Loki's Little Witch [en]

chapter 22. chaos

Wanda's green eyes finally tore away from her own image carved in stone on the monumental wall of Mount Wundagore's atrium, after admiring it for what felt like an eternity. Her brow furrowed, as she tried to make sense of all the information Mordo had so strangely decided to reveal to her, since, despite everything, she thought she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't waste his time doing something without a reason.

Without some higher purpose.

At least everything, except for the questions that still lingered in her head.

"I don't understand," Wanda mumbled, "so all that nonsense about wanting to restore order to the universe and all that crap, was nothing more than lies? You lied about needing my children? This was always about me? You just wanted to bring Chthon back?"

Mordo simply snorted, amused, "I told you before: I only did what the Darkhold asked of me in exchange for giving me what I needed to complete my plan. A simple pact."

"So what do my children have to do with this? You told Loki you needed them."

And this time, a weary snort escaped his lips, "Chthon needed you strong. The Darkhold revealed that to me from the very beginning. And after learning that Strange kept you with him all that time I spent looking for you, I counted on you to be," he quickly denied, "I couldn't believe what they did to you. I feared it would take us a lifetime to give you back what they had taken from you. The most extraordinary gift of all."

The sorcerer's fists clenched suddenly, with such rage that the young witch could see the veins bulging on his wrists, only making her eyes narrow further.

"It was then that the brilliant idea of ​​using the Stone came to me," he continued, relaxing his fists enough to appear to have regained his composure, "I thought that with it I could speed up the process for everyone. I didn't think that could ruin everything," he shook his head once again, "the Stone tainted you. You became useless. You were no longer pure enough for him. He needed a new vessel — someone as compatible with him as you once were, before I ruined everything," he laughed to himself, with such resignation that it was almost ridiculous, "you have to thank me for that: I didn't trick or manipulate you into doing it. I let things happen naturally. It took longer than I anticipated, but I let things happen on your own terms, so, you're welcome."

But all Wanda could do was sigh, certain that at least in one thing, in just one thing, Mordo had always told them the truth: there was no spell, manipulation, or enchantment. Everything they had shared was real. It was theirs.

Their love had been real — as real as the product of it.

It wasn't hard for her to wonder at that moment if perhaps it was the only real and genuine thing in her life.

"So what?" Wanda retorted after shrugging, "you give him my children, he possesses one of them, and then what?"

Mordo laughed. He had forgotten that, after all, she was nothing more than a naive child, "he would return to Earth and help me get rid of all the sorcerers," he licked his lips, taking a step closer to her, "but you know what? I couldn't care less about bringing him back," he revealed, making the smile on Wanda's face, who thought she had finally figured him out, vanish in an instant, "why would I? When I can make my own deal right here and now. I had other plans in mind, but you decided to get creative, so this is what I have to offer now..." he said, taking another step that forced Wanda to stumble backward, "we can fight as much as you want. You won't kill me, but you'll surely defeat me, and then you can go back to them, and perhaps it won't be too late, "and then his smile only widened, "or, you can give me your powers now, and if you do it wisely, perhaps you can keep your blessings. And I'll let you go with them, so you can spend their last moments by their side."