•~○Cursed castle[NCT]○~•

○'•~°

They stepped out of the lab in a whirl of robes and clinking bottles, the faint scent of crushed mushroom still clinging to their sleeves. In the blink of an eye, Kun's teleportation magic warped the air around them, and the worn stone walls of the lab dissolved into the gleaming marble of the castle corridors.

They moved quickly to the supply closet-hands sweeping across shelves, pulling out coils of rope, jars of potion, spare blades, and neatly wrapped parcels of dried rations.

Jaehyun appeared silently in the doorway.
"Please... be careful," he said softly.

Yuta nearly jumped out of his boots. "What is with you people and the jump scares?"

"My apologies. And... you are?"

"Nakamoto Yuta. Owner of the special greens at the edge of your barrier."

From behind, Taeyong's eyes lit up. "You must be Kun. Chenle talks about you all the time."

Kun tilted his head. "He does?"

Leeteuk (formerly Taeil) chuckled as he secured a pouch at his belt. "He talks to us adults about where he's been sneaking off to-and somehow ends up narrating his whole day."

Jisung smirked under his breath. "Cutie."

Taeyong stepped forward, his voice warm but lined with worry. "Please. Take care of yourselves... don't get hurt... and bring them back."

Mark nodded firmly. "Of course, Dad."

Jaehyun added, "And try to contact us when you can."

Jeno gave a small bow. "We will, Dad."

Leeteuk clapped his hands once. "Time's wasting, Your Majesties. See you in a month?"

Taeyong's eyes lingered on them. "I hope so."

"Love you. Goodbye," Jisung said quickly, and they all embraced in a flurry of arms and hurried goodbyes.

Kun stepped forward. "Let's do this."

---

Down at the shoreline, the air was damp and briny.

"I don't wanna do this," Jisung muttered.

"You'll be able to breathe underwater," Jeno reassured. "The potion works."

"I'm not worried about breathing, I'm worried about drowning," Jisung shot back.

Johnny leaned on his spear. "Don't worry, Ji. I'll come with you."

Jisung gave him a flat stare. "No offense, hyung, but every time you hug me, a few bones crack. Doesn't feel safe."

"...Don't you want to come with me?" Johnny tried.

"Not really."

Johnny sighed in mock defeat. "As you wish, Your Majesty."

Jisung turned to Jeno. "Hyuuung, can I please come with you?"

"Ask Yuta," Jeno said, pointing. "He's my partner right now."

Yuta crossed his arms. "Kid, you insulted me earlier and I still forgave you. You can tag along with your brother-but don't make me regret it."

"THANK YOU!" Jisung blurted, then saw Yuta's face twist in disgust. "...Sorry."

Jeno grinned faintly. "Guess we're partners now."

Leeteuk stepped between them, holding a tray of glass vials. "Here's how this works. Drink the potion, then jump straight in. The moment it hits your tongue, it'll feel like you can't breathe-because it will redirect your lungs for underwater use only. That's your cue to dive, fast.

"Once below, swim down. You'll find a huge green rock beside a bright blue coral. Tilt the coral-hard-and a hidden door will open for thirty seconds. Inside, head toward the crystal formations.

"Touch them, and the guards will find you. Their prince will follow. Be honest-they can read your mind, and they hate liars. If they hesitate to help, tell them to summon the king... and drop my name."

"Got it," Yuta said. "How long do we have?"

"An hour. It would've been three if our mushrooms weren't decades old," Leeteuk admitted.

Mark clasped Jisung's shoulder. "Good luck."

Johnny added, "Please hurry back."

Jeno just gave a sharp nod. "We will."

---

Leeteuk handed them each a small bottle and a pearl-sized camera charm. "For monitoring. If you run out of time, we'll know where you've been. Cameras go on your heads-they'll adjust to keep your view steady."

The three exchanged a glance. Deep breath. A nod.

"Let's do this," Jisung murmured.

They tipped back the bottles. The liquid slid down like molten glass, searing their throats. They coughed, clutching at their necks as the burn spread to their lungs.

And then-blackness.

No sound. No sensation. Only a crushing pressure in their chests... until a sudden kick in their ribcages burst their eyes open.

Before them stretched an endless, glittering kingdom of sapphire and emerald. Coral spires rose like cathedral towers, and schools of silver fish swept past like living ribbons. Shafts of sunlight pierced the water, painting the sand in gold.

They gasped instinctively-and found the water rushing into their lungs as easily as air.

Jeno's smile broke wide. "It works."

"Rock, coral, door. Then the crystals," Yuta reminded.

"Then the prince," Jisung added.

Jeno narrowed his eyes toward the deep. "Let's move. We're on the clock."

And with three sharp kicks, they sank toward the unknown.