"What just happened?"
Hawkeye was still trying to process what he'd just seen. The events had been so surreal that he started wondering if he'd imagined it all.
Coulson, being more familiar with Ethan's identity, recovered more quickly and turned to him with a question. "Was that magic? Are there any limitations to this kind of magic?"
Ethan shook his head. "The only limitation is the skill of the user."
He didn't elaborate further. In reality, teleportation magic did have significant limitations. For most ordinary mages, the destination of a teleportation had to be a place they were deeply familiar with. Only by clearly visualizing the target location could the spell succeed.
Of course, for a sorcerer of the Ancient One's caliber, such restrictions were irrelevant. She could teleport anywhere within a plane of existence at will, limited only by her inability to break through dimensional barriers, something that required even greater magic.
Arthur's sudden appearance caused a stir among the surrounding S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. However, with Coulson and Hawkeye present, no one overreacted or tried to subdue the intruder. Following Coulson's instructions, the agents quickly returned to their duties.
"Let me introduce him properly," Ethan said, gesturing to the young man. "This is Arthur Pendragon, from Britain."
"Britain?" Hawkeye raised an eyebrow.
"Well… not exactly," Ethan clarified. "Modern Britain and Arthur's Britain are very different. In fact, the invaders Arthur fought back then were the ancestors of today's British people."
"Arthur Pendragon?" Tony's curiosity was piqued. The name and the association with Britain triggered an immediate recognition. "Don't tell me this is that Arthur," he said, already suspecting the truth. "You're not seriously saying he's King Arthur."
"That's exactly who he is," Ethan confirmed with a nod.
"You're joking, right? There's no conclusive evidence King Arthur ever even existed. And now you're telling me this boy, who looks younger than you, is that Arthur?"
Ethan spread his hands, as if to say, Why are you surprised? "Don't forget—I already told you about my origins."
"You mean…" Tony trailed off, piecing things together. "He's not from this world?"
"Of course not."
The exchange between the two only served to confuse Coulson and Hawkeye further. Coulson, being more composed, interrupted their conversation. "Okay, that's enough. Can someone explain what you're talking about?"
Arthur Pendragon. King of Britain. Better known as King Arthur.
When Ethan revealed Arthur's identity, Coulson and Hawkeye finally understood the earlier cryptic comments.
"You're saying he's King Arthur?" Hawkeye muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I must still be half-asleep."
Coulson, meanwhile, looked equally incredulous. "Are you saying time travel is possible?"
"No," Ethan clarified. "You'll need to understand the concept of parallel universes. And for the record, I have no idea if King Arthur really exists in your world."
In many universes, King Arthur was nothing more than a legend, a figure immortalized in poetry and folklore. Whether or not he truly existed had always been a topic of debate. In fact, modern Britain's obsession with Arthur stemmed from efforts by early rulers to unify the country under a shared cultural identity. His actual existence, however, was irrelevant to their political goals.
Arthur, for his part, wasn't particularly interested in philosophical musings about his existence. In his world, he had lived and ruled. That was all that mattered. Over time, he had embraced Ethan's philosophy of focusing on acquiring knowledge and improving himself for the future.
As they moved from the tarmac to the center of the temporary camp, Coulson and Hawkeye remained somewhat disoriented. Hawkeye, being a field agent used to combat missions, adjusted more quickly; after all, he didn't need to dwell on such abstract matters. Coulson, on the other hand, was already dreading how he would explain today's events to Nick Fury.
"If King Arthur exists, then what about Merlin?" Hawkeye suddenly asked, remembering the legendary wizard's prominent role in Arthurian lore.
Merlin was an inseparable part of the Arthurian legend, and Ethan saw no reason to hide the truth. "Merlin entrusted me with the task of taking Arthur on a journey to broaden his knowledge."
"So his journey spans universes now? Merlin really is something else…" Hawkeye muttered.
