A Gods Favor

A Strange Encounter

Fall of 2016, Midgard

Elora walked absentmindedly down the busy street as she replayed her conversation with Wanda. It had been a few months since she'd seen the young witch in person but despite the circumstances she and her brother seemed to be alright. After the events in Germany, which Elora had abstained from as she as she was only still on Midgard for Odin and had no real stake in the Avengers or reason to pick a side about the accords, she had left the compound and found a small loft apartment in the city. She did have to alter the landlords mind so that he forget it existed while she stayed there which she did feel a little bad about but she knew he wasn't a very kind man so her guilt only went so far.

Wanda and most of the others, however, were on the run and today was the first time Elora had been able to astral project and check in. They seemed to be alright but dissatisfied with their situation, which she understood. She hoped they would find a permanent base of operations soon so that she could resume her training with Wanda, albeit remotely. She also contemplated contacting Yrsa and Thor for the millionth time to let them know what had occurred but with their mission to find out more about the stones this didn't seem like a worthy reason to call them back.

Slowly coming back to the present moment, she looked at the shops surrounding her and one in particular caught her eye. The coffee shop was small and ordinary but familiar. She'd had a vision of it over a year ago when she'd been trying to figure out her path on Midgard. She scanned the people walking by, searching for anything that felt or looked familiar. When she found nothing she entered the shop, if nothing else came of it today she could at least get something to eat.

She ordered a hot tea and an excessively large cinnamon roll dripping with icing. That was one thing she had to admit, of all the places she had been Midgard's food was incomparable. After an hour sitting at a table near the front window picking at her roll and people watching she decided today was likely not the day from her vision. So, she rose and pushed her chair in before walking to the rubbish bin and tossing her paper cup, the other half of her roll wrapped in a napkin and tucked into the pocket of her skirt for later. When she turned to head for the door she slammed so hard into someone that she reflexively reached out placing one hand on their chest to steady herself. When she did her vision flashed white in a way it hadn't in years. Flickers of images flying by so quickly she couldn't understand the words or recognize the places. The only thing she did recognize or more precisely realized one thing she saw was an infinity stone, green and kept in a strange gold necklace around the neck of a man.

Elora's vision cleared and she shook her head, hand still on the chest of the stranger.

"Apologies," she said before looking up and stilling again. A tall man with a neat goatee and sleek dark hair that was greying at his temples stood in front of her with a look of annoyance on his face. A look she had seen in a vision a year ago on the face of the man she just seen in the flashes.

"It's fine." The man stepped around her and unthinkingly Elora waved a hand, the possibility of finding another stone clouding her judgement, and the illusion cloaking the chain around his neck fell.

He whirled back to face her and his hands went up. The eye shaped pendant glowed and opened to reveal the stone and the world around them froze before small golden shields formed over his fists. "Bold move but not very smart."

The man began to move his hands again but she lifted her chin and had to hold back a smirk at the wide-eyed look of panic on his face when he found he could no longer move. "I mean you no harm, mage. Please, accept my most sincere apologies for allowing my excitement to cloud my better judgement but the gem around your neck is of interest to me." When his eyes ignited with rage at her words she stepped back and bowed her head. "I do not mean to take it from you but I would like to know what you know about it and how you came to possess it if you'd be willing to talk."

She waited a beat and when he didn't answer she realized she was still holding him. "Oh, sorry." She waved a finger and freed him, cautious that he might attack her.

"Who are you," the man asked as he straightened his angry glare still cutting into her.

"Yes, of course," she said before dropping into a curtsy. "I am Lady Elora of Asgard"

"Paradox." The man muttered as she stood.

"I'm sorry?"

"I've heard of you, about a year ago in Johannesburg when the hulk was going wild in the city. You were all over the news but your eyes..."

Elora nodded and her illusion fell away revealing the bright blue eyes and pointed ears she kept hidden to blend in. "And you are?"

"Stephen Strange." He seemed to relax slightly as he answered and Elora took that as an opportunity.

"It's lovely to meet you, Stephen. Now would you like to continue our conversation here," she gestured to the frozen people around them. "Or did you have a location you would feel more comfortable at? I'd invite you to mine but it's incredibly small."

Stephen looked around and nodded before holding out a hand. "I've got a place."