The trio moved to the courtyard of the cottage which was located on a small mountain top overlooking a village. That mountain was located in the Diamond subcontinent of the new planet Gilead. Its flat plateau was perfect for the cottage and the sub-layers seemed like steps on which the village was built. The only issue was the arid nature of the environment, being a grassland that saw seasonal rainfall. However, no one could deny the beauty of the land that stretched for miles. Forming many stairways to the heavens.
"... Okay, watch your wife and see how wonderfully she manipulates the ice bones."
As Gilead watched his beloved new wife call forth her Sapphire Ice armour. He fell into a daze as she summoned an ice world, freezing the space around the couple and encasing them in a world of white. Then he watched as the clothes she wore turned translucent with the flexibility of water. Unwrapping her body slowly he came to the realisation that she was already wearing the ice bones as regular clothing or flexible armour.
"Darling, sharing my ice bones with you means sharing part of my soul. Which will always be with you as proof of my love. What's about to happen next will hurt but it is necessary. Otherwise, the ice will lose its life force. I know that you'll worry even if I ask you not to, but try. Instead of that anxiety I see building up in your eyes you should be excited. I'm about to bare my body and soul to you."
Grabbing the clothing she began to tear it off with vigorous force! Proving how difficult and painful it was, the sound of fractures and breaking bones rang in his ears. Gritted teeth did nothing to stem the flow of blood from her mouth! Unwilling to see her in this state Gilead started to approach with tears creeping down his cheeks.
"Stop! Don't come any closer… The pain will pass soon enough." Panting, Vena stopped Gilead from approaching as this was the only way to remove the armour.
With each break, her sapphire blood flowed a little more and soon her entire body looked a mess. Even so, Gilead could only see beauty and pain. The blood then began to form smooth plates which showed her beautiful figure. Attempting to heal itself the blood marrow congealed but with little effect.
"Too much, this is too much to take, why must you go this far?"
"My dearly beloved, I… can't tell you how long I've watched you... from the shadows. Unable to be the one that stands next to you... the one you turn to when you're exhausted. Your true support. Yes, being your General fulfilled a part of that desire, but I've always wanted more. So this is my chance to be your support, to stand tall next to you and comfort you like… a good wife."
"...How does a good husband repay this love? I'm not sure. But I will promise you this, I will not let you go again. A family, a dedicated husband, a reason you smile, these are the things I will strive for."
"Good, come to me and accept my… love."
Bearing the pain of the absorption into his body and soul Gilead looked at his exhausted wife. He could tell she was barely holding on at this point and he himself was no better off having to endure the burden of the absorption.
Holding his wife delicately in his arms he would not allow her to slip away without the final kiss.
"Your husband will accompany you shortly my beloved. Just a moment longer, wait for me."
…
"...I know it hurts right now, but you will have another chance again. I only ask that you earn her affection properly next time."
"This I promise."
"Don't look so defeated, one day you will see that it was for the…"
"Please stop Kata. Why are both of you consoling me? When you have both sacrificed everything for me, please no more."
"Okay…"
Raising her hand she shot out a pearl white energy ball that ascended into the heavens. As it moved further away from the home and into space a small gravitational pull attracted the floating debris from the surrounding area. Anchoring that fragment of her soul to the gravitational pull of planet Gilead the first moon was born.
Watching the rise of her soul fragment Gilead felt the full gravity of the situation bearing down on him. A world of pressure, pain and regrets anchored his feet as he watched the pearl-like energy ball float into the heavens. The only thought in his head echoed the sentiment of "failure" and "defeat."
"Husband it's time…" Walking into Gilead's embrace she hugged him tightly as she whispered into his ear. "I love you."
"One day, we will be free of this burden and I will be able to give you all the things you want Like a family with kids running around you."
"You are my family." Kata retorted before summoning the Moon Clan's God Spark Artifact, the sword of Alexandrite.
The Alexandrite sword now floating behind Gilead was then willed to move…
...
"Whaa! Whaaa!!"
"Congratulations Lady Talia, it's a girl Corundum Ice Dragon and a particularly strong one at that!"
Breathing heavily Talia looks to Ili, one of the Moon Clan's attendants that had been sent to assist with recent births happening in the village. "Thank… thank you, Ili. It was of great help to have you here today. Adamo, give her to me. Let me see my precious angel."
"Here Adamo." Wrapping baby Valencia in swaddling cloth Ili passed her to Adamo. "What name did you agree to, Lady Talia?"
"She looks like the former Queen Vena. Let's go with the name Valencia, she will have strength and power like Queen Vena. To think, 3000 years have already passed since Queen Vena accompanied Lord Gilead and Lady Kata on the path of renewal. Yet only in the last 100 years was I able to meet Adamo."
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, my dear. It was only 1000 years ago that humans really started settling on this planet of eternal light. It takes a really strong cultivator to even live on planet Gilead."
"Well, it is a good strong name. Did you hear, Taine and Lady Hella's delivery went well yesterday and they had a baby boy Corundum Ice Dragon. I believe his name was Hittan and his birth sign was also abnormally strong."
"They named him Hittan?"