DIVINE CHAMPIONS 5: THE FROSTY FATES

CONVERSION

"What?" Rishi seemed to have lost it, "How did that happen?"

"No idea." Rick said.

"That means we have only a week more to complete this quest before the protection charm ends?"

"Yep."

"By the gods." Rishi shook his head, and then, turned to Mikael, "Mik, you were saying?"

Mikael explained to his fellow champions what Tyr had explained to him. Rishi seemed to take it well, as went into thoughts. That was what Rishi did. He was like a true storm, ready to break out any moment. But, he had a limiter on him, that checked him before he started. Aitri frowned, before she took out her phone, and checked something. Did she get internet here? Mikael didn't think so. Rick nodded, and moved his tongue right and left inside his mouth. Ishaan however, looked worried. Perhaps he couldn't picture a phoenix properly.

They walked again, as Mikael caught up with Rick, and asked, "Does he look worried to you?"

"You seem really worried." Rick said.

"Do I?" Mikael realized that he had done it again. It was something he had in him that he couldn't help. He couldn't hide his emotions. He was so expressive, that it always carved itself out on his face. Yes, Mik was worried. He wasn't proud of it, but he was. But what was this constant concern for Ishaan that ate him up all the time. It was as if the answer was right there for Mikael, but he didn't see it.

Rick brought Mikael back, when he said, "If he does seem worried, he should get help. Music can only get him through. I'll see. You should focus on finding your own."

And so, they walked again. Mikael tried to find his fylgja. He took a trip deep inside his own mind, and even let a god in. But there just wasn't enough information. Good memory, good strength, innocent. What was this animal that just wouldn't come out?

They reached a small gate made of vines, when Ishaan said, "I feel fire around. Muspelheim must be near. Or maybe Nidhogg is near."

"Its actually both." Rick said, "Muspelheim is just slightly north of Hvergelmir. Nidhogg is just there." He pointed towards the place where the roots had taken a sharp turn. They walked past the gate, and before they could go with the roots' turn, Aitri, who was walking up front, took a step back and hid herself. She pointed towards whatever was behind the huge bushes that formed a wall around them, and bent sideways. Then, she made signs of wings and big ears and fire. Nidhogg was right by the roots. Rishi turned, and said, "Okay. I'll go first."

"But we have a problem, Rish." Rick said, pointing towards Mikael, "He is still fylgja-less." 

"He'll be fine." Rishi said, making eye contact with Mikael, "He can do this. Trust me." Saying this, he closed his eyes and concentrated. The wind changed course, and as if a mist covered the huge body of the champion of Thor, turning him translucent, before covering him completely. When the mist cleared, a big white wolf looked at Mik and his friends with intent. "Aww!" Rick said, as they got over their initial shock, "What a cute puppy." To that, Rishi growled. Now, he had orange eyes and white clean fur, as if someone had combed him over and over again. His size was slightly bigger than that of a normal adult wolf. "Gods, do you look like that bad boy from the last quest!" Rick said.

"Please don't remind me of that hell of a beast." Ishaan said, "He keeps me awake at night."

"I won't." Rick said, apologetically, "Anyway, my turn." And he closed his eyes. He walked, as he gave his hands a twirl. As soon as he did so, his skin started changing into a reddish furry one. His hands turned to claws, as Rick watched himself transform with surprised eyes. Then, as it happened with Rishi, Rick got covered in mist, and when that cleared, Rick was a fox. A sweet little red fox. His eyes spoke of mischief, as if he would run away into a forest right now, leaving them stranded. 

Well, of course he didn't. He stood still, sniffing Rishi from front to back, as Aitri closed her eyes. "Check to it, Didi." Ishaan said, "Don't turn into an elephant."

"Ah, I see the reference. Elephants, lions, rivalry. I get it. Smart." Aitri applauded, before she focused back.

But, hold on. An elephant?

It was as if Ishaan had opened a door deep inside Mikael's mind that he had been knocking for quite a while now. Suddenly, Mikael started changing. All he could muster up was, "Guys?" Aitri's concentration broke again, as she and Ishaan, and wolf Rishi and fox Rick stared at him. He grew bigger and bigger. His vision changed. He felt his nose elongate, and elongate long enough to touch the ground. Then, he saw the mist cover him up as his palms turned flat, his fingers creeped inside his hands, leaving just the tip outside. His ears grew bigger, his clothes disappeared, as his skin turned oily and dark grey. Soon, he stood there on all four, as an elephant.

"Guess that's his fylgja then." Ishaan said.

"Come on, Mik." Aitri said with made up disappointment, "You stole my thunder." To that, Rishi growled. Yep, he got that reference.

"But we didn't convert ourselves straightaway." Ishaan said, "We just used our fylgja's powers before this." Mikael wanted to say that they had not tried to convert before, but all that came out was a trumpet. So, Aitri obliged. "Look, there can be two explanations. First, maybe because we didn't try, so we didn't know. And second? Mik's ancestry. It has always been his ancestry, right?"

"It has. Anyway, start, Didi."

Mikael observed his own self in this weirdly new form. He was definitely taller, more than he would have wanted to be. He had tusks. Wow! He moved slightly slower, but he felt physically stronger. Then, he was fatter. He hated that. Lastly, he felt intellectually stronger. And by the time he was done admiring and slamming himself, Aitri had turned into a lioness. She looked at Mik, let out a small roar, and leaped beside the wolf. A wolf and a lioness in love. Who knew?

Now, everyone was looking at Ishaan. And he knew it. He said, "Start moving, guys. My fylgja takes a slight time to arrive. I'll join you soon."

And so, a wolf, a lioness, a fox and an elephant walked together in a spring, trying to cross a dragon, and hoping to avoid a squirrel. Hopefully, a phoenix would join them too.