Part 5: North Sea

Traveling through the freezing waters, Umiko searched for the capitol of the North Sea. Icy current after icy current hit her, as if the force of the sea itself did not want her here. Sensing a presence stalking her, Umiko braced for an attack... but she is only discovered by Lek and Hisae, and the group united.

After Umiko retells what had happened to her, the others reveal to her their findings. Lek had discovered that the dragon pearls have been in jeopardy before. The incident occured near the genesis of this earth, when a sea emperor wished to become the sole ruler of the four seas. A record, buried behind record after historical record, revealed that if they did not stop the wish from happening... then the pearls would have their powers wipe out all life of the seas.

The waters will become uninhabitale for life until the wish maker perished. This was the curse of this blessing, a divine punishment for the highest act of greed. The earth had been lucky that a princess slayed the first culprit.

No matter what the Gobbler would wish for, he would not be able to control the untamed waters afterwards. Umiko and the others speed towards the Black Celestial Palace. Along the way, they met a few friendly clans, some of which gave the trio sea horses to travel to the palace faster.

---

There was a large shape in the skies, hidden by the clouds. It watches the waves of the North sea fight against wind and hail below.

The cursed ship sails across the dark waters, dodging ice sheets and bracing themselves against blizzards. However, several lights blink ahead in the fog. Rising from the seas, wreckages of dwelling ships were brought to life- an entire ship graveyard forming a perimeter around the sea pirate ship. With the use of the three dragon pearls, the demons battle of one against a thousand.

It is in this battle that much of the Gobbler’s crew is lost, the North Sea proving to be a deadly final challenge. Yasuki could only help so much in his cell to not let the entirety of Ganbold’s ship fall apart.

---

The North Sea’s capital was heavily fortifed, and it is through knocking a few soldiers out themselves that allowed the trio to slip into the city. Umiko demanded to see the sea emperor, and upon refusal she asks if he’s also afraid to see the East Sea princess?

The court would take the bait for the sake of the emperor’s pride, and Umiko meets with Ganbold. Emperor Ganbold is glad in warrior's garb, and he bellowed that he was not afraid of the threat- he will not fall like the other sea emperors so easily. He would destroy the demons and their cursed leader. Umiko asks for him to save Yasuki first, but the North sea emperor refused- he will do everything to protect his sea, and if Yasuki has to be collateral then so be it.

Umiko objected, calling him brash and too eager to battle. Ganbold judged her under a stern eye. Did she have a better plan, far better than a warrior emperor’s? All the plans he had seen from her to try to be a good princess had only further embarrassed herself and her father.

She was never meant to be a royal.

Before Umiko could retort, the sea emperor promptly ordered the princess and her friends to be thrown into the icy cells of the Black Celestial Palace. May she survive the freeze to see the seas saved.

Trapped in miserable, cold cells and feeling hopeless, Umiko expressed her anger towards the strict elders. If their seniors weren’t so stubborn in their old ways, then change wouldn’t be so scary- and maybe Umiko wouldn’t be seen as a troublemaker.

She cared for her kingdom too, if she didn’t she wouldn’t have crossed the four seas to be here. Lek reassured her, knowing Umiko was and is the best mermaid she’s ever had a chance to crush incredibly hard on. The two lovers wallow while Hisae fretted over the fate of the seas.

Outside of their cell... someone else agreed with Umiko's points. Visitors arrived, the children of Ganbold, and they had come to hear out what their father didn’t bother considering. They too worry about underestimating the enemy, and wished for their father to be safe. They would only let her go if she has a sound plan.

Umiko laughs in relief. Of course she did. As long as she has the help she needs this time around, her plan would work.

All they needed to do was not let Ganbold fight.

---

The Black Celestial Palace sent its greatest warriors and army towards the ship graveyards. Despite the trouble, the demons had broken through the chain, still barreling towards the city.

Ganbold had welcomed Bo-Seon and Chí Thành to the North Sea to join him in battle. Maybe that way they can regain their pride as leaders in the fight against the underwordly beasts. With armies of their own, the three emperors prepare themselves to slay the World Gobbler. Together, the three project a message to each kingdom’s capital, mirroring their location in a portal. The ocean will smite this fiend together.

The ship finally revealed itself through the icey storm, diving into the sea towards the capital. However, before the sea dragons could give their word to start the war, Umiko and her friends stopped them. Ganbold’s offspring also appeared. Surprised, Ganbold demanded an answer to this treason.

