Wow! There is so much to thank you all for! 

Thank you for 5k reads. Thank you for 100 followers. Thank you for 4k reads on Falling to Rise!

If you haven't heard already, but I'm holding a contest as my 100 follower special. You don't need to be a follower to enter, so if you are interested go check out my art book and look at the chapter labeled Contest!! :D and CONTEST UPDATE as both have very important information about it.

NOW! For the moment you all have been waiting for, for the longest of times, a chapter! Sorry to make you wait. This chapter has a bit more of Ian since he's taking his own little adventure. The next chapter will probably be the final chapter, unless it's a lot longer then I expected.

LOST

Chapter 20

It was like watching someone freefall hundreds of feet to the ground, soon they would land in a body of water, or a ladder, or anything! But this...this was truly terrifying. Both Quentins were falling to their death, I was frozen in place as I watched the scene unfold before me.

"Quentin!" The Ty next to me screamed, he started running. Running to them, but we were too far, he'd never make it in time.

I covered my face, I couldn't watch any longer.

Instead of hearing the nauseating sound of bodies hitting the ground, I heard the screaming stop. Instantly I looked up, both Quentins were riding the back of the Dragon.

"Oh thank Notch, they're alive!" I shouted.

"They're ok!" alter Ty shouted happily, then his mood did a complete 180 and he shouted determined, "We need to finish destroying those crystals!" Those who were safe nodded and hurried to climb down and dash to the other towers.

Alter Ty turned to me, "You... uh.. other me, we need to get the mudkips off the dragon."

I nodded and raced after him with my sword out.

"Help! Get us off this thing!" Quentin screamed.

"Ah!" I ducked and so did other me as the dragon soared right about us. The force of the wind made me fall to the ground, flat on my back. The belly of the dragon was to close for comfort, and once again... I caught another glimpse of the faint purple and red glow.

I caught a glimpse of an outline, and for a moment, just a moment, I thought I saw-- "Fire!!" a series of explosions interrupted my thought, more crystals were probably destroyed.

"Hurry!" Long after the dragon had flown over, other me ran over and hauled me up from the ground. "This is your plan," he huffed, "Start doing something!"

I glared, not before glancing back up at the dragon, at his chest, then at the Quentins.

"I got it!" I turned to other me, "The Quentins can attack from up top, then when they drive the dragon low enough down, they can jump off either to the ground or on an obsidian tower."

"That's dangerous, it could kill them!"

"Well that dragon is not going to let them off nicely, they'll have to jump when they get the chance."

He looked reluctant then nodded. I relayed the information to everyone through shouting, then we moved behind an obsidian pillar and waited.

~~~~~

*3rd Person*

They both crouched, waiting behind the giant black pillar, their swords drawn, their eyes gleaming in the darkness. The green eyed fellow nudged the red eyed fellow. He looked back and saw the gestured hand. His eyes now back in front, he looked to the skies, the top of the opposite tower from them stood two guys. One with an eyepatch, the other with glasses.

They waved their arms madly and watched as the dragon swooped in. At the last minute they jumped over the side of the tower, both catching themselves on the ladder.

The dragon now hovering over the pillar looked around, it did not anticipate its two stowaways to jump off, while dragging their swords down the flesh of its side.

The dragon roared flew off, two swords still jutting from its side. The two mudkips had landed safely on the pillar, no injuries save for a bruise or two.

Now all four proceeded down the ladder, wasting no time to get to the ground, because the dragon was making his way back, and he was not happy...

The green eyed and the red eyed duo left the shadow of the tower, one yelling, "Ready your bows!"

The other racing towards the mudkips and the Adams.

"Are any of you hurt?" he asked them. They shook their heads no, "Then we need to get to cover, arrows will be flying down any moment."

As if he had predicted the future, "Fire!" was shouted and arrows began to soar through the sky. Some were tipped with fire, like stars streaking through the air, but none made their mark, and the dragon continued to head straight for the ground.

The force of air that swept everyone on the ground off their feet as the dragon landed knocked everyone dizzy. It roared stamping its feet to the ground.

"Ty! Get up!" the red eyed fellow pushed himself up he gasped as the dragon's chest began to light up, glowing both purple and red, it was going to strike, and it was aiming at one person in particular. His other self, he was still on the ground about a hundred blocks away, he ran, but he would not make it, he could not make it.

"Wake up!" he screamed, his hand was outstretched as the dragon's fire scorched the ground in front of him, forcing him to stop as his other self was engulfed in purple flames. He stumbled backwards his mouth agape in shocked horror. He was dead and he couldn't do anything to stop it.

As the fire ceased to come the dragon turned his attention to the others on the ground. His tail swished from side to side, as if eyeing up his prey. It's chest lit up again.

"Charge!!" two figures jumped from their towers, using their claws to slow their fall. When they were low enough down, they launched themselves from the side of the pillar and swung their diamond axes into the back of the dragon. The two whooped as the dragon reared its head back and roared, releasing all the pent up fire into the sky.

The dragon flew up, not before the two furry men slid down the tail of the dragon and to the ground.

The wind caused by the flapping of the wings extinguished the fires in the ground. Ty looked and gasped. The other Ty was still alive, a miracle by the gods!

He rushed immediately over, as he neared, he noticed a faint purple ball surrounded the alter, but as quickly as he had seen it it disappeared.

Ty shook his alter, but he was already awake, "S-Stop." he muttered.

"Are you ok!" Ty asked.

"I don't know... I shouldn't even be alive, I saw, I saw those flames come straight for me. But they simply glided off an invisible surface in front of me..."

"A force field, come on we need to take a bit of shelter before we attack again." Ty pulled his alter up and let him lean on him, but the alter pushed himself away from Ty.

"I saw Seto, not my Seto though, yours."

"What!" Ty gasped, "Where'd he go!"

He shrugged, "I don't know, but what I do know, is he wants us to kill the dragon. He said to me, 'Do what I could not and end the suffering.'"

"Then that is what we have to do," Ty grabbed him by the wrist and led him back to those on the ground.

