The air in the chamber turned instantly to ice as the wave of corrupted water rushed toward them. "Link, look out!" Tulin shrieked, his feathers rustling against the toxic draft. With a sharp flap of his wings, the young Rito unleashed a sudden gust of wind, shifting their trajectory just enough. Link used the sudden lift to vault off a half-submerged stone platform. The tidal wave of purple Malice crashed into the wall behind them, hiss-dissolving the ancient Sheikah metal with an ominous sizzle. As Link hit the ground rolling, Waterblight Ganon didn't give him a moment to breathe. The mutated phantom swung its colossal, rusted spear in a wide, sweeping arc. The weapon cleaved through the air, sending lethal droplets of acidic sludge flying in every direction like a burst of shrapnel. Link pulled his Hylian shield forward, blocking the worst of the spray, but the acid began to eat at the metal's edge. He needed to close the distance, and fast. "Tulin! The eye!" Link shouted, drawing the Master Sword. The blade flared with a brilliant, holy light, cutting through the dim, purple gloom of the chamber. "On it!" Tulin soared toward the high rafters, pulling back his Great Eagle Bow. The phantom raised its spear for a crushing overhead strike aimed directly at Link. But before the blow could fall, a swift whistle pierced the mechanical hum of the beast. Tulin’s arrow struck Waterblight Ganon squarely in its massive, glowing red eye. The creature let out a distorted, metallic shriek of agony, staggering backward into the boiling sludge. Its spear lowered, and the protective barrier of Malice around its core flickered. This was the opening. With the Gale Energy still humming in his golden right arm, Link sprinted forward. He launched himself off the phantom's own weapon, soaring straight toward the exposed, pulsing Malice anchor embedded in the creature's chest.
The Master Sword flared with a blinding, incandescent heat as Link drove the blade forward. The ancient steel tore through the fleshy, pulsing core of the Malice anchor, channeling the full, sacred power of the Goddess. For a fraction of a second, time seemed to stand still. Then, a sharp, crystalline crack echoed through the cavernous room. Waterblight Ganon let out one final, agonizing shriek as the anchor shattered into a million glittering shards. The phantom exploded outward in a violent burst of black smoke and evaporating purple mist, completely dissolving into nothingness. The heavy, oppressive weight in the air instantly lifted. Beneath Link's feet, the ancient azure lights of Vah Ruta flickered back to life, glowing with a serene, stable blue. The elephantine titan stopped its violent shuddering, its long trunk lowering peacefully as the dark Princess’s corruption was completely burned away from its mechanical veins. Outside, the transformation was nothing short of miraculous. The torrential, acidic Malice rain ceased. The heavy, dark storm clouds parted, allowing the brilliant, warm rays of dawn to pierce the Lanayru canyon for the first time in weeks. Down in the valley, the thick, black morass clogging the waterfalls began to dissolve. Crystal-clear, rushing water surged through the rivers once more, washing away the foul smell of iron and rot. Link and Tulin emerged from the central hatch onto the top deck, breathing in the fresh, clean air. Down in the reservoir, Prince Sidon broke through the surface of the purified water, his brilliant red scales glistening in the morning light. He hoisted his silver trident high, letting out a victorious roar that echoed across the entire domain. Looking down from the crystalline bridge, King Dorephan and the remaining Zora watched the purple sludge vanish from their beautiful, shell-like architecture. The cracked statue of Mipha in the center square ceased its weeping of black grease, and clean, sparkling water began to fountain from its base once more. Cheers of absolute relief and joy erupted from the upper balconies. They had done it. Zora's Domain was saved, and the second Malice anchor was destroyed. Link stood at the edge of the Divine Beast, the Master Sword resting quietly in its sheath, as the golden sunlight washed over the reclaimed kingdom.
