"The Confession of Scarlet Witch"

Chapter 1: Shadows of the Alterworld

POV: Wanda Maximoff

The wind howled through the broken windows of the abandoned cathedral. I stood at the center of the altar, the dim light from flickering candles casting eerie shadows across the ancient walls. My hands trembled as I clutched the glowing tome in my grasp—the Book of Alter—a relic from a place I dared not speak of.

"Alterworld," I whispered under my breath, feeling the very name send a shiver down my spine.

I had stumbled upon it by accident—or was it fate? Alterworld, a dimension where all realities converged, where every possible version of myself existed, twisted and broken. It was there that I saw her... the other me. A version of Wanda that had embraced chaos and darkness, ruling with an iron fist over the fractured remnants of countless worlds. She called herself The Scarlet Queen.

"You know you cannot resist me forever," a voice echoed in my head, her voice.

I dropped the book, gasping for breath as her laughter filled my mind. Every day she grew stronger, her influence creeping into my thoughts, blurring the lines between my reality and hers.

"Fight it, Wanda," I muttered, forcing myself to focus. But even as I tried, the walls of the cathedral began to melt away, replaced by the distorted landscape of Alterworld—black skies streaked with red lightning, ruins of cities I once knew.

This is your future. The Scarlet Queen's voice returned, louder this time. The world you were meant to rule.

POV: The Scarlet Queen (Alterworld Wanda)

I watched her struggle, weak and pathetic. The Wanda of this reality was nothing compared to me. She clung to her morals, her foolish hope that she could remain good, but we both knew the truth. Darkness was in her blood, the same darkness that had consumed me long ago.

"Why fight it?" I asked, stepping out from the shadows of the crumbling palace. "You have the power to reshape everything. They fear you, Wanda, because they know what you're capable of. Why deny yourself the truth of what you are?"

Her eyes widened as she saw me, her own reflection twisted and corrupted by years of unchecked power. I smiled, letting the chaos magic swirl around my hands.

"You can feel it, can't you? The power of Alterworld? It's already inside you. Soon, you'll have no choice but to embrace it."

POV: Wanda Maximoff

I screamed, falling to my knees as reality snapped back into place. The cold stone floor of the cathedral grounded me, but I could still feel her—The Scarlet Queen—pressing against the edges of my consciousness.

I have to stop this, I thought, standing shakily. I reached for the book again, flipping through the pages in desperation. There had to be something in here, some spell, some way to sever the connection between our worlds before it was too late.

But the more I searched, the more I realized how futile it was. The Queen wasn't just a reflection of my worst fears—she was me. Every spell I cast, every move I made, only seemed to strengthen her hold.

A gust of wind blew through the cathedral, snuffing out the candles. Darkness surrounded me, and for a moment, I was certain she had finally crossed over. But then a voice broke through the silence.

"Wanda," it whispered, soft yet urgent.

I turned, my heart racing. A figure emerged from the shadows, cloaked in black. His face was hidden, but his energy was unmistakable.

"Strange?" I asked, stepping forward. "What are you doing here?"

"Stopping you," he replied, his voice cold. "Before it's too late."

POV: Doctor Strange

I had felt the shift in the multiverse long before I arrived at the cathedral. Wanda's tampering with Alterworld had sent shockwaves through every dimension. The longer she held onto that power, the more dangerous she became—not just to herself, but to all of reality.

I stepped forward, my hand glowing with mystical energy, ready to strike if necessary.

"You don't understand what you're dealing with, Wanda," I said, my voice firm. "Alterworld is a prison, a trap. The longer you stay connected to it, the more it consumes you."

She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't have a choice, Strange. She's in my mind. She's—"

"I know." I cut her off. "That's why we have to sever the connection now."

She backed away, clutching the book to her chest. "But what if I can control it? What if I can use it to stop her?"

I sighed, knowing exactly where this was headed. I had seen it before—too many times. The allure of ultimate power was always too tempting, even for the strongest of us.

"You can't control Alterworld, Wanda. No one can." I stepped closer, my eyes locked on hers. "If you don't destroy that book, it will destroy you."

POV: Wanda Maximoff

Destroy the book? The thought sent a wave of panic through me. Could I really give up this power? Could I abandon Alterworld, knowing that The Scarlet Queen would always be lurking, waiting for her chance to break through?

I looked at Strange, his expression stern but pleading. He didn't understand. No one did. This wasn't just about power. This was about survival—my survival.

"I can't," I whispered, taking a step back.

His eyes narrowed. "Then you leave me no choice."

In an instant, he raised his hand, summoning a torrent of magical energy. I barely had time to react before the blast hit me, sending me crashing against the altar. Pain seared through my body, but it was nothing compared to the surge of power that followed.

Alterworld's magic flowed through me like never before, binding itself to my very soul.

This is it, I thought. The moment everything changes.