"Here, take these," Wynn offered as she handed Seonghwa and his entourage sticky leaves of algae. They were thin yet sturdy with the sap that filled the tightly woven fibre. It created a thin film that coated Seonghwa's hands upon receiving it. Though Wooyoung made a face at the sensation, Yeosang perked up next to Jongho.

"Thank you, we don't need them," he announced for himself and the golem. Clueless, Jongho looked at the others. He wanted to participate and learn, but Wynn smoothly moved along.

Hongjoong looked as if he preferred his own magic to their mystical equipment, but when he exchanged a glance with Seonghwa, he held his tongue. It was more becoming to their manners if they accepted the culture of the nymphs.

"What are they?" Seonghwa asked for the lot of them when Wynn handed out an extra leaf for Buddy. As he whined next to his owner, Yunho seemed unaware of why the nymphs regarded him with more intent than the rest. He knelt to soothe his companion. Perhaps Buddy could feel the thinly veiled malice in the nymphs' greedy stare. Closer than usual, he perched by Yunho's feet as if to warn and protect him of all dangers.

"You don't have gills, so they will enable you to breathe. Swallow them whole. They will coat your airways and function as a filter to keep water out and let only air in. Even speaking will become possible while we are below." She beckoned a pale hand at the pool before them. The cold water carried the salty tang of the sea. Its depths were impenetrable and Wooyoung shook out his wings at the idea of having to go down there.

San assisted Mingi while Hongjoong examined the unassuming plant.

"Is it magic?" Surely, he would have heard of such a marvellous herb before.

"It is a plant cultured by our magic, yes. It does not commonly appear in nature, but it aids our visitors," Wynn offered. Then, when Hongjoong's frown eased since he understood: "I may tell you more about it during dinner. We call it Lungweed."

"Lungweed." Hongjoong nodded to himself at the fitting name. Then he fearlessly lifted it to his mouth. Other than the rest of them, his magic would save him from poison and other dangers inside his body. "I look forward to its tale."

He gulped down the weed and, though it was big and slimy in its character, he didn't struggle with it. When Wynn offered the water to him, Hongjoong waded in. His cape vanished from his shoulders, leaving him in his tight clothes that complimented his lean frame.

After a swift dip, he emerged and pushed back black and white hair.

"It is safe," he told Seonghwa and then sat down in wait while the elf sent him a thankful grin.

Here, at the latest, he couldn't have brought his babes along. He wouldn't trust their small bodies to receive the herb as they should.

Wooyoung frowned at the Lungweed, but San was just as brave as Hongjoong. When he also didn't double over, Yunho knelt before Buddy.

"I don't know how to make him eat it without chewing," he fretted to Seonghwa. Yeosang and Jongho stood watch, both glad not to have lungs which needed the extra protection, but also mute since they couldn't share the experience.

"Push it back far enough that he has no other choice than to swallow. That works on Mulberry when he needs to take medicines," Wooyoung commented before he frowned back down on his leaf. He kept sneaking glances at the others, gauging if he could get around this with some trickery.

While Mingi gagged down the leaf to Seonghwa's soothing touch on his shoulder, San knelt to help Buddy and Yunho. First, they showed him what to do by making Yunho swallow the Lungweed. When the dog still looked clueless and backed away on nervous paws, San held his maw in a firm grip while Yunho apologised a million times as he helped his companion so he wouldn't suffocate.

"It will dissolve after a few hours back on land, because of the dryness in the air. While not flavourful, it's nutritious to some races. Maybe not your demon," Wynn conversed with Hongjoong about the wonder weed.

Seonghwa soundlessly made his way over to Wooyoung. The gryphon-born looked troubled, both wanting to discard the weed and pretend he had swallowed it, but also apprehensive to suffocate when he couldn't hold his air for long enough.

Before he could damage his health, Seonghwa settled a delicate hand on his back, right atop the growth of his wings. Wooyoung flinched, caught in the act. His sheepish gaze avoided the elf as his fingers cradled the sticky leaf.

"Is it scary?" Seonghwa muttered to him, quiet in their corner while his guards suited themselves. Everyone else was so tactful to leave them.

And Wooyoung became braver at being weak. To Seonghwa, he bared his vulnerability.

"How can I swallow that much without chewing?" Wooyoung fretted, gulping at the sight of the slimy glob. "And before you point it out, using your nether parts to rub my throat raw isn't the same. This looks far less attractive."

As Seonghwa stifled his chuckle in his fist, Wooyoung scowled at the weed.

"Though I am happy about the praise, I'm afraid there is no other way. We will live and sleep below the water. Unless you wish to return home? You could take Mulberry and take care of Aodhán and Morana," Seonghwa suggested, understanding when this was too much to ask. Mulberry also wouldn't come along, circling over the swamps and its areas to keep watch. Most of Seonghwa's warriors aided him as hidden scouts. In case of an ambush by the orcs, they would notify the emperor.

But if everything went as planned, the orcs wouldn't know of Seonghwa's visit to the Nymphal Shores.

"No way," Wooyoung pouted. He bit at his lip, then he shook his grey locks back. They were overgrown again and often tied back. Since he adored Seonghwa's long hair so much, he took an example. In return for his devotion, Seonghwa bought him pins and pearls to decorate his curls.

"I'm not leaving you. Just give me a moment. If Wynn is in a hurry, I will catch up."

Seonghwa hesitated. Before Wooyoung had to tell him he was the fastest and Seonghwa could retort that he hated the water and the nymphs were unpredictable for now, he came up with a better idea.

"Allow me?" Seonghwa suggested when he glanced at Buddy, who gagged at the foreign feeling but was drowned in praise from Yeosang and Yunho since he complied so well. Tail wagging, he quickly forgot the discomfort.

