DIVINE CHAMPIONS 6: A FINAL CONFLICT

AIR-WATER: NORMALCY RETURNS

A month had passed since the war. And normalcy had slightly returned. People had returned to Pankhpur, and had moved on with their lives. Rick had put on a big picture of Mikael on his wall. He and Rishi had been to Vespasa and rebuild things there. Rishi felt guilty that it was their war that destroyed Vespasa, and Rick felt obliged because of his grandfather. They returned within a week. When asked how it was done so early, Rick said, "Hnoss might have taught me a thing or two."

Christmas was spent mostly settling people back to their homes. Aitri's parents were so happy to see her and Rishi okay, that they hugged the two of them for a long time. Rishi's parents hugged him, Aitri and Rick as if they wouldn't let them go. Finally, Ishaan had a very tearful reunion. Meghna's father had flown from Kolkata to see her after hearing of an 'earthquake', and found it peculiar that houses weren't destroyed, despite the fact that the news said that the earthquake was almost as big as that of Gujarat 2001. They were quite heartbroken at Mikael's passing, and mourned his death. Maja had returned to collect her stuff, and said goodbye to all of them. She promised that is she was ever in Midgard, she'd see them. By New Year's Eve, Ishaan saw his life come full circle.

They sat in the Jacuzzi room in Rick's mansion, while the parents celebrated inside the hall. A girl of about Aitri's age knocked the door. Eir had returned. She wore a beautiful sky blue dress, and carried a suitcase. The two had a very emotional union, kissing each other, hugging, and for all the evening, not letting each other go. "What of your life now?" Rick had asked her, finally getting to meet her.

"Well, I came to Midgard with a new identity." Eir said, "Meet Dr. Eir Svipdagsdottir."

"Wow," Rishi said, "You consider him your father?"

"I consider Menglod as a mother figure in my life, and he's married to her. So..."

"Yep. Got it."

"You gotta shorten the name, babe." Ishaan said, "Indians will butcher it for fun."

"And I'll have fun hearing them."

"Do you have a degree?" Meghna asked.

"Yep." She pulled out a piece of paper. True, she was a certified doctor from the University of Iceland.

"Perfect." Aitri said, "How did you get it?"

"I came to Midgard a few months after Ishaan left Lyfjaberg to give an entrance examination there, and I cleared with 100% record. They enrolled me in, and I had been spending two months every year. Well, a little thanks to Freya's magic, who loved love, I cleared a six year course in two. Now, I am actually a certified doctor."

"Do you still have your magical healing abilities?"

"I do." She said, "I kept my powers, just that I am mortal now. I am twenty one, and I am gonna age from there."

"Perfect." Rishi said, "Well, Dr. Svipdagsdottir, welcome to Pankhpur."

"Well, thank you, Saptarishi Roy."

"Where will you live?" Ishaan asked.

"I guess I'll need to find a house."

"I guess Maja has that solved." Meghna said.

"What?"

"She asked us to have you stay at her house."

"The Valkyrie?"

"Mikael's sister."

"Oh, she's such an amazing soul. I accept her gift."

"And what are you going to do to pay rent there?"

"I just got a job in the Pankhpur City Hospital."

"Oh. You've come prepared." Rishi said.

"You thought that I'd let anything stand in my way of being close to Ishaan?"