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After flying for a few minutes, Henry finally arrived in the Arctic. He could have gotten there faster, but he chose to take it a bit slower. The extreme cold of the Arctic had no effect on him; his Kryptonian physiology stored heat and rejuvenated his cells, so it would have to be extremely cold to have any effect. When he left home, it was still night, but by the time he reached the Arctic, it was as bright as day.
He decided to build the fortress first because he would need a place to start creating the Ghost Zone bracelets and his assistant robots. He also considered creating a portal to the Ghost Zone after making the bracelets. He wanted to build the Fortress of Solitude first because he needed a place to rest and store the artifacts he would collect. At that moment, he was looking for a good location to build the base. He also thought about creating the fortress inside a mountain but found that idea more troublesome. Instead, he would use Kryptonian crystals, and later, he would refine and add details to make it more beautiful. After some time, he found an open space near a mountain. The base of the mountain was flat, so he chose that spot. He took one of the Kryptonian crystals, activated it, and threw it into the open space near the mountain.
Soon after, in the silence of the Arctic, the hard earth began to shift around the crystal. Small cracks appeared in the ground, connecting to the crystal. Soon, the cracks spread in several directions, growing larger. From these cracks, huge crystal columns began to emerge—some thick, others thinner and sharper. These crystal columns were perfectly aligned with each other. The process was slow, and as the forms grew, the surrounding ice also began to mold itself, forming solid foundations that intertwined with the structure. The columns widened at the base and narrowed as they rose, creating sturdy walls that formed a vast structure.
It was simple, with large walls and columns that aligned cleanly and precisely, creating a strong crystal building. After the foundation and walls were built, the crystals started to expand and form corridors.
The interior was vast, with wide and tall hallways connecting different rooms. The design was functional, with each room flowing into the next without interruption. The surfaces were smooth and polished, reflecting the light. The fortress, in its essence, was built to withstand the surrounding environment, maintaining an unshakable appearance.
There were no decorations yet; Henry would have to add those himself. The structure was very simple. He thought about creating some crystal statues, rooms, and other areas. He would need to spend quite some time decorating the fortress to make it beautiful, but he was satisfied with the overall appearance of the outside of the fortress.
He approached the fortress, which was as large as a mountain. The fortress had grown to this size because part of the crystal connected to a nearby mountain. If Henry wanted to expand it further, he would have to go inside that mountain.
He approached the fortress. It was quite eye-catching, but soon it would be covered in ice and become less noticeable. He cleared the area where the entrance would be, and using his heat vision, he created an entrance to the fortress. The door was high enough for a bus to pass through and wide enough as well. He would need to add an actual door later, but it wasn't necessary for now.
He entered the lower part of the fortress, which was large enough to hold the world's largest cruise ship, a passenger airplane, and much more. Moreover, if he wanted, he could expand the size by entering the mountain.
First, Henry would define the spaces in the fortress—where everything would go. It would take a long time for the fortress to be finished, but it was already a good start.
Today, he had built the entire base and structure. Now, he would have to focus on security, water, electricity, and energy, but he would leave these tasks to the technological robots He would create. all connected to Kryptonian artificial intelligence.
After a few hours, using his heat vision to open passages throughout the fortress, he used his super-strength to move heavy blocks of ice, making the fortress look even better.
At one point, Henry started to feel tired, especially sleepy. He wasn't physically tired but mentally exhausted. He decided to leave the details for another day. He was very sleepy. Before leaving, he hid the fortress with snow.
It took Henry some time to get back home. When he arrived, he didn't even bother to take off his uniform. He went straight through his bedroom window, and barely lying down on the bed, he fell asleep. By the time he went to sleep, it was already 5 AM.
Henry woke up a few hours later to Alura waking him up. Luckily, it was Saturday, so he didn't have school. When Henry woke up, his dad entered his room and asked him to come down for breakfast. Henry, struggling to get out of bed, washed his face, did the basics after waking up, and then went downstairs to have breakfast with his family. He sat at the kitchen table and grabbed something to eat.
Lia: "You look awful. Did you sleep badly?"
Henry: "A little. Where's Wally?" Henry said, rubbing his eyes.
Lia: "Your brother is still asleep."
Henry was enjoying his breakfast when someone knocked on the door.
(Ding dong)
Elliot: "I'll see who it is," said his dad, standing up from the table.
His dad went to the door and saw who it was—it was his aunt Holly.
Holly: "Hi, Elliot. It's good to see you. How are you?"
Elliot: "I'm good, Holly. Why don't you come in and have something to eat?"
Holly: "Thank you, but I'd like to talk to Henry for a bit. Is he around?"
Elliot: "Of course, I'll call him."
Elliot went to the kitchen and called Henry. After his dad called him, Henry went to his aunt Holly and greeted her.
Henry: "Hi, Aunt Holly."
Holly: "Henry, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Henry: "Sure."
Henry left the house, and he and Holly went for a walk while they talked.
Henry: "What's up, Holly?"
Holly: "You look awful. Did you sleep badly?"
Henry: "Yes..."
Henry: "But is something wrong, Holly?"
Holly: "Yes... Cecil found out about you. He wants to meet you in person. Is that okay with you?"
Henry: "But how did he find out?"
Holly: "Donald told him. A long time ago, I made an agreement with Donald. He built the place where I hid your spaceship, but today he told Cecil, and Cecil called me."
Henry thought about the offer and decided it was a good idea. If he worked for the GDA, he could ask them for some favors, and it would be the easiest way to get some technology to use in his fortress. He would take the pieces to the GDA and use them in the fortress and the creation of his robots.
Henry: "Alright, when?"
Holly: "There's still time. Be ready, but when the time comes, I'll call you."
Henry: "Okay."
Holly went back to her house. Henry still had time. He remembered that he needed to make some changes to his suit before going to the GDA. He would stop by ART to ask him to make some adjustments to his outfit.
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