Coulson, meanwhile, reassessed Ethan yet again. Anyone with ties to such legendary figures was clearly not someone to be underestimated.
With their thoughts swirling, the group finally arrived at the center of the camp. The area was completely sealed off, with the only notable feature being the hammer placed in the center of the space.
"This is it," Coulson said, his tone more focused now as he put aside his earlier distractions. Dealing with the hammer was the immediate priority.
Ethan and Tony immediately approached to examine the hammer more closely. At the time, Tony still had his Iron Man armor equipped, though his helmet was retracted.
"So, no one's been able to lift this thing?" Tony asked.
"That's correct," Coulson confirmed. "Many agents have tried, but none have been able to make it budge not even a little."
"Mind if I give it a shot?" Tony asked.
"Be my guest."
It would actually make things easier for S.H.I.E.L.D. if Tony could lift the hammer. They could then move it to one of their research facilities for further study.
Unfortunately, no matter how advanced and powerful Tony's suit was, it was useless against the seemingly unassuming hammer. He tried various positions and methods but couldn't make it move an inch.
Meanwhile, Ethan stood to the side, silently observing. He didn't interfere, choosing instead to release his mental energy to carefully sense the hammer's properties.
As Tony continued his increasingly creative but futile attempts, Ethan eventually spoke. "Alright, Tony, that's enough. You're not going to be able to lift it."
"What did you find?" Tony asked, drawing everyone's attention to Ethan.
Instead of answering directly, Ethan gestured for Arthur to try. "Your turn."
"Why him?" Tony asked. "I know he's famous, but he just looks like a regular kid. Does this hammer have some connection to him?"
"No, I'm testing a theory," Ethan replied.
In the comic universe, Thor's hammer could recognize individuals of pure heart and integrity, and in the absence of Thor, it could choose a new wielder. But this was the movie universe, and Ethan suspected Odin had implemented a specific enchantment on the hammer.
Arthur stepped forward and gave it his best effort. Despite his considerable strength, the hammer didn't budge—not even a tremor.
"Just as I thought," Ethan muttered.
"What's the verdict?" Tony asked.
"I was right. Odin placed a seal on this hammer. Unless he removes it himself, no one else can lift it."
Ethan then turned to Arthur. "Did the Ancient One mention anything specific?"
Arthur flexed his sore hands and replied, "She said this was a family matter and that we shouldn't get involved."
That confirmation cemented Ethan's earlier speculation. Odin had enchanted the hammer as part of Thor's punishment, ensuring that no one else could claim it during his exile.
"This is all just a family drama," Ethan remarked. "Odin sent Thor to Earth to teach him a lesson, not to disown him. Once Thor learns what he needs to, he'll reclaim his position as Asgard's heir."
Thor's hammer, therefore, posed no real threat to Earth. Its presence here was merely a byproduct of Asgard's internal conflicts.
"If I declare this thing harmless and irrelevant, can I finally get some rest?" Ethan asked.
"Are you certain?" Coulson asked. "Do you even know what it's made of?"
"I do," Ethan replied. "It's forged from the core of a white dwarf star."
"Hold on," Tony interrupted, "Did you say white dwarf star? Are you sure you don't mean some magical material with a similar name?"
"You heard me correctly. A white dwarf star, as in the astronomical phenomenon," Ethan said, ignoring Tony's widening eyes. He continued, "The hammer's surface is covered in an unbreakable enchantment, and there's a powerful energy field preventing anyone from truly touching the hammer. Unless someone can remove that energy, the hammer isn't going anywhere."
"So… it's really magic?" Coulson asked.
Ethan shook his head. "It's beyond magic or science as we know it. Asgard's technology is a perfect fusion of both, creating something that transcends those definitions."
Having shared everything relevant, Ethan fell silent. All that was left was to wait for Thor to arrive.
Fortunately, the wait wasn't long. Just as Ethan finished speaking, Coulson received a communication: someone had breached the camp's perimeter.
***
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