Ganbold’s daughter implored that he bid his time, for more lives would be lost through an unnecessary battle. Their efforts must be saved for another time. Umiko proclaimed that if they start a war, then the World Gobbler would have to use all three of the dragon pearls to fight them, and that’s not what they want. They have to save Yasuki and not risk killing him.

Ganbold gestured to the pools of magic showing each capital, cities that each emperor protected and fostered. Their people needed them, their people respected them- their people have thrived because of them.

He pointed to the East Sea, asking if anything good had been done in the East. Wrecked by the greed of Takara, only for his bastard offspring to hold but of a fraction of his power to poorly piece together a once beautiful ocean. Why did they need to save Yasuki when the East could thrive with a new ruler?

Umiko stared helplessly at her people in the portal, faces she’s known since she was small. Did they too feel the same way? Part of her had known that perhaps... though facing that reality now was overwhelming.

Hisae would be the one to clear her voice first. She would go up and ask the merfish what they thought of their emperor, and what he has done to their waters?

…it would be a small sound, but sprinkles of merfish in the crowd shout. Soon, waves of merfish cry and cheer. The loudest of them all, the closest, all agree on one thing:

Yasuki was a good king.

He had healed the East Sea well.

Even if he did not show his face as often, they saw his sincere efforts to rebuild the East. It was seen through the revival of coral reefs once thought to be dead, through the reconnection of communities once seperated by strife, and by the purging of corrupt higher powers.

The king’s advisor took the opportunity to explain further, that it was Yasuki that made the corals bloom, not Takara. It was Yasuki who cleansed the seas of Takara's negative influence. What Takara broke Yasuki pieced back together through loving care, and now the East Sea merfish could think of nothing else but generosity towards one another. All of this for years, their rejuvenation growing little by little- and all of this done without Yasuki leaving far from his castle, his fear of failure trapping him in a tomb of duty and shame.

Would Takara had ever sacrifice himself as much as Yasuki did? Would Takara had ever gone so far for their people as the other emperor’s did? If they could not argue, then Yasuki was just as fit to be emperor as the rest of them.

Hearing her words and her proof... Ganbold was swayed. He saw the ultimate truth. If the people of the sea are protected, then he may have underestimated Yasuki. The other emperors follow Ganbold’s lead, each finally understanding what has been happening to the sea that they all chose to ignore out of ignorance.

The sea emperors would finally trust Umiko, and the princess thanked them. Her plan was all but one action, difficult but necessary:

Let Ganbold’s pearl be taken.

---

The pirate ship arrived at the Black Celestial Palace, its wood scarred with magic and cannon fire. The only ones left on board were Yasuki, Keej, Budi, and the Gobbler. The citizens of the North had evacuated, and the soldiers continued to defend against the attackers. Gobbler was able to easily sweep through the city, making his way to the last leg of his journey- the North Sea’s throne room.

Ganbold awaited him. In a one on one duel for the last prize, the Gobbler successfully took the pearl. He expressed that he hated the North Sea’s additude the most, using his strength to snap the horn of the North Sea emperor.

Finally, the Pear Crisis has reached its worst.

The North Sea’s oceans began to freeze. The looming glaciers of the North grew in volume to graze the seafloor. Ice sheets covered the ocean, bringing the underworld into darkness.

Before the icesheets completely covered the surface, a figure dove into the ocean just in time. They are met with the North Sea royals, who awaited his arrival.

---

The Gobbler went into the courtyard, now with the final treasure. Keej and Budi watched on as their friend reveled in winning. Power surged between the dragon pearls, wild and unstable. Yasuki begged for Makisig to reconsider… would he ever learn?

The Gobbler asked for Yasuki if he would ever let his perfect dream of the two of them go.

Yasuki had. It died as soon as he realized he no longer had a home. But he was able to find a new dream, a new home… one with his daughter. He wished Makisig had taken this chance of freedom to change himself for the better.

No longer able to bear Yasuki nor his friends, the Gobbler proceeds to commit- the wish will be made.

He liftd the pearls into the waters, the four dragon pearls swirled the demon. He declared his wish against the raging currents- that he would rule the seas, and there would be no more sea dragons to stop him.

As soon as the wish was made… it was only followed by the unchanged roaring of the sea.

The Gobbler was confused. He repeated the wish again, his rage boiling over his form. What was going on?

…why was one of the pearls not activating?

It was then that the other merfish were able to lead the flying stranger to Yasuki. It was the red winged dragon, no longer in his true form, and in his clutches... was a bright and shining pearl.

