing to the stone behind him. "I'm sorry for leaving like that. The sudden light and noise reminded me of the day my house burned down. I hope you can forgive me."
"Ah don't know about the others, but Ah sure forgive yah. The name is Applejack." The mare said forgivingly, extending her forehoof. Tourmalyte gratefully grabbed her hoof and gave it a firm shake. Pinkie Pie ran up to Tourmalyte and gave him a tight hug, which he returned softly.
"We all forgive you." Pinkie Pie said with a sob. The other mares all nodded their heads in agreement.
"What does it say?" Rainbow asked, pointing her hoof at the stone.
"In fidem memoriae familiae Invadam. It literally translates to-" Tourmalyte spoke.
"In honest memory: the family Glare." Twilight finished, easily translating the latin phrase.
"Et erit in sæculum desiderari." Tourmalyte said mournfully. His hand glowed a soft green as he reached down to the honorary gravestone. The moment his hand clasped the top of the slab, it starte to vanish. The stone disintegrated into a green mist that floated around before disappearing into nothingness. Everyone gasped. "Si egressus est lapis, memoria erit. Pax huic domui animae." Tourmalyte finished. He then stood up and walked back towards the town.
-(D)-
The place between worlds, the Void, was quiet, save for a few trans-dimensional spirits flittering about. One such spirit was a Draconequus. His appearance was that of every animal mashed together in one body. Discord was the spirit of chaos and disharmony. His yellow eyes and red pupils narrowed at the scene unfolding before his eyes on the screen in front of him.
"So they've made it into Equestria? This works perfectly." A second screen appeared in front of the Draconequus. Then another. Then a fourth one. Each screen captured his attention equally. The movement on the screens stopped as Discord paused them.
"BELLUM! I know you can hear me. I want you to collect the other three travelers I have been watching and bring hem to the Equestria that these others are in. And watch out for Crystal. Void knows what trouble he and his little 'warriors' can cause for us." Discord's attention shifted back to the second screen that appeared. Then the third. Then the last. "Watch yourself little 'heroes'. I hear and see all. No person or pony escapes my gaze. But then again, some of you aren't either." Discord laughed maniacly.
