[IC] Fairy Tail: We Are Family

[Jollan]

east camp
Terra felt Shiro tugs at her, which made her jump a bit because he was focused on something else. When she turned to Shiro, there was a look of worry on her face because she knew all to well who had done this. She nodded to Shiro, "That's fine, just stay safe."

Dremmick went over to console Ris, embracing her and patting her on the back though he was still looking around at the destruction, trying to piece together what happened. "Its alright. We'll find out who did this...From the looks of things, there are more people out here, we should go see how we can help." He then saw Terra walking up still with that worried look that was now mixed with her own sadness, while holding small chunk of wood that was on fire.

"Terra," he started as he released his embrace in surprise as he saw the thing in her hands that should be burning her, "What are you doing?"

"It....it doesn't burn," she said quietly, "This is Ander's fire..."

---

west camp

Ander sighed in exasperation when Isek attacked. When the bubble went up and debris started flying, it caught him off guard. He figured Isek would go for the more physical active route with his magic instead of a more passive attack. The first bit of debris that bounced back did hit him, and so he retreated back a bit. It seemed that he was contained inside which meant he had to stop the debris from ricocheting and fight this guy from afar. Ander swapped out his explosive shard to a water one, now wielding fire and water. As for his crystal that was floating around outside of the bubble after he used it to take out the other caravan personnel, it want transparent and away for the time being.

Ander noticed that the debris was getting faster and smaller, 'which actually might make this easier', he thought. Using his water shard, he started using the water to cushion the impacts of the debris, slowing it down, interrupting collisions and dropping the debris to the ground. Once everything was settled, he looked back up at Isek and pulled his other gauntlet from his pack and started putting it back on has he spoke.

"Release me. You have already lost this fight. I could kill you right where you stand, or take your magic. But I don't want to fight my guildmates, so make a decision before I make one for you." When Ander finished speaking his crystal came out of being invisible in a long blade form, with the tip right at Isek's neck. Ander finished strapping his gauntlet back on and met eyes with Isek's gaze once more. "There is more going on here than you know. Stand down now. I have no time to wait."

[slayerofkings]

Isek grits his teeth. This was very bad. The only time he'd ever been this outmatched was when the Guildmaster thrashed him. He couldn't beat him, but he could get some answers. But not from the position he was in. Sending a chain around his neck under his shirt collar, he suddenly thrusts his neck onto Ander's blade. Ander would be prepared for Isek to try to move back, he wouldn't expect him to do something this seemingly suicidal. Using his chains for extra push, Isek flips himself over the blade, propelling himself back far enough that he can dodge and flee if Ander makes a move.
"What's going on, Ander? Why the Hell are you attacking these people?! You know what will happen, what could you possibly get from this?!"

[CuddleKitten]

@Jollan

She flew off the guild base, rushing to untie her stringed mouth then burst out giggling."Did you see all of that debris?? Oh, such lovely work. I wonder who caused all of that mess~" she said, delighted, to her demon. She reached up and put her hands into the clouds, causing a ripple through them. "The human world is such an interesting place, Darling. Don't you say?" she asked her demon, who gave a grunt in response. Once they arrived at the guild base, she got off her demon and sighed,"Come Come, little one. In the mouth you go," she told her demon who turned to smoke and was inhaled through her mouth.

She looked around and climbed the building and sat on top of the roof. She folded her legs and rested her chin on them, Such loneliness is punishment for falling. Lucky I've got my darling demon with me, otherwise I'd probably rip all of these disgusting humans to shreds. She thought as she looked up at the sky, slowly falling asleep.

[Jollan]

west camp (destroyed)

Ander's eyes narrowed. "Your incompetence is only putting us in more danger." He then drew back his fist and punched through the air. "Crystal form, thief!" The crystal went translucent again and shot toward Isek, upon going through him it took his magic and sealed it in a tiny teal crystal shard that broke away from the main crystal. When this happened the barrier around Ander went down and started to slowly walk forward, with the crystal and the shard returning to him. Isek would feel his magic disappear only for a moment however since Ander destroyed the shard when it got to him, returning Isek's magic. "What is going on here is not what you think. I am not your enemy, but if you continue to stand in my way I WILL kill you.... Before I answer your questions though, I need to know one thing. Is... Dremmick... here?"

