((Because I've recently started a new job, updates are going to start coming a bit slower. Thank you all for your support, lovely reviews, and lovely messages to this point, I do hope that you all stick around to see what happens- I've got lots of plans.))
The remainder of the ascent to the top wasn't easy at all, especially for the two of them. Perhaps someone more fit, and able to breathe would have been able to do it easier, but the steep hike up two separate hills was terrible.
Tya was convinced Link was going to drop dead and that her legs were going to fall off by the time they reached the second one. And it didn't make it any easier that those red creeps were throwing boulders over the edge to try and hit them.
The slingshot and her fire both came in handy once again, getting rid of the obnoxious creeps that tried to crush them.
Link already wasn't in very good shape, but by the time they reached the top he was all but turning blue.
Tya had boiled some more water and sat Link down. It was cooler up there, though not by much. They were no longer so close to lava, but it was still warm and still bothersome to the hero.
She'd done what she could to help and was sitting at his side, gently fanning him with her hands. He was calming down, but he was exhausted that was obvious.
He'd leaned over against her shoulder and closed his eyes, breathing in the steam and reveling in the cool breeze she was creating. Even if it was light, it was still nice.
It was around that time that both of them noticed the sound of rustling in the dirt– a familiar rustling that they'd heard from the mogma before. But even so, Tya was too cautious.
A hand lowered and rested on Link's chest while her ice blue gaze turned in the direction of the sound. She adjusted in a way that shown how protective she'd become of her weakened companion. Though reluctant, after a second, she drew away from him just to check out the situation.
Peeking over to the spot she'd heard from, she was relieved to find that her ears hadn't deceived her. It was just two mogmas.
She paused and listened in to the small conversation they had. She thought there would be little they could say that could interest her, but she was wrong. They spoke first of a key that the creeps had broken up into a few pieces and hid in order to keep unwelcome guests out of the temple. And then they spoke of a blonde girl that had gotten carried off…
A spike of panic nearly caused the mage to run out so she could ask questions. Ask how they knew this information and why they didn't help. The fact that their conversation flooded into one about treasure from there especially frustrated her. Why was Zelda not more important to them?
Before she could do as she intended to though, she was caught by a hand over her mouth and a tug backward.
"They m-might not tell us so-some things if they find out y-you were listening in." Link said quietly.
She shook free of his grasp, huffing and looking toward the mogmas again. They'd not yet proven to be dishonest, but people got greedy when they thought treasure was involved, not to mention listening in to conversations was rude.
When the mogmas buried themselves again, deciding they could just burrow under the door, Fi was summoned. She and Link decided to use the sword's dowsing ability to place the pieces of the key they were searching for.
It was monotonous work. Those red dimwits were surprisingly smart when it came to hiding things, but the dowsing was handy. When the dowsing led them to a spot it was easy to see where the key was by the way the dirt was disturbed.
The first and second were relatively simple. One was simply hidden right there, not far from the entrance to the temple. Another was down a steep hill. It was beneath something, a wooden tower it seemed, and it took them a second to figure that out. When they did, Link excitedly decided they should blow it up using the bomb flowers at the top of the hill.
He'd thought he'd had good aim until that point when it took him at least ten tries to get a bomb close enough to the tower to knock it down.
And then again, when it took him at least ten tries to blow up a weak bunch of rocks that had been placed to block a cave.
One of the most difficult spots for the two was one across another gap. This time, they were left to their own devices to figure out just how to get across, though they thought it safe to assume another bridge could be triggered like the last one was.
The plan they finally ended up with was one Tya was not happy with. Not because she had to do something she didn't want to do, but because Link wasn't letting her do something she didn't want to do.
He'd decided a good way to cross was to cling on a ledge, and then to a section of vines that spilled over the edge of the other side. Given how little he was able to breathe, Tya volunteered to do it, despite not knowing if she'd be able to actually hold on long enough to do so. She really just figured if her options were cling on or die, her body would do its best.