~~~~~

To the left of me, Adam's father. He was running along side me as I carried the little boy on my shoulder.

"We need to hurry up!" Adam's dad shouted after slicing through yet another groaning zombie.

"I know!" the little boy hugged my shoulders tighter and buried his face in my neck.

And arrow can whizzing by and embedded itself in my leg. I cried and stumbled, almost falling to my knees, but caught myself on a tree.

Adam's father skidded to a stop and turned to look at me, "You ok?" he shouted.

I grumbled to myself and nodded, I winced as I tried to straighten myself. The little boy began to whimper.

I hissed as I took one step forward. It wouldn't be safe to remove the arrow here, knowing that I'll only make it worse. I nodded to let him know to keep going. I only took one step forward when the ground began to shake. This time, worse than before. The little boy screamed and I fell forward. I screamed as the arrow was shoved farther through my leg.

"Shoot!" I cursed, then looked up to see Adam's dad leaning against the trees, "Hey you alright?" The earth stopped shaking and the little boy climbed off my back, which allowed me to sit up.

I looked down at the arrow, the shaft was broken but most of it was intact in my leg. I pressed my palm to the wound, to stop the bleeding.

"Are we in trouble?" The boy asked.

"No of course not." I grinned, I looked up when I heard Adam's dad start to grumble. He straightened himself up and clenched his hand holding his sword, "We have to keep moving," I said and using my hands I pushed myself up. Then crouched for the little boy to climb back on.

"...Ian..." he mumbled my name then charged his sword raised. I gasped and turned behind me to shove the boy away, the little boy yelped. I faced Adam's dad as he swung the sword down at me, I narrowly dodged the attack as I rolled away.

"What the hell are you doing" I hissed and stumbled to stand.

"I hate heroes like you, always shouting about helping people," he glared at me and swung again, I pulled out my sword and blocked. The clash of metal ringing in my ears.

I looked to the little boy cowering behind me, "Run!" his little eyes widened then he scrambled away and ran.

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Adam's dad took a step forward to add more strength to his sword.

"What has gotten into you! We're supposed the be helping people" I pushed harder on my sword and he took a couple steps backs, ending the contact between our swords.

He growled and swung at my midsection, I barely jumped back as he swung again aiming for my neck. His movements were sloppy, like he was acting on pure rage.

In that moment, as I blocked his attack, I knew what was going on, I knew because I felt something change in myself.

I was a hero, or that is what my mind kept saying, but it wasn't true, not for me. Adam's dad was deep into the curse, since no magic could protect him, he snapped. Once again we were enemies, but enemies of another world.

I was the hero I'd always wished I was was, and he was the man he'd always feared he become... For once, we were one in the same, the bloodshed that trailed behind us was shared.

"Stop this!" I yelled. I forced my sword forward and overpowered him. His sword sailed from his grip a few feet away. He yelped as he tripped backwards and fell.

"Get a grip of yourself! Don't let the curse consume you!" he spit in return at me and kicked me in the shin. The kick sent a spiking pain up my leg and fell forward. Adam's dad rolled away as I fell, first grabbing onto a low branch that snapped from my weight. A shower of wood and leaves fell on top of me.

"It's sappy crap like that, that makes me barf. If it wasn't for you, my son would have been a remarkable leader," he spat, "Now he's just a soft little girl!"