east camp (destroyed)

Dremmick turned to Terra in surprise, "Ander did this? But why? He's never gone out and slaughtered innocents before. What is going on here?" He thought for a moment and turned toward Aishi. "Aishi, go check the other camps for any sign of Ander or Isek, but be careful, Ander is dangerous if he takes your magic away with that crystal. Best way to fight him is if you are proficient in non magic fighting that way you have something to fall back on in case he grabs your magic. Ris, Terra, go with him just in case, he may see Terra and calm down. I'll go to the central camp to see what I can do there.... Please be careful," he added last, speaking to everybody but looking at Ris. "I'll try to meet up with all of you after I see how the central camp is doing, it shouldn't be long."

[booksmusicanime]

@Keyblade87@Jollan
Ris would give Dremmick a worried look. "You be careful too." She'd take a deep breath, calming herself and rolling her shoulders back.

[Jollan]

west camp (Ander, Isek)

"Is Dremmick here!?" Ander shouted this time. He then sighed as he guessed he would have to tell Isek something or else he would never answer... or better yet leave. "Listen to me and listen to me good," his voice low but forceful, "This is no merchant group, this is a cult. I've spared the hired mages around here. Take a look around, I've killed nearly 50 people on this wing of the camp alone, yet there are only roughly twenty bodies, the rest I'm guessing are doubles. Not all of them are real people. They are searching for Dremmick, and as long as they don't know what I am or that I am apart of Fairy Tail they won't link my attacks on them to here and thus lead them to Dremmick. If you find him, and get him out of here, hopefully before he's spotted. If you run into the others, act like you know nothing and keep acting like you are trying to help the camp, got it? We can't have Dremmick find out who these people are. Now, I have more hunting to do. I'll leave enough around to have fleeing this town like I normally do, just make sure everyone gets back to the guild, and I we'll have to talk about this later. NOW GO!"

With not much more to say, and honestly wasting more time than he wanted to, Ander pulled up his hood and turned to leave, heading toward the North camp. He would leave the central camp alone to pack up and leave should things go as planned. He could only hope that Isek came alone, but with Isek here, he highly doubted that.

---

east camp (Terra, Aishi, Ris)

Dremmick gave Ris a quick embrace before heading off to the central camp. Terra then placed a hand on Ris's shoulder to grab her attention. "We had better get going. The sooner we find Ander, the sooner we can get some answers." She turned over to Aishi. "Could you take the lead? If we head northwest of here, we should see the north camp." She sat back down on her staff and started floating, "We'll be right behind you."

---

central camp

Jerrin

Jerrin was sitting on a stool in his tent concentrating on what could be attacking them. He honestly had no idea what it was and why it had been bent on killing his troops. There had to be a connection between it and his goal, but who else would know what that was? Only one, and that person didn't know any of these kinds of magic. "I guess I'll have to pull out of here and evacuate for now." He stood up and opened his tent just as a scent struck him. A particular scent that he had been searching for for years. "Well I'll be...." he turned to one of the hired mages, it had been the one who had explosive magic he had hired. He lost his magic when fighting earlier like the water mage, however this one had stayed to help people move to the central camp....'good fellow, stupid move' Jerrin thought to himself. "Lad, come this way. Yes, you, I need help with something in my tent. We are going to leave and I need help taking it down."

The young man agreed and followed him into the tent. Just as he entered, however, Jerrin's arm formed into a crimson metallic spike with a black aura. He reached around the mage while he had his back turned and clasped his large hand around his mouth before driving the spike into his back. The young mage tried to struggle, even scream out in pain, but to no avail. He can feel himself getting lighter with every second, and Jerrin's strength increasing as well. Jerrin, through direct contact with the mage's blood with his own, was siphoning it into energy. When Jerrin was done, he pushed the mage off his blade arm and the crimson spike absorbed back into his arm. When the mage landed on the ground, a skeleton of his former self, he looked up at Jerrin, sight starting to fail. With his last breath he stammered, "Y-you're a blood mage?"

Jerrin scoffed at this as he turned around and started to leave his tent, "Hah, please, that would mean I would be a lowly human such as yourself."

