The 'Hammer Incident' deep in the New Mexico desert continued to ferment within the S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence network and Tony's curiosity.
When Tony excitedly sent another communication, sharing the latest intelligence he had obtained through 'unofficial channels' about the blonde muscular man failing to lift the hammer and subsequently being 'invited away' by S.H.I.E.L.D., Artoria did not respond with her usual vague 'extraterrestrial observations' or cautious speculation.
She was silent for a moment, looking at Tony's face on the screen, which was filled with 'hurry up and tell me what is going on,' and decided to stop beating around the bush.
"Tony," her voice was calm and clear, coming through the encrypted channel, "That hammer is Mjolnir, the Mjolnir. That blonde man is Thor. The Prince of Asgard, the Son of Odin."
The other end of the communication went silent instantly, with only the sound of Tony's slightly heavier breathing. A few seconds later, he spoke, his voice filled with disbelief and the relief of finally hearing the'standard answer': "...Are you sure? The one from Norse mythology? The one who holds a hammer and summons lightning? Shouldn't he be drinking mead in some Heavenly Palace?"
"I am sure," Artoria confirmed. "For some reason—likely recklessness and arrogance—he angered the All-Father Odin, was stripped of his divine power, and exiled to Earth. The hammer was thrown down with him, but Odin placed a spell upon it: 'Whoever can lift this hammer shall possess the power of storms and lightning.' Thor has now lost his power and the qualification to lift the hammer. This is his father's trial; he needs to be here, as a mortal, to relearn what responsibility, sacrifice, and true 'worthiness' mean."
She paused, her tone serious: "Tony, this matter is of great importance. It is not just an extraordinary event; it involves the internal affairs of another advanced civilization and their relationship with Earth. Odin's trial must be completed by Thor himself. Any improper interference from outside forces—especially attempts to control, study, or utilize Thor and the hammer—could be seen as a grave offense against Asgard, with unpredictable consequences. It could even trigger an interstellar dispute. S.H.I.E.L.D.... or rather, certain individuals, if they harbor the idea of treating Thor as an 'asset' or 'research subject,' will cause a catastrophe."
Tony was clearly stunned by this series of information. He digested it for a few seconds before slowly saying: "So, that big guy really is a god... temporarily laid off. The hammer is an artifact with a combination lock. And his dad is playing a large-scale game of'setback education'? And our Earth has become his remedial classroom?"
"Basically correct," Artoria nodded. "So, I need you to keep this confidential, Tony. For the time being, do not reveal these specific details to S.H.I.E.L.D., especially the part about Odin's trial. It is enough for them to know that Thor has a special identity, is related to the hammer, and that there may be forces behind him that they cannot imagine. Over-stimulating them, or letting Thor realize too early that we know too much, could complicate things."
"Understood, my lips are sealed," Tony agreed readily, his eyes flashing with understanding. "That old fox Fury must have some guesses, but he would never imagine this level of 'family drama.' I will be careful to guide the direction of their investigation and avoid them doing anything too stupid. But... are you really sure you're not going to do anything? Just watch?"
"Not entirely just watching," Artoria said. "I plan to go to New Mexico myself. Nominally for a trip, but also... to get a feel for the situation on the ground. To ensure S.H.I.E.L.D.'s handling remains within safe boundaries and to check on Thor's status. If that black-haired guy who slipped away—that should be Loki, Thor's brother, the God of Mischief—wants to cause any trouble, we need to be prepared."
"A trip? Not a bad excuse," Tony raised an eyebrow. "Do you need me to arrange a title for you as a Stark Industries inspection team? Or a private jet?"
"No need, it's better to keep a low profile. Minerva and I will go ourselves," Artoria politely declined. "Keep in touch. If there are any abnormal energy bursts or... celestial anomalies there, notify me immediately."
"No problem. Have a 'pleasant trip,' and remember to bring me some 'local specialties'—like first-hand energy readings from around the hammer."
After ending the call with Tony, Artoria contacted Coulson. This time, she did not reveal the details of Asgard and Odin's trial, but provided clearer guidance.
