Zelda nodded in affirmation of Alastor's assessment. "The two share numerous similarities, which I am certain is not coincidental, as they also share similar sources. Visually, they are difficult to differentiate from each other; at a cursory glance, they appear identical. In fact, when the Gloom first appeared, I mistook it for Malice.

"The Gloom is... rather more malignant than the Malice, in some ways. Link's direction was correct—had you touched the Malice, it would have caused you injury, but as soon as you broke physical contact, it would no longer be able to harm you and you could be treated. The Gloom, it is more aggressive. If it touches you, it clings to you like a leech, and even when you remove it from your body, it leaves behind burns that sap your strength. Those burns cannot be healed by conventional medicine."

Zelda had taken a few bites of her sandwich, but once she started talking about the Gloom, she immediately tucked her right hand under the table to rest it on top of the Master Sword. Even though she could feel the sword on her lap, the thought of how the Gloom had shattered it made Zelda feel uneasy. It was as though the sword, too, was mortally injured, and the princess empathized with its pain.