Dremmick

Dremmick came through the tree line and arrived at the central camp. Everyone was in a hurry, and finishing up packing everything to get ready to leave. He flagged a man down and asked where their leader was. The man hurriedly pointed over to a larger tent and went on with his business. It was just then in fact that a large muscled man stepped out of it. The man seemed to notice him immediately and start walking his way. "Ah, you must be one of the others that Isek fellow was telling me about." The man held out his hand for a handshake to which Dremmick obliged quickly before getting to the point.

"So what is going on here? We saw the fires and headed this way," Dremmick was somewhat pretending at this point. Although Ander was known for his merciless way of fighting, he didn't kill indiscriminately. Something was up, and if this camp was what he was attacking, the heart of the problem must be here.

Jerrin let go of the handshake and nodded toward the campsite. "We are being attacked by some unknown raiders, it has been going on for weeks now as we have been traveling." From the contact of the handshake and being this close to Dremmick, he could tell, this is the person he was looking for. The bandages covering him up head to toe threw off Jerrin at first, but being this close there was no doubt about it. "I'm the leader of this caravan, the Red Crow Merchant Company, or as I would like to call it, Dremmick, the Crimson Ravens."

The words struck Dremmick the instant he heard it. He took a step back in surprise at first before getting in a ready stance. "What!? Who are you!? How the hell do you know my name?"

An evil laugh filled the camp as the Jirren let his power flow freely from him, creating in incredible pressure. "Hahahaha, does my real name 'Jeevak Valswei' ring any bells?" As he said these words, his hair started turning red and his eyes turned yellow. Even his ears started to grow more to a point. "Surely, you recognize your own FATHER!"

[ShadowVentus]

@Jollan

With this big reveal underway, Morgan felt it was best to have one of her own. She leaps out from Dremmick's shadow, performing an overhead strike on the man before them. Successful or no in this surprise attack, she would use the momentum to disengage from her opponent and move to stand beside Dremmick, shifting into a fighting stance of her own. "Sorry Dremmick, but I had a feeling I needed to trail after you. Something didn't feel right about this mission, and now, I'm definitely glad I went with my gut!"
Meanwhile, while this battle begins to unfurl, another individual is watching from the underbrush nearby, also waiting for the opportune moment to strike..

[booksmusicanime]

@Jollan
Ris would give Terra a worried look for a moment before steeling herself. She shoved her emotions away and took a breath. "You're right. Let's find Ander." She ran her eyes out across the burning camp one last time before starting to walk.

[Jollan]

Central camp
Dremmick tried to stop her as she jumped out from his shadow, but it was too late, Dremmick was caught off guard by Morgan's sudden appearance and couldn't stop her. Luckily, it seemed as if her attack came without retaliation. "Morgan!? You shouldn't be here, if this man is who he says he is then everyone is in danger."

"IF!?" Jeevak shouted in anger, seemingly more annoyed at the thought of Dremmick not recognizing him than Morgan's attack. "Ah, I see... It's been so long that you need proof. Fine by me." And just then, much like Dremmick's magic, Jeevak materialized a crimson blade from his blood magic out of thin air, though much more sinister and more reminiscent of a sword length cleaver. "Blood magic is one thing. This can be passed down through dark arts, though it has its limits. Its essentially the burning off of one's blood into energy that can be formed into any object the user desire's. However this," his weapon disappeared and his arm formed into a crimson spike, "This ability, the one that lets me control my own blood and siphon others, is passed down by birthright." Just then a person walked up and stood next to Jeevak and was promptly impaled by the spike. However, it seemed to be an artificial human-like drone and turned crimson before disappearing into a red and crimson fog that Jeevak absorbed, "a demon's birthright. As you can see, many of the people here are not real, but drones created by me to serve me, each one costing about one average human's energy to make."

Jeevak looked Dremmick up and down as he started to walk in a circle around the two, noticing how bandaged up Dremmick was. “And it would appear to be a birthright you have forsaken. You have nearly drained yourself dry, still refusing to siphon others' blood are you? Pity to deny your nature...But you feel it's call getting stronger the more you reject it don't you? It's rage...its bloodlust?”

