DIVINE CHAMPIONS 5: THE FROSTY FATES

HE SHOWS UP, FINALLY

The lava started closing in, as Surtr's voice was heard, "Mikael, my child. Thank you. You are free to go. All I need is the girl with you." Mikael looked around, his hands ready to shoot icicles, as he bellowed, "Never."

The lava was closing in like a wave that was going to engulf them. And then, suddenly, came ice. The temperature lowered, and the lava receded. Mikael looked around to find the source of the cold. The molten lava close to their feet was frozen, but melting every second. Slowly, the figure materialized. The majestic figure of Ullr came to sight. His hair was short trimmed, his violet eyes hidden behind a pair of Ray Bans, his black beard was scruffy, and he rode the similar expression of 'I'd rather do something else'. He wore nothing other than boxer shorts and sandals, as if he had left a Sunbathe in the Caribbean to save his petty little champion. "Who is that?" Kira asked. Mikael smiled, breathing relief among the smoke, and said, "That is my patron god."

"Who is it?"

"The lord of frost." Ullr said, "Dear Vespasian, you can trust me with your eyes closed."

"Let me guess. Barbados?" Mikael asked.

"Meh!" Ullr said, "I was in Reykjavik, when I realized that you were in trouble."

"You did, huh?"

"Of course I did." Ullr said, smiling, "Anyway. Lets go." Ullr stomped his feet and opened a portal. "Lets take you out of this hot hell, shall we?" All three jumped through the portal, and landed in the same courtyard from where Mikael had fallen down. As the portal closed down, Surtr's voice could still be heard, shouting, "Don't deny me my vengeance, grandson." "There, your rise." Ullr said, "Hit the road, that'll lead you to your friends."

"You ain't coming?"

"I can't, kid. Gods are not supposed to accompany humans in quests."

"Hey, how do I get home?"

"That is something you two will have to fix. For now, go find your friends. They are very close to Urdarbrunnr, in a little town that has been set up by outcasts I absolutely hate."

"A town under the roots of Yggdrasil?"

"Yes. The only place to survive after Ragnarok, where it is believed that Lif and Lifthrasir would be staying. Sadly, it has fallen in the wrong hands for now. Though I'm sure they don't have any bad blood with Midgardians."

"What do I do now?" Kira asked.

"You should come with me, and find the town, and find his friends. Then, Rick can send her home. Rick would surely do that, right? Specially when he finds out where she lives?"

"He would." Mikael nodded.

"Who is Rick?" Kira asked.

"The grandson of the architect of Vespasa." Mikael said, "Owner of Sarkar Enterprises." All Kira did to that piece of information was stare bluntly, and surprised. "Seems like you didn't tell her that he's also a divine champion."

"What?" Kira's surprised face turned to shock.

"In other words, life has come full-circle. Your people have a part to play in this war."

"I had a hunch about that. My sister is a divine champion too." Kira asked.

"Yes. Look, I know that this world didn't come to any aid of you in your war. Despite the fact that the two worlds were connected through your sister. And I deeply regret it. But..."

"You don't have to explain it." Kira said, in a considerate tone, "Vespasa wasn't much involved with it. It was mostly just me. And at that point, my sister was rescuing the death goddess, eh, what was her name?"

"Hel." Mikael added.

"Yeah. So everyone was in trouble. Plus, things turned out good. So, no hard feelings here."

"Phew!" Ullr said, as he gasped in relief, "Now that this is out of the way..."

"I would like to go home. Gotta break the news to my sister."

"Ah, yes." Ullr turned to Mikael, "Take her home, Mik."

As they walked, Mikael realized that Kira was a little too extroverted than he would have wanted her to be. Mikael had ever spent this much alone time with only a few people. His father was one. Maja and Ishaan were the other two in recent times. Now, here was Kira, walking with him for half an hour, while they searched for his friends, and for her ticket to go home. Kira was slightly chirpy, but she asked a lot of questions. "So, you can freeze things? Like Elsa?" or "Have you met Odin? Or Thor?" or "How's Rick like?" Mikael answered a few, but was mostly laughing at her antics.

"Would you tell me about being that Keeper of the Great Staffs?"

"Yeah, I mean, sure." Kira said, "You know Manco?"

"Who?"

"You know, Manco. The first man?"

"The first man is Ask."

"Ah, that's what you call him then."

"So, I guess its the same person with different names?"

"Same concept of the first man, but with different names and roles. For us, its Manco, for you its Ask. For most in my town, its Adam."

"For Ishaan, its Manu."

"Ishaan?" Kira asked, "Who's Ishaan?"

"He's one of us. He is kinda my best friend." Mikael had no idea why that last line came out a little down toned.

"You don't seem happy that he's your best friend."

"I am."

"Are you?"

"Kira, please. This isn't the time."

"Oh, oh. Sorry." Kira said, clearly dejected, "Let's move on. So, Manco, or Manco Capac, to be precise, and his wife, Mama Ocllo, had staffs to hold and unite the Inca people."

"Inca?"

"Yes. You didn't know that Vespasa is an Incan territory?"

"Wow! I thought the Incans were gone forever."

"The Inca are never gone. We are always there. Just that we don't come at others."

"So, why did you need the staffs for?"

"There was a war recently, a year or two back. We found help from outside sources. Ever since then, the outside help tasked Vespasa to guard the staffs, so that they be safe forever. I'm the only one who knows where they are kept."

"Nice."

As they walked through a gorge, they finally reached a little settlement.