"Things just got complicated," Fury sighed, looking at the hologram. "We have a Thunder God coming to Earth. And we have no protocol for First Contact with Asgard."
"Especially since we don't know how they view us," Fury added grimly. "In the myths, they were worshiped. Do they expect us to kneel? Because I don't kneel."
"It should be fine," Tony waved a hand dismissively, though his eyes betrayed his concern. "Lucas called him one of the 'Big Three' of your Boy Band. If he's a superhero, he's probably on our side."
"Probably," Tony emphasized. "Unless 'Hero' in Asgardian culture means 'Guy who pillages villages'."
"But look at the heavy hitter," Tony pointed to the text. "Odin held on for a few extra years to teach his son a lesson. 'Held on'? That sounds like... he's dying."
Fury stared at Tony. The billionaire had no filter. Casually discussing the mortality of the All-Father like it was stock market fluctuation.
"It implies Gods have problems too," Fury mused. "Succession crises. Rebellious kids. Mortality. They aren't just drinking mead in Valhalla."
"If Odin dies..." Tony trailed off, his mind racing. "Odin is the protector of the Nine Realms. If Earth is one of them, then he's our bouncer."
"If the bouncer dies," Tony looked at Fury, "the club gets raided."
"Exactly," Fury nodded. "Aliens. Evil Gods. Cosmic warlords. They've stayed away because of Odin. If he's gone... it's open season on Earth."
"And that explains the 'Universal Crisis'," Fury connected the dots. "Earth is just a speck of dust. We can't project power. We can't travel to other galaxies. So if you saved the universe..."
"The crisis came to me," Tony finished. "The war happens here."
"Great," Tony laughed humorlessly. "Earth: The designated battlefield for cosmic drama. Thanks, writers. We love being the punching bag."
"But it makes sense," Tony continued. "If Odin falls, the power vacuum draws in the sharks. Thanos. Or whoever."
"So," Tony clapped his hands together. "We need to prepare. Not just for Thor. But for whatever chases him."
"I need to upgrade the suits," Tony muttered to himself. "Anti-God Buster armor? Maybe. Magic resistance? Is that a thing?"
"And you need to get your diplomatic corps ready," Tony told Fury. "When Prince Charming lands, you better have a welcome basket. And maybe some mead."
"I'm ready for anything," Fury said stoically. "Zeus. Ra. Shiva. If they show up, I'll have coffee ready. But the real problem..."
"Is the other side of the coin," Tony finished. "Demons. Hell dimensions. If Heaven is real, Hell is real. And I don't think my repulsors work on ghosts."
The room fell silent. The weight of the expanded universe pressed down on them.
"We need Lucas," Fury broke the silence. "We can't tell him about the diary. But we can recruit 'Superman'. We need a heavy hitter."
"Agreed," Tony nodded. "He's already in the game. Might as well give him a jersey."
Suddenly, Fury's secure phone buzzed. It was a priority line.
He glanced at the caller ID. Coulson.
"Coulson," Fury answered, putting it on speaker. "Report."
"Director," Coulson's voice crackled through the line, sounding breathless. "It's happening. The object from the diary."
"The Hammer?" Fury asked sharpely.
"Yes, sir," Coulson confirmed. "New Mexico. Local police are reporting a disturbance. A crater. And an object in the center."
"It's a hammer," Coulson continued. "But here's the weird part. The locals tried to move it. They used a pickup truck. Chains. A crane."
"It won't budge. Not a millimeter."
"How heavy is it?" Fury asked.
"That's the thing, Boss," Coulson hesitated. "It's not about weight. The truck's engine tore out before the hammer moved. It's like... it's fixed in space-time."
"And there's an inscription on the side," Coulson added. "Something about 'Whosoever holds this hammer'."
Fury looked at Tony. Tony looked at Fury.
"It begins," Tony whispered.
"Secure the site," Fury ordered. "Perimeter lockdown. Nobody gets in. Nobody gets out. I'm sending a team."
"And Coulson?" Fury added. "Don't try to lift it."
"Understood," Coulson replied.
Fury hung up.
"Well," Tony said, grabbing his jacket. "Road trip to New Mexico?"
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