Soren folded his arms, eyeing the tall man standing awkwardly in the middle of his consultation room, as if the Asgardian wasn't sure whether to fight or flee.
"Are you Thor?" Soren asked calmly, scanning him from head to toe with a professional gaze that made Thor instinctively straighten his posture.
"Yes. I am Thor Odinson of Asgard~" He paused, slightly tense. "And... you are?"
Soren gave a disarming smile. "I'm the doctor."
Thor tilted his head. "A what?"
Soren raised an eyebrow. "A doctor. Healer. Therapist. You know, the people your Asgardian warriors visit when they break things that don't grow back."
"…Ah," Thor nodded solemnly. "So... a Midgardian healer of high status."
"Sure. Let's go with that," Soren deadpanned.
He stepped closer, his curiosity clearly piqued. "Phil Coulson told me your divine power was sealed... by your father, Odin?"
Thor's face tensed at the name, and he looked away. "Yes. He sealed it before sending me here. To learn humility, or some such nonsense."
Soren's gaze sharpened.
[Thor Odinson]
[World Class A]
[Ability: Divinity LV8 (Sealed), Thunder Control Lv 8, Fighting Proficiency Lv8]
Level A, as long as he healed Thor, he would get enough points.
Outwardly, he smiled. "Well, lucky for you, this 'midgardian healer' happens to specialize in strange cases. And I believe I can help."
Thor stepped forward, hopeful. "Truly? Phil said you might, but if you can restore my powers..."
"I can try." Soren interrupted gently.
"But Odin's not just any god. If I meddle with his seal, I have to ask, will he come stomping through a Bifrost-sized hole to smite me into cosmic dust?"
At that, Thor's expression darkened. His shoulders slumped, and he looked… older.
"My father… is dead."
Soren blinked. "Come again?"
"Slain by the Frost Giants of Jotunheim during the battle at Jotonheim," Thor said with quiet fury. "My brother Loki told me. He reached out through a vision, told me the grim news, and that Asgard was forced into a humiliating treaty."
Soren's brow furrowed. That doesn't line up. "Your father… dead? That doesn't sound like Odin."
"I speak the truth," Thor said stubbornly.
"Or maybe you speak Loki's truth." Soren replied coolly.
Thor's brows knit together. "What do you mean?"
Soren sighed and folded his arms. "Think. If Odin were truly dead, and you were banished and depowered, Asgard would be leaderless. Jotunheim would seize that opportunity to strike, not sign treaties."
"And they'd certainly reclaim the Casket of Ancient Winters while they're at it. That's war strategy 101."
Thor stood still, lips slightly parted, eyes darting as he processed it.
"Why would Loki lie to me?" He said finally, quietly. "Why would he...?"
"Maybe he wants something. Maybe you're in the way." Soren shrugged.
"You're not dumb, Thor… just proud. There's a difference."
Thor clenched his fists. "I, I must return. If there's still a chance my father lives."
"Easy, Thunderboy." Soren held up a hand. "I said I could help. Not just with your power, but maybe even with Odin himself."
Thor took a step back, eyes narrowing. "How do you know all this? Asgard has had no contact with Earth for millennia. Who are you?"
Soren held his hands up. "Relax. I'm not an enemy. And I'm not exactly your average Earth-dweller."
"Then what are you?" Thor demanded. "A sorcerer? A seer?"
"Thor." Soren said lightly. "I told you. I'm just a doctor. You don't need to know what I am. Know I'm not your enemy."
Thor stared at him for a long moment, eyes narrowing, the flicker of suspicion still in them. But finally, he nodded.
"Very well." He said slowly. "Whatever your nature… if you can restore my divine power, I'll accept your help."
A grin spread across Soren's face. "Good decision. And don't worry about the price."
"You don't require payment?"
"Not in coin or favors." Soren reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, sleek card, flicking it toward Thor with his thumb.
"As long as someone holds my business card, all treatment is free. It's my personal rule."
Thor looked at the card in confusion. "What is this… enchanted parchment?"
"You can call it that." Soren said with a chuckle. "Now sit down and don't move."
"I wasn't planning to~" Thor began, but then his body suddenly went rigid.
His eyes widened in shock. He couldn't move.
"What?" He tried to speak, but even his voice was frozen in place.
The atmosphere in the room shifted. A faint hum filled the air. The lights dimmed, then flickered unnaturally as if the energy around them had turned electric.
Soren's aura slowly rose, swirling with unseen forces. The walls of the Everlife Medical Center shimmered faintly, absorbing ambient power from every direction like it was a living thing. The building itself resonated with Soren's will.
Thor felt it first in his chest, a pressure like something ancient stirring.
Then came the pain.
Inside him, the seal Odin had placed stirred like a slumbering beast poked awake. The divine power that had lain dormant suddenly surged forward, ramming violently against the seal.
The two forces clashed with such intensity that Thor felt a silent roar inside his soul.
His muscles trembled. His face twisted with effort.
CRACK!
A clear, resounding snap echoed through the room , not a physical sound, but one that could be felt in the bones.
Thor's body jerked. Divine energy burst outward, nearly visible in the air, like heatwaves on the horizon. The air shimmered.
Soren stepped back, satisfied. With a gesture, the immobilization vanished.
"AHHHHHHH!!" Thor roared with wild elation. His voice echoed off the walls, a bellow that shook the glass and sent papers flying.
From halfway across the continent, deep in a heavily guarded crater in New Mexico, Mjolnir stirred.
The agents guarding it barely had time to react.
In a flash of crackling light, the hammer tore through containment, broke through the atmosphere, and shot across the sky like a meteor, headed straight for New York.
The sound of its approach was like thunder given wings.
BOOM!
The hammer tore through the clouds, screaming toward the Everlife Medical Center.
Staff and patients screamed and ducked as Mjolnir tore past the building, slowed at the last second, then gently dropped into Thor's outstretched hand, glowing faintly, humming like it had missed him.
Thor stood there, triumphant, holding Mjolnir high, golden armor shimmering like the sun.
"Alright, alright! No more howling in my hospital!" Soren snapped, glaring up at him. "This isn't Valhalla. If you break the roof, you pay for it."
Thor laughed, the sound deep and booming. "Forgive me! I could not contain my joy!"
"Well next time contain it at lower decibels." Soren muttered, rubbing his temples. "You're going to get me on the front page."
"Front page?" Thor blinked. "Is that some kind of royal recognition?"
Soren looked at him. "…You know what? Never mind. Cultural differences."
At that, Thor stepped forward, and with surprising sincerity, placed a hand on Soren's shoulder.
"Thank you, Soren. The seal is gone. I feel… whole again."
"Don't mention it." Soren said, brushing it off. "Literally. Don't mention it. The less people know, the fewer gods come knocking."
As if on cue, the front doors of the clinic swung open.
Phil Coulson stepped in, suited and calm as ever, a thin smile tugging at his lips.
"Doctor. We meet again."
Soren raised his hand like a showman. "Agent Coulson! Perfect timing… on timing, how did you get here so fast?"
"Quinjet." Coulson replies like that explains anything.
Thor turned to him, Mjolnir now resting against his shoulder.
"Greetings, son of Coal, I, Prince of Asgard, thank you for organizing this healer."
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Dare you peek into my other tales? The opening three chapters of select stories are free to all.
PhantomDream