"So tell me, Thor," Nathael said as they walked down the hospital hallway, his voice calm and steady. "Do you have any plan? Something to do? Or anything at all?"
Thor, who was a few steps ahead, stopped and looked around as if searching for answers on the white walls and medical signs. No one was paying attention to the three of them: a muscular blond man, a young man with deep eyes and 'outdated' clothing, and a white cat wearing a perfectly fitted vest. Nathael had cast a subtle Muggle-repelling charm when they left the room—just enough so ordinary people wouldn't notice them too much or feel inclined to question their presence.
"Yes," Thor replied, turning with sudden determination. "I must find my hammer. Without it, I am nothing. But with Mjölnir in my hands, I will regain my power. I will be myself again."
Nathael nodded but said nothing. He barely knew him. He would have asked why he had lost his power, why he was on Midgard, or how he had fallen from the sky, but he decided not to. It wasn't the time. It wasn't his place. Not yet.
Thor, after a few seconds of silence, looked out the hallway window and sighed.
"I know where we are," he said. "This is Midgard. Or as you call it today… Earth."
Nathael nodded again. He knew a little about Norse mythology. He had read about it in some Muggle libraries, though he had always considered it just another legend, like so many others. But now, standing before a flesh-and-blood Thor, it all made sense. Midgard was the realm of humans. And they were in it.
As they walked, Nathael and Celestia observed carefully. Everything seemed more advanced than in their world. It wasn't just the technology—though yes, there were flat screens, slim phones, aerodynamic cars—but the way people moved, spoke, and dressed. It was 2011, according to a medical report, and they had come from 1992, but in a different universe. Of course, they had been prepared. They knew they might encounter worlds with greater technological development. Nathael had even read about the possibility of universes with advanced tech. But seeing it in person was different.
Celestia, perched on Nathael's shoulder, watched curiously but said nothing. She had decided not to speak. She didn't want to draw Muggle attention. Though, she thought with irony, they were already the center of stares just by existing.
"And you," Thor said, stopping again. "What are your plans?"
Nathael looked at him. There was something in Thor's gaze beyond the initial arrogance. There was loss and loneliness. And Nathael, who understood those emotions well, felt he could trust him—at least for now.
"I'm searching for my father," he said calmly. "And my sister. Both disappeared into other worlds. They took their companions with them—beings like Celestia. I don't know if they're in this world, but… it's a good place to start looking."
Thor studied him closely, as if weighing the truth of his words. Then he smiled.
"I offer you a deal, sorcerer. Help me find my hammer. And in return, when I return to Asgard, I will ask my friend Heimdall to help you search for your family."
Nathael raised an eyebrow. Celestia did the same from his shoulder.
"Heimdall?" Nathael asked.
"Yes," Thor said proudly. "He is the guardian of the Bifrost. He can see and hear everything that happens in the Nine Realms. If your relatives are in any of those realms, he will find them."
Nathael and Celestia exchanged a glance. That was an ability even the most powerful seers in their world did not possess. To see and hear everything across multiple realms… it was almost divine.
"Very well," Nathael said, extending his hand. "It's a deal."
Thor shook it firmly—almost too firmly. Nathael didn't complain. Celestia then leaped into Nathael's lap and placed her paw over both their hands, as if sealing the pact.
"Deal sealed," she meowed softly, just for them.
They left the hospital. The desert sun beat down hard, but the air was dry and cool. Nathael looked around. The place was modest but modern. There were parked cars, a convenience store with bright signs, and a gas station in the back. Everything felt strange yet fascinating.
"Very well," Nathael said, turning to Thor. "Where do we start?"
"Where I landed," Thor replied. "My hammer must be nearby. I don't think my father would have sent it very far."
"Perfect," Nathael said. "And where did you land?"
Thor fell silent for a moment. He looked at the sky, then at the ground, then around. He frowned.
"I don't know," he admitted with an awkward smile.
Celestia brought a paw to her face in resignation. Nathael sighed. He had suspected as much.
"Then," Celestia interjected quietly, "let's find the people who were in the desert last night. The ones who brought us here. They know where the impact was."
Nathael nodded. He hadn't seen them, but if Thor and Celestia remembered, it was a good lead.