Link however, knew that she wasn't strong enough to hold on but he was. If she didn't need to cross like that, she wasn't going to- at least in his head that was the idea.
"You're exhausted and you can barely breathe, let me do it." She started toward the edge, intending on going with or without his permission, but Link hurried in front of her to block her way.
"Y-you are not strong e-enough to climb a-all th-that way, and we both know it."
"Did you just imply that I'm weak?" She paused for a second before pushing him aside and starting toward the edge again. "I'm not fucking weak."
She didn't even make it two steps before she felt two arms wrap around her and lift her off the ground. Link set her down again away from the ledge.
"Don't put w-words in my mouth. I di-didn't say you were w-weak."
"We are wasting time with this stupid argument. Can you just get out of my way so we can hurry?" She went to push passed him again, but Link stopped her. He seemed like he was going to say something for a second, but he didn't. Instead he just turned and stepped over the side, prying Tya's hand off when she tried to stop him.
After he was off, it wasn't like she could really do much. She had no choice but to stand there and watch him, but it really goes without saying that she was angry about it.
She'd set the pack down when she first volunteered to cross, but picked it back up when he was on the other side. It only took a second to find the switch that would release the bridge, and when it was fully extended, she crossed. Angrily.
Of course he was out of breath, again, and Tya resisted every urge she had to say she told him so. And then she realized how inconsiderate and immature she was being.
The guilt just flooded in when she looked at him again... Luckily he didn't seem to be having a serious problem.
"Thank you for opening the way for me. We should take a break so you can catch your breath."
"No, its f-fine. We can walk sl-slow and I'll be fine." He spoke gently, like he was trying to show he wasn't angry without actually saying it. It was like they mutually apologized just through their tone of voice, then started out again to find the remainder of the key.
They didn't get far before they were stopped by Fi, though.
"Master, I am detecting extremely high temperatures from the area directly ahead." She gestured back toward a cave they were about to step into. Just looking at it made it clear that Fi was right about the heat. "I calculate a 95% chance your clothing will immediately combust upon entrance. Please proceed with caution. You may be able to pass through safely if you run. I recommend confirming your direction by dowsing before making the attempt."
She wanted so badly to go on her own and leave him there, let him rest, but she had no idea how she was supposed to find the key without the dowsing...
"Link, can't you just point me in the direction I need to go and I can go alone? I don't want you to run through the heat like that, you'll get hurt."
"You do-don't have to act like I'm fr-fragile, Tya."
"I'm not, I am acting like you're a person that can get burned easily and has been having trouble all day. Please?"
He looked to the cave, then back to her and sighed. "What if something d-dangerous is in th-there?"
"I can handle it. Please stop thinking I'm weak."
"I don't. I th-think you're in-inexperienced in c-close combat and I think y-you're screwed if something gets too close."
She bit the inside of her lip, looking to the cave for a long moment.
"E-Even if I point you the r-right way, it m-might take you forever to find it."
"...We are wasting time again."
"Can you stop sa-saying that? It isn't wasting time t-to be careful."
"We aren't being careful, we are arguing again."
"Then why do-don't we just stick together like we've b-been doing?"
"Because you need a break."
"We don't ha-have time for breaks."
A heavy sigh left her, and a hand rose to sweep back a strand of hair that had escaped her bun. "I'm going first."
He sighed as well, in response, but motioned outward regardless. Tya stepped in first, containing any flames that formed on her or the pack quickly while she found the right way they needed to go. Once she figured it out, she told Link, and they hurried through and out of the heat.
From there, it wasn't particularly hard. It required a bit of thought, but that was about it. On the way back up to the summit, after gathering all the pieces, they realized how late it was. That night was falling quickly, and that by the time they reached the top they'd likely be stuck in the dark... They were both exhausted, but neither wanted to stop. Zelda had been captured and drug into that temple, they needed to continue.
