DIVINE CHAMPIONS 4: THE SUN'S CHOICE

OH, EVEN PRETTIER LADY

First of all, Ishaan looked around the hall. Wow! What a hall. The floor was fully carpeted with lush, furry, beautiful deep sea green carpets, which looked exotic, and highly expensive. The pillars in the hall were golden. The curtains were folded sideways, allowing the sunlight to enter, and the window panes were open, allowing the breeze to enter. The walls were painted dark pink. The room was perfectly maintained. And in the centre was the huge throne. Plated with gold, the hand-rests were decorated with expensive jewels. At the foot of it, sat a big cat, which Aitri mentioned was a lynx. And sitting on the throne, at least ten feet tall, was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Freya was not something that the word 'beautiful' could do justice to. She was something else altogether. The brown hair as perfectly silky as it could be, the skin as glazy as it should be. Her makeup was perfect, not too much to show off, but exactly enough to make her look perfect. And the eyes, chico. Dazzling blue eyes, that had a kind look, which could burst into pure malicious hate if wronged. Her look gave Ishaan a deduction: she may be pretty, and nice, but you get into her wrong side, that is the last thing you do. Freya wore a very dark blue dress, which looked super attractive. The queen of Vanaheim now, she was sitting with some swag, constantly putting a gold ring inside her finger, and taking it out. Then, she looked at them all, and smiled. The perfect face just got more perfect.

Freya got up and walked towards them. With every step, she grew shorter, and picked up her human size. She put her hands around Rick's cheeks, and said, "It is really good to see you again, kid."

"Same." Rick said, his look full of respect for his patron. Then, he pointed towards Ishaan, "This is..." 

"Ishaan, champion of Sol. I'm familiar." Freya replied, "So, kids, why don't you four take a seat?"

"Mother, you didn't ask me to sit." Hnoss reminded her.

"I asked the kids to sit. You are a thousand years old. You can keep standing." She winked at her. She walked back towards her throne, touched her throne, reducing it to her present size, and took back her seat. Then, she clapped her hands and around her, five big golden chairs appeared, as Freya signalled them to sit. Everyone took a seat, and told her everything. Freya seemed to ponder over the incidents and asked, "Has anyone wondered what this big step is?"

"No idea." Rishi said, "Ishaan, anything Sol said to you?"

"I don't think so." Ishaan replied, "But whatever it is, I am at least a thousand percent sure that Skoll has something to do with it." Rishi nodded with it.

"And why do you have the idea?"

"Oh, come on, Mother." Hnoss interrupted, "Skoll attacked Ishaan the day he found out about his powers. And also, there is this small fact that Skoll is her direct rival."

"And isn't he supposed to eventually win?" Aitri asked.

"None of us know what the right moment is. Even Skoll doesn't. Maybe he thinks this is how he will kill her, devour her, or whatever."

"But," Freya said, "He can't kill her while she is focused in her work. She is too fast for him to catch. Whatever happens to her happens at night. Anyway, what is it that you kids need?"

"We need information about Heimdall, I guess." Rick said.

"Like, where could he be taken?" Freya asked, "Look, I have no idea. To be honest, Heimdall and I haven't been exactly tight. He is very close to only three gods, other than his mothers. Thor, Tyr and my brother Frey. Now, Thor and Tyr are off limits, given that sudden lockdown. I suggest you talk to my brother. He must know things. He has this weird habit of feeling things, which is much weirder than it sounds. He might feel you in about Heimdall's whereabouts." She turned towards Hnoss, put on mischievous smile, and asked, "Saw what I did there?" Hnoss nodded with a grin. She continued, "Anyway, I think you kids need something else, before you go on to this journey from Vanaheim to Alfheim."

"He is in Alfheim?" Rick asked.

"He is the lord of whole of Alfheim, remember?" Rishi filled him in. 

"Right, I remember." Rick said.

"Anyway, what you guys need is," Freya said, "Good, heartfelt lunch. Let's go."

Lunch was noodles. But not instant ramen noodles, or the chowmein that the street vendors make by the streets of Indian cities, but rather, freshly made Korean ones, with cabbage, eggs, different pastes and sauces, meat, and some soup. It was so good that Ishaan ate another bowl. Be stereotypical, but Ishaan loved noodles. He just loved Chinese food. And the ones that they got there, the Chinese dishes with a slight Indian touch, was quite good too.

After they finished lunch, Hnoss asked Ishaan, "Liked it?"

"Loved it."

"Good. Because, I don't think you would get good food for a while now."

As they were about to leave, Freya said, "Some pointers on Frey. He is sweet, best bro ever. But, he has a thing. He doesn't give things for free. Kinda his principle. And he doesn't turn away from his principles. Kind of a Vanir thing."

"So, we have to pay some price, like Mimir?" Aitri asked.

"Are you mad?" Freya said, laughing, "Frey is not a stone hearted monster. Though Mimir doesn't have a heart." Freya once again winked at Hnoss, "Anyway, he will, perhaps, ask you to do him a favour. Tops. If you are in danger while doing that favour, he'll weirdly feel it, and he will send help. Peace god, you know?"

"Okay. He doesn't seem scary." Ishaan said, "We can see him, right?"

"Of course we can. Don't worry." Rishi said.

Freya came forward, and put her arm around Rick's shoulder, and said, "How's Meghna?"

"She's fine."

"She should be. Anything happens to her because of you, you'll never get love, mind you."

"What?"

"Kidding, kid." Freya brushed her hands through Rick's hair, making him fix it again.

"And beware of Alfheim's light. Very bright. Plus, it's hot there. Sol's effect is high there. Ishaan might like it there."

"I'm from Assam." Ishaan defended, "I hate the hot weather."

"Alright, alright, got it." Hnoss said, rolling her eyes, "Just, be careful with the light. It does weird things with your eyes, and brains."

"We will keep it in mind, Hnoss." Rishi said, as Hnoss gave him a hug. She took Aitri's hands, and said, "Take good care of this idiot, he is my only Midgardian friend. It will bummer to not have him." Aitri laughed, and nodded.

Rick opened a portal, as the four jumped in.