"Agent Coulson, regarding that hammer in New Mexico and that blonde visitor, I have some speculations based on... travel observations," she said, choosing her words carefully. "That object, and the person calling himself Thor, likely come from an... interstellar civilization or dimensional realm that is vastly different from ours but truly exists, possessing highly advanced energy technology. That Thor has a special identity and is likely an individual of significant status, temporarily stranded here due to some internal reasons. That hammer is the key to his power, but it has been placed under restrictions that can only be used if certain conditions are met."
She added solemnly: "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s handling needs to be extremely cautious. The primary goal should be observation, protective contact, and preventing the incident from escalating, avoiding any actions that could be interpreted as hostile, controlling, or predatory. Although Mr. Thor has temporarily lost his power, his background dictates that any unfair treatment of him could lead to consequences we currently cannot bear. Please be sure to convey this advice to Director Fury."
Coulson was silent on the other end of the communication for a few seconds. His voice remained professional but carried a bit more gravity: "I understand, Miss Artoria. Thank you for your important tip. I will report to the Director immediately. We will treat Mr. Thor with courtesy and focus our research on understanding the phenomenon and ensuring safety."
Having handled the information briefing, Artoria began planning the trip with Minerva. They didn't make a big fuss, simply packed their luggage, booked tickets to Albuquerque, and rented an ordinary SUV. Artoria changed into casual clothes suitable for activity, wearing a hat and sunglasses. Minerva maintained her usual minimalist style, her silver hair tied up, also using a simple disguise.
Two days later, they drove to the town of Puente Antiguo. This town, located on the edge of the desert, was a bit livelier than usual due to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s arrival and the rumors of a 'meteorite,' but it still maintained the slow-paced hustle and bustle and tranquility unique to a Western town.
They did not head directly to the sealed-off hammer crash site but found a clean-looking family inn in the town to stay. The landlady was a warm and talkative middle-aged woman named Martha. When checking in, she curiously sized up Artoria and Minerva. Two young, beautiful women with outstanding temperaments traveling together to such a remote town was not common, but she was soon attracted by Artoria's gentle attitude and Minerva's quiet and proper demeanor.
"Welcome to Puente Antiguo, dears!" Martha said while handing over the keys. "Here to see the 'meteorite crater'? A lot of curious young people like you have come these past few days, along with those government guys. But that area is cordoned off now, and you're not allowed near it. But our town is nice too, with the best green chili sauce in the state, and the band at the bar is great at night! Oh, a few days ago, there was this particularly handsome big blonde guy who made quite a scene at Jack's bar..." She began to excitedly recount Thor's 'feat' at the bar.
Artoria listened with a smile, expressing surprise and curiosity at the appropriate moments. Minerva stood quietly to the side, her optical sensor having already quickly scanned the inn lobby, assessing the security situation and synchronizing location information with little ai.
Soon, the arrival of Artoria and Minerva, along with their friendly attitude, spread among the town residents thanks to the landlady Martha's 'publicity.' Two beautiful girls who looked quite extraordinary, polite and quiet, showed interest in everything in the town—Artoria was indeed carefully observing this town that might be drawn into a mythological event—and they quickly won the favor of the locals. The grocery store owner would recommend the freshest ingredients to them, the old cowboy at the gas station would tip his hat to them, and even Jack at the bar, when they went for a drink in the evening, voluntarily told them more detailed 'jokes' about Thor that night, and quietly pointed to a table in the corner: "That black-haired kid who was with him sat there later, drinking alone, with a look in his eyes that gave people the creeps, but he disappeared the next day."
Artoria looked in the direction of his gaze. The table was empty, but she could feel a trace of extremely faint, cold, and ethereal energy residue there, which was completely different from the vast and majestic aura of the hammer, closer to shadow and lies. Loki had indeed been there.
The next morning, Artoria and Minerva drove toward the desert. When they were still a few kilometers away from the S.H.I.E.L.D. cordon, they stopped the car. The terrain here was higher, and they could see from afar the center of the area surrounded by temporary facilities and vehicles, where a faint object reflecting sunlight stood in the sand.
