The sacred water they were meant to retrieve was in a place they'd been before: the beautiful forested temple in the woods that Tya had guessed would be their first and only stop. Walking back into it, she looked around recalled how determined she had been to find Zelda in the beginning. It wasn't as if she wasn't now, but looking to Link, she realized her motivations had somewhat changed. Of course, Zelda was priority. But Link had said on multiple occasions how helpful it was to have someone there that could, more or less, suffer with him. With that phrasing, she couldn't help but wonder why she stayed, but it didn't make her want to do it any less.

That was, until she recalled what exactly had happened the first time they came through.

The majority of the temple was still open from their previous time through, but more of those pests had moved their way in it seemed. Because of this, some of the doors had been sealed off, but with the help of a treasure hunting mogma, they were able to get through with little trouble.

Stepping into the wider area- the vast room with fallen pillars, bird statues, and moss covering much of the stone- fear filled her once again. She looked forward to the large room in the middle, with the partially fallen in wall. Through the open door, she could see the chest in the center that held the beetle. Seeing that room reminded her of that thing- the reconstructed skeleton that relentlessly hacked away at Link as she sat there uselessly, doing nothing.

She shuddered as she remembered the sounds it made as it put itself together, then tensed entirely as the sound of that hiss ran through her body again. Her breathing hitched at that point, and without thought, she moved to take hold of Link's arm.

At the feel of her grip, he looked to her and arched a brow. "You-You okay?"

Tya only nodded in response, directing her gaze downward and away from the room as they passed it by.

It was simple enough to get through, especially with her fire, because their only obstacles were two of the pests on the other side of the rope.

After she took them out, careful not to singe their way across, they made their way over again, thankful that the thing was sturdy and that neither of them died this time around either.

Link pushed open the large doors, behind which they'd previously met Ghirahim, with every intention of heading on through to the sacred water. They started forward a few steps, but were forced to a halt as the doors behind them slammed back, Tya looked for a culprit only to be met with a shudder as she found nothing.

It made sense that a place such as that would be haunted, but that didn't stop her from completely freezing up and letting out possibly the most pathetic sound she'd ever made. Link had turned to look at her, a hand extending out just a bit as if he was going to touch her, but before he could a familiar shambling sound made him retract and go straight to his blade.

As if the notion of ghosts hadn't already stuck Tya in her place, that sound only worsened the fear. Not only had it confirmed it to be true, but it was quick to prove that the restless spirits lingering there were hostile and capable of taking a body if they so wished.

It wouldn't keep them from taking her, yet on instinct her hands moved up to rest over her chest protectively as she stumbled back a step. She fell against the door, wide blue eyes locked on mostly rotted corpses as they rose themselves off the ground. There were three of them, armed and humanoid in a way, with patches of sickly flesh still stuck on bone. The hanging jaw of one cracked then fell open, and once again a territorial hiss escaped it as it's eyes flickered with a glowing pink.

Tya's knees nearly buckled as she whined, the hands on her chest pulling up to instead clasp over her head, a gesture which wouldn't help her any more than the last. She knew this- whatever had the ability of taking over those bodies had the ability to take over her own. It was a complete possibility, wasn't it? What if they possessed her? What if they possessed Link? If he actually destroyed the degraded bodies they inhabited, would the spirits leave, or would they instead cling to the next thing they could find? If that was at all a possibility, what had happened with the first? Was it an exception?

"Ty-" Link started, getting cut off by a metal clang as he shielded himself from a vertical swipe by one of the three foes. Casting back it's blade, he went for a strike, missing entirely and having to hastily guard from another. Having been unprepared for it, he was made to stumble, but was quick to regain his composure and drag his own weapon down hard on a brittle arm, shattering the bone and causing one of three foes to drop one of six weapons.

Hearing him speak, she looked up immediately, watching his movements and theirs as she tried to catch her breath. The air had become so thick. Was it her own doing, or was it theirs? Were they capable of such a thing? Was this them pressing on her body, trying to break in? If she died, would they be able to? If Link died, would they take him? Were they bound to the bodies they currently inhabited? Or were they in search of others? Why? Why would they be? Did they protect this place?

"I can't-" He tried once again, this time being cut off by a forward thrust of one of their blades that likely would have proven more damaging if it weren't for the fact they were dulled, nicked, and aesthetically curved at the tips. Link hissed in pain, but otherwise disregarded the blunt thrust and retorted with one of his own, forcing the nearest foe back with his shield.

