New chapter! :D 

LOST is more than halfway complete, and I need to know if any of you are interested in a sequel? I need at least 15 people saying they want one, or technically 14 more people. Please tell me in the comments.

If a sequel is decided to be made, than it will be written after Falling to Rise, that way it will give me time to take a break and plan the sequel. Instead, after LOST will be a completely different story that you readers can decide if you go to my Story Ideas I Wanna Write book. just click my profile and click the book with a light bulb for a cover. 

You can look through all the ideas and vote for any of your favorites, at the end of LOST, I will reveal what the next story will be. Currently Midnight and The Players are in the lead.

Thank you so much with all the support you've been giving me on this book! I am glad to have you all supporting me! <3

~~~~~

LOST

Chapter 14

"Dad, please listen to me!" Adam pleaded. Ian was arrested over an hour ago, and we still had no idea why, just for the charge of murder, but murder of who? "You have it all wrong! Ian never did anything wrong!"

"That's where you're wrong, listen to me the world is changing." He began.

"Hey, how'd you know about that!" Jerome shouted, "I thought only we knew that!"

"On the contrary, it was brought to our attention by her--," he turned to point at the woman Quentin was hugging, "Is that... Is that a fish?"

"No that's Quentin, the mudkip," I explained.

"And my son," the mysterious woman spoke up, "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jinx, Witch of Rurd Marsh."

"Rurd Marsh, but that's like hundreds of blocks away," Seto said, "Why are you here?"

"I received a premonition months ago of a doom enveloping the world, and another premonition telling me to come here to seek help."

"Of course, at first we thought she was crazy, so we had her imprisoned--"

"What!?" Quentin said.

"Hush."

"Sorry ma..."

"But after we began to see the changes she spoke about, we immediately enlisted her help, she taught our sorcerers to counter the changes to our minds. Of course some things had already changed, for example our flags and tents represented the East army."

"That's how they got there..." Adam murmured, "But what about Ian!"

"He's a real member of the East Army, he's been hidden all this time, I'm sure he thought this would erase people's memories of who he was, I saw through his silly disguise. 5 years and a pair of glasses doesn't change who he really is."

"Our friend! That's who he is, you have the wrong person!" Adam pleaded.

His father shook his head, "Sorry this is how it has to be, you and your friends are welcome to stay and relax." He nodded to Jason who weakly saluted back, then he turned and walked away, not before hearing Adam hiss.

"Relax! You must be joking, not when our friend is imprisoned!"

His father stopped, then continued walking on.

~~~~~

"This is bull crap!" Adam paced around madly.

"Adam, calm down," Jason begged him.

Adam glared at Jason, "Calm down! You want me to calm down when our friend is in jail. I mean, what is my father thinking!"

"He has his reason Adam."

"Stupid ones! We finally get here only to find we can't go on. If we leave now then Ian will be killed, we have to do something!"

"And we will," Seto said.

"Hey guys..." Mitch said.

"What!" Adam hissed.

"Whoa, chill. I was just going to point out, don't those people look familiar?" Mitch pointed outside of the tent they were resting in. I noticed that Mitch was right. A group of three people were standing outside chatting and laughing.

"H-hey!" I began, "They're the ones from the town of Rezrin! The ones the locals kept calling The Reds!"

"The Reds..." Adam murmured before running out of the tent.

"Adam wait!" Jason yelled.

Adam was out of the tent and picking one of them up by their shirt, the one with black glasses and a checkered shirt.

"Ahh! What the hell are you doing you nerd!" He screamed.

Adam punched him in the face, "It's your d@mn fault! My friend is in prison because of you three!"

"Let go of him!" The one with red sunglasses yelled, he pulled Adam off of the other and swung at him. A punch was landed to Adam's face, his sunglasses shattered.

Adam screamed and threw a punch, "Adam stop!" I shouted, by now people were watching. The one with black glasses was on the ground holding his cheek and glaring at Adam. The zombie one was running into the fight.

I jumped in as the zombie threw a punch, I caught it with my hands, but not before flinching from the force. "Out of the way you dick!"

"No, you leave my friend alone!"

"He started it!"

"Ian's in jail because of you three!" Adam yelled kicking the other sunglasses man in the shin.

"What the hell are you talking about!" He hissed back.

"Adam stop it! You have the wrong people! Look at there--"

"Jason watch out!" Seto yelled, the guy with glasses tackled Jason to the ground. Jason let out a startled yelp.

"All of you stop it right now!" Everyone fighting looked up at the one who yelled, and everyone not fighting turned to the voice.

It was Ian, Ian had yelled, he was shackled and his sunglasses removed. Ian never took off his glasses, but underneath I saw his eyes, dark blue eyes, heavy black bags were under his eyes. He looked like a tornado came in and destroyed everything.

"Ian! You're ok!" Adam shoved the other guy off of him and he fell with a shout. Adam ran towards Ian, "Ian, what did they do to you, tell them, tell them you're innocent.

