Chapter Text
The vast serpent dove back under water before using its body to destroy the bridge. The Aquamentus rose again, flapping its fins and launching spheres of light from them like multi-shot catapults. The orbs began to still in midair.
"Shield!" Zelda practically screamed. Link obeyed, tackling Yona to the floor and raising her shield.
Countless lasers shot from the orbs, pelting the chamber like hail!
"We need to go under," Yona decided, yanking the hooded woman by the wrist and diving after the monster.
Link made sure to equip the kintsugi mask and anchor axe. Just before Yona could lend Link her aquatic speed, a current of flame shot between them, dividing the two! The source?
Aquamentus quickly swam after it, ensuring the fighters' division. Yona replied with a strike at its side. The cut was sizable, but it decided the demon's target. Aquamentus turned around, its body slamming Link away as it shot for the river zora, beak seemingly snarling.
The princess aimed to dodge, but strange nostril-like holes appeared all over the monster's beak. One after another; they fired lasers. Yona desperately weaved between them, but there were too many for her to escape Aquamentus' approach.
Only one recourse left, Yona fled into the deeper waters, and Aquamentus gave chase.
"You can use the axe like an anchor," Zelda advised as Link got her movements back under control. She slammed the Kintsugi Axe into the middle pillar. Suddenly, small holes appeared along the device, a blue light spat from them.
Thrusters.
The hero spiralled down the pillar, using the anchor like a catapult to launch herself deeper down after the fight.
At last she caught up. With a spinning attack, Link tore into the demon's scales. Aquamentus flailed and the tips of its fins began glowing white. They fired more lasers, but Link only just managed to dodge the projectile, hurting the monster with even directional swing.
Ahead, Yona was losing ground as the serpent closed in. Its beak slowly began to open, revealing a dozen spirals of sharp teeth like an inverted ice cream cone.
'We're reaching the floor,' Yona realized. Soon, she'll have nowhere to flee!
Suddenly, the kintsugi anchor ruptured one of the beast's eyes. The Aquamentus shrieked as it turned around in an attempt to yank Link out.
Again the weapon shifted. The thrusters vanished as gears and metal twisted around the hero's fingers as she held on dear life. Aquamentus shot upward, and Link with it.
With a powerful splash, the two erupted from the water, the lasers long gone. At last the axe was dislodged from the brutalized eye and Link was sent tumbling through the air.
Eyes of glowing green, however, Link forcefully twisted her body and slammed the axe into the serpent's beak! With forceful effort, she continued her swing, and tore open an agonizing breach in the maxilla.
The human fell to the floor beneath her and cried out in pain upon impact. Aquamentus, meanwhile, flailed in agony, re-entering the water and circling the platform with an even more murderous rage.
With a pained groan, Link pushed herself. The grips on the axe deactivated as she looked around.
Suddenly, the monster's head shot out towards the platform, what's left of its mouth wide open, exposed gums struggling to remain upright without the maxilla to cling to.
The omen dodged and, with a swift motion, tore the axe into the beak's mandible. The monster's body again caved to the weapon's edge as the Aquamentus dived over the platform to back underwater.
The serpent still moved. Link had to practically run in place just to keep herself from pulled along. The Kintsugi Anchor Axe continued to slice through the demon's underside, until even the tail returned to the water, the serpent's underside completely split open.
Almost instantly, the woman collapsed from the previous strain, only holding herself up with her arms, Kintsugi Shield forgotten next to her.
Beneath the surface, meanwhile, Princess Yona watched as the carved open Aquamentus finally dissolved and perished.
"You were amazing!" Zelda exclaimed as she floated towards Link, looking over any possible injuries.
"I," she sighed to reign herself in, "the damage is mostly blunt and bruising, but only a few of your bones are cracked or broken."
Link only made a pained hiss in reply as she tried to stand up. "Potion first," the ghost reminded her, gesturing to the hero's inventory.
"It's dead," the zora warrior reported as she resurfaced, "it... It's over. Link, you did it! You saved the Zora! I-thank you!"
The omen numbly nodded in reply as she drank a red potion.
"Not over," Link finally said after, "Aveil." "I understand," the river zora nodded, "I'll return home and tell Father of your success. The Zora will always welcome you."
The two backtracked through the facility until they came upon a valve.
"With Aveil gone, we can use this to clean the poisoned waters," Yona explained, reaching for the device. She heaved with effort, but the wheel only moved slightly. Link joined her, and together, they activated the Tower.
Outside, unseen by the trio, the peak of the Water Temple opened up and sprayed clean water into the skies. The Corrupted Rivers grew in size, but the Corruption itself began recede, spread thin.
"One last thing," the zora warrior said as they exited the building, Link preparing the E-pona. "Whoever that invisible friend you have," Yona began, noticing Link's face transform into shock.
A sly, knowing smile crossed the zora's face, "they're one very lucky hylian."
And with that, Yona dove into the waters and swam off.
Whilst Link was torn between complete shock and just blushing like crazy, the spirit beside her
"She... I don't know how, but Yona knew of me," a warm relief filled Zelda's heart, and a blue triangle implied itself on her hand.
Nayru, a dark, powerful voice seethed, clever; such a subtle trick with that tear... But it will not save your chosen... Soon I'll be of form once more, and your broken sister will be my instrument once again...