Widened ice blue eyes flickered between the four of them, the words he'd started to say sinking in to find meaning in her head. With so many things causing her mind to become a jumbled mess, it was difficult, but she managed. He couldn't handle this alone. There were too many. He was going to get hurt if she didn't move, and if he died, they could possess him. There were too many. But if they killed the bodies they had now, then where would they go?

The other being an exception seemed unlikely, but what if it was true? How was she to know?

If they just died, it was far more likely they'd be possessed, but at least she wouldn't have to be afraid of the consequences of a possession, of living inside a body she had no control over.

The better option was death.

That thought made her look up at Link. He dodged another strike, then retorted by bringing up the blessed blade and angling it as he thrust it into the skull of one of his foes. The glow of it's eyes died out immediately, and as he drew black he swept the blade harshly to the side to fling the brittle bone off and let it break along the floor.

His shield brushed aside another strike, and he cracked a few of the rib bones of the one-armed corpse. It didn't have any effect, but he couldn't think on it as the other was nearing him.

It's blades crossed and raised, and Link froze realizing he had nowhere to go. Either side would likely get him caught in the impending diagonal slashes. Back would be the best place to move, but the remaining enemy was just a few steps behind him. It would land him right into another attack, albeit a weaker one.

He threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the more severe attack and falling hard against the remaining skeleton. His own weight, being far heavier than the corpse's, caused them both to fall back.

The bones shattered beneath his weight, the light dying in it's eyes as a pained cry broke from between Link's gritted teeth.

He had no time to focus on the possibility of sharp bone fragments in any unarmored part of his body as one enemy remained and it was mindlessly following to try and finish him off.

Having fallen back, he had to roll out of the way of a downward strike, quickly putting himself on his feet in a fluid motion. His shield was thrown forward to guard him as he got his balance, though it wasn't needed as his motions were so quick, and his foe's so slow and decrepit, that it hadn't even had the time to fully straighten after it's last attack.

Link took that moment to hastily try and finish it off. He thrust his shield forward with all the force he could muster, getting a blunt strike to the thing's spine and causing it to bow backwards as the bones crackled with the impact. It's jaw clicked, another hiss leaving it as it's glowing eyes locked with Link's, but the action didn't faze him in the least. He reeled the blade back and with a clean blow completely knocked the thing's skull off. As it toppled to the ground, the bones left standing, but again, Link thought nothing of it, instead just moved to stamp his foot down hard on the fragile bone, shattering it under his boot.

The pink in its eyes puffed out like blown smoke, dissipating into the air around them. Immediately upon seeing it, Tya closed her eyes tight, her hand clamping over her nose and mouth, while her free arm raised to curve against the side of her head and cover her ear. It was a desperate attempt to cover any part of her body something could get into, but her normal amount of human limbs left her other ear open, causing an utterly pathetic cry to leave her.

Breathless, Link hurried to her upon hearing it, sheathing his blade but not his shield, and using his freed hand to pull at the arm pressed against the side of her head.

"Ty, what's-what's wro-wrong?" His question came out harsh, more a statement than an inquiry, but she couldn't even register the bluntness of it in her fear of what could possibly be lingering unseen around them. She shook her head as the air in her lungs once more became thick, and she elected to just hold her breath as if breathing in would be inhaling the ghosts.

He went quiet, abandoning his attempt to speak to her, and instead wrapping the arm on which his shield was attached around her shoulders. With a mildly exasperated huff, he set his other hand over the uncovered side of her head, and with her fully in his hold, began to escort her toward the spring that was their destination.

Nothing much really changed as they stepped into the other side. The door had been opened, and therefore whatever fear she had could have easily followed into the room, and yet somehow, the muffled sound of the water and the coolness of the air allowed her to loosen up. Feeling her body unclench even slightly, Link softened his grasp to look down at her, but still said nothing in regards to her behavior.

"I'm gonna get the water," he told her softly, making a motion toward the springs before breaking away from her. Though she was reluctant to allow it, finding safety in the more confined, craddled space he allowed as well as the protective metal he had set at her back, she finally opened her eyes again to watch him as he started down the built stone path, and leaned to take a bottle-full of the clear spring water. Upon touching it, his posture became more relaxed, a breath escaping him as he elected to sit along the edge. He closed up the bottle and set it aside, his hand reaching back down into the water so his fingers could absently ripple the surface.

