DIVINE CHAMPIONS 6: A FINAL CONFLICT

SUN: THE PROTECTOR'S PROTECTION

The three entered the temple through a metal gate, with a rune of entrance. They were welcomed by a couple of cleaning people, their intimidating physique, and absolutely gorgeous smiles. "That hasn't changed." Rick said.

"Our Icelandic brothers are happiest people in the world." Mikael said, "It shows. They rarely misbehave with people. Unless you decide to offend them."

"Aren't all of you Nordics sweet?" Ishaan asked.

"Not really." Mik said, almost blushing, "Was I nice to you before we got to know each other?"

"No." Ishaan remembered how Mik was very quiet when he had first seen him.

"Swedish people are generally way warmer once they get to know you. But we keep trying to open up. Danes generally open up a bit easier than us Swedes. So you, as a non-Nordic, would find them nicer than us. Otherwise, Danes and Swedes are similar. Who remains?"

"Finnish and Norwegians?" Rick said, as they walked towards a channel.

"Finland's natives are quiet similar to Danes, but they are generally quieter than both Swedes and Danes. And Norway people? Believe me, once you know them, you know them forever. Norwegians are generally very constant. They rarely change over time. Serious people. But the one thing that makes them very interesting is?"

"Is?"

"They are generally no-filter. They say whatever they think. From good to bad, from better to worse, and from best to worst."

"Cool." Rick said, "By the way, we should focus on the word 'generally'. They are generally like this, and not all of them are similar."

"Exactly." Mikael acted like he was an expert on Nordic people. All he needed to do was take his collar up. But he had changed into a black V-neck T-shirt. 

The channel led to other little channels across the temple. That was a little unexpected for Ishaan. From outside, it didn't seem to have so many channels. Anyway, the first statue was that of Heimdall. His face seemed to have fallen. The statues looked a little jittered. All of them did. Other than Loki, every single statue seemed to lose some material, whatever they were made of. "Do you see what's happening?" Ishaan asked the others, figuring out the thing, as stone, in form of smoke, came out of the statues' bodies, "Guys, do you see this?"

"This is not what happened the last time." Rick said, worriedly, "The statues are shrinking. Very slowly, but they are."

"I feel like..." Ishaan said, before closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath, "The gods have channeled their powers in this temple. Whatever is happening to them at the war against Surtr, is affecting these statues too. And the temple."

"Oh my lords!" Mikael said, "Oh lords, this is the temple Dad told us about."

"What?"

"Dad told us once that after the Norse gods lost their prominence amongst Midgardians, they stopped interrupting with our lives. But Freya, not a fan of such, thought that she would help the humans remember them just a bit. It is said that she put a spell on a Midgardian temple dedicated to them, so that nothing could take it down ever. Then, the gods channeled their divine energies to withhold her spell. But human beings have never known what temple it was, and where it was. I think this is it. And as the gods grow weaker, the spell grows weaker."

"Is it safe to keep the Crystal here?" Ishaan asked.

"We will get to know." Rick said, his eyeballs disappearing under a white glow, as if he was scanning the temple for dangers, "We might want to check Thor's statue, which is in another channel. Come on." His eyes returned back to normal.

They walked through into another channel. The channel only had three statues. Odin and Frigg stood (or rather, sat) at one end. And beside Odin, a big statue of Thor. The helmet, the hammer, big brutish stature, long hair and beard, war-armor, long cape. Thor's statue was perfectly made. And his statue was the only one not yet smoking away. "Rick, he seems fine." Ishaan said.

"Should have known. Jormungand is not fighting him."

"Right. So it is safe?"

"It seems so." Rick pointed to a channel beside the statue, a one so narrow that anyone could have missed it. "Come on. This is the way Saptarishi Roy took that day. This is the way we take today."

The passage that they got in was not as narrow as it looked. Yes, it was narrower than the others, but it got wider as the three walked on. It wasn't a long one. But the walls around were interesting. It led to a little lit up chamber, and from that chamber's light, Ishaan figured out the carvings on the wall. Carved depiction of Ragnarok, and specially the scene of Thor's hammer on Jormungand's head. The channel ended in front of the passage, and as the three looked up, Ishaan felt like he was standing on a sight of historical significance. Which was true. "Ah, historical place." He said.

"Rishi had no idea that day." Rick said, "I was outside, perhaps. Even I had no idea that day."

"You actually didn't see this channel?"

"I was mesmerized by the statues. What do you expect?"

"This temple, in itself, is historic." Mikael said, "Freya's chosen temple."

The boys looked around. Ishaan saw a huge metallic door by the other end. The walls were light grey, and there were at least fifty fire-torches that lit up not just the chamber, but also the channel. The walls had different depictions, but most of them were withering away. The war was taking its toll. And the center of the chamber was a stone podium. There was a disc on it with Thor's rune. It must have been the same disc that Rishi had touched, and had changed the life of his, and of everyone who called Pankhpur home. Rick brought out the Crystal of Nature, and put it on the disc. As soon as he did, the entire chamber shook, as the sky roared thunder. Lightning broke through walls of the chamber and covered the Crystal. Ishaan realized that Thor's protection was working. Then, Rick did something very weird. He conjured up a huge carpet in front of the podium. Then, he magically opened the huge metallic gate. There, a man, covered in a blanket, sat on the ground, as if the guarding the entrance. There was a dark brown bag by his side. Rick walked up to him, and said, "What lies inside now is much costlier than before."

"Do what you have to." The man said, his eyes orange, and his beard and hair messy. "It will come back to me anyway."

"Thank you."

"Oh, champion of Freya?" He said, calmly.

"Yes?"

"I am sorry for that day."

"I understand."

Rick picked up the bag, and emptied it on the carpet, completely filling it with gems, gold, different stones, ornaments, etc. In the end, out came a ring. It fell at Mikael's feet, and before anyone could react, he kicked it into the huge pile of treasure. "You get what is going to happen?" Rick asked them both.

"No." Ishaan said.

"Clear as water." Mikael said, smiling.

"What is going to happen?" Ishaan asked.

"Come on." Rick said, "We'll fill you in on the way." He turned towards the blanket man again, who gave him a thumbs up, before turning invisible as the boys made their way out of the temple towards the car.