“HALF of my nature,” Dremmick cut in before shooting forward. He drew a short sword and attempted to make a few slashes in which Jeevak easily dodged. He then jumped back and made a chain with a hook blade at the end and started swinging to no avail, Jeevak was staying just out of range. Thinking he had caught Jeevak in a rhythm, he swung the chain down and it hooked into the dirt. Yanking on it, he launched himself forward and instead of meeting Jeevak with an immediate strike, he slid at the last moment and spun around with a rising stab aimed at Jeevak's side, but to Dreemick's surprise, Jeevak caught the blade barehanded and broke it in his grasp. Jeevak then capitalized on the surprise and headbutted Dremmick, which knocked him to the ground only to be met by a swift kick in the gut that knocked him back over to Morgan, weapons dematerializing as he let go of them. Jeevak made it look easy but it all happened so fast. Dremmick rolled and was stunned for a moment as he tried to regain the air that was just knocked out of him. The bandages at his side were cut open and turning red, and taking another look at Jeevak, there was a bladed greave that had started to disappear.

“Ah yes, the other half....your mother. That was a real shame, you see, if you didn't kill her, it would have saved me the trouble of hunting you down. You can take solace in knowing that you have successfully stalled me for a little while, It was more than what she was able to do-”

“BASTARD!” Dremmick exclaimed as he forced himself to stand, the cut was deep, though he was working on mending it. A silent voice in his head seemed to scream for him to retaliate jump back into the fight, but he fought the urge, though he seemed to be losing ground. “I will kill you if its the last thing I do.” He turned to Morgan again and spoke between deep breaths. “You need...to leave. Warn the others and run.... I'll try to catch up.” He then turned over to Jeevak who had started to slowly walk their way. “And if I don't make it back, apologize to Ris for me.” If Morgan was paying attention, she would notice that Dremmick's pupil had become more narrow than round, and though she couldn't see his teeth, they were starting to become sharper.

“You are nowhere near strong enough to kill me Dremmick,” Jeevak started as he continued approaching. “You can't hold back what is inside of you. You need to claim your birthright if you wish to live.

“I'd rather die than to become like you,” Dremmick shot back
“Hahahaha, then so be it, boy.” Jeevak said with a wicked smile.

---

north camp

The group would arrive to see Ander standing in the middle of the now burning field that used to be north camp, surrounded by bodies of a few human “caravan merchants”, which only seemed to account for seven people out of the twenty or so stationed at the north camp. The rest vanished after they were defeated. He was completely cloaked again, and would just look like a black figure, though after Terra's findings, most of the guild members there would be able to assume it was him. He was looking at the explosive magic shard he had 'borrowed' earlier from that young mage. It was shattered now, and not by Ander, which could only mean that the mage had died. It was an understatement to say that he was unsettled, especially after the surge of energy he felt come from the central camp.

“I may be too late,” he said to himself.

As for Ris, if she looked at her mask, she may notice a slight change. The wooden mask would have changed shape in the form of fangs being added and two slight bumps appearing above the brows of the mask.

[ShadowVentus]

@Jollan

"Hm...if that's how it has to be, then alright. Dremmick, I'll leave this to you so I can go warn the others. Just..know that you're not alone!" Unknown to Dremmick, those last few words Morgan spoke were a signal for the hidden individual in the underbrush, letting them know exactly what she was planning, and just what they needed to do to put that strategy into motion. Immediately after speaking, Morgan makes a tactical retreat, melting into the shadows and heading towards the rest of the party at the North Camp.

[Keyblade87]

Aichi arrived with the others in the North Camp seeing Ander standing there in the middle of the rubble and debris.
"Ander, what happened? Too late for what?" He said as he approached the other mage with some mild caution. The feeling in the air had developed a feeling of dread and desperation. Looking over to Ris to see if he could gauge anything from her he noticed the changes in her mask but brushed them aside thinking she may have just changed her mask on the way.

[Jollan]

Ander shook his head and pulled down his hood when Aichi and the others arrived. He held out hand and showed him the shattered shards of crystal in his hand. "The mage I stole this from just died... and I didn't kill him."

Terra caught up with a worried look on her face, "Ander, just tell us what is going on. What is happening here." Ander sent the shards back to his main crystal before he answered. "To be honest with you, I don't rightfully know. I know that they are actually blood mages, though mostly drones, and that they are after Dremmick. I've been hunting them for a while now, killing them off as they traveled, but with every dead body, a drone takes it's place."

Suddenly, Ander turned, getting into a ready stance only to see Morgan appear from the shadows. He sighed as he relaxed. "Morgan, you find out anything by tailing Dremmick?"

