I said I would update, but I just finished the chapter 3 minutes ago. So it's not edited.

So I ask, if you see any mistakes, could you please point them out.

Next week is Falling to Rise. Be prepared for some juicy stuff in Falling to Rise! :D

LOST
Chapter 13

Ian was acting strange.

After me and Jason came back, Ian walked up to us and handed me back my book, and left before I could even thank him.

I thought maybe he was mad at me for running off, since he gets like that every now and then. But that wouldn't explain him glancing at me every 5 seconds as the team traveled. Like he was trying to will me to understand him, but I don't, not at all.

~~~~~

"There! Up ahead! It's Dryhx Woods!" Seto shouted and pointed. We finally made it after so much traveling, and I felt really nostalgic.

Seeing the same trees and the same run down paths. And while not many people live in the woods, that's what made it home.

Underneath the shade of the oak trees I felt a lot calmer.

"Hey guys?" Jason called out from much farther in the front.

"Yea Jason?" Adam shouted back.

"What kind of animals are native to these woods?" Up ahead I saw Jason stop walking.

"Uh," I started, "well, cows, chickens, pigs, and sheeps. The usual."

"So this wouldn't be normal right?"

"Wha--" I stopped my sentence short when I reached to where Jason was and gasped!

We were standing at the edge of a clearing in the woods. But instead of grass and ferns, the entire surface was covered in mushrooms, and that's not the most surprising thing.

"Mooshrooms! What are those doing here, they shouldn't even be native here!" I looked on shock at the peaceful mushroom cows grazing in this clearing surrounded by trees. I could only assume something with the world was changing again. Good or bad, I wouldn't know.

"Maybe we can get some stew from them, that sounds good!" Adam rushed forward cooing at the cows.

"Probably not a good idea, they might be poisonous," Mitch said.

"But..." Adam pouted and carried on walking on in the woods, with the rest of us in tow. The sights only got weirder after that.

To name a few, flying pigs, floating and upside-down trees, chickens riding wolves. My mind couldn't even comprehend the sights I was seeing.

"Guys!" Ian said in a harsh whisper, he ducked down into a crouch below some bushes, " Get down!"

We followed Ian's instructions, "What? What is it?" Jerome asked, "Is it something to chop chop?"

"Just look," Ian parted the foliage of the bushes, we all crowded around the opening trying to see what Ian saw.

"Is that..." I started, "tents?" In the distance in a clearing that shouldn't be there was a set up. I'm sure they cleared the trees to make room for the tents, because I know these woods like the back of my hand, even if it's been many years since I lived here.

"Not just any tents, look at the closest one. You see that insignia on the side of it."Ian pointed.

I squinted my eyes, but I couldn't make out the symbol.

"Wait, is that--No way! It can't be, what are they doing here!" Jason said.

"What? Who are they?" Mitch asked.

"The East Army..." Jason said darkly. I remember Ian mentioned them earlier. He called them a bunch of "cowards that deserve to rot in a hole."

"What are we going to do?" I asked, going around their camp would take to long, but going straight through them would be too noticeable.

"Simple," we turned to look at Seto, he was resting against a tree behind us, "we go straight through them."

~~~~~

"What you two must be insane! This plan will never work!" Ian pointed at both Seto and Adam, the only two who were all for attack. Seto because he said it was the easiest course of action, and Adam because he simply despised the army. Even Mitch and Jerome who enjoy a good fight were reluctant.

"It will work, we just need everyone's cooperation first, then the plan will be underway."

"No, Adam this is insane!" Ian said.

"Adam, I know why you're doing this, you're trying to imitate your father." Jason said, " but this is dangerous, he wouldn't want you to do this."

"There is nothing wrong with me trying to follow my dad's example. It be insane of me not to want to be like him!"

"But he'd want you to take care of yourself too!" We knew that both Adam and Jason came from the East Army's opposing enemy, and that Adam's father was the general. Adam would talk often about his father.

"But he'd also want me to protect people, and that means getting rid of this threat!" Now that Ty thought about it, if the East army was here, then his parents could be in danger! Though his parents live much deeper in the woods, if this army was a dangerous as they say, he had to do something.

"I'm in."

"T-Ty?! What why?" Jason asked.

"My parents live in these woods, its what any of you would do too for your family, right?"

