DIVINE CHAMPIONS 4: THE SUN'S CHOICE

THE SMOKE SCREEN

Eir pulled Ishaan by his hand and took him to the top floor of the castle. She pulled out a key out of her dress pocket, and opened the lock. "Come on." She said, as she led the way. The room had wooden floors, made of wooden planks. There were two windows in two sides, with the panes shut. There was a circular little opening on the wall, through which, the ventilation was happening. The room had a few old wooden chairs and tables. And in the center, a large, black,  shiny cauldron. It was set on a fire that was burning under it. There was perhaps some kind of potion or something in there that was releasing a lot of smoke. What shocked Ishaan most was that the smoke was hitting the air and taking the shape of a circle, and through it, Ishaan could see his friends sleeping. Peacefully. "I see something shocking one day, and I think, that's it. Nothing could be stranger than this." Ishaan blurted out, "But this world always has a new surprise up its sleeve."

Eir giggled, and said, "You haven't seen anything yet, Ishaan."

"I know. I'm yet to meet the elder gods. Who knows how strange they would be."

"Why don't you go take a look at what they are doing?"

Ishaan walked closer and took a close look. Rick was laying on the ground, fast asleep, his tongue stuck out. Rishi was beside him, also asleep. For such a big man, he seemed to have shrunk himself a little by curling his arms and legs up. Aitri slept on a bench beside them. Perhaps the most decent sleeper of them all, Aitri slept straight, her specs beside her head. All of them were still in their winter clothing, with perhaps some additional jackets provided to them by, most probably Fjolsvid. Where was that guy?

Their condition was much worse than Ishaan's. He was here with this beautiful girl, getting healed by her in a healing hill, where you are immortal, hosted by such a lovely guest like Menglod, meanwhile, these guys were sleeping in a shed full of straw. So far, it looked like a shed. And it was all Ishaan's doing. "Look in the poor condition they are." He said, sighing, "Here I am, in a castle, moving around getting treated by demigods, and look at their condition."

"Ishaan, it is fine." Eir came close to him and held his hand.

"No, its not." All the memories before Fjalar and Galar came right back to him. Ishaan's body went stiff. Tears gushed out of his eyes, "It is all my fault."

"What are you saying?"

"Rick opened the portal." Ishaan pointed towards Rick in the smoke screen, "He said there was something wrong. I was so excited that I didn't pay any heed to him. I jumped through, and was followed by them. They could have opened another portal and gotten out. But they are waiting for me. Searching for me. We got separated because of me. Oh, I feel terrible."

"Ishaan, Ishaan, look at me." Eir was very close to him. She cupped her hands around Ishaan's cheeks, "It was not your fault, okay?"

"It was blatantly my fault." Ishaan tried to move his face away.

"It isn't." Eir said, with some power on her already powerful voice, "Yes, you messed up. But, you are new to this, Ishaan. You'll learn. Okay? Don't beat yourself up for it."

"How can I not? How can I possibly not?"

"Hey, hey, stop, stop. Shhhh!" She put a finger on Ishaan's lips. She was getting closer to him, and Ishaan was slowly grasping his own heart. He knew well now, that he wasn't going to be able to stop her from coming closer and closer. Eir's eyes were full of concern. She was worried. She was not coping with Ishaan's little mental breakdown very well. "Ishaan, why don't you sing a song, like the one you sang that day in my chamber?"

"A song?" Ishaan asked, and quickly realized how stupid that was. He was a singer by heart. How could he not realize what Eir was saying?

He closed his eyes, and tried to remember the lines. He ran through his own mind to find it, and when he finally did, he sang the first two lines. Instantly, he felt like every nerve of his body was relaxing. Inside his mind, his own voice was speaking to him, saying, "So you messed up once. Big deal. They are all alive. And they are well. Once you are completely cured, you'll go and find them. Stop whining."