DIVINE CHAMPIONS 6: A FINAL CONFLICT

AIR-WATER: THE FOUNDATION OF A GUARDIAN'S ABODE

As they neared the great gates of Asgard, Aitri saw an Asgard very different from the one she had last visited. The sky above was an epitome of dread. As they drew near, the air smelled of fear, and nothing seemed okay. However, the constant thing was the watchful Guardian god of the Norse heaven.

Heimdall was still as big as ever. Buff, vast and aware. His Hofund had been kept by the wall of his base, which was under the foot of the mountain that hosted his palace. Himingbjorg, as Rishi called it. He wore a crimson vest, and loose pants. His dark brown cape flew like wings. He wore some sort of technology bracelet on his hand. His orange eyes as calm as a sea. The god seemed normal, as expressionless and calm as ever. Not a single strand could tell that he had nearly been drawn to an against-fate death two years back. Heimdall looked at the two, and came out of his base. "I saw all of you coming. Magni, Modi, run inside. Your father needs you inside. Tyr and he are running around, preparing the weapons. And you two, come with me."

As he ran towards his base, Aitri and Rishi followed him. He stood under Himingbjorg, and said, "This is a mountain. Will this do?"

"You know about the ingredient?"

"Vaguely. Just not sure where they are though. I'm losing a bit of my memory, ever since that day."

"Can't you see it?"

"Yeah, that is exactly why I say that we are short of time. Come." Heimdall picked up his sword, walked right under Himingbjorg, and slashed the blade at the foothill. He spread a hand and conjured a small glass jar with a chocolate coloured lid. He handed it Aitri, and smashed his sword at the foot of the mountain again, this time, driving it in under it, and pulling out a strand of the root of Himingbjorg. "Had Krishna been here, I would have requested him to lift it up in a finger." He said.

"He exists?"

"Not as Krishna anymore. But his real form exists, yes."

"We would love to meet him one day."

"Maybe you will one day. Roots, you know. They always catch up to you." Heimdall said, still as calm and expressionless as ever. Aitri opened the lid, as Heimdall put the root inside the jar. Aitri closed it down. "Well, that was easy." Rishi said, "And I'm pretty sure that isn't all."

"Well, for the first ingredient, it is. It is just that finding it is difficult. Can you write the locations down somewhere?"

"Yes." Rishi pulled out a pad from his bag. Aitri appreciated this preparation from her leader. She put the jar in her bag. Heimdall picked his sword up and touched it to his head, before closing his eyes. He prayed to his father, Odin, before opening his eyes. His calm orange eyes took a violent form, as if he was scanning the whole universe. He stopped a minute later, before he started, "Vanaheim. Freya's place. You'll find one there."

"Which one?"

"I'm not sure. It's a little blurry. Some sort of dwarf magic, so that no one replicates it."

"Beats your eyes?"

"Not always. But you forget that I'm still recovering."

"You are."

"Anyway, I guess Vanaheim is friendly territory?"

"It is."

"Great. Okay, next one is not so friendly. An encounter face-to-face with Hraesvelgr."

"Holy Helheim!" Aitri shouted, "Nidhogg's anti?"

"Yes. I think he has one on him."

"Hraesvelgr is uncharted waters for us." Rishi said, "He is the originator of winds, and he could be dangerous. But I think there is a key to calm him down. He hates Nidhogg, right? We could use it against him."

"You can. Okay, number four. Back to Midgard, off to meet Ran. I think you know them, Aitri?" Heimdall asked.

"Yes. She has an ingredient too?"

"She does. Must be some of whatever she catches in her fishing net. She won't give it to you easily. Maybe there's gonna be something in it. A cost, but I'm not sure of what she asks. She asks differently everytime. Now, off to the next. The worst one. In enemy territory."

"Jotunheim?"

"To Angrboda. She's old and wriggly."

"She's still alive?"

"She's a giant. Like Berg. Anyway, she mustn't know your original purpose, or she'll create problems which may not be difficult to take care of, but will definitely gross you out."

"Okay, five done. Last one."

"Yes, back at Midgard. Up in Northern Russia, to Siberia. Ullr has been living there for this winter. It would have been better if Mik had been with you, but Ullr, though lazy, is a sweetheart otherwise. He'll make you do things with himself, like some adventure sport or something. Bear with it, and you'll get what you want."

"Well, that seems fine. I guess, we'll..." Rishi was interrupted by a huge cry, of some heavily voiced man. "Tremble, Asgard!"

"Surtr." Aitri said.

"He's attacked. I have to warn the others. Champions, out of here, now."

"But we could help." Rishi said.

"Yes, you could. By collecting the ingredients, and destroying all this madness from its source. Come on, go. Now."

"But..." Rishi said, his fingers sparkling.

"Rish, he's right." Aitri said, knowing how much Rishi wanted to stand beside Thor, "You'll have your chance to fight beside him. For now, they save the day, we save the world. Come on." Aitri had to literally pull him away from there, as they both saw Heimdall blow his Gjallarhorn once, sending the signal of non-Ragnarok danger, without losing their sight for once. They went a little away from the gate, behind Himingbjorg, and Rishi pulled out the travel ring. He pressed the rune, and closed his eyes. Nothing happened. It took them a second attempt to open the portal to Vanaheim, and before they could jump inside it, Aitri and Rishi, both, saw the face of doom. It was one little glare, but enough to give people nightmares.

Bald head, covered by a horned helmet, the horns of which were rounded in the form of the sign of infinity, Surtr's eyes were not like raging fire. It was literal fire, flames. His dark brown beard was covered with fiery sparks. He held Frey's sword, completely immersed in flames. The whole of his body was muscular, pale skinned, and full of war scars. His fingers were on fire, and so was the loincloth he wore. Behind him, a trail of fire led his army of fire giants. Worst of all? He was nearly ten feet tall. The champion couple froze at the sight, forgetting that they had portal through which, they had to go. It was not until a flash of lightning ran across the Asgardian sky. The roar of thunder brought the two back to their senses, as Rishi pulled Aitri and jumped through the portal.