DIVINE CHAMPIONS 5: THE FROSTY FATES

MIKAEL'S GREAT FALL

The way ahead seemed straight, but ascending. Mikael could barely fit his head under the low mossy ceiling, though the way out seemed to have light somehow. The champions, still in their fylgja form, ran out. But Mikael needed a little time. He tried bending, but his huge body couldn't bend enough to go through. He tried sliding through, which also failed. So, Mikael did what elephants did best to weird obstacles. He came running and collided with the low ceiling, breaking the roots off into rubbish, and turning the gateway big enough for an elephant to pass through.

As they came outside, they stood in a yard, surrounded by trees. They looked at each other on what to do, when they heard a squeak from behind the trees. Ishaan's squeak. However, unlike the ranting, playful squeak, this seemed to be one of concern. Ishaan could be in trouble. Mikael trumpeted to show his worry to the others. Rishi seemed to have guessed it too. He howled on top of his voice, before the squeak turned to yelp. Then, suddenly, something landed with a thud on the yard. Something red. Something red and feathery. Phoenix Ishaan fell on the ground, silent. His wings seemed broken, while his neck had been snapped. Ishaan Borgohain was dead.

Then, the killer appeared. His body was the size of a human form of Rishi, but his appearance was that of, what was that English proverb? A baby faced assassin. Yes, apt. Why? For one, he was a giant squirrel. For two, he had fangs like a tiger. His tail curled up like a typical squirrel's tail. His eyes were beady black, just like a squirrel too. Nothing, other than the size and the fangs looked different. 

To his right, Mikael saw Rishi and Rick growl, baring fangs. Both their eyes seemed to radiate fire. Aitri bared fangs of her own, and roared. But before any of them could attack, Mikael charged. He stomped his feet on the ground and attacked, but Ratatoskr moved away from his place, making the champion of Ullr to lose his balance, and fall past the trees, to a different world. Before he did fall, Mikael had one last look at Ishaan's phoenix body, that burst into flames, and turned to ashes. That gave Mikael hope. Maybe, just like a phoenix, Ishaan could come back to life.

Gods knew what happened up above. Did his friends attack Ratatoskr? If they did, they were as good as dead. Did he kill them? Turn them insane? There were questions inside his mind, but as he fell, Mikael started to feel dizzy. He closed his eyes, and thought of his family, his sister, his relatives back in Norrkoping. Lastly, he focused on his human form. If he was to die, Mikael would die a human.

But Mikael Nyqvist didn't die. He saw himself turn back from an elephant to human, his own true form, with the blonde hair, the T-shirt and the pants being his very own. Even his bag hung from his back. And then, he hit semi-solid ground, which was piping hot. He was in molten lava.

Mikael tried swimming, but once again, two things affected his actions. Swimming this lava lake was no easy thing. First, it was wavy, which was taking Mikael with it. Second, it was so hot that anyone would burn already. All Mikael could do was try to ice it. That's what he did. He summoned ice to freeze the lake. That, however, didn't do much. The lake's temperature reduced to a bearable level, but the waves didn't go. That is when a voice rang inside Mikael's head.

This was no ordinary voice. It was shrill, but highly powerful. The voice vibrated inside Mikael's head, louder than any voice ever. Even more so than Surtr. The voice said, "Mikael Nyqvist!" Mikael didn't reply. The voice continued, "Your friends are safe. They are back as humans. And the bird boy is fine too."

"Ratatoskr?" Mikael took a guess.

"It is I. Mikael, I'm not evil. I didn't slay your loved one. He simply fell down from a tree when I spoke to him, showing him a glimpse of his true fate."

"How did he survive?"

"He's a phoenix. He burned to ashes, and came back as human. Would you like a glimpse too?"

"Did you show everyone?"

"No. But I am particularly interested in you."

"Well, I am not your science project."

"Boy, you must get out of where you are, and take no help from anyone."

"Well, I don't have a choice. And where I am, is where you put me."

And just like that, Ratatoskr's voice had left Mikael's head. And then, a hand came out of nowhere. Lean, slicky, with nails painted black, this was surely the hand of a woman. A drowning man could only hope. Mikael held the hand, and was soon followed by another. The woman seemed powerful enough. She pulled him out of the lava, and landed him on soil. Mikael looked around at his whereabouts and savior. What he saw took his breath away.

The soil on which he landed was red, as if it had been heated forever. The sky above seemed to be in a state of eternal twilight, with a lot of smoke around. There were quite a few little hills around. No, not hills. Volcanoes. Volcanoes that were constantly having minor eruptions. The temperature was very hot. Mikael felt his skin burn. So, he tried doing what he could do. He summoned the frost inside him, and cooled off his own body. Then, he looked at his savior.

In one word, the woman was goth. She had jet black hair made into bangs that covered her forehead. Her eyes were surrounded by thick mascara. She wore a full sleeved black dress. She constantly put her hands behind her waist, as if setting something right. Mikael stared at her as if she was a very peculiar thing, when she asked, "Why art thou staring at me?"

Wooh! Lady Shakespeare. Now that is not something seen regularly. "Sorry, I haven't seen thee before." Mikael replied, and then wondered why he was talking like her.

"Art thee Mikael Nyqvist?"

"Yes. How do you know me?"

"I am Karena. I am here to guide thee out of Muspelheim."

"Muspelheim?"

"Yes."

Mikael's head felt heavy. With one jump, he had landed in the one place he shouldn't have been at all. It was his grandfather's reign, and though he felt extra powerful in it, he still had no intention to wake his grandpa up. Ratatoskr was right. He needed to get out of this place. If he was right about that, perhaps, Karena's help was not a good one.

The girl seemed to notice that Mik was skeptical about taking help. She walked forward to him, and held him by the shoulder. She looked him in the eye, deeply, and then, looked away. Mikael's mind seemed to stir. She walked away from him. Mikael felt that she meant no harm. He was convinced that she was here to help. And so, he followed her, in these lava streets of Muspelheim.