Back in the raging storm, Ursula's giant form laughed maniacally as she hurled blast after blast of stolen magic. Lucian, Ariel, now freed along with her sisters by the contract's shifting terms, Flounder, and Simba clung to Scauldy's back as the Scauldron desperately swam away from the pursuing titan.
"You can't run forever, little prince!" Ursula taunted, her voice booming like thunder. "I control the seas now!"
Every sweep of the trident sent devastating beams tearing through the water, smashing through spinning shipwrecks and barely missing them. The whirlpool grew wider, threatening to suck them all in.
Scauldy pushed harder, but Ursula was gaining.
When she finally cornered them against a cluster of towering coral spires, she raised the trident high, power gathering for a finishing blow.
"This ends now!"
Lucian's eyes flashed. He thrust his Tideborn trident forward and summoned a dense, shimmering water barrier in front of them just as Ursula unleashed her attack.
The two magics collided in a violent explosion of light and force.
A deafening roar shook the entire ocean.
"I was waiting for this." Then Lucian smiled, calm and confident even as chaos raged around him.
"Now!"
From the black depths below, a colossal red shape rocketed upward like a living missile. The Red Bluster, massive, ancient, and furious slammed into Ursula's giant form with the force of a tidal wave. The impact was cataclysmic.
The sea witch's enormous body lurched violently sideways, tentacles flailing as she struggled to maintain balance. Her grip on Triton's trident momentarily loosened from the sheer force of the collision.
That was the opening Lucian had been waiting for.
He knew the stories well. No matter how gigantic Ursula became, no matter how much she commanded the storm and the currents, her body remained that of a vulnerable merfolk. She had overextended, and now she would pay for it.
He raised his palm toward the trident still clutched in Ursula's massive hand.
"Steal!"
Activating Steadfast Precision and Steal simultaneously, the two skills merged into a single, focused surge of power. A bright golden tether of energy shot from his palm, locking onto Triton's trident with unerring accuracy.
The trident trembled violently in Ursula's grasp, then tore free with a sharp crack of breaking magic.
It flew straight across the churning water, spinning rapidly before slamming firmly into Lucian's waiting hand.
"NO!" Ursula screamed, her voice a thunderous bellow of rage and disbelief. "That's mine!"
The moment the trident left her possession, the Red Bluster seized its chance. The gigantic sea beast opened its cavernous maw, revealing rows of enormous teeth, and lunged forward with terrifying speed.
In one horrifying, satisfying crunch, the Red Bluster swallowed Ursula whole.
Her final scream was cut brutally short.
The effect was instantaneous. All of Ursula's stolen magic contracts unraveled at once.
The storm clouds dissipated. The monstrous whirlpool slowed and collapsed. Shipwrecks gently sank back to the seabed. The dark energy binding the polyps shattered.
One by one, the twisted forms began to change, merfolk, soldiers, nobles, and finally King Triton himself, restored to his proud, powerful form. He gasped as he returned to normal, crownless but alive.
Ariel swam straight to her father, throwing her arms around him. "Daddy!"
The sisters rushed in as well, sobbing with relief.
Lucian floated nearby, holding both tridents.
The Red Bluster released a deep, triumphant roar that vibrated through the water before turning its massive head toward him.
Lucian swam forward without fear. He gently placed a hand on the side of the enormous creature's head.
"Thank you," he said softly. "You saved us all."
The Red Bluster rumbled affectionately, its red eyes softening.
But the moment of peace was short-lived.
The massive sea beast suddenly stiffened. Its gaze snapped northward, a low, dangerous growl building in its throat. Its eyes burned with unmistakable warning.
Lucian frowned. He reached out with his senses, letting the power of Triton's trident amplify his connection to the ocean and then he felt it.
Far to the north, in the Barbaric Archipelago, something ancient and evil had awakened.
The tyrannical alpha dragon, the Red Death was rampaging, its fury threatening to destroy everything in its path. He could sense the panic of dragons and Vikings alike.
Lucian's expression turned grim.
He turned to Ariel. "I have to go. Hiccup and the people of Berk need me."
Ariel's eyes widened, but she nodded, though worry was clear on her face. "Be careful, Lucian. Please."
King Triton swam forward, still recovering but steady. "You have my gratitude, young Tideborn."
Lucian offered a small, respectful bow. He then looked back at the Red Bluster and patted its massive head once more. "One last favor, my friend."
Lucian leaped onto the crown of the Red Bluster's head, gripping Triton's trident tightly. The giant sea beast turned northward, ready to carry him at incredible speed.
As they began to move, Lucian shouted over his shoulder toward the restored royal family: "I'll be back!, I will also be borrowing this trident your Majesty"
The Red Bluster surged forward, cutting through the water like a red comet, carrying Lucian toward the surface and toward the final battle awaiting him on Berk.
Ariel watched them disappear into the distance, clutching her father's arm.
"Will he be okay?" she whispered.
Triton placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "That boy… carries the heart of the ocean itself. He will be."
Far above, the sea grew calm once more.
But in the north, a different kind of storm was brewing.