Star Dust (A Paladin Adventure)

Elite combat

"How do you come to be here? I thought you safe on Earth," Thor said looking around at us. "And where is Peter the young one?"

"We left Pete on Earth to look after business," Tony said. Thor nodded.

"As to why we're here, well, it all started when Odin showed up on the streets of Seattle," Steve said, and we told him the story.  Then Steve nudged me, and I smiled.

"Summon Mjolnir," I told him.

"Mjolnir was destroyed by the witch Hela," he said sadly. "I cannot."

I grinned at him in delight. "Try." He looked at me intently, then hope lit his face.
"It's on Midgard, it'll probably take awhile to get here."

Not as long as I thought. About five minutes later, Thor turned, looking up at the sky, and I saw a small object hurtling toward us, straight to Thor. He caught it, smiling, then dropped it, swearing mightily. It was red hot. I picked it up and just sort of double-checked it to make sure it was ok. Seemed physically sound, and once again, the energies from the enchantment crawled over it. Thor's eyes locked onto it, and I held it up for him to see until it cooled.

"I thought never to see it again," he said, taking it the moment it was cool enough to do so. "How?"

I explained about how the shards of the great hammer just showed up one day, how I'd figured out to reform it, and how the enchantment had been renewed. "But my father is recovering?" he pressed, and I nodded.

"When we left, he was awake and aware. Apparently he needs a golden apple to complete his restoration, but frankly, I have my doubts about some goddess just giving over one of those things to us," I said. "Maybe she'll do it for you." Thor nodded.

"And what of my brother?"

"He told us about Ragnarok, which frankly, we can't seem to fit into this scenario, but is worrisome enough. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with Odin either, when we took him to visit. He was very agitated when he heard you hadn't returned, and when he learned the hammer was shattered..." I paused a moment. "He thought you were dead. Then this big sword he apparently forged fell into his cell and he used it to break out of the cell. I followed him outside where the Bifrost picked him up." I put my hand on his arm to quiet him; my hand was apparently too hot still and Thor winced. I dropped my hand. "The next we know, he sends Volstagg and Fandral to us for help after breaking them out of jail. We all went to Asgard and were captured. Did you know that Hela is Loki's birth mother?"

Thor flinched. "No, but somehow it does not surprise me. If Father knows, he did not see fit to tell me."

"He said to tell you that he was sorry," I said gently. "For what it's worth, I believe him." Thor looked at me consideringly.

"You didn't tell us you were barely legal," Tony said, breaking the moment.

"What?" Thor said warily.

"Hela told Emma that the both of you are practically infants," Tony said with a smirk. Thor's blustering and rationalizing made us all smile.

"So what can you tell us about this place?" Natasha asked practically.

"You know I went in search of Banner," he said after a hesitation. We nodded. "I found him. Sort of." Natasha's hands curled into fists and I moved to her side. "He is the big green one now, all the time. He has not reverted to Bruce Banner once since I found him." Natasha made a small sound. "I do not know if he can, anymore," he told her gently. "He does seem calmer now, however. We have teamed up with another being for the purposes of this game. Would you like to see him?" Natasha nodded. He led her away.