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Nidavellir.
This was a realm unlike anything in normal space - a civilization built around a neutron star, inhabited by the legendary dwarven smiths whose craftsmanship was renowned throughout the Nine Realms. A neutron star was one of the most extreme celestial bodies in the universe, formed when massive stars - eight to ten times the mass of Earth's sun - collapsed under their own gravity after exhausting their nuclear fuel.
The physics were mind-bending. Everything in normal matter was made of atoms, with electrons orbiting around nuclei containing neutrons and protons. But when a star of sufficient mass died, gravity became so overwhelming that it crushed atoms themselves, leaving only neutrons packed together in impossible density. A single cubic centimeter of neutron star material weighed about 2 billion tons - more than Mount Everest compressed into a sugar cube.
The evolution process of stars was essentially a continuous battle between nuclear fusion pushing outward and gravity pulling inward. When the fusion fuel ran out, gravity won decisively. Smaller stars like Earth's sun would become white dwarfs - celestial bodies made of atoms packed as tightly as possible while still maintaining atomic structure. But for stars over eight solar masses, even that wasn't enough. The gravitational force would literally crush atomic structure itself, creating neutron stars with gravitational fields so intense they warped spacetime.
Aidan felt the incredible heat the moment he materialized on the Bifrost Bridge's landing platform. The contact lenses he wore - immediately detected the intense radiation and adjusted their filtering to protect his vision. After a few seconds of adjustment, he slowly regained clear sight and looked around in amazement.
Both Earth and Asgard had complete, enclosed ecological environments with familiar physics and comfortable living conditions. Here, he felt like he'd stepped into a massive spherical steel factory floating in the cosmos. The realm wasn't a traditional planet at all, but rather enormous metal star rings constructed around the neutron star itself.
In the center of the mechanical constellation, he could clearly see the stellar core blazing with intense radiation that would instantly vaporize any unprotected organic matter. The light didn't spread in straight lines like on normal worlds - instead, it curved in parabolic arcs because the neutron star's incredible gravitational field literally bent the path of photons as they traveled through space.
This is what happens when you have enough engineering skill to build around physics that would kill most civilizations, Aidan thought, genuinely impressed by the scope of the construction.
At this time, a tall and powerfully built figure approached him. The individual had a face covered in thick stubble and stood roughly three meters tall - definitely not what most people would consider "dwarf-sized."
"Looks like my preparations were unnecessary," the newcomer said with a slight smile, putting away a pair of specialized protective goggles he'd been carrying. He extended a massive hand toward Aidan in welcome. "Master Aidan, Nidavellir welcomes you."
"Thanks. I'm gonna be causing you guys a lot of trouble," Aidan replied with a grin, reaching up to clasp the enormous hand. He wasn't surprised by their height - the reason they were called "dwarves" had more to do with their origins than their actual size.
According to the mythology he'd studied, their ancestor was Ymir, the primordial giant whose body had become the raw material for multiple races after his death. Those who were drawn to light and beauty became the elves of Alfheim, while those who preferred darkness and craftsmanship became the dwarves of Nidavellir. The name "dwarf" was only meaningful in comparison to the original titans - in absolute terms, they were considerably larger than most humanoid species.
"I'm Eitri, king of the dwarves," the massive figure said. "Let's go. Since you wanna learn our forging techniques, you've gotta start by picking up a hammer." Without waiting for further pleasantries, he gestured for Aidan to follow him deeper into the facility.
Aidan shrugged and fell into step behind the dwarf king, taking in his surroundings as they walked.
On the way through the industrial complex, Aidan watched dwarven smiths working at massive forges, their hammers ringing against various metals in complex rhythmic patterns that suggested centuries of refined technique. The sound was almost musical - each strike precisely timed and placed to shape the material exactly as intended.
"How many people do you have here total?" Aidan asked curiously.
"Well... about three hundred," Eitri replied after thinking for a moment, though he didn't sound entirely certain of the number.
"Three hundred people? That's everyone?" Aidan seemed surprised by the relatively small population.
