The first steps

The portal opened up close to the house Haruko had here. The three other them walked out, Mitsuki still asleep in Haruko's arms. Daimos felt as cold as he did the first time he kissed Haruko. The snow touching his skin from the back. Icicles were dripped across the roofs of the houses, everything making a beautiful scene. "Its not much, but this is my home." Haruko said looking around at the many people that were still up.

Daimos looks around, shivering slightly. "It's not bad...but I suppose I'll have to get used to the cold. As long as Mitsuki likes it, I do."

"Thats what I should hear from you. Come on, its warmer in the houses." Haruko said as she started to walk in the snow. For a planet that always snows it doesn't have that much snow on the ground.

Daimos looks around at the people walking here and there, unaffected by the snow or cold climate. He looks follows Haruko and continues to look around. "So how long have you two been living here?"

Haruko walks past further and they get to an area where there are no more houses. She moves to the right a tad the starts to walk up the spiraling staircase. She looks to Mitsuki and smiles at her, kissing her head as they went on.

"So I take it since you know your way around so well...that you've been here before." Daimos says, keeping pace with her but still looking around at the wintry city.

"After you left I sadly left the Pridelands. I later came to this world and found that it needed someone to help them figure out what they have. I only started out helping them then they made me its ruler." She said smiling to him.

Daimos looks at her, showing very little surprise on his face. "I figured that much, the way most of the people stopped and looked at you two. It looks like you've done well so far, with the improvements I mean. The city's looking good."

"We build most of our walls out of a strong ice material. The ice can also make good accessories for people. I have some people mine it for me, but its vary dangerous. The Ice can freeze the hottest flame in an instant. The only way to stop the effects is to have a special armor, an armor that is crafted using that vary ice."

Daimos looks at her thoughtfully. "Ice that can freeze fire, huh? Sounds like a pretty interesting place. Think we can pay a visit? I'd like to check it out....if I can."

"Yeah. We have enough suits and material to fit you in one of them. Then maybe you and I can go further into the cave. The farther in the cave you go the colder the ice gets. With the suits we have now we can only make it though the first floor. We can't go further down or higher up at all."

Daimos nods slightly and continues to follow her. "You know, I think I'm getting used to this cold weather....how much farther is it anyway? Just asking."

"Not much further now." Haruko said as Daimos and her both got to the top of the staircase. The castle's front doors were beautiful and carved of what seemed like the ice Haruko was talking about. "This is my home." She said as she walked through the doors, their form rippling as if it were liquid.

Daimos walks through after Haruko and starts to look around the palace. "This is amazing....and all of this is that ice from the cave? How....how did you mine this much? It's...." He continues to stare in awe.

"This entire area was covered in ice. We caved around the buildings then added the ice from that cave to reinforce the foundation so that nothing would fall and crash." Haruko said walking toward the staircase in front of them. "I will put Mitsuki to sleep and then I will being you to the armory."

Daimos nods slowly as he continues to look around the palace. He walks over to one of the icy walls and brushes his hand lightly over it. "Whoa...it's like diamond...but it's ice! This place just keeps getting more unbelievable by the second..." He whispers and continues to look around. He looks up at the ceiling and sees the crystalline chandeliers glittering above him. "She's done really well for herself..." He whispers in awe.

"Its beautiful, isn't it?" Haruko said as she was standing at the top of the stairs. "It takes time to get the ice to the right shape. We need vary intense fire to melt the ice, but as I said it could freeze the hottest flame. You can only imagine how long it will take just to make the jewelery and designs in this palace." She walked down the stairs, running her hand down the banister next to her. "You want to fit your armor now? We better to this now if we want to get to the cave at all."

Daimos looks at her and nods. "Better sooner than later." He says then follows her to the armory. Daimos continues to look around the palace as she leads him through the many corridors. They get to the armory and she pushes open the door. Daimos walks in and looks in awe at the glittering armor and weapons that line the shelves. "How long did it take to make all of this?"

The ice was vary hard to mold. Then it would lose some of its properties and we had to add onto it. When we fit them to a person's size it would take more time to seal it to their's characteristics." She paused and pulled a chest plate off the wall. "Come here, I will test the sizes." Haruko said putting the cold plate to his skin as he stepped up. She took the back of the chest plate and placed it to his back. She then put shoulder pads on to lock them into place. "When the suit it all sealed up we will coat it with the same ice as the front doors are made of. So that you can easily slip in and out of your armor."

Tsukiya wakes up late at night. He sees Mitsuki lying in her bed then yawns and rubs his eyes sleepily. He gets up and goes to the bathroom. He hears talking downstairs and instead heads towards it. He continues following the sound until he gets to the armory. He walks in still rubbing his eyes sleepily. "Mommy? What's going on, who's he?" He asks sleepily.

Haruko looks to Tsukiya and smiles. "Hand mommy the bottom half of the armor, please." She said as the fits the torso part in place. Tsukiya get the Bottom half of the armor and places them by her. "This is your father Tsukiya." She said kneeling down to him, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Mitsuki woke up and sat up straight, rubbing her eyes. She gets up out of the bed and walks down to the main room. Her ears picked up and she turned to face the way the voices were coming from. She could recognize them as haruko and Daimos so she walked do the stairs and made her way into the armory, looking at the two of them then to Tsukiya. "Hey, brother." She said, happy to see him.

Tsukiya looks at her and smiles then waves. He looks back up at Daimos. "Are you really my dad? You don't look like him, you know. Mommy said he looked scary, you don't look all that scary, really." He says still looking at Daimos.

Daimos looks at Haruko and narrows his eyes smartly. "Oh did she, now? Hmm...well mommy and I'll have to have a talk about that later." He says then kneels down to Tsukiya and places his hands on his shoulders. "Well I am your father, Tsukiya. I had to leave for a little while, remember?"

Tsukiya narrows his eyes and looks at him for a moment. A wide smile spreads across his face then he wraps his arms around Daimos' neck and hugs him. "Daddy! It is you! You're back! I knew you'd come back! I knew it!" He says laughing. He lets go then steps back. "You are staying, right?"