A/N: Early update! Thank you so much for all the lovely comments! My exams are over... so faster updates Yay! Enjoy this chapter ^^

Grandpa Dwarf Inn. The four boys looked up at the huge brown building and then back to the twins in their midst. “Grandpa Dwarf… seriously?” Sehun scoffed, earning a glare from Baekhyun. But before Baekhyun could come up with a good enough retort, the door to the inn swung open revealing a short elderly man. “My babies are back! Come here my Lulu and Baekie!” The elder smothered the twins with hugs and kisses while the other four stood around awkwardly.

Baekhyun grimaced slightly as his cheeks reddened in embarrassment at the public display of affection, while Luhan just smiled shyly at the other. “Grandpa, stop it! We have guests. You’re embarrassing me…” Baekhyun whined. “Oh! Hello… Welcome to Grandpa Dwarf Inn! I’m Grandpa Popi! Are you looking to stay for a night?” Grandpa Popi peered up at the four boys.

“You’re short.” Chanyeol unknowingly muttered only to gasp when he realized he said that out loud. “Erm… I didn’t mean that! It’s just that Kyungsoo’s short-” earning a sharp glare by the said boy “-but you’re even shorter. Erm… I’ll stop talking now. Yup…” Chanyeol trailed off.

Grandpa Popi chuckled, “Haha. It’s ok… I get that a lot. It’s because I’m a dwarf you see!” Ohhh. That explains the inn’s name. “You’re a dwarf?!” Chanyeol and Sehun exclaimed. “Uh-huh!” Grandpa Popi pointed to the signboard above and to himself, “Grandpa Dwarf Inn… Grandpa Popi Dwarf Inn. Ingenious huh!” He grinned to himself. Baekhyun facepalmed.

“So you two are dwarves?” Kai asked the twins. Luhan shook his head while Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at him. “Are you implying that we’re short mister not-so-tall-yourself Kai?” The rest of the group laughed at the latter’s reddening face.

“Haha. He’s not wrong Baekie!” Grandpa Popi chuckled, earning a scowl from the annoyed twin. “I chanced upon these two back when they were only five years old.” Grandpa Popi explained. “Grandpa saved us from the Guard” Baekhyun corrected. “He said our mother died while saving us. Luckily he made it in time, or Lulu would have died alongside her.” Tears sprung to his eyes when he recalled his and Luhan’s childhood trauma. Luhan rubbed Baekhyun’s arm comfortingly.

“Well enough about that. It’s all in the past now! Baekie and Lulu are my babies now. Well come on in! My wife is just about done with dinner. Eat up and rest well young fellas.” Grandpa Popi ushered all of them through the entrance. “You guys are my only guests tonight. So plenty of food for everyone!” The boys whooped in delight.

Glad to have the entire inn to themselves and believing that they could trust Grandpa Popi and his wife on the basis of them being the twins’ closest family, the four were put at ease. Expensive cloaks were removed, revealing the extensive range of bows and swords strung across their backs and on their previously hidden hips. Two jaws dropped as the pair of twins stared wide-eyed and gaping at the arsenal.

“I guess you weren’t kidding when you said the quest was going to be dangerous.” Baekhyun gulped. Kyungsoo swiped at his outstretched hand currently inching towards his silver bow, scowling at the boy. “Do you think this is a game BEAKYUNG?” Sehun sneered while cleaning his favorite blade, ignoring the indignant squawk from Baekhyun. “It’s BAEKHYUN!” Sehun scoffed ‘whatever’. “Don’t think I’m going to bow to you just because of your status. You’re not in Air Nation anymore. Hmph!”

These two had better learn to get along during this quest or I might just kill myself from their constant squabbling, Kyungsoo sighed as Kai and Chanyeol turned a blind eye to the pair in favor of the new steaming dishes Grandma Lola had just popped out from the oven.

After settling down for their dinner at the long table, Chanyeol couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. “So Grandpa Popi, if you’re a dwarf… where were you and Grandma Lola originally from?”

“We came from Gadr dearie!” Grandma Lola replied instead as Grandpa Popi continued to stuff chicken into his mouth. “Ohhh… wasn’t it destroyed by the Guard many years back?” Sehun and Chanyeol asked. Kai and Kyungsoo were clueless, having not known of the calamity that befell the former fortress of the Dwarves, a year before the fall of Shadow Nation. For their benefit, the elderly pair took turns describing Gadr, which was now termed the Lost City of the Dwarves.

Gadr was the fortress of the great Dwarf species- a thriving network of underground dungeons located at the heart of Light Nation. It was years ago (the year before the fall of Shadow Nation) when Zökr heard rumors of a dragon egg being held by the King Dwarf. Soon, the entire guard was sent to retrieve it. Chaos reigned when the Guard killed everyone that stood in their way. It was during this battle in which Grandpa Popi saved the twins from what was definite death, escaping with a small group of dwarves now living the rest of their lives away from their home, never forgetting the injustice that befell their land.

