Marvel's Druidic God ♾️

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The First Steps into an Unfamiliar World

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Disoriented but Not Alone

Ethan's mind was still spinning, his thoughts a chaotic storm of disbelief, confusion, and something deeper he wasn't ready to name.

His body ached as he took slow, unsteady steps down the gravel path, his senses overwhelmed by the distant hum of traffic, the murmur of conversations, and the rustling of leaves overhead. The realization that he was no longer in his world was a weight pressing against his chest, but panic wouldn't help him now.

Survive first. Process later.

A flicker of movement in his peripheral vision made him tense.

"You okay, kid?"

Ethan turned sharply, his muscles coiling instinctively, though there was no real threat.

A park ranger stood a few feet away, watching him with mild concern. The man looked to be in his late forties, his uniform crisp but well-worn, the emblem of New York City's parks department stitched onto his shoulder.

Ethan forced his expression into something neutral, swallowing back the rising storm of emotions.

"I… yeah. Just a little lost," he said, keeping his voice as steady as possible.

The ranger gave him a once-over, his brow furrowing slightly.

"You from out of town?"

Ethan hesitated for a fraction of a second before nodding. "Yeah. First time in New York."

Not exactly a lie.

The ranger's expression softened, and he jerked a thumb toward the main path. "You're not far from the main roads. Just follow this path, and you'll hit the park exit. Lot of taxis and buses around there."

Ethan nodded. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

The ranger studied him for a second longer, then offered a small, knowing smirk. "Word of advice? Keep your wallet in your front pocket, don't stare up at the buildings too long, and if someone on the street starts talking about 'limited edition' Rolexes, walk away."

Ethan let out a small, shaky chuckle. "I'll keep that in mind."

The ranger nodded and moved on, disappearing down another trail.

Ethan exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus on his next steps.

Find out where he was.

Figure out when he was.

And, most importantly, figure out what the hell he was going to do next.

The overwhelming urge to keep moving pushed him forward.

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A City That Shouldn't Exist

The moment he stepped out of the park, the city swallowed him whole.

Noise. Smells. Movement. Everything was alive in a way that made his skin prickle.

He had never been to New York before, not even in his own world, but this was exactly how people had described it—loud, bustling, and constantly in motion.

Yellow taxis lined the streets, honking impatiently. Pedestrians moved with purpose, some talking on phones, others lost in their own worlds. The scent of street food mixed with the faint bite of exhaust fumes.

It was too real. Too detailed.

He couldn't deny it anymore.

This wasn't a dream. This wasn't a hallucination.

This was real.

A group of joggers passed by, chatting between breaths.

"—did you hear about that storm in New Mexico?" one of them said.

"Yeah, some freak lightning disaster or something. Flattened half a town."

"Weather's been crazy lately. Ever since that thing with Stark—"

Ethan's stomach twisted. He forced himself to keep walking, his ears tuned to every snippet of conversation around him.

Near a park bench, a woman sat scrolling through her phone while her friend sipped coffee beside her.

"Did you see the new article on Stark Industries?" the first woman asked.

"About the clean energy project?"

"Yeah, it's supposed to revolutionize everything. Some kind of next-gen power source. Makes you wonder what else he's got in the works."

Ethan's chest tightened. His eyes darted around, looking for something—anything—to confirm what his gut was already screaming at him.

And then his eyes landed on something that made his stomach drop.

A newsstand.

Ethan's feet carried him forward before he fully processed what he was doing. His gaze swept across the stacks of newspapers and magazines, his pulse hammering as he scanned the headlines.

"Howard Stark's Legacy: The Man Who Built an Empire."

"Captain America – The Hero Who Never Came Home."

"Military Denies Unstable Gamma Experiment – Officials Say Fugitive Scientist is a Non-Threat."

"Unusual Storm Devastates New Mexico Town – Experts Baffled by Meteorological Anomaly."

His throat went dry.

The paper in front of him was dated June 17, 2011.

Days—maybe a week—after the events of Thor.

Ethan swallowed hard, his fingers tightening around the edge of the newsstand's metal rack.

His mind reeled, trying to grasp the full implications.

Before the Battle of New York. Before the Avengers assembled.

Before everything.

His gaze lifted slightly, drawn to a massive digital billboard above a nearby intersection.

An advertisement flashed across the screen.

"The Future of Clean Energy – Coming Soon: STARK TOWER."

Ethan's breath hitched.

The final piece snapped into place.

His stomach did a few backflips as the weight of reality settled fully onto his shoulders.

This world was on the brink of something monumental. The events that would shape its future were already in motion, and he was standing at the edge of it all—an anomaly in a timeline that shouldn't have included him.

But the question remained.

What was he supposed to do now?

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