Mitch and Jerome side-glanced at each other and nodded, "We'll help too. It wouldn't be right to leave all the innocent people here in danger."

"Thank you guys!" Adam hugged them both and me. I glanced at Seto, he smiled, I grinned back at him.

While I don't know why Seto is hiding secrets, Jason is right. I can't just give up on just because he's not the same from 3 years ago, but that doesn't mean he's off the hook.

"I guess we have no choice but to help out, if you all insist on being reckless. I fear Ty's recklessness has rubbed off on all of you during this adventure."

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean" I defended. Mitch and Jerome snickered and I gave them dirty looks.

Ian parted the leaves of the bush and looked through them again, "If, I could at least make a suggestion."

"Yea,?" Ian pointed to the whole in the bush and we crowded around to look, not including Seto, again.

"You see that man and woman walking together in the center of the pathway?" We nodded, "Ok, notice how everyone else carefully moves around them while they work?"

"Yep," Adam affirmed, "what about it?"

"Chances are they're important, those two are only talking, they aren't carrying anything, and everyone moves out of their way. I say if we are going to attack, we attack them."

"Ok, that sounds good. Now we need to get everyone into position. Mitch, Jerome, we'll start with you...."

~~~~~

We were ready. Jerome and Mitch in the trees, Adam, Jason, and me taking the front, and Seto and Ian giving cover fire. Quentin was covering the back, in case anyone managed to get past our defenses.

Adam raised his hand straight up under the cover of the trees, his palm facing forward. He gave us a few signals beforehand to look out for, this one meant to follow him. I held up my hand and held up the ok symbol. So he knew I understood.

I stalked forward, my sword at the ready. Adam counted down from 3, 2, 1. Me and Jason charged after Adam, Jerome and Mitch jumped for the trees. We caught them by surprise, the people had not time to pull out swords or shields. They were in a mad scramble to take shelter.

Adam and Jason were going after our targets. The first person I reached had a sword out and blocked my attack. We stood there, grappling with each other's swords. Jason was in a similar predicament I noticed, Adam was still rushing forward. Mitch and Jerome worked as team, Jerome as defense and Mitch as offense.

I pushed the other guy off me and ran after Adam, I used my sword to clear a path for him. "Thanks!"

~~~~~

"No problem, just hurry up ok," Ty grinned and waved me forward, I knew he was counting on me, just as I was counting on him.

The man and the woman were so close, but something was off. The woman was a witch! The man's face looked so familiar I'm surprised I didn't recognize him off the bat. I stopped in my tracks and gasped, no way, it couldn't be!

"D-Dad!"

He looked at me, I looked at him. That moment when you're shocked and confused at the same time, that you don't even notice someone about to attack you until your own father comes to the rescue.

I flinched as swords clashed right above me, faltering I yelled, "Stop! Stop, guys, stop fighting!"

My father waved and his men ceased fighting to.

"Adam, what's going on, why did we stop?" Mitch called out, I could see everyone give each other dirty look. People moved to side and created a pathway leading to my dad, the mysterious witch, and myself. My friends were the only one who hadn't moved.

"Well... You see, this is my--"

I was interrupted as a loud shout came from within the forest, "Mom!" Mom? Was that Quentin? Quentin come stumbling out of the forest, he tripped upon coming into the clearing and rolled across the forest floor. He was intercepted by two soldiers that grabbed and held him back, "Hey! Let me go!"

"W-wait!" I called to my friends as they aggressively pulled out their weapons, "Let me explain, guys, this is my father..."

"Y-your dad!" Ty said, his mouth agape, "But I don't understand, isn't this the East Army?"

"Well..." I didn't have an answer. My dad would never be apart of the East army, but to explain why their insignia was here, well he couldn't. Unless...

"Don't worry, I'll explain, bring your friends all over, this may be a lot to take in."

I waved them over, reluctantly they came over, and released Quentin, and Ian came out from the trees.

"Dad, these are my friends, Ty, Jerome, Mit--" my father pulled me back behind him in a tight grip, his eyes were dark, "Wha-- Dad!"

"Arrest that man!" My father pointed towards friends, we all turned to look as he pointed directly at Ian, "Arrest him under the charges of murder!"

OOoooo, uh oh, Ian is in trouble!! >:)

I hope you enjoyed, please comment, vote, or follow if you enjoy. I'd really appreciate the support.

~WrittenDarkness