Tya finally allowed herself to inhale, first through her hand as she was still hesitant, but after a breath of the lighter air, she slowly let it drop back to her side. The thoughts of what they- no, of what Link had just faced stuck firm in the back of her mind, but now accompanying it was the severe regret from the reaction she had had. She was by no means over it- the thought of them having to go back through that room left her stomach churning, but now that she was, for the moment, in the clear, she was hating her own ability to fear.

She stepped toward him slowly, unsure now of herself as his tone from before was difficult to decipher. Was he angry? Did he finally realize the "emotional support" she offered wasn't at all worth the fact that he had to clearly cater to her and protect her like some worthless damsel every step of the way?

He looked back at her, straightening to wave for her to come join him, to which she hastily complied. Despite her eagerness to come to his side, she was wary to sit with him, but as if he could feel that, he looked up at her expectantly so she would know to do it.

"Are you okay?" He asked once more.

She breathed in, the action shaking from the still lingering panic, and then shook her head.

His lips puckered a bit, head tilting to the side before he asked "Don't-Don't l-like those?"

"No," she muttered.

"Scary?"

"...Yes."

"They are just sk-skeletons." He offered, causing her to look to her lap with a bit of shame. "Th-they got swor-swords but that's all."

"It's not that," she waved her hand a little before letting it join the other so she could pick at her own nails absently. The thought of it again so soon made her shift uncomfortably, glancing back over her shoulder as the feeling of pressure began to weigh on her once more.

"Well-Well can I he- can I help?"

She bit her lip at the question, not bothering to look up from the water. "I just want to get out of here and never come back."

With that, he nodded his head, readjusting so he could pull himself up, but before he could, she set her hand on his arm to stop him. He had asked her when it wasn't even warranted, yet she was too stupidly selfish and frazzled to do the same- the moment she realized, she hurriedly asked "Are you okay? They hit you, and I-" she stopped there, realizing what she was going to continue with would sound pathetic. "They hit you. Did they hurt you at all?"

"Well yeah," he answered, plopping again to look down at himself. "Course it hur-hurt, but it's not like. Fatal. Or an-anything." Tugging at parts of his tunic, he looked back at her. "Not even bleeding."

He offered her a smile as if to further back his answer and reassure her, but it didn't really do as he had hoped. She watched it, letting out a breath then said firmly "I'm sorry I didn't do more."

"It's okay," he answered immediately, causing her to shake her head more abruptly.

"No, it isn't. They could have really hurt you and I didn't do anything."

He breathed in, watching her and settling into his spot again, his legs crossed and his elbows propped on his knees. "You keep-keep kinda hinting and imp-implying that you're useless." He stated thoughtfully, head tilting a little. "Why? I keep- I keep telling you you aren't, 'n you keep dis-disregarding it and saying that."

Tya bit the inside of her bottom lip, gaze flickering to the water for a second before returning to him. She said nothing in response, which prompted him to continue.

"If-If you think you're use-useless, do something not useless. Do what you think-what you think is useful. Cuz clearly my opinion on it does-doesn't matter."

"It does. It helps every time you say it," she corrected, her tone nearly a plea.

"I can't reassure you every-every time, though."

Again, Tya went quiet. She understood what he meant of course- he was right, but it wasn't that easy. Something like this wasn't just fixed like that- it wasn't easy to just be useful. Especially not here, where she absolutely didn't belong… But this was her own doing, how could she even be so stubborn as to continuously force her way into this only to say she shouldn't be there? It was like she was just begging for the sympathy, trying desperately to get him to cater to her and tell her how wonderful she was and that she belonged despite doing absolutely nothing to prove it.

Doing less than that, actually. Moping around, complaining at every turn, making him do all of the work as she followed behind all because she was sad.

No- it wasn't because she was sad, that was a bad thought to start with. A road she shouldn't go down again.

She shook her head at herself, a hand raising to brush her bangs behind her ear. It wasn't sadness and it wasn't laziness. It was something inside her that she couldn't help but she could counteract, she just had to try.

"I'm sorry for that as well," she offered, causing Link to shake his head.

He leaned to the side, nuzzling against her shoulder and saying "don't be" against her.

Smiling softly at his behavior, she assured "I will work on that."

