DIVINE CHAMPIONS: A BOLT OF LIGHTNING

REYKJAVIK

If it had not been his parents' condition to call twice everyday in return of going on this trip, Rishi would have forgotten that Reykjavik was not his home. Such a beautiful place it was. He thanked Rick everyday for bringing him here. The natural beauty, the weather, the people, everything was perfect. The hotel they stayed in was great too. The service was amazing. So were the rooms, Rishi was living in Paradise.

After fighting with jet-lag for two days, the two had gone to different places. They had visited the Landnamssyningin, the Viking settlement back in the tenth century, the lake Tjornin, Iceland's national museum, the Phallological Museum, Sun Voyager, a steel boat sculpture, right by the sea, and also the cathedral, Hallgrimskirja. But Rishi's real interest was yet to be seen. Rick had planned it for the final day. In the last two weeks, Rishi had forgotten about everything. Everything about Aitri, about his college, about the bully in his college, and his hometown, even the dark facts about it, that how every girl, every woman was afraid of stepping foot outside the house once the twilight passed.

Anyways, the day they went to the Temple was getting nearer. The evening before, Rick got the topic going. He was reading something about the temple in the internet. Rishi was just sitting there listening to music. Just then, Rick spoke up.

"Hey, what is this Yggdrasil?"

"Why?" asked Rishi.

"No, I am reading this account on the temple. They have mentioned this term, and this picture." Rick turned his phone towards Rishi. Rishi saw a drawing of a huge tree, and inside it nine circles in different places. He smiled, since he knew the answer.

"This is Yggdrasil," Rishi said, "the World tree. And these circles are the nine worlds. This, right on top is Asgard, the home of the Aesir gods."

"Hold on, Thor's home? That's a part of the mythology?" Rick asked.

"Oh yes." answered Rishi.

"Alright, what are the rest?"

"That in the left corner is Vanaheim, home of the Vanir gods. To the right is Alfheim, home of the bright elves. To the left, below Vanaheim, is Nidavellir..."

"Home to the dwarves?" Rick interrupted.

"Yes! Good." said Rishi.

"Yeah, well. Go on."

"Alright, the one in the middle is Midgard, or Earth. The one beside is Jotunheim. What is that the home to?"

"Frost Giants!"

"Correct. Below Nidavellir is Svartalfheim. You know what that is, right?"

"Yes, home of the dark elves, according to the movie."

"True, and as you said, Nidavellir is the home to the dwarves. They are the best craftsmen. The one below Midgard is Niflheim, world of ice. And the last one is..."

"Helheim? That's where Hela lives, right?"

"No. Firstly, Hela is Hel in the mythology. And the last one is Muspelheim, world of fire, and home to Surtr."

"Oh that big guy who destroyed Asgard?" asked Rick. Rishi noded. Rick went on, "Then what is Helheim?"

"That is one of the three great halls of afterlife. Helheim is in Niflheim, but it is said to be under the ice. Then there is Valhalla, no one exactly knows where, and Folkvanger, in Vanaheim. I will tell you the rest later. I am hungry now."

That night, Rishi lay on his bed excited. The thing he had been longing to do for days was going to be done the next day. He closed his eyes, and traveled to the world of dreams.