The Scarlet Witch: Enemy of the Nexus

The Nightmare

A red ball of energy fires at your foot as you're trying to run away. "Dammit, I really regret not taking training so seriously," you pant out as you get back up to continue on. Another one comes whizzing past your head, luckily you're able to dodge this one. Otherwise you're certain your brains would be painting the store window you had run past.

You were running away from something in an empty city. You really weren't sure where you were or how you got there. Just that you had to keep running. Going as fast as you could with the injuries you had sustained from a fight. What fight, with who? You didn't know. All you know was there was more blood on your body than there ever has before. You want to open a portal to get yourself somewhere safer but you couldn't. Why not? Did you lose your sling ring? You hate dreams like these where everything goes wrong and you can't do anything to help yourself or the others in it.

Finding it hard to keep going you make your way into a narrow alleyway. You zip through it and go through a few more before you can finally stop. Leaning against the wall you try to catch your breath and assess your injuries. There was a large gash on one thigh and another on one of your shins. With that gash, you could see bone. You shut your eyes and dig your teeth into your bottom lip as you hold back the involuntary noises of pain. It was already hard enough to control your breathing. Why was the area so empty? Where were all of the people? Sure, it was dark out but there wasn't a single person out? No one that's homeless or just out late? Anyone that could help you hide the noises that were coming from only you?

There wasn't time to waste, so you glance around to see if what was chasing after you still was. When you think the coast is clear, you stand up and prepare yourself to start running again. Just as you turn to go through the darkness, a distorted figure appears out of thin air in front of you causing you to scream in fear. She hardly looked human. Her skin was gray, decaying, dead. Her eyes were glowing red and her teeth were razor sharp. What did this creature want with you?

You fall to the ground and try to crawl away but the ground under your hands disappears and it feels like you are falling into nothing. She was in your head. You tried to fight against her visions but she was much stronger than you. Why did her abilities feel so familiar to you? "Why are you doing this?" You shouted as you continued to fall. Suddenly you stop falling. You clench your eyes shut as you wait for the impact to break you but nothing happens.

Opening your eyes, you find yourself floating above the tallest building in the rundown city. Wanda stands on the roof as she holds you up in the air. You're shocked to see her there. Her appearance is no longer as gruesome and horrifying. She appeared to be normal, except for the disappointed look in her eyes that you weren't familiar with. Who was she really? This wasn't the Wanda that you knew. It had to be someone posing as her. Why was this happening? What caused this?

"You're not the one I need," she says as she pulls you closer to her. "Shame, you put up a good fight. I had hope for you." She clicks her teeth and tilts her head to the side. The fresh skin on her face melts away as her eyes glow red again and her razor sharp teeth grow out of the normal teeth she had before. Her mouth opens and you're afraid of what she might do.

"Please," you gasp out. "I h-have people who n-need me."

She stops and her face returns to normal. "Begging for your life," she seemed impressed. Other versions of you had cursed her out just as she consumed them for the amount of power they did have. "I'll tell you what, I won't rip you limb for limb. No, I won't do that." She sets you down on the roof, a little distance just before the ledge. "And I'll let you live," she approaches you slowly, taking the moment of relief that you had. With a sinister smile she says, "If you survive this fall." Before you can ask what she means she flips you so that you can watch the ground get closer as she pushes you off of the building.