With the promise to meet them at the resting spot, Hongjoong and Jongho took Buddy along and left first through the portal. They would scour the area for any dangers and make sure they weren't being welcomed by an ambush while the rest followed on the gryphons. After bowing again to the dryads, Seonghwa finally gave the signal to go, so they climbed on their mounts and swung into the warm skies of late summer.

Their journey was peaceful. Nothing attacked them, and Onyx sailed ahead to caw back at Wooyoung, clearing the path for them. Occasionally, Seonghwa fretted in his saddle when Mulberry and Obsidian twisted and flipped around each other, making their riders squeal and giggle, but no one got hurt.

The landscape rushed past far below. Lush green forests and the rocky hills of the highlands blended into bands of colour. They could see the Crystal Sphere from here, reduced to a wasteland of charred trees and ashes, but Seonghwa mourned it without getting too close.

A few other travelling birds greeted them, journeying on Yeosang's crown for short periods of time to figure out who was intruding into their sphere.

They watched the sun wander the skies and as it descended toward the west slowly; it was time for them to reach the meeting spot as well.

Hongjoong had lit a purple flame to signal them their position. Wooyoung's sharp gaze spotted it first, and he directed the rest to follow him as he circled lower on Mulberry's back. Mingi's gryphon safely went with the troop, carrying the shaky demon back to the ground.

Jongho was wandering around in the dark, checking the patch of grass for potential dangers. The shimmer of golden magic in the air greeted them as a dome of safety, hiding their vision and sound from any curious passersby. The gryphons effortlessly cut through and landed on the ground where Hongjoong's purple fire danced away.

Morana hopped from Obsidian to look around curiously, not that the highlands had much to offer than grassy plains among grey hills. Aodhán followed slower, his knees weak from their risky flight, but he was glad to sit down by the fire and rest to the familiar feeling of Hongjoong's magic surrounding them.

As everyone hopped off to rest their legs and enjoy their regained freedom of movement, a hand appeared by Seonghwa's side. Hongjoong grinned that disarming smile at him.

"Had a good trip?"

Seonghwa smiled back as he accepted his hand and slipped off the gryphon. With Yeosang's help, Wooyoung prepared their food for them and the animals gladly gorged themselves on the meat to regain their strength.

"Surprisingly uneventful. So far, no one knows of our movement. Anything here?" Seonghwa peered through the dark, but Morana hadn't run off yet, which meant there was nothing much to explore. Pebble toddled around, making Buddy spring around her to play, but everything was peaceful.

San walked a circle around Hongjoong's protective dome, double-checking its safety. The others rolled out their furs and blankets to get comfortable and Yeosang prepared the shared meal.

"Jongho found a golem nearby, but they were peaceful. Not much to say about the area, so we doubt there are any orcs nearby. The golem promised to tell us if they notice any tunnels," Hongjoong reported as his shadowed extra hands spread out a blanket next to the fire for Seonghwa to sit on. He only let go of the elf once he had settled down, unhooking his cape and sorting his skirts around him. He smiled at Jongho when he handed him his bag with provisions.

"That's kind of the golem. They are welcome to join us if they want to exchange stories," he offered, and Hongjoong nodded. He would relay the message in case the golem was interested. Though they might just prefer to sleep.

When Mingi tentatively scooted towards Seonghwa's light, Seonghwa took his hand into his lap, caressing his large palm with gentle fingertips.

"I'll bring the twins over later so they won't get lonely," Hongjoong commented as he glimpsed at their peaceful position. Aodhán was next to Yunho, discussing something while the boy wrung nervous hands before his stomach, but Morana had already taken off to sleep with the gryphons tonight. Wooyoung would stay near her.

The dwarves had no reason to attack them, so long as no bounty was on Seonghwa's head. With Yongguk gone, they would consider a new deal, so it was somewhat safe to bring the kids along. Still, Seonghwa felt the stress wear on him and he was sorry to burden his husbands with even more tasks.

When Hongjoong took off to check on his dome so San could finally sit down, Seonghwa turned his attention to Mingi. The demon looked mellow, his sending stone safely attached around his neck so it wouldn't slip off during the journey. When Seonghwa caressed gentle fingers through his dark hair, the demon's eyes flicked, searching for the faint glow he could see in the elf.

"How are you, hawthorn? The flight wasn't too stressful for you?" Seonghwa asked him, leaning into the heat of Mingi's big body. A shy arm wrapped around his waist in return, resting with security and warmth around the elf's slender body. Mingi was ever so careful to touch him, scared Seonghwa might break, but he trusted him to speak up if something hurt by now.

"No... The wind felt good in my hair. But I'm glad to be back on the ground." Mingi ducked his head when he admitted it, cautious to insult Seonghwa's choice of travel, but the elf's laughter chimed through the night air.

"I know the feeling. The cradle of earth means safety. We'll be inside the mountain soon, then you will feel better." No wonder Yeosang wanted to get his roots into the ground as soon as possible. Seonghwa saw small flowers and mushrooms sprouting around his feet even when the dryad stirred the pot nonchalantly.

Mingi searched their surroundings for the kids, picking up on Morana's voice bickering with Wooyoung about who slept where. She was as tall as him now and still kept growing, so she showed her horns in response when he flared his wings to make himself look bigger, trying to exert authority. But even if she wouldn't have known what a darling he was to her athair, she regarded Wooyoung as a brother to be competitive with. He had no chance against the wilful princess.

