Mistlyn

Chapter 31: Cogaje is not the Real Cogaje

The path ended in a cave.

"It's a dead end," I said, "Well, sort of."

Cogaje stuck his head into the cave. "Well, I guess we'll have to go through. I mean, I don't think there's any other way out."

"I hate caves."

Cogaje half-smiled, "I'm with you this time, so it shouldn't be that bad." He extended his hand to me.

"You think this leads up through the mountain?" I asked.

"Only one way to find out.'

I took Cogaje's hand, stepping forward into the cave.

Blasts of coldness snatched at my skin, bringing the scent of earth and water.

"It doesn't look too big," Cogaje said, "At least, what I can see, which isn't much."

I nodded, taking small and careful steps.

"I just hope there isn't a—" Cogaje's words were lost as he fell, screaming, down a pit.

"Mistlyn!" he cried out.

"Cogaje! Cogaje!" I leaned over the pit, squinting to see anything in the dim light curling up from the pit. "Cogaje!" I cried out again, "Can you hear me? Did you break anything?"

When I heard a loud thud, I knew Cogaje had landed. His groan echoed up to me. There was a flash of white, but it disappeared in a moment.

"Cogaje!" I screamed, "Please, are you fine? Did you break any bones?"

I got no answer except for a groan and a yell pregnant with pain.

"Oh no," I moaned, leaning a little more over the pit.

His groaning was sounding father away, even as I leaned in more over the pit's edge. There was a scraping sound that was soon overtaken by a dragging one. Cogaje's moans were getting even farther.

"Cogaje?" I called out, "Are you still there?" my voice quivered.

Silence answered me.

"Please," I cried, "Cogaje?"

Only the echoes of my voice answered me back.

Stifling a cry, I threw my legs over the pit's edge and tucked my sword into my bag. No use getting myself stabbed, I thought.

Hoping I wouldn't break my legs, I let myself slip off the edge.

I hurtled down, air slashing at my face and eyes. Blackness swept around me, the only light coming from below, a gray haziness that reminded me of the plumes of smoke that had become my village after the Lizsards burned it down.

The ground was more ominous than inviting, even as I wished for it to be under me again.

I landed on something both had and soft. Groaning, I scrambled to my knees, gray moss under my body. The moss was over six inches thick, but itchy, with bugs crawling all over it.

Slapping at my skin to get the bugs off, I jumped to my feet, looking around wildly. "Cogaje?" I called out. "Are you here?"

I drew out my sword, glancing around. "Cogaje," I said, "Answer me please."

A groan drew my attention. "Cogaje?"

The groan became louder. "Mistlyn," it said.

"Cogaje!" I cried, "Stay where you are, I'm coming for you. Keeping making sounds so I can find you."