"I don't m-mean it like you're bothering me, by the w-way." He sat upright, hands bracing on the ground so he could lift and get on his feet. He grabbed the bottle and tucked it away, then offered a hand out to her. "I just mean-mean that you have to tr-try to think these th-things for yourself too, n-not just cuz I say them. You can't rely on-on me to al-always- to always reassure you."

"I know- it.. Isn't fair to continue to do it to you while making no progress of my own," she set her hand in his so he could pull her off the ground. As she pulled away, he allowed it but only long enough to clip his shield back into place. First, he touched her hand softly, but seemed to rethink the gesture and his arm wrapped around her shoulder instead.

He pulled at her as a silent request which she eagerly moved into. A reminder rang in the back of her head, pointing out the closeness, but the question that he proceeded to ask was quick to kill any and all indecision toward what she could feel was a slowly building crush. "Am I-Am I doing something to m-make you feel worthless?"

"No, not at all," she answered quickly. "...We've talked about it before- It's not you, it's the fact that I don't belong in this. I don't have any of the skills necessary, but- I know I'm forcing myself to be here. It's.. complicated- stupidly, for no reason."

He stayed quiet for a moment, considering the answer as they came to the entrance of the spring and stopped there. "M-maybe try and talk it all through?"

After saying this, he parted to open the door, and as he did, Tya fought the feeling of dread rising in her to try and focus on what he asked. It was difficult as anxiety kept pulling away her thoughts, but to quiet it some she put her hand over her mouth and looked at the ground.

Link came back to her, his arm going around her shoulders again, and started escorting her through so they could leave.

Of course this position wasn't long lasted again as getting out of the ruins wasn't quite that simple with the makeshift path, but she used that time to once again collect her thoughts, something that was significantly easier once they were out of the room that had terrified her to begin with.

Back on solid ground, Link finally glanced at her as if asking if she was considering it or has gotten distracted from the conversation entirely.

"Those things scare me," she pointed back toward the room. He nodded as if that was already more than clear, but didn't question why, just waited for her to continue.

"I think that, along with the fact that I'm not a strong fighter and have little to offer are making me anxious. I keep feeling like I should go home because I'm a burden to you. And you keep telling me I'm not, and I don't know why it won't sink in- or… maybe I do, because as you said, I'm not trying to think differently, I'm just stewing in this horrid feeling and whining at you about it."

"Its not- its not whining at me, and not a b-bad thing." Link corrected. "I like tell-telling you that I li-like you. I just want-want you to try and th-think it for yourself too so you-so you won't feel so bad."

For a moment, that phrasing skewed her thoughts, but again, the notion of her aimless crush was drowned out by her continuing on with trying to fully assess the string of problems that had just developed.

"Its making me worry that perhaps I'm just doing this to get your attention," she continued, "perhaps I am just being worthless so you'll protect me. Perhaps I'm just lazy and I want credit for everything you're doing. I want to put myself here for the sympathy and attention, to be told I did good like I'm a hero."

"You th-think you're afraid of so-something to get my attention?"

It sounded stupid when said like that. "Essentially… More that I'm overreacting to something minor without thinking about it so you will tell me I'm good."

Link glanced around to be sure they hadn't aimed the attention of anything still alive and lurking before leading into the small crossroads before the exit. After checking to be sure it was cleared he asked "why would you do th-that? And subconsciously?"

"I don't know. It just feels like the fear came out of nowhere."

"Do you get-get exposed to-exposed to a lot of undead back h-home?"

She went quiet, head tilting a bit as she took that into account. He wasn't wrong and neither was she. The fear did come out of nowhere, but it was because it was toward something she'd never experienced. Regardless of what it was, she shook her head, shuddering as the image of them came to mind again. "I don't want to talk about them though."

He nodded to accept that. "I do more of-of the fi-fighting, and phy-physical work, but that doesn't mean you're-doesn't mean you're useless here. It's like you're the smart stuff and I'm the strong. I think we-we balance w-well." As he said this, his hand softly brushed her shoulder just before squeezing it to draw her closer.

Being lost in thought, she hadn't really noticed that they'd ascended the stairway to get out in the time it took her to think this over and fully state her thoughts. And this time, Link's reassurances weren't overly helpful, but honestly, she understood why. He'd just said he wasn't going to be there to fix everything, after all, and even so, what he'd said left her trying to figure out the useful things she had offered during this endeavor. In such a state though, the mind makes it difficult to think of anything good, but for once what she was left with wasn't the worthlessness from before, rather the smallest spike of motivation to start doing things to put on that list.