"Stop it you idiot, just quit it will you. You and everyone else have something to do, go do it. And leave me to this."

"But... you have a plan right, irrefutable evidence to prove you're innocent, right?"

Ian didn't look at Adam, he simply let the soldiers lead him away.

Adam collapsed to the ground in defeat, tears running down his face and to the ground.

I walked up to him, "A-Adam..." he slapped my hand away and stood up. He glared once again at the people he was fighting with and stormed towards them.

"You want another fight bro?" The zombie man raised his fist and jumped around on his feet.

"Tell me what he is being charged for!"

"Under whose authority?" Sunglasses man asked.

"Mine! Don't you know I'm the son of the general!"

He looked incredulously at Adam, "Son! He's away on extended leave."

"No one said he couldn't come back!" Adam retorted.

"No way a spoiled brat like you is his son." Nerd guy hissed.

"I'd be willing to bet I am!"

"Alright, can we handle this like civilized people," Jason proposed holding up his hands to calm everyone down.

"Hey, that's our tech you're wearing, where'd you get it?" Sunglasses said.

"You're right, this is the first original prototype of the army's spacesuit, now with a few of my own upgrades. It was given to me by the general about 6 years ago. He wanted me to wear it while I traveled with Adam and put it to good use."

Sunglasses nodded, while the zombie snorted in disbelief. "Well if you really want to know that guys charges, then let's get somewhere more private."

He beckoned us to follow and we did. Once inside the safety of a tent he sat down and so did we.

"So tell us," Adam demanded, then added on, "please?"

"With just the information we know when the Reds were still a very active group of the East army, that guy was one of the originals. Actually, the leader of the Reds."

"You mind telling us a little bit more about the Reds?" Mitch asked.

"They were a small group of individuals that were tasked with the mass murder and annihilation of small villages and towns. Hence the name The Reds, because of their very, very, bloody record."

"There's no way Ian was one of them, he's not like that," brought up Quentin, I and the others nodded in agreement.

"Well, how much do you know about him, really?" We glanced at each other, then Quentin who was probably the closest to him. Neither of us could answer.

To tell the truth, Ian never shared his past. We could always tell it was to painful to talk about, so we left him to it.

"So... what about Ian, specifically, what did he do." Quentin asked, I could tell how much he didn't want to, but that's why we were here. To find out.

"Ian, as you call him was more specifically known as Bloody Bags, for one of two reasons. Being in the Reds meant you killed a lot, and two, you saw the bags under his eyes, they're from the lack of sleep, from what we can assume. Why he has them I don't know."

"You better believe it mate, that dude is one hell of a messed up guy!" The zombie man grinned, "It's estimated that Bloody Bags alone killed over 400 people in the four years of the Reds' existence." He snickered, I felt my fist clench at how he spoke about Ian.

"And here's the juicy bit," he paused for added affect, "Bloody Bags killed his own team, murdered them in cold blood. He used a bloody explosive for god sakes! I mean how cool is that--"

"Stop referring to Ian as this 'Bloody Bags' that's not his name! His name is Ian, he isn't this Bloody Bags, or a Red for that matter!" Adam screamed, he was crying I could see, his hands clutched tightly at his pants. He was trying hard not to let his emotions get the best of him. I could see how hard he was fighting the truth, I didn't want to believe it either.

"You wanted to know, we told you. Don't get mad at the truth--" Sunglasses started.

"Shut up! You're lying! Watch, I'll prove it, Ian is innocent. And I'm going to set him free!" Adam stood up, walked to the exit and was just about to leave.

"Wait!"

"What Sunglasses."

"It's Jordan..., and even though I'll be glad as soon as you leave. If you really want to help him so badly, even after learning about who he really is, then you better hurry. With all the time we spent, I'd say his trial is almost done, he'll probably get the death sentence."

"Almost done!" Adam panicked and we stood up almost immediately.

