Thunder rolled softly in the distance as rain poured down, turning the night into a shimmering blur. People hurried along the streets under their umbrellas, focused on their own lives and unaware of anything out of the ordinary. High above them, though, something spectacular was happening—an enormous, shining rainbow bridge arched silently down from space toward Earth, its vibrant colors slicing through the darkness.
Suddenly, Daniel found himself swept up in swirling, blinding lights. He barely had time to gasp before the Rainbow Bridge carried him along, its pull completely overwhelming. Every muscle in his body strained against the crushing force—anyone weaker would have been flattened on the spot. Years of toughing it out in Jotunheim had made Daniel strong enough to survive.
There wasn't even a second to catch his breath. Daniel shot out of the Rainbow Bridge like a missile and crashed into the ground. Agony jolted through him—like he'd been hit by a speeding truck.
"Seriously, Heimdall?! What's your problem?" Daniel shouted up at the stormy sky, not caring about the pounding rain. Frustration burned in him, drowning out everything else.
Who wouldn't be angry? He'd just been tending to some precious plants he'd managed to grow in Jotunheim after years in that frozen wasteland. Then bam—Heimdall yanked him out of there and dumped him back on Earth without warning.
The first time Heimdall had tossed Daniel into Jotunheim was ages ago, after Daniel touched the Tessaract at the end of World War II. He'd tracked down the Red Skull's crashed plane, followed the clues, and found it by scanning for its lingering radiation. The second he reached for it, it exploded in a blue flash, swallowing him whole.
When Daniel came to, he was surrounded by endless ice and snow—Jotunheim. He survived by luck, grit, and a rare talent for making plants grow. In that lifeless place, his power was almost miraculous—the Frost Giants had to fish through sheets of ice just to eat, so Daniel's green thumb was a game-changer.
Food had been scarce for years, ever since the giants lost the Casket of Winters, which made it impossible to control their climate. Laufey, the king, saw Daniel's plant-growing powers as a helpful bit of environmental magic. It was enough to make the giants tolerate his presence, even if they were never really friends.
Looking back, Daniel knew this all traced back to Heimdall, maybe even Odin pulling strings behind the scenes. Tessaract had always been under Heimdall's watch. When the Red Skull stole it from Norway, he caught the attention of Asgard's guardians. In the final battle, it fired off unexpectedly, transporting Red Skull to another planet—cursed, perhaps, for his crimes.
Daniel's own exile felt just as harsh. He'd been dabbling with Asgardian runes, making him a perfect target for Heimdall. After a single burst of light, Daniel was stranded in Jotunheim for over fifty years.
So now, without any warning, he was back. Luckily, he had the sense to always keep his valuables close—otherwise, they'd be lost somewhere in the ice.
He was different now. All that time had made him stronger. He'd mastered ice magic thanks to Laufey's guidance, and his life was much longer than before.
When Daniel first showed up in this world, he thought his timing was off. The golden age of superheroes was far in the future. Instead, he landed right in the middle of World War II. For years, he'd thought about freezing himself to skip ahead in time—just like Captain America or the Winter Soldier. In the end, though, life itself had left him cold.
A slap of rain brought him back to the moment. Storm clouds loomed, lightning flashed, and wind whipped water across the landscape. It was almost as if the Earth itself was giving him a dramatic welcome back.
But why now? Was this Odin's plan? Or Heimdall's?
Daniel brushed wet hair aside. The top priority was figuring out where—and when—he'd landed. He'd abandoned plenty on Earth decades ago. If anything was left, it could be valuable. But would anyone actually give it back?
He started toward shelter but hesitated. Something wasn't right. He narrowed his eyes at a distant tree. Someone was watching him—hidden by magic.
He snapped his oak wand into his hand, and a ray of white light shot out, blasting away the illusion. A stranger became visible.
The stranger looked calm, not at all threatening. Daniel eyed him warily.
"Kamar-Taj mage, right?" Daniel's voice was rough from all the shouting. The man—middle-aged, dark-skinned, shaved head, dressed like a monk—nodded, staff in hand, face steady.
"You're from Earth?" the mage asked, surprised by Daniel's human appearance and slightly odd accent.
"I was gone a long time. Just got back," Daniel answered, voice getting steadier.
"In that case, I'll leave you be. I'm Drum. If you need help, come find me at 177A Bleecker Street." Drum spun his Sling Ring, opening a glowing portal. He stepped through and vanished as the gateway snapped shut behind him.
Daniel relaxed, relief washing over him. Getting into a fight with the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj was the last thing he needed.
Kamar-Taj's sorcerers had become nearly untouchable over time. With their mastery of magical defenses, they could appear anywhere. While magic everywhere else faded, Kamar-Taj just grew stronger, collecting artifacts and secrets, and drawing on cosmic powers like the Time Stone and the ancient Trinity—Agamotto, Oshtur, and Hoggoth.
Their strength kept most rival groups at bay—no one wanted to stand alone against monsters from beyond the world.
They rarely got involved in Earth's everyday conflicts, even if the world was falling apart around them. Their sanctums were so well hidden even the IRS stayed away. Still, there were limits to what their magic could hide.
Daniel glanced over at a faint shape he'd sensed moments ago—just across the playground fence.
This time, he didn't hesitate.
He stepped behind the figure in a blink.
"It's not polite to spy on people," he said quietly.
The girl jumped, turning to face him, brandishing her umbrella in fear. Rain plastered her white shirt to her skin, and her pale blue undershirt was clearly visible.
"Who are you? What do you want?" she stammered.
"It's not about what I want. Why are you following me?" Daniel asked gently, taking her umbrella and opening it over them both. No one deserved to get drenched.
To his surprise, the girl didn't run. She trembled but stood her ground.
"I mean you no harm," he said, offering a weak smile. "Let's start again. I'm Daniel."
She calmed a little and whispered, "I'm Elizabeth Ross. Call me Betty. But if you try anything, I'm calling the cops."
Daniel laughed quietly. "You've got guts, Betty. I think we'll be seeing more of each other."
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