Master of the Mountain (Cole x oc)

The Skull Sorcerer

I blinked my eyes rapidly. Waking up in pain for the second time. I groaned, attempting to sit up, but the ground felt different; soft, almost. My vision cleared and I realized where I was. I pushed myself up from Cole's lap fast, head reeling from the sudden movement.

"Woah, easy there," Cole spoke softly.

I put my face in my hands, resting my elbows on my knees. "How long was I out?"

"Only a couple minutes."

I sat silently for a minute, only to begin shaking with sobs a moment later.

"Hey. Hey. What's wrong?" Cole asked, scooting up beside me.

"I wasn't strong enough," I murmured between sobs. "I couldn't stop him. I couldn't stop any of them. And now we're stuck in this stupid mountain and I can barely walk."

I felt his arms begin to encircle my figure. Almost involuntarily, I flinched against Cole's touch. Confused, he removed his arms, but didn't question me.

"You're okay. It's not your fault."

"I feel so helpless," I breathed. "It's all my fault we're stuck here."

"It's not your fault," Cole reassured. "It's really not. If anything, you made the situation better. If you hadn't followed me and Vania into the mountain, I would have been alone."

I sniffed, "I guess you're right..."

"I just wish you would trust me," Cole said.

I sighed, "That's the problem Cole. I do trust you. I trust you all with my life, but I don't want you to know because I don't want you to take advantage of that."

We sat in silence for a moment, I leaned against the boulder in exhaustion. "We should really keep going," I began.

"Are you sure you're up for it?" Cole questioned.

"We can't sit here forever."

Cole stood, and offered me his hand. I took it and he pulled me up.

"Let's go."

We continued walking for what seemed like ages. I slowly felt myself regaining strength as I moved around. The caves were a collection of labyrinths and it was hard to see where we were going as there was very little light save for strange, green, crystals that poked out from the walls.

"Are you feeling loose gravel?" I asked suddenly, stopping where I was.

"Yeah," Cole answered, he froze as well.

"Can you light your hands up?"

"Sure," Cole hand's glowed with power only to reveal a drop off about 3 feet in front of us. We stumbled back a few steps.

"It's good we stopped when we did," I gasped.

"I'm gonna see how far it goes down," Cole edged closer to the point of the ledge.

"Just be careful," I warned.

More gravel fell below as Cole snuck to the edge.

"Cole, that gravel is going to be slip-" I began, but was cut off.

Cole cried out as the gravel beneath his feet gave way and he plummeted from the rim.

"Cole!" I yelled.

"I'm okay," he called back. I slunk to the brink of the rock and peered below. Cole was hanging by his feet from a protruding tree root.

"Can you pull yourself up?" I asked, "I don't know if I can reach you."