"Will Morana be safe? I'm sorry she is so unruly... That's my half of her," Mingi winced when he heard her arguing loudly. No one else minded them as they prepared for dinner. Jongho sat with Pebble by his side, both with empty eyes as they connected with the earth.

Seonghwa painted patterns and letters on the back of Mingi's hand, distracting him from his insecurities. The demon focused, tried to spell out what he picked up on and blushed when he ended with 'I love you' on his lips.

"She's strong. That's all there is to it. We'll take good care of her," Seonghwa promised him, and Mingi relaxed by his side to rub his cheek against the crown of Seonghwa's head. The scent of his soap calmed the demon, and he handled Seonghwa with the greatest care when he squeezed him into a tender hug.

Seonghwa craned his head, placing a hand on Mingi's cheek as a signal he was looking for a kiss. The song of his soul sweetened when Mingi leaned in immediately, trusting his guiding touch. Seonghwa was aware of the gazes on him, the heat of their eyes on his skin, but he had nothing to hide.

Mingi's warm lips covered his, sparking the heat that always seemed to warm even the coldest places of Seonghwa's soul. He leaned against the demon's chest, kissing him slowly and peacefully, just relishing the innocent touch. Gradually, Mingi relaxed once he realised Seonghwa wasn't uncomfortable and leaned in with more motivation, kissing back shyly.

Seonghwa smiled against his mouth. Caressed his horns and ears. Pecked his lips another time before he pulled back. For a moment, Mingi basked in the feeling with a secretive smile on his lips, then he pressed his cheek against the crown of Seonghwa's head once more. As if on a throne, Seonghwa sat in his embrace.

"I'll also protect her. I won't let her get hurt again," Mingi whispered, mostly to encourage himself. Seonghwa caressed Mingi's arm, wordlessly telling him it was all right. Mingi was doing just fine and he needn't pressure himself.

When steps approached them, they pulled apart and Mingi's hands shyly trailed off Seonghwa's body. His heat lingered when Seonghwa looked up, spotting Aodhán with a nervous smile at interrupting them.

"What is it, love? Come, get comfortable," Seonghwa sang at him, feeling the dissonance in Aodhán's soul. When his son knelt before him, his awe for Seonghwa shimmered in his eyes. It was gone quickly when he lowered his head in front of him.

"Are you angry at me for coming along with Morana, athair?" He asked, voice a nervous whisper. Yunho likely sent him over to communicate his worries over just assuming the worst. But as strict as Hongjoong's upbringing could be, Aodhán was gentle. His mischief could never cause harm or he would get sad, and seeing him gulp so heavily under the mess of golden curls on his head only made him look younger in Seonghwa's eyes.

When he caressed Aodhán's cheek, his tentative magic immediately sprung over, seeking touch with Seonghwa. Allowing it, Seonghwa used their elven connection to assure his child. His human side liked to doubt and get caught up in his own thoughts, but the rush of affectionate feelings through their link didn't lie.

"No, darling, no. I just wish you were safe," Seonghwa promised him as Aodhán leaned into his touch. He hadn't tried the food yet, too nervous to relax, but Seonghwa felt him unwinding now. Breathing in relief.

The scent of Yeosang's delicious cooking wafted over to them when the dryad turned. Onyx perched on his shoulder to snatch treats out of his fingers and the dryad's deep green eyes also felt Aodhán's struggle.

"We'll take care of you instead. Promise," he grinned, and the boy nodded, trying to regain his courage. Seonghwa was glad that he embraced his vulnerable side. Where Morana liked to shove all feelings off her and stubbornly claimed she was above it all, Aodhán didn't regard them as a weakness.

Even when he would have preferred them to stay home, Seonghwa was infinitely proud of his children.

"Let's eat," he invited Aodhán with a smile and the amber of his eyes lit up again when he shuffled closer to the fire. Everyone else greeted him into their round and Seonghwa also brought Mingi over and handed him the bowl Yeosang filled for him. Yunho sat on Mingi's other side, nudging him with a cheeky shoulder and Seonghwa unwound to the casual conversation of his family.

They were all curious about what the dwarves were like. None of them had set foot in their lands before, not even Seonghwa in his many years of age. The dwarves were well-known merchants through most of their kingdoms, and Jongho knew the tales of the stone, but they rarely allowed outsiders into their sanctum. Not because of spiritual reasons, either. Among their forges heated by dragon fire and rare materials, any stranger easily caused tremendous damages or found sudden death. Even to a former emperor, entry might be restricted.

The dwarves were grumpy folk. Seonghwa could tell them that much. They loved to drink, and they loved to fight, rough-housing like the gryphon-borns, but without the added social meaning. Tied to the earth, they were stony like their element.

Jongho was curious to meet them. His crystals were purple while he pondered all the things he might learn there. Pebble silently stared at him, communicating her thoughts through the earth they sat on but a mystery to everyone else.

Hongjoong was also eager to explore their lands for knowledge and artefacts, but he didn't look forward to having his magic restricted. If they got ambushed, their blades had to come to their rescue.

Tomorrow, they would reach Veg Boldhir. When Seonghwa rolled up against Yeosang's side to rest with his soothing scent in his nose, he was both worried and hopeful about what might expect them in the peculiar home of the dwarves.