"Yes," Thor said. "One of them attacked me with a very powerful weapon."
Celestia stifled a smile. Nathael just smiled faintly.
"A taser," he said under his breath. "It's not a weapon—it's a toy."
But he didn't say it aloud. He didn't want to reveal he understood the conversation.
As they left, Nathael stopped using the Muggle-repelling charm. They needed to ask people questions, and for that, they had to be visible. Instantly, he noticed several passersby staring. It was no surprise. Thor was imposing with his build and long hair. Nathael, with his cloak and air of ancient elegance, looked like he had stepped out of a painting. And Celestia, with her vest and regal bearing, was a cat who didn't go unnoticed.
They walked a while longer, looking for a place to exchange gold for money. Nathael had brought plenty of pure gold coins, knowing that in any world, gold held value. Galleons wouldn't work here—or in any non-magical universe.
They found a small jewelry store. The owner, an older man with thick glasses, looked at them curiously but didn't question the origin of the gold. He weighed the coins, examined them, and finally gave them a thick stack of bills.
"Thank you," Nathael said, tucking the money into the inner pocket of his jacket.
Suddenly, Celestia tensed. She turned her head and gently tugged Nathael's pants with her paw.
"What is it?" he asked, turning.
Then he saw it.
A few meters away, outside where Thor waited, in front of a convenience store, Thor was lying on the ground. A small vehicle—a pickup truck—had stopped right beside him. From it emerged two women and an older man.
"Ah," Nathael said, smiling. "They saved us the trouble of searching for them."
He thanked the jeweler with a nod and approached. Thor was already getting up, rubbing his head.
"I'm so sorry!" said the shorter girl with glasses and a beanie. "I didn't see you!"
"Again?" Thor growled, glaring at her.
The other girl, with brown hair, approached with a worried expression.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
Then they saw Nathael and Celestia. Jane's eyes widened in surprise.
"You!" she exclaimed. "You're okay!"
"Thanks to you," Nathael said with a smile. "You took us to the medical center. We owe you one."
"No problem," Darcy said, approaching with a flirty smile. "Hey, you're… really handsome."
Celestia shook her head from Nathael's shoulder. She knew that effect. Nathael was, without trying, intoxicating to many.
"Thank you," he said with a gentle smile. "But seriously, we're grateful."
Then, casually, he added:
"By the way, do you have any place we could stay? We're new around here."
Jane hesitated. She glanced at Erik, who was silent, then at Darcy, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Well…" Jane said. "Actually, we were looking for Thor. Yesterday we saw something on our instruments… an energy streak. And in the photos, we saw a silhouette. It was him. We're investigating strange astrophysical phenomena… wormholes, Einstein-Rosen bridges. Things like that."
Nathael nodded. She didn't believe in gods or magic. Only in science. And that was fine. He didn't need her to understand.
"But… yes," Jane finally said. "You can stay with us for now."
"Thank you," Nathael said sincerely.
He helped Thor up and they loaded him into the truck. Darcy sat in the back with Nathael, Celestia, and Thor. During the ride, Darcy tried to pet Celestia, but the cat elegantly dodged her hand.
"What's your kitty's name?" Darcy asked.
"Celestia," Nathael replied. "She's a little shy with strangers."
At that moment, Celestia leaped onto Nathael's head and sprawled out as if claiming her territory. Darcy laughed.
"I'm sure we'll get along great," she said.
They arrived at an open space—more of an office than a house. There were tables with equipment, computers, and a small sleeping area. It was humble but functional.
Thor fully woke up when he got out of the truck. He looked around, confused.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"In my lab," Jane said, approaching. "For now, it's your home."
They looked at each other for a moment. Nathael, from behind, coughed softly.
"Excuse me," he said. "If it's not too much to ask, could you take us to where you found us? We need to look for something. Obviously, we'll pay you."
Erik, who had been silent the whole time, frowned.
"That area… I heard at the café that government people just arrived. It's a restricted zone now. No one can go in."
Nathael nodded thoughtfully. Celestia meowed softly. Thor clenched his fists.
"Then," Nathael said, "we'll have to be more discreet."