The café door burst open with a sharp gust of desert wind that carried heat and dust across the quiet room, immediately pulling the attention of every customer inside.
A tall blond man stood in the doorway, his clothes dusty from the desert and his hair slightly wild, yet the natural confidence in his posture made him look far more like a king than a traveler.
Alex recognized him instantly.
Thor Odinson had arrived earlier than expected, and even without his armor or divine lightning he still carried the unmistakable presence of someone who had spent centuries walking battlefields.
Thor slowly stepped into the café while scanning the room with obvious confusion, as if the small building and its unfamiliar furniture belonged to a completely different world.
"I require sustenance," Thor announced firmly, his deep voice carrying across the room with the effortless authority of someone accustomed to commanding armies.
Several customers exchanged confused glances while the café owner hesitated behind the counter, unsure whether the strange visitor was joking or simply insane.
Alex walked forward calmly while resting his arms on the counter, because he had already expected this meeting the moment Mjolnir fell from the sky earlier that morning.
"What are you looking for exactly?" Alex asked casually while studying the former god with quiet curiosity.
Thor frowned slightly while glancing toward the menu board hanging behind the counter, clearly struggling to understand the strange list of unfamiliar dishes.
"Meat," Thor finally replied after a moment of thought, speaking with the simple honesty of someone who had never needed complicated explanations for basic needs.
Alex nodded thoughtfully before turning toward the kitchen area, because dealing with a confused Asgardian prince required patience more than anything else.
A few minutes later Alex returned carrying a large burger and a mug of freshly brewed coffee, and the rich smell immediately caught Thor's attention like the scent of food would attract a warrior returning from battle.
Thor examined the burger carefully for a brief moment before taking a large bite that disappeared with surprising speed, and the brief look of satisfaction crossing his face suggested Midgard's food had exceeded his expectations.
"This realm's cooking is acceptable," Thor admitted calmly after finishing the meal with impressive efficiency.
Alex leaned casually against the nearby table while watching him with quiet amusement, because seeing the God of Thunder discovering fast food was far more entertaining than most people would ever believe.
Thor lifted the coffee mug next and drank the entire contents in a single swallow before slamming the empty mug onto the table with enough force to make several nearby customers jump.
"Another," Thor declared loudly while pointing at the mug with enthusiastic approval.
Alex returned to the counter and poured another cup while the café owner watched Thor with visible disbelief, because the stranger's behavior was unusual even by the relaxed standards of a desert town.
When Alex placed the second mug in front of Thor he noticed a faint spark of electricity flicker across his fingertips, reminding him that the connection with Mjolnir had not disappeared after leaving the desert earlier.
Thor noticed the spark instantly.
The Asgardian's eyes narrowed slightly while studying Alex with sudden curiosity, because even without his full power he could still sense the faint signature of lightning lingering around someone connected to his weapon.
"You carry the scent of thunder," Thor said slowly while leaning forward across the table.
Alex raised an eyebrow while pretending to consider the statement seriously, even though he already understood exactly why Thor had sensed the subtle shift in energy around him.
"Probably static electricity," Alex replied casually while sitting down across from him.
Thor shook his head slowly because his instincts as the former wielder of Mjolnir were far too sharp to be fooled by such an easy explanation.
"You were near the hammer earlier today," Thor said calmly.
Alex shrugged slightly while maintaining a neutral expression that revealed nothing.
"Half the town went to see what crashed into the desert," Alex answered casually.
Thor leaned back in his chair while crossing his arms thoughtfully, because the mention of the hammer immediately stirred frustration inside him.
"That weapon is Mjolnir," Thor explained with a tone that carried both pride and bitterness.
"I attempted to lift it earlier," Thor continued after a brief pause. "And it refused to move."
Alex watched Thor carefully while studying the tension hidden within the Asgardian's posture, because losing his hammer had clearly shaken Thor's confidence more deeply than he wanted to admit.
"Maybe your father had a reason for doing that," Alex suggested calmly while resting his elbows on the table.
Thor's expression darkened slightly because the reminder of Odin's judgment still felt like a personal insult he had not yet accepted.
"My father believes I must prove myself worthy again," Thor said slowly while staring into the coffee mug as if searching for answers within the dark surface.
Alex considered the statement quietly before nodding thoughtfully, because the lesson Odin intended to teach his son was something Alex already understood from watching the story unfold in his previous life.
"Sounds like a test of character," Alex replied.
Thor suddenly laughed loudly while leaning back in his chair, because Alex's calm tone and blunt honesty reminded him of the warriors he respected most back in Asgard.
"You speak boldly for a mortal," Thor said with genuine amusement.
Alex smiled slightly while folding his arms across his chest. "Someone has to keep the gods humble," Alex answered with relaxed confidence.
Thor studied him again with renewed interest, because the strange mixture of calm intelligence and faint lightning energy surrounding Alex made him appear far more intriguing than any ordinary Midgardian.
"You touched Mjolnir," Thor said quietly.
Alex did not immediately deny it.
Thor leaned forward slightly while lowering his voice so the other customers could not easily hear the conversation.
"When you entered this building, I felt something change," Thor explained carefully. "The hammer felt different."
Alex's heartbeat quickened slightly at those words, because it meant the refinement performed by the system had genuinely altered the nature of the divine weapon.
"Maybe the hammer just needed cleaning," Alex replied with a faint grin.
Thor stared at him for several seconds before shaking his head slowly, because although he could not fully explain the sensation he had felt, he was certain something unusual had happened to his weapon.
Finally, Thor stood up from the table while pushing the chair aside with quiet determination.
"I will return to the hammer," Thor declared firmly. "And when I prove my worth, Mjolnir will return to my hand."
Alex nodded calmly while watching the former god walk toward the door.
Before leaving the café Thor paused briefly and turned back toward Alex with a thoughtful expression, as if he was still trying to understand the strange connection he had sensed earlier.
"You are unusual, Alex of Midgard," Thor said quietly.
Alex simply smiled while leaning against the counter again. "I get that a lot," Alex replied.
Thor nodded once before stepping outside into the desert sunlight, and the moment the door closed behind him the faint rumble of distant thunder echoed once more across the horizon.
Alex flexed his fingers slowly while tiny sparks of electricity danced across his skin, because the connection to Mjolnir had clearly grown stronger the moment its true owner stepped into the room.
The story was only beginning.