"That's not true, and you should know that, don't let yourself go! Isn't that what you wanted. To remain yourself for as long as possible" I sat up, his glare faltered, then hardened. His arms tensed then he ran at me again. I jumped up, wincing as my arrow wound flared up.

I dodged to the left as he attacked and then I swung down at his legs. My sword cut the flesh in his calf and the blood flowed down my blade. I flinched as he let out a scream and I immediately dropped my sword. The sight of the blood made me want to curl up. Memories of years ago flickered through my brain.

The screams, the fires, the laughter as I didn't care for the carnage. Then the explosion, the one that killed my team, the three people that died in that explosions, the innocent ones...

"Queasy at the sight of blood?" Adam's dad laughed and wobbled as he tore the sword from his leg. I haven't attacked a person in so long and drawn blood because of it. It was completely unexpected, something I thought I could get over with time.

He took one wobbly step at a time as he dragged his sword through the dirt. My legs felt numb as the blood kept spilling out. He would bleed to death, he would die. I was supposed to save him not kill him.

No, it couldn't be that bad.. it wasn't that deep, right? He's fine... he's fine.

I felt a sparking feeling in my left shoulder, I realized the blade of his sword was embedded in my shoulder. Deep enough it was drawing blood, but the pain felt dull and numb. My knees shook and fell to the ground, the feeling of the blood pouring down my side and making my shirt a sticky mess.

"Giving up so soon? I was hoping more from Ian the Savior, seems like you're nothing more than talk, a coward."

Coward...

Coward...

I was a coward, a terrible coward. I ran from my problems. Many years ago I ran off to be a better man, I joined an army. I hoped to gain courage, I was willing to do anything to be someone.

But I only furthered my cowardice, I followed orders, I committed heinous crimes, believing the lies they told. Believing I was actually doing something of value.

I ran away again, killed the only people I had come to know through my work, the only people who shared my experiences. To be honest I was afraid. Afraid that the fear I saw in their eyes, was the fear of me. In truth I'm sure they were just like me. Afraid to disobey orders, afraid that if they didn't do as they were told they'd be killed. They were the same as me, the Reds and I, but I killed them and then promised I'd never take another life again.

All I did was run, all I did was--

I screamed, a pain shot from my leg to every nerve of my body, tears poured from my eyes. A sword was driven straight through the arrow wound, through the bone, through every muscle in my leg.

"LISTEN TO ME! I want you to suffer! This is the last time you'll get in my way. You have been a pain in my a*s since the moment you and your little brigade came around. Now their fearless leader is about to die by my hands!"

He yanked the sword out of my leg causing me to scream out more as the blood came pouring out faster.

I had to act fast, for my sake and his, there was only one thing I could do to save him. With a surge of strength I didn't know I still had, I pulled out a small dagger from within my boot. The sun glinted on the blade before being plunged into Adam's dad's heart.

Their was a moment of silence before a cough of shock, his grip on his sword loosened and it fell from his hands behind him with a thud.

He began to fall backwards but I caught him and with my little strength softened his fall.

The adrenaline was still pumping through my veins so I dragged myself over to his head.

I didn't know that tears could fall for a man, regardless of which one he was. A man who hated me in both lives. But fall they did.

He didn't speak, but I was sure that this was no longer Adam's dad from another world, but Adam's dad of this world. I stopped crying for just a moment when his hand shakily tapped me. I looked him in the eyes, he nodded to me, his eyes stern but reassuring. A message to me that I had nothing to be ashamed of. Then his chest shuddered and ceased to move.

I killed another man, I broke the promise I swore never to break. But I broke the promise to save another. A man as good as he, shouldn't have to suffer like that, knowing that little by little he was being forced to change from the man he was to the man he wasn't. A version of himself he feared of becoming in reality.

I carry the burden of murder, but I carry it as no longer as a weight to fear, but a weight to be someone better, even if only by a little.

I reached over and closed his eyes.

The adrenaline was wearing off, it was apparent by the lack of feeling in my leg that it would be impossible for me to go anywhere. I hope the little boy had made it to somewhere safe, though now I felt worried about the soldiers, were they also falling under the curse, and why do I feel like I wasn't affected.

I sighed and dragged myself over to a tree. I leaned against it for support and pressed the wound on my shoulder, pain flared up for a moment, causing me to wince, I used my injured arm and attempted to do the same for my leg.I couldn't let myself die after all this. When my friends come back, someone will need to tell Adam... And I know I can't run from my fears anymore, I have to tell Adam myself.

But first, I have to live. 

I hope you felt some feels. That was one of the major points of this part, to make you all a little sad.

:D

~WrittenDarkness