[booksmusicanime]

Ris gently moves the mask between her hands nervously. She lurked towards the edges of the North Camp, quietly listening and observing, her mind rolling with turmoil when her eyes caught the changes of the mask. The storm brewing behind her eyes melted away to curiousity as she stared at the mask and after a moment placed it upon her face.

[Jollan]

@booksmusicanime

When Ris placed the mask on her face, she was hit by a waves of emotion, that of which was linked to Dremmick. It seemed to replicate his feelings, including the ones that he has been hiding until now. Rage, sorrow, fear, doubt, all bundled together, and an evil behind it all screaming to be unleashed. While she was wearing it, it was as if she could see into Dremmick's mind, and if she closed her eyes long enough, she could see and hear what he could, as if she was a part of him.

---

Dremmick rushed forward again, this time using his blood magic to the fullest. He would use the blood magic to change his movements mid motion so that it was harder to predict, create shields to guard attacks, and launch spikes from his body at unpredictable times to keep Jeevak on his guard. Though while Jeevak did have to put some effort into the fight himself, he still had that unnatural grin on his face.

Suddenly, Dremmick found a gap in Jeevak's defence and moved into exploit it, striking right in the gut, but instead of meeting flesh, it was just another crimson clone. Jeevak laughed as he grabbed Dremmick by the face and lifted him up, "HAHAHAHAHA, you see now? You can't possibly defeat a man who isn't even here! This is a special clone, made up in part by my own blood. Stronger than anything here, and more than enough for all of you." Jeevak's other hand turned into a two pointed prong as he stabbed into Dremmick and pinned him on the ground. "Now, How about we force that curse of yours to complete itself? SIPHON!"

At that, Jeevak started Siphoning out Dremmick's magic energy, forcing his body to use up his own life energy to sustain himself, and the curse of his blood magic, took root, transforming Dremmick into the beast he never wished to awaken, falling to the voice that has become ever stronger in his mind.

---

At that, the mask seemed to lose its connection to Dremmick, and has transformed once more. What used to be two bump were now fll on horns and the fox mask has taken on a more monstrous look than before. the carving that used to display a gentle fox mask could now be described as a fox demon, with a snarl, evil glare, and two horns.

[booksmusicanime]

@Jollan@ShadowVentus@Keyblade87
Ris tugged the mask from her face, slipping it onto a hook of her belt. With a short glance back at the others she pressed away from the north camp, making towards the central camp as quick as she could. Her eyes and mind were intently focused on her path to help Dremmick.

[Jollan]

@Keyblade87@booksmusicanime@ShadowVentus

"Wait! Don't just run off, you have no idea what's going on!" Ander called after her to no use. She just kept on running. "Dammit, lets go, make sure she doesn't get herself killed." he said as he took off after her. Terra nodded and looked to the others that were still there, "We're right behind you!"

[Keyblade87]

Aichi looked at the pair heading off and shrugged. He had been itching for something to happen and he's glad it was this. Grinning he takes off after them smiling the whole way and trying to imagine what kind of scene they'll come across.

[booksmusicanime]

Ris kept running, opening her ears to hear whatever was ahead. She was hyperfocused on getting to Dremmick, to helping him in anyway she could.

[LavendraRustin]

Bushes rustled as someone stirred in the shadows. Amber eyes flickered. A groan could be heard near Ris.

[Jollan]

When Ris and the others made it to Dremmick it was too late. Next to Jeevak stood a terrible creature with a powerful tail, a wings, a razor sharp claws. Its body was colored in different shades of crimson and black, yellow piercing eyes and sharp fangs. It was adored with rags, yet gold accents here and there, and had a large clawed right hand, adorned with black and gold as well. It was on the ground when they arrived, slowly coming to a stand. Jeevak turned his attention to the party now arriving.

"Oh look, more of your ilk trying to come and rescue you. They are far to late and pitiful to do anything now. DREMMICK! Unleash your desires...your birthright! Slaughter them...."

The creature he referred to as 'Dremmick' was just as the other's ad thought, he was that creature now. With a shill outcry that sounded like a mix between a dragon's roar and a human, both in enraged and in pain, almost sorrow, Dremmick's wings opened, and with one sharp snap of them coming back, launched himself quickly at his old friends.