It is delivered to Yasuki, and it was then that the Gobbler realized he has been tricked.

He reconized the dragon as Vergus, a draconian that Yasuki took pity on and nursed back to life back when they were younger, like some sick puppy. All the dwellings hated winged dragons for taking the land and burning their people.

Yasuki was glad that he was able to make another friend, glad that through is loneliness from missing Makisig during his travels that he had met Vergus- he became a valuable asset once they recognized each other. He had promised to keep Yasuki’s pearl safe, and using his own winged dragon treasures he conjured up a fake pearl. The very one Makisig held now.

Enraged, the Gobbler used the remaining three pearls to attack the group. However, Yasuki was able to protect them, transforming into his dragon form once more.

The past lovers battled, the sounds of their clash overtaking the rumble of the dying seas. The Gobbler would burn his demonic fires cold if he could, and Yasuki would drain the life from his pearl, all the same.

Through the tense and tiring battle, it was evident that Yasuki could not hold long against the dragon pearls. He was struck down by the Gobbler, ready to be slain by the demon.

But the demon would hesitate.

He would hesitate on finally cracking the skull of an Eastern sea dragon he knew.

The hesitation bought Umiko enough time to slam right into the demon.

The hold on the dragon pearls were lost, and the princess would quickly steal them away, returning the pearls to the hidden emperors. As soon as each emperor regained possession of their dragon pearl, the seas returned to normal.

Umiko, Yasuki, Lek, and Hisae celebrate their reunion. No more volcanoes, no more ruinage, and no more ice. The sea emperors all transformed into their true forms and the dragons battled against the Gobbler.

The Gobbler is ultimately overpowered and defeated, and through magic he was put into magical chains. As the sea emperors looked down upon him and his friends, they decide to completely obliterate the Gobbler’s cursed soul.

Yasuki disagreed. He stepped in, asking for the others to not do such a thing.

They have already punished the man in his real life, he was punished enough by his inner demons. With the instruction of Yasuki, the sea emperors strip the Gobbler of the demons that afflicted him from the underworld, transforming him back into his dwelling form.

Yasuki and Makisig talk. Both clear headed and solemn, Yasuki would tell Makisig that he forgave him for not loving him back… ultimately it was not the dwelling man’s dream. As duty to his people, Yasuki must punish his friend for his wrongdoings against the sea, letting the underworld of their earth complete his sentence.

However, with Yasuki’s forgiveness he introduced a new loophole- Makisig will serve his punishment not in the underworld, but in the overworld. Sunland.

He will use the remainder of his powers to serve the Sunland emperor as a spirit. Once he has served his punishment, he will be able to be reborn into the dwelling world anew and live in the peace he was due.

Makisig reveals that regretted breaking up their friendship, but he was tried of struggling in life. At least now he knew he truly does have a chance at a better future, and not just gambling on it. The two once lovers bid their farewells, and Makisig finally was whisked away from the underwater realm.

Along with fallen lesser demons, Keej and Budi were healed from their demonic influence as well. The sea emperors agreed that the two would not be punished as severely. Yasuki was able to allow them to live anew now, but the friends decided they woud like to accompany Makisig so that he wouldn't be alone in his sentence.

With that, the old friends say their last goodbyes. Keej was proud of how far Yasuki had come, and Budi was happy Yasuki was able to show the others who was in charge. Just like old times.

When the demons are sent away, the sea emperors gazed upon a new Yasuki. Pressed by his own children, Ganbold asks Yasuki for forgiveness for their past treatment. The other sea emperors follow, admitting they thought lesser of him. He was truly a real king all along.

The Yasuki is... proud. Proud of himself for the first time in a long time.

He agreed. He is quite a good king.

---

Each of the kings returned home to their sea. Hisae was back to her original form, and she helps Umiko and Yasuki reorganize their New Year’s festivities. However, an invitation from Bo-Seon had them beaming, as the Southern sea emperor asked for all four kingdoms to celebrate with each other for one huge celebration- even inviting Sunland.

All embargoes between the land and sea were lifted, and trade routes would be given free access full time across the seas. The festivities brought merfish together more easily, and Sunland would flourish once more with the four winds and rains, and seafaring ventures.

During New Year's, Umiko would ask her father for his blessing- she wished to marry Lek, a dwelling.

Yasuki was surprised, but seeing the two in love- and how well Lek is able to ground his scatterbrained daughter- the emperor approved of the union. The four seas celebrated a new year.

Umiko celebrated with those she holds dear, eager to live now in a far kinder dynasty.