29

Early Morning

Thor gazed into the distance, holding his wife in his arms with a hint of guilt. Perhaps she had already sensed something was amiss.

"My dear, there's something I need to discuss with you..."

Sif gently stroked Thor's chin, her tone resolute.

"Thor, wherever you go, I go too!"

"How did you find out?"

"Thor, who do you think you're fooling? Everyone can see it!" Sif teased, leaving Thor momentarily speechless. Was it really that obvious? He hugged her tightly and began to explain.

"Here's the thing, my love."

"I want to venture into my dream realm first. Afterward, we can explore the Nine Realms together. But my father warned me about the dangers of crossing realms, especially after our last visit to the World Tree mother..."

Sif interrupted her husband with a playful pinch on his waist, her tone firm yet affectionate.

"Husband, you know I can read you like an open book. Some secrets are better kept revealed. Promise me you'll be cautious."

"Alright. I'll only be gone briefly this time, just to tie up some loose ends. Then, we'll explore the Nine Realms together as promised, my beloved."

Thor nodded in agreement with his sister's wisdom. She was right; the more who knew, the greater the risk.

"Okay, time to get moving. You promised the Queen we'd take those wedding photos for her. Once we're done with these formalities, we can set off in a couple of days, alright?"

As his wife , she had spoken, and Thor was obliged to comply. Time flew by as they fulfilled their commitments. They posed for numerous photos with the King and Queen, toured the realms aboard a spaceship, and delivered several diplomatic speeches. After bidding farewell to their family, Thor prepared for his first inter-realm journey - destination: His Previous Earth.

Earth held many secrets, a fact Thor had mulled over since his rebirth. In his previous life, he had encountered tales of Asgard in comics and movies. Were these realms interconnected, and if so, what was the underlying cause?

As he delved deeper into his quest, Thor sought to gather knowledge and experiment with spatial and temporal travel. The progress bar for his temporal journey was already at 70%, much to his frustration. Why did these systems have to be so complicated? Pushing these thoughts aside, he commanded system to start travel.

In an instant, Thor found himself enveloped in familiar, swirling colors, the same ethereal space he had encountered as a disembodied soul.

Gradually, the colors coalesced into a swirling vortex, a gateway to another realm. Thor felt himself drawn into its embrace, a transient moment in a cosmic transit hub.

Manhattan.

The clear sky suddenly churned with violent winds and dense thunderclouds, as if a storm had erupted out of nowhere.

Mindful of the volatile atmosphere, Thor hesitated to step onto the streets. An immense cosmic sentience, far surpassing that of the World Tree, brushed against his consciousness...

Despite sensing his vulnerability, this sentience granted Thor a fraction of its thunderous powers and imprinted him with a mark.

"Welcome back, kid."

Thor blinked in astonishment. Somehow, he could communicate with the cosmos through his very being, hinting at further adventures he might share with his wife. Silly as it sounded, he cherished these whimsical musings.

Quest log: Learn Magic.

Thor pondered his next steps. He resolved to bring Sif along on his next journey to delve deeper into these mysteries. Perhaps a family vacation with his parents and brother was in order. With a crack of thunder, Thor unfurled his umbrella against the storm and set off, purposefully striding through the city.

Until he attained Level 7, Thor could only wield borrowed authority. True mastery would come with time. Despite the vast omnipotence at his disposal, Thor sensed no loss in his strength. Using his innate charisma, he flagged down a passing taxi and embarked on a solemn journey to a sacred site: the cemetery.

The journey stretched on, and Thor accepted a cigarette offered by the driver, smoking it pensively. Time seemed both fleeting and surreal, yet the life he had built in another world remained vividly real. A loving family, a thoughtful wife – he yearned to revisit the memories of his adoptive father...

Arriving at the cemetery, Thor felt a pang of unfamiliarity as he carried offerings he had picked up along the way. Eighteen years had blurred the memories, even obscuring the visage of his adoptive father. The heavy rain began to taper off as Thor finally found his footing.

Two gravestones stood side by side before him, one for his adoptive father and one for his adoptive mother. Thor settled before them, reflecting quietly. What he had anticipated before coming seemed less poignant now. Here he was, Thor, God of Thunder, reminiscing like leafing through an old, faded photograph album.

"Dad, I'm living well and happy. Rest assured, I walk the path you set for me..."

Thor murmured to the photograph of his adoptive father, struggling to find the right words, as he had done in life. Time passed unnoticed as he spoke, his gaze lingering on his mother's tombstone, where the words "Beloved Wife Lisa" glinted in the light.

"Dadadada! Husband!"

Just as Thor rose to leave, he was accosted by a petite woman and a group of stern-looking men in sunglasses. The woman, the girl he had once rescued, radiated an otherworldly aura, abruptly cut off by a voice in the cosmos. Beads adorned her neck, calling out to her "husband"...

Thor pondered the unfolding drama. Even he, a thunder god reborn, recognized something unearthly at play. His face and heritage were vastly different from his previous life. Could this woman and her armed companions be linked to...?

A cosmic imprint on Thor's being resonated, unraveling the mystery. Long ago, during his transmigration, two universes had briefly intersected through a cosmic transaction. This world's cosmic sentience had erased Thor's original soul imprint and obliterated all trace of his past. Yet, in a twist of fate, the World Tree had consented to leave a fragment of divine essence behind. The girl now before him, bore these celestial secrets, frozen in her very essence.

"Mr. Thor, we understand your doubts. This isn't the place for discussion. Please return to Asgard with us for a thorough explanation..."

Thor mentally reached out, navigating the cosmic currents to pinpoint a nexus within the main universe. The omnipotent sentience anchored him in place, sealing his fate. Was this the destiny of a son of worlds? If so, Thor vowed to make his mark – to defy fate itself. Could he masquerade as a mere mortal and ascend to a higher calling?

Despite countless entreaties, Thor found himself inexorably swept into a new journey, clutching the young woman to his chest.

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