“But if the twins aren’t of Dwarf descent, why were they in Gadr?” Kai asked. Grandpa Popi shrugged, “Your guess is as good as mine…” The twins also shrugged. “We’re not too sure too. We’re definitely not dwarves, or we would have stopped growing ages ago. I’m still gaining a couple of inches daily!” Baekhyun boasted. Sehun gave up trying to make a snide remark under Kyungsoo’s warning glare.

“So did they find the egg?” Kyungsoo stared at Grandpa Popi who was grinning from ear to ear. “I guess not huh…” Kai smirked at the expressions on the elder couple’s faces. “I was a close friend of the King before he passed. He entrusted me with the egg and I kept it safe from the Guard. Let’s just say Zökr wasn’t too pleased at his Guard for returning empty-handed.” Grandpa Popi chuckled before choking on a piece of chicken bone.

“But why are you guys looking for the egg? I heard Baekie telling me that Lulu and him are joining you guys on a quest to gather the dragon eggs… may I ask why?” A now red-faced Dwarf coughed out. “May I explain it to you later Grandpa Popi?” Kyungsoo told the elder, preferring to let him in on the quest whilst not under the twitching ears of the twins (or rather just the one twin... *cough Baekhyun). Luckily, Grandpa Popi didn’t insist and the rest of the group continued on savoring their meal without pursuing the issue further.  

Baekhyun and Luhan led the four boys to their rooms, after the elder Dwarf couple had retired for the night. Kyungsoo promised to enlighten Grandpa Popi on their quest in the morning before wishing the elders a good night. “We have two rooms available. Who would prefer to use this room?” Baekhyun opened the door to reveal a spacious room with one huge king bed.

“I’m rooming with Kyungsoo… DUH! Come on Kyungie.” Sehun tugged his best friend into the room, leaving a certain jealous man outside hating himself for not having reacted fast enough to claim his favorite hyung. “So I guess that leaves us with the other room Kai!” Chanyeol started to drag a reluctant boy into the room across the hall. “Wait! Give me a minute Yeol.” Kai turned back towards Kyungsoo and Sehun’s room.

“Hyung?” Kyungsoo looked up at the boy peeking in from the hallway, before making his way to the door pass a winking Sehun. “Yes Kai?” Kyungsoo gazed up shyly at the taller boy. After a moment of hesitation, Kai bended to Kyungsoo’s height before planting a quick shy peck on his hyung’s cheek, “Good night Soo.” Too embarrassed at his boldness, the younger ran straight into his shared room with Chanyeol. This left a red-faced Kyungsoo staring blankly at the now closed door of the other pair. His hand went to caress the cheek still hot from the younger’s peck as a smile bloomed on his face.

Good night Kai.  

A loud squeal was heard behind closed doors. Call me Jongin, hyung. My real name is Jongin… Kai was a name given to me by the Elves. Only the people closest to me know of my real name. I want you to call me by my real name. 

Alright… Sweet dreams Jongin. Kyungsoo smiled at the close door of the other pair before making his way into his shared room, blushing when he heard another loud squeal from what suspiciously sounded like Jongin whacking Chanyeol profusely on the arm, while fanboying over the moment he just shared with Kyungsoo.

“What was that?” Sehun raised an eyebrow at his best friend and exaggerated a huge wink at the blushing elder. Choosing to ignore his prying, Kyungsoo wrapped his cloak around his shoulders and made for the door. “I’m going to check on Midnight… don’t wait up!”

Quietly making his way down and out of the inn so as to not draw unnecessary attention, Kyungsoo ambled to the outskirts of town near the warehouse that they had previously met the twins in.

I’m through the dense overgrowth behind the warehouse Soo, Midnight alerted him. Climbing over fallen trunks and thick bushes, Kyungsoo finally emerged under the bright moonlight beside his dragon. “Hi Midnight… what have you been up to all day?” Kyungsoo came to rest at the dragon’s head.

Midnight then went on to narrate his boring day- lazing around, hunting for food and chatting with Draken and Kruse’s Faer Gonds to pass time- to an eager-eared rider. Kyungsoo returned the favor by elaborating on finding the twins, and how they were going to go to the Lost City of the Dwarves the next day to retrieve the next egg. Midnight was beyond excited at the news of them locating another dragon and he made to press Kyungsoo for more information on next day’s plan when the sudden sound of branches snapping alerted the duo of an unwanted presence.

Kyungsoo reached for his bow only to realize that he left it back at the inn. Drat. He grabbed hold of his handy dagger hidden near his boot and stood up facing the forest where the noise had originated. Midnight stood to his full height as he took a protective stance beside his rider, eyes wary in case any danger was to follow. Rider and Dragon exchanged glances. It was weird, both their minds could sense no one in the vicinity, Kyungsoo tried using telepathy to source out any nearby humans but to no avail… could it have been a passing animal? Apparently not.

He’s behind the thick bush to the right, Midnight prodded Kyungsoo’s shoulder. Midnight was right… he could barely make out the silhouette of a lean body with honey blond curls. Kyungsoo’s face twitched in recognition. Luhan?

You know the boy? Midnight asked his rider. Kyungsoo nodded in response, he’s one of the twins I told you about.

Ohhh… then what are you waiting for? Let me meet him. Midnight turned towards