Chapter 13: The Scarlet Witch Part 2
Sir Perceval rushed into the mob of soldiers, the Ebony Blade effortlessly cleaving its way through the soldiers and Percy used techniques he obviously practiced often.
I summoned a whip and grabbed two of the knights, pulling them towards me and twisting, sending them both into a wall.
One rushed up behind me, swinging for my head. I turned just in time to see his arm glow red and get torn off as he was flung out of my view.
I wiped the blood off my cloak and turned to Wanda.
"That was a little gross."
She shrugged her shoulders and turned back to the fighting.
I'd lost track of Merlin, St'Vaan and Ironheart so I quickly regrouped with Perceval and Wanda.
"How many of these goons are there?" Wanda asked as she sent some into the ceiling, her eyes glowing crimson.
"Enough to keep us busy while Morgan retreats like the coward she is. We must give chase!" Perceval cried as he cut down another knight.
I nodded and continued to battle soldiers, sending some through portals, cutting others down with summoned swords and flinging others with whips.
"I've had enough of this!" Wanda cried and the floor began to grow red.
The soldiers stopped abruptly as I summoned a shield over the three of us.
The soldiers began to glow red as the floor began to crack.
In the blink of an eye, they were all gone and the floor exploded around us, my shield barely holding debris back.
When everything settled around us, I lowered my hands and the orange orb around us dissipated.
Perceval had taken his helmet off, his eyes wide with shock.
Wanda was on her hands and knees, panting.
"What in Christ's name did you do?"
Perceval was walking through the room, looking for any trace of the people there moments ago.
"I...I don't know..."
I looked around, still no trace of our other three companions.
Perceval turned to Wanda.
"What manner of witch are you?"
His was sword resting by his side, his fist wrapped tightly around it.
His eyes narrowed, but save for that his expression was neutral.
His body language however, was incredibly defensive.
I stepped forward.
"She's no witch, and she's my apprentice. Have some respect for the woman who saved your life."
Perceval put his helmet back on.
"Come, let's find Morgan."
I turned to Wanda and rested my hand on her shoulder.
"How are you Wanda?"
She slowly sat up, still panting.
"I don't know what I did. They're all dead aren't they?" She asked, placing her hand over her mouth.
I looked towards Perceval. He was currently turning over some debris by the stairwell trying to get it unblocked.
"We don't know what happened Wanda, but you saved our lives. This is why I'm training you, so you know what you're doing and how to control it."
I helped her to her feet, and helped her walk towards the stairwell. She was shaking heavily.
"You rest while Perceval and I clear the debris alright?" I said to Wanda as I helped her sit down, up against a wall.
She nodded and I turned to help Perceval clear the debris.
"Step out of the way, unless you'd like to be a metal chunk in a rock pile." I said to him, orange rings appearing around my arms.
Perceval border and stepped back, removing his helmet and wiping sweat from his brow.
I stuck my hands out and began to spin them, the rocks lifting and rotating away from the stairwells entrance.
I opened a portal and let the rocks go through it, a rubble avalanche falling in the courtyard of Morgan's castle.
I turned to my two companions.
"Let's go bag a witch."
———————
The stairs were dark and damp, with pieces of rubble littered throughout.
Wanda was slowly recovering as we made our way up, actually being able to walk on her own and not shaking nearly as bad as she was before.
Perceval was in the lead, his shield up and sword drawn, and I took the rear making sure no one snuck up on us.
The top opened up into a well lit hallway with a long red rug and torches lining the walls.
The wooden doors that lined the walls were destroyed or taken down by something, and blood stained the floor.
"Someone's been here before us it seems." I said as we all stepped into the hall.
"Then we proceed carefully." Perceval said.
The door at the end of the hall was ajar, and sounds of fighting were coming from it.
"I assume that's where everyone went. Let's go!"
We rushed down the hall, Wanda lagging slightly behind me and Perceval.
We burst through the door just in time to witness Ironheart get his helmet shattered.
Mordred, his green armour shining in the light, swung an axe as black as night towards Ironhearts exposed head.
A shield went flying across the room, blocking the blow before Captain Avalon sprinted over and drove his knee into Mordreds head.
The shield bounced off a wall and came back into his hand, just in time for him to slam it into Mordreds face.
He recoiled, stumbling backwards and dropping his axe. The bow he used in the centre room still strapped across his back.
Perceval rushed over to Ironheart as I scanned the room for Merlin.
He and Morgan were locked in a fierce battle, sending spells and projectiles at each other, both taking hits and fighting back.
"Wanda, help Perceval, I'll help Merlin!"
She nodded and flew towards Ironheart and Perceval as St'Vaan continued his duel with Mordred.
I summoned a whip, grabbing Morgan's hand just as she was about to send a bolt of fire to Merlin.
She looked at her arm, confused before I pulled her back, hard.
She went flying into a wall, rolling onto her side.
I rushed over to Merlin. He had small cuts running all over his face, his robes were ripped and he had a bloody nose.
"Strange! You have to go! Morgan's got more than just her soldiers and Mordred. That rune you showed me, it does more than we thought it did!"
The tune glowed blue in my pocket and floated out and into Morgan's hand.
"That's where it went. How lovely."
She stuck her hand out, the stone glowing brighter.
"We need to stop her!"
Merlin rushed over and shot a lightning bolt at her, hitting the rune from her hand.
"That stone sends people to her prison in another dimension! We cannot allow her to use it on us or we fail." Merlin said as he tossed it over to me.
Morgan shot a stream of fire at me and I quickly summoned a shield.
"So Thor is in her prison?" I asked, summoning another whip.
"I'd assume so Strange!" Merlin said as lighting crackled between his hands.
"Then we need to get her to release them." I said, throwing the whip.
It wrapped around Morgan's arm, and I pulled her again.
She used the momentum to fly towards me, grabbing me by the throat and throwing me into a wall.
"You're strong for a sorcerer, but I'd like my stone back."
"Unfortunately I can't allow you to do that."
I crossed my arms and spread them, multiple copies of myself spreading around Morgan.
"Good luck finding the real one." We all said in unison, summoning shields in our hands.
She looked around, blocking an attack from Merlin and knocking him back.
She raised her hand and all the copies disappeared and I was exposed.
Flicking her finger, I flew into a wall and the stone flew from my pocket.
"Thanks Stephen, you'll make a fine general."
She raised the stone towards me and it's blue glow encased me.
I struggled to fight it, feeling myself grow weaker by the second as the stone tried to take me to its universe.
Before she could finish, a red glow surrounded her and she flew into a wall.
I dropped from the wall and onto my knees, panting.
"Stephen! Are you ok?" Wanda asked as she ran over.
I raised my hand as she tried to help me up.
"I'm fine. Just shocked." I said as I stood up.
I nodded towards Morgan, who was recovering from the blow from Wanda.
"The stone. It's where Thor is. Merlin said it takes you to a prison in another universe. We can't let her use it on us, and we need to get Thor back."
Wanda nodded and the stone began to glow red before floating back over to us.
Morgan stood up just as Ironheart and Captain Avalon came to join us, Perceval locked in a duel with Mordred.
Wanda's eyes began to glow red, Morgan's began to glow orange.
"It appears we have similar power levels Wanda. A shame you aren't experienced. Maybe you'd be able to beat me if you were."
"Come now you Scarlet Witch! Show me how powerful you are!" Morgan cried as she smirked.
Her hands began to glow and the castle began to shake.
At the same time, Wanda's hand began to glow