DIVINE CHAMPIONS 3: THE RISE OF THE ELEMENTALIST

DOUBLE REPRESENTATION, BIG TIME

Splash!

The water splashed as the rope of the fishing rod fell into the sea. The rod was huge. Made of gold with so many precious jewels, Njord had specially ordered it from the dwarves. And today was a good sunny day in Vanaheim, and the Vanaheim sea was clear as a whistle, and the birds were singing so cutely. So, Njord thought, 'Let's hit the sea with the new rod.' Then, he realised that he lived just beside the sea.

In about a second, Njord felt a tug on the rope. He turned the wheel and pulled the catch out. A large fish came up. He put the fish inside a container, and threw the rod again, hoping to rope his second catch, when someone called, "Daddy!"

Njord turned to see his daughter, his happy mind just got happier. It always did when it came to his children. Njord loved them with all his heart, and they loved him. Right in front, stood the most beautiful goddess, wearing a glazy white dress, her hair free to wave in the Vanaheim breeze, and a Persian cat that was grooming her hand. "There's my little honey bun!" Njord said in his deep divinish voice, got up, went and pressed Freya's cheeks.

"Daddy!" Freya made a face of fake annoyance, "I am a grown up goddess. Don't press my cheeks."

"And you still call me 'Daddy' as if you are a little a child. Can you blame me?"

"Hehehe!" Freya laughed shyly.

"What brings my little one here?"

"Dad, it is time." Freya's face turned serious.

"Who got out this time?" Njord followed his daughter into seriousness.

"They all got out together. Dunno who and where. They are all staying low."

"Thor told me that my choice would be like a bridge. Any idea what that is?"

"I do." Freya said, "Dad, you, along with someone else, would choose one champion together, making that person represent more than just one element."

"So, an elementalist?"

"Yes."

"Who do we have yet?"

"Sky, moon and magic."

"What else is left?"

"Earth, air, water, fire, frost."

"Lovely." Njord touched the only fish he caught and turned into a proper cooked fish. He hung the rod on his shoulder, and handed Freya the bucket, with the cooked fish in it. The cat came down and started walking behind Freya, while Freya put her concentration on the fish, and father and daughter started walking.

Sif sat on a chair, reading an Asgardian magazine. It was a little weird outside. Even the Norse heaven's weather was feeling the impending storm coming. That's why, Sif decided to stay in tonight. Magni and Modi had visited her in the morning and asked if they could have cinnamon rolls. So, she had scheduled to prepare those. Those little boys, all tattooed and muscled up, looking like younger versions of Thor, and yet, their demands childish. Sif was relaxing before she went to prepare the cinnamon rolls with her own hands. While she sat reading the magazine, her hair was brushing itself. A perk she had gotten since Loki had brought her the artificial golden hair. Now, she could do the same things with her hair that that Frightwig girl did in some Midgard cartoon show on aliens and watches that her four kids enjoyed together.

As soon as her hair was done brushing itself, Sif sent them to arrange the ingredients for cinnamon rolls. And they followed. One strand caught hold of the bread, another went for cinnamon powder, and other strands got hold of other ingredients. Sif looked at her hair, and couldn't stop smiling. Her hair used to be normal, natural hair before, which glowed like pure gold. Now her hair was still normal hair, just not natural anymore. However, now, it just didn't glow like gold. It was made of gold.

Sif was completely lost in her thoughts, and didn't see when Thor had arrived in the hall. She only became aware when Thor called out, "Honey!" 

Sif turned her eyes from her hair, the golden strands still at work, and looked at her husband, who looked absolutely serious. Sif was getting a hang of this new version of Thor she hadn't seen in fifteen hundred years. Ever since Odin had ordered Thor to lead the battle against the giants, Thor had gotten much more serious. And everyone had noticed that. Even their children used to tell Sif, "Daddy's gotten serious."

"What are you doing?" Thor asked, looking at Sif's hair flailing around, as he revolved his great hammer in his hand, his blue eyes as alert as always, his red hair tied to a bun.

"Magni and Modi wanted cinnamon rolls. I'm making cinnamon rolls." Sif said.

"Well, we got work to do."

As soon as Thor said it, Sif knew what he was talking about. The war that was coming needed nature to play a huge part in the proceedings. And being one of the representatives of the nature, Sif had a part to play. She was supposed to select her champion, who was supposed to play a vital role in this battle. Sif had been mentally preparing herself since she had known her role. Now, the time had arrived.

Sif moved her hands, as her hair put down the ingredients, and picked up her coat, and brought it her. Sif put on the coat and said, "Let's get this over with."