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"The Scarlet Witch," the current sorcerer supreme, Wong, mused.
"Wanda's gone," Strange said. "She's got the Darkhold and the Darkhold has her."
"The Scarlet Witch is a being Scarlet Witch is a being of unfathomable magic. She can rewrite reality as she chooses, and is prophesized to either rule, or annihilate the cosmos," Wong recited, trying not to look terrified.
"I was there when she became the Scarlet Witch," Lorna said, causing those in the room to look at her. "While it was glorious and magical, I also have to agree that I don't completely trust her with that power."
"She took over a whole town using her mind. If she gets America's power... she could enslave the entire Multiverse."
"So, the person you went to ask for help, and told exactly where I am, is the person that's trying to kill me?" America asked, looking annoyed but also scared.
"Yeah," Strange said dumbly.
"Suspend teaching at once. And arm the students. Kamar-Taj must now become a fortress," Wong demanded, walking away.
Before Strange could follow him, Lorna grabbed his arm.
"Let me go talk to her," Lorna said.
"Excuse me?"
"I mean, the whole reason you brought me here is because you think I'm the only one who can get through to her," she stated, looking around at the sorcerers in panic mode. "Instead of just waiting around for her to kill all of us, I should be trying to change her mind. Shouldn't I?"
Strange sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. One chance. And then I need you back here. The magic you both have is more connected then any of the sorcerer's is. Without you to help, well, most might not make it through the night."
As the trees spread all around the property, Lorna couldn't help but muse about how lovely they could be.
When alive at least.
The red sky reminded Lorna eerily of her time in the hex, though Westview was a lot livelier than this.
Walking closer, Lorna saw a little house in the distance. Who knew that Wanda Maximoff would choose a farm of all places to hide out.
"You shouldn't be here," a voice called out, sounding less American by day.
As she turned around, Lorna saw not Wanda, but the Scarlet Witch in all her glory. "Maybe not. But it doesn't seem like you should either."
"You're right," Wanda said, walking closer to the girl she once called daughter. "I shouldn't be here. I should be with my boys where I belong."
"Yeah, well, there's a problem with that you see. Tommy and Billy are gone," Lorna stated harshly, Wanda flinching at her words. But what the mother couldn't see was the tears of the girl burning as they hid. "And killing a bunch of sorcerers who are stupid enough to think they can take you isn't going to bring them back."
"Well, that's why they recruited you, isn't it?" Wanda asked. "After all, Polaris is one of the few beings who even stands a chance against the Scarlet Witch, isn't she?"
There it was again: Polaris.
It's what Agatha had called her, claiming that she'd been gifted some kind of special power. If that was true, she wanted to give up the title.
Lorna didn't want power. She didn't want a title. She just wanted a home, a family.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, sure you do," Wanda said, getting closer. "Agatha first mentioned it to you and I know that you've done your research since then. Polaris is the sister witch to Scarlet, both children of Magneto. When reunited, the three siblings of chaos can control reality, time, and space."
"Children of Magneto? Three siblings? Come on, Wanda, this is crazy," Lorna exclaimed, walking away as she examined the trees some more. "We aren't sisters. Two years ago you were my mother but that's still a long jump. And a third sibling? No, this is all too much. Wanda, you must give up the Darkhold."
"Now why would I do that?" the witch asked, walking back over to the girl. "It can give me everything I want, to be in a reality with my boys. To finally, after all of my pain and suffering, be happy. The Darkhold can make this happen."
"At what cost Wanda!" Lorna yelled, trying not to strangle the crazy woman. "We both know how hard life can be. I mean, sure I killed my parents and yours were blown up but potato potahto. This doesn't mean that we deserve special treatment."
"Why not? Don't you want to know why you're so special? Don't you want a family to come home to every night instead of wandering the streets of New York alone?" at the surprised looking on the girl's face, Wanda chuckled. "Oh, come on, Lorna. You really think I didn't keep an eye on you? The Darkhold can answer all your questions."
Of course Lorna wanted to know why her life sucked. Why she killed her parents at three, why everyone she ever loved was ripped away from her, why she had these powers.
But as much as she wanted answers, the Darkhold was too high a price to pay for it.
Lorna sighed deeply, looking the woman she once called mother in the eyes. "You're not giving up, are you?"
"I can't. Without my boys, I have nothing," the look on Wanda's face made the young girl want to cry.
"You actually believe that, don't you?" Lorna asked, putting her hands in her pockets as Wanda nodded. "Well, it's not true. You still had me."
Lorna didn't bother to wait for a response as she began to walk away. Why she ever believed she could talk Wanda out of this, she didn't know.
She wasn't her daughter. She wasn't her sister. She wasn't even her friend. They were just two broken souls who had somehow been pitted against each other by some twist of fate.
Well fate ended now.
As she returned back to Kamar-Taj, Lorna helped everyone get ready as they prepared to face the Scarlet Witch.