Artoria did not use any supernatural power to investigate; she just stood there quietly, feeling it. Even from such a distance, she could clearly feel the fluctuation—heavy, ancient, containing the power of thunder and a solemn oath. That was mjolnir. It beat slowly and powerfully in this desert like a heart, emitting ripples of rules that only those with keen perception could detect. On the periphery of that core fluctuation were the relatively weak and chaotic detection ripples woven by S.H.I.E.L.D. instruments, and... further away, in the temporary Base, was an aura of life that, while dim, was still scorching, full of unyielding spirit and confusion—Thor.
"The energy field is stable, and the rule overflow is fluctuating periodically, consistent with the'spell' state described by the Host," Minerva reported in a low voice. Her sensors could obviously capture a more precise energy spectrum. "S.H.I.E.L.D.'s detection activities have not reached the core of the rules. Thor's vital signs are located inside the temporary Base, and emotional indicators show anxiety and low spirits. No Loki or other abnormal Asgardian energy signatures have been detected."
"It seems calm for now," Artoria said softly. Odin's spell remained solid, Thor was experiencing the initial blow, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was observing cautiously. Loki was lurking in the shadows but had not yet acted.
Just then, a dusty pickup truck drove past them, driven by an old cowboy with a weathered face. Seeing the two strange girls standing on the side of the road looking into the distance, he slowed down and rolled down the window.
"Girls, you can't go over there; the government people are guarding it," he kindly reminded. "Take a look and go back; the sun is very harsh."
"Thanks for the reminder, we'll head back now," Artoria smiled at him.
The old cowboy nodded, looked at them again, muttered "There are so many strange outsiders lately," and then drove away, bumping along the road.
Artoria and Minerva stood there for a while longer until they saw a black and white S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV drive out of the blockade and head toward the town, seemingly for a shift change or supplies. Only then did they get in the car and return.
Back in the town, the atmosphere seemed to have changed subtly. Some people were gathering at the entrance of the grocery store, whispering. When landlady Martha saw them return, she immediately came up to them, her face filled with worry and lingering fear.
"Oh, thank God you're back! Just got the news, at Old John's ranch on the east side of town, there seemed to be strange lights and movements last night. This morning, several cows were found to be scared by something, and a section of the fence was broken. Someone said they saw a blurry shadow... Could it be that those 'alien things' the government didn't control well escaped?" Her voice was very low.
Artoria and Minerva exchanged a look. Strange lights? Shadows? Scared livestock? This didn't sound like the hammer or Thor, nor did it sound like S.H.I.E.L.D.'s style. Could it be... Loki had already started using his skilled illusions and tricks, creating chaos in the dark, testing, or planning something?
"We're fine, Martha, don't worry," Artoria reassured. "Maybe it's just wild animals or weather. Everyone lock your doors at night and stay safe."
After reassuring Martha and returning to the room, Artoria's expression became serious.
"Minerva, have little ai pull up satellite night images near the ranch and analyze the abnormal light sources. Also, try to access local security and traffic surveillance to see if there are any suspicious individuals or vehicle movement tracks. Loki may have already started acting; we cannot let him drag the town into danger or interfere with Thor's trial."
"Instructions issued," Minerva immediately began operating. "Additionally, I have detected faint signs of disturbance in the 'mystical' background energy in the town's surrounding environment, which may be related to residual illusions or dimensional shielding spells. The source of the disturbance is difficult to pinpoint, but it points to... multiple directions outside the town, seemingly deliberate interference."
Artoria walked to the window, looking at the quiet town gradually shrouded in twilight. The neon lights of the bar began to flicker, and the wind blowing from the distant desert carried the scent of sand. The people here were still living their ordinary lives, completely unaware of the storm that was about to descend.
A trial of the Divine Realm, a plot by a God of Mischief, and the observation and protection of an alien Traveler, quietly converged on this desolate and vast land. And she, since she had come, would not just watch.
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