Clueless, Wooyoung handed him the slap of weed. Seonghwa lifted it to Wooyoung's chin and cradled his jaw with the other hand.

"Open up, my sweet," he whispered, never taking the cool glow of his amethyst eyes off his gryphon-born.

A whimper fell from Wooyoung's lips as they parted immediately. The flush that reddened his cheeks had him clench his eyes shut.

"W-we are in company," he yelped, hushing his voice even when shyness blazed in the tremble of his figure.

Seonghwa pressed closer to him, shrouding the two in privacy behind Wooyoung's wings. As the gryphon-born trustingly leaned into Seonghwa's touch, Seonghwa made eye contact with San across Wooyoung's shoulder. Yeosang snickered at them from the sidelines while Jongho tried to imitate the shape of the leaf with his hand.

Though the seraph's gaze burned like the sun on the pair, Seonghwa nuzzled into Wooyoung's temple fondly. He left a kiss there, feeling his husband melt like putty at his attention.

"No one is looking," Seonghwa promised before he held up the weed. This time, Wooyoung complied and opened his mouth. In the same manner as Yunho did with Buddy, Seonghwa held Wooyoung's chin in place. His long fingers pushed the weed into Wooyoung's mouth, past his teeth and right at his bobbing throat.

Subconscious fists clutched to Seonghwa's garments when Wooyoung choked. His body wanted to expel the intrusion and his drool wet Seonghwa's fingers as he pushed the weed back insistently. Soothing, his embrace and scent reminded Wooyoung there was nothing to fear.

"Swallow," Seonghwa reminded with the smoothest purr and this time, Wooyoung complied. He knew Seonghwa wouldn't harm him, so he gulped, ridding his protesting throat of the pressure. A moment later, he blinked tear-filled eyes open and looked down at himself in surprise.

"Well done," Seonghwa praised, so proud of his trust. He cradled Wooyoung's cheeks to kiss his lips fleetingly, and the shine of him illuminated the wet building. "See, I knew you could do it."

Bashful, Wooyoung glanced down between them. He gulped a few times but realised nothing bad happened to him. When he breathed normally, he cast his blushing face to the side.

"Thank you," he mumbled into his invisible beard, embarrassed that he needed Seonghwa to force-feed him like a bird.

Glad Wooyoung didn't struggle with it worse, Seonghwa caressed his hair.

"It's my pleasure," he assured. He left his shy gryphon-born to twiddle his thumbs in a corner as he joined the rest. Envy steamed off San, but it was visible only to Seonghwa's eyes.

"Is everyone accounted for? No further discomfort?" He asked into their round. Jongho prodded Mingi for answers to what it felt like, and the helpless demon lacked the words to describe it to him. Buddy tried to drink the salty water and whimpered in confusion when it didn't work.

Though Seonghwa felt sorry for tormenting the poor dog, he was glad for his safety. He heard humans and their animals didn't take well to salt water.

"You are forgetting something, Hwa," Yeosang pointed out, and the elf turned. Worried, he looked over his soldiers, then over Hongjoong, who formed statues of the water out of boredom.

What was he missing?

Clueless, the elf glanced back at Yeosang and the walnut guffawed about him. He stepped in to hand Seonghwa the leaf he had discarded earlier.

"Just the usual."

Realisation dawned upon Seonghwa, and he chuckled to himself as he accepted the leaf.

"What would I do without you?" He pondered as he lifted the Lungweed to his lips. With crossed branches, Yeosang attended him and made sure Seonghwa wouldn't forget himself.

"Suffocate miserably underwater," the dryad replied, not impressed, as Seonghwa gulped. At the elf's bright grin, he huffed and reverted to his fond smile. Seonghwa was glad to have him by his side.

His breathing didn't feel different, neither obstructed nor physically uncomfortable. Seonghwa could smell the salty note of the plant and felt as if every breath was tinted in its scent.

Since it wasn't so unwelcome, he nodded at the others. This time, everyone was ready.

"Please lead the way, Wynn," Seonghwa addressed her, and Wynn sunk into the water. For a moment, her clothes drifted around her weightlessly and her bright hair beguiled her bony shoulders.

"Stick together in a group. No predators come too near, but we don't want to lose anyone in the depths."

It would be dark, like Mingi's home. Nymphs saw well in the hazy twilight of the water, but most of Seonghwa's husbands didn't. They nodded gravely, not keen to end up between a sea snake's teeth.

Smooth as if she were made of water herself, Wynn disappeared into the pool. Hongjoong was right behind her and Wooyoung huddled behind him, feeling safest around the sorcerer.

Seonghwa brushed his fingers over Mingi's arm. The demon turned his way and his fingers instinctively interlaced with Seonghwa's.

"Come, Mingi," Seonghwa smiled as he tugged on him gently. They entered the cool water and, though it didn't feel unpleasant to Seonghwa, Yunho shuddered behind them. Buddy finally washed off all the grime in his fur, and Seonghwa made sure the others were right behind as they dipped below the surface.

A grotto led out into the open ocean from here. While Seonghwa's eyes adjusted, Mingi squirmed in the unfamiliar surroundings. Yeosang adjusted his form so the water resistance wouldn't slow him down, but Jongho sunk right to the bottom of the cave with a dull thud. Wooyoung and San struggled with their wings, but while hidden away, everyone had the chance to adjust before they would step before the queen.

Yunho did the best of Seonghwa's husbands, and he had Buddy in one arm, so the dog wouldn't disappear somewhere in his explorative spirit. They breathed just fine, so Seonghwa was assured everyone would adjust in due time.

After Hongjoong returned and doused Jongho with another spell, the golem walked along below them more easily. Wynn adjusted the depth they travelled in to match the golem and then the bunch of them slowly swam towards the light ahead, where the endless ocean and the settlement of the nymphs greeted them.