Bewitched │Wolverine

CHAPTER 1: DARK PRIESTESS

THE THEATRE HALL BUZZED WITH ANTICIPATION, the air thick with a collective excitement from the audience. As the house lights dimmed, a hush fell over the crowd while the red velvet curtains swept open.

Clad in a sharply tailored black penguin tuxedo, her pristine white blouse a striking contrast, Vana exuded both elegance and mystique. Her long dark hair flowed from beneath a classic magicians top-hat, while her black heeled boots added to the sophistication of the magician.

Working on the stage with such premise was practically Vana's second home, where she felt the most safe and comfortable in her own skin; a place that provided extra security while the outside world excluded the rest of her kind. Here she felt celebrated for her talents and not berated for simply being who she was.

With a subtle gesture, Vana conjured a deck of cards, appearing to materialise out of thin air. The cards shimmered with an ethereal light, glowing in a soft enchanting shade of violet. The audience collectively held their breath, their eyes wide with wonder as the cards floated upward and defied gravity. The cards spiralled and twirled, dipping into the audience and soaring back up, leaving trails of violet light that flickered like stardust.

Vana's voice resonated smoothly throughout the hall as she recited an incantation, while the cards obeyed her every word before forming a glowing circle above her head and exploding in a burst of sparkling light and showering the audience in a dazzling display.

With a quick bow and a flash of her porcelain smile at the ongoing claps, Vana transitioned to her next illusion. With a flourish a bouquet of flowers appeared in the air. The flowers glowed with the same mystical violet hue, their petals seemingly made of light. She tossed the bouquet into the audience, and as it soared through the air, it transformed into a flock of butterflies. The delicate creatures flitted gracefully above the spectators as their wings shimmered trails, lighting up the darkened auditorium.

Could've been smoother, I'll have to time it again in practice.

After several more acts of illusionary tricks and magic showcases, the audience erupted into applause, their astonishment and adoration evident in their enthusiastic clapping.

"Thank you New York for having me yet again! Have a very good night!" A deep elegant bow and Vana left the stage with relief as she made her way backstage.

Obviously she enjoys her stage performances, it gives both herself and the audience some form of joy in such perilous times. However, lack of sleep from her 'nighttime activities' appears to be catching up, and so any break is a well deserved one (at least in her opinion).

The atmosphere backstage was a stark contrast to the vibrant energy of the theatre auditorium. Vana removed her tuxedo jacket with a sigh of relief, hanging it neatly on a nearby rack, before sitting down in front of the large vintage dressing table.

Several photos and snapshots littered around the mirrors edges, reminding her of past memories with friends and colleagues; one with a younger version of herself and her cousin Betsy at Braddock Manor smiling as they stand in front of the main entrance, another with a close friend Alison as they perform together in a duet from several years ago. All these memories, and not one stands out as much as the photo of Vana and a slightly older man sitting together on a motorbike, her arms wrapped around his waist for security - a memory long hidden (and much rather forgotten about) in the brunette's mind of her and Logan.

As the magician unbuttoned her blouse, her phone buzzed on the table, the sudden noise jarring the silence of the room. Vana picked it up, her brows raised as she read the message.