"No, this is just one of the forging areas we built specifically for weapons manufacturing," Eitri explained, shaking his head. "We have multiple facilities throughout the ring system."
"Ah, that makes sense," Aidan nodded. After all, it wouldn't be normal for an entire species to have only three hundred individuals, especially one with their reputation for craftsmanship.
"You guys don't seem bothered by outsiders coming to study," Aidan observed, thinking about Eitri's welcoming attitude, which showed no signs of protective secrecy about their trade.
"We're not," Eitri said bluntly. "But since you were sent by His Majesty Odin, we'll do our best to meet your requests."
The dwarf king could afford to deny other people's requests, but Odin was the protector of their realm and their most important ally. Plus, looking at the physique and probable lifespan of the Earthling walking beside him, Eitri honestly didn't think the human could learn much of their advanced techniques. And even if he did manage to absorb some theoretical knowledge, would he have the physical strength to swing their hammers effectively?
The dwarven forging process required not just knowledge, but incredible physical power. As weapons became more advanced, the materials, forging methods, and hammer weights all required increasingly strict standards that demanded enormous strength to execute properly.
"Well, I guess I'm benefiting from Odin's reputation," Aidan said with a smile.
As they moved deeper into the facility, the heat became more and more intense, and the metallic hammering sounds grew more frequent and complex. There were no decorations anywhere - just functional metal walkways and buildings constructed directly onto the star ring infrastructure. Most areas were open to space, protected by energy shields rather than solid barriers.
Massive smelting furnaces were visible everywhere, and with the loud shouts of coordinating dwarves, molten metal that glowed like magma was poured into intricate mold systems. Their entire civilization's energy needs were supplied by the surrounding ring structure - essentially a Dyson sphere built around the central neutron star to capture its incredible energy output.
The smooth, consistent gravity they were experiencing meant the dwarves had also created some kind of artificial gravity system for their ring habitats. And because of their position relative to surrounding galaxies, you could look up almost anywhere and see stars scattered across the cosmic vista.
Living here would be like being inside the most advanced space station imaginable, except it's powered by a neutron star and big enough to house an entire civilization.
Soon, Eitri brought Aidan to what looked like a warehouse facility. The building resembled a huge space capsule, though the external metal plating was rough and utilitarian rather than polished.
"Come on. Since you're planning to learn forging with us, you're gonna need a hammer of your own," Eitri said, pushing open a heavy metal door and walking inside.
Aidan followed closely, and when he crossed the threshold, he couldn't help but let out a low whistle. "That's a lot of hammers!"
The interior was filled with forging hammers of every conceivable size and design. Some were basically the same height as Aidan himself, while most looked more like sledgehammers designed for demolishing buildings rather than precision metalwork. Some hung from wall-mounted racks, while others were neatly arranged on heavy-duty tables that could support their considerable weight.
"You can choose any one of these. If there's nothing that'll work for you, I can forge one specifically for your needs," Eitri said, gesturing at the impressive collection.
Aidan stepped forward and began examining the available options. After a moment, he picked up one of the medium-sized hammers and gave it a few experimental swings. "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" The sledgehammer made deep whistling sounds as it cut through the air, but he quickly realized it would be completely impractical for precision metalwork.
Under Eitri's mildly surprised gaze, Aidan systematically picked up several different hammers, tested their balance and weight, then put them back with increasingly dissatisfied expressions.
"Isn't there a smaller hammer available? I don't wanna spend all day swinging like a lumberjack just to shape metal," Aidan said finally, setting down the last oversized tool with obvious disappointment.
"You're stronger than I expected," Eitri nodded with genuine respect. Most visitors could barely lift the smaller hammers, let alone swing them with any kind of control. "Let's arm wrestle. If you win, I'll forge a custom hammer for you personally."
The challenge was partly about testing Aidan's strength limits, but also about satisfying Eitri's curiosity. It wasn't often that he encountered a mage with significant physical capabilities.
"You're on," Aidan nodded, rolling up his sleeves. This should be interesting.
Plz THROW POWER STONES