"We have to hurry!" Shouted Jerome.

~~~~~

"Ian Sharp, you have been found guilty of all crimes, and your punishment shall be--"

"Stop! Stop!" I screamed, I was the fastest, besides Seto, who was teleporting at a slower rate than usual. I reached here first with Seto, all eyes turned to me.

"Adam's friend," his father addressed me, he was standing in front of Ian, a sword in hand. I could very much assume he was the judge of this court, "I advise you to leave now, you wouldn't want to see your friend killed."

"No one is killing anyone," Seto proclaimed right next to me.

"You can't stop me from administering justice and ridding the world of a criminal on the run for many years!"

"But Ian's our friend!" I defended.

"And he's a cold blooded murder..." Adam's father said darkly. To say I wasn't scared of Ian would be an understatement.

I was terrified, but I held that fear in, for Ian.

I know that the Ian I know and the Ian Adam's father knows are two different people. It's my faith in Ian as person that knows he's changed. Or hoped he's changed.

"Not this Ian--"

"Ty, stop please." The hunched figure sitting on the ground spoke. It was Ian, he looked so small and broken, in just a few short hours since arriving, it was like he went through a metamorphosis. Ian turned to face me, tears in his eyes, and the dark bags resting under his eyes looked even darker.

"Stop, I-I deserve this. Maybe you don't realize it, but I killed so many people back then, and never knew how wrong it was. Their screams, their blood, all of it, I remember it all Ty, you don't understand the things I've done!"

The rest of the gang finally made it here, huffing and puffing.

"B-but you didn't know, they manipulated you! Right?! Ian you're a good guy, we know it, you helped save so many lives!" Adam protested.

"But I've killed more, dammit! Don't you see, I deserve this!

"You don't! You didn't mean all of this, the East manipulated you!"

"Enough of this foolishness, Ian tell them what you confessed to the court." Adam's father boomed and slammed his sword to the ground.

Ian was shaking, like he was trying as hard as he could to stay quiet. Ian, I've never seen him like this. He was neither cheery nor dull, always to the point, created amazing meals, and brilliant. But to see him so broken, and scared, the bags under his eyes that probably represent nights plagued by nightmares.

"The Reds... there's a reason they vanished. I killed them."

"Why..." Quentin asked.

"Because if I didn't they'd still be doing the horrid things we did."

"But they can't charge you for that, you helped stop them."

Adam's father snapped his fingers and a soldier cleared his throat and spoke, "Five years ago the Reds mysteriously vanished. It was later discovered they died in an explosion, at first it was assumed to be accidental, but evidence shows murder."

"What proof do you have!" Shouted Mitch indignantly.

"There were three unidentified bodies, and no sign the Reds' leader."

"But with an explosion how can you tell the difference between one body and the next," I said.

"Magic Forensics can tell you a lot about a body."

"Now do you see, he killed people of his own free will and three innocents, there is no justification to murder. Even we know that, and we carry that burden as we try our best to make more good than bad." What else could we do. Ian wouldn't listen and his father would not budge.

Adam's father turned back to Ian and raised his sword, "Wait!"

He turned back and looked straight at Adam, "You always used to tell me knowing when to show mercy was important in this line of work. Sure we never knew who Ian really was, or what he's done, but there was never a moment in time he didn't try hard to save people's lives. That has to count for something right?"

"Give mercy to him?! You must be out of your mind Adam, I thought I raised you better, instead I've raised a delusional boy."

"You're the one who's delusional!" Adam screamed, he stormed over to his father, "I-I don't even know who you are anymore, you're not the same father I know. My father was fairer, your--your not him!"

Adam's father began to stutter, then stumble on his words, "I--you--now..."

He cleared his throat, "I haven't changed, just the years that you've been gone has made things different. You were younger Adam, no doubt you over fantasized your beliefs in me."

"Or you're becoming a completely different person," Seto spoke up.

"That's absurd, what is your crazy friend speaking of!"

Adam shrugged, I, or rather all of us were just as confused as they were.

"Adam's right to assume you're not the same. At first I couldn't put my finger on what was so off about you, but I think I've all but figured it out."

"What, Seto what are you saying, what do you mean?" I looked at him, waiting for an answer. He paused then glanced at Adam, with out hesitation he reared his arm back and a purple ball of fire formed in his palms. He threw it straight at Adam's father and his father gave a startled shout. I watched terrified, "Seto! What the hell, why did you do that!"

"That's my dad!" Adam panicked and ran over to his father , the purple flames were already dying out.

"Look guys," Seto pointed, "He's unharmed, and that was a spell meant to give at least a few burns." Looking at Adam's father I realized Seto was right, but that didn't make sense. How, "To explain, Adam, you father is immune to magic, which means..."

He trailed off and realization struck in, "The spell cast to protect everyone from the effect of the curse isn't protect my father! But wait... wouldn't that mean the curse doesn't affect him either?"

"No, I figured that since the curse is such an old magic, it be hard, even for someone highly resistant to magic to resist such and unfamiliar spell."

Adam's father grumbled, "And you're point is, if you'll make it quick I have other important matters to attend to..." He pointed his thumb towards Ian.

"I think you know what it means... I think you knew all along that the spell wasn't helping you, that slowly you and the counterpart of you were slowly merging. And I have a feeling you have an idea what will happen when it's complete." Seto said placing his hands on his hip. Adam's father frowned but didn't say anything.

"Dad, what is he talking about?" Adam asked with a new sense of worry, I could tell he was still worried about Ian, but he didn't hate his father that badly.

"If you won't say it I will..." Seto said.

"Don't... To put it simply, it means I'm dying."

~~~~~

I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to tell me if you want a sequel, and check out Story Ideas I Wanna Write to help decide what the next story on my page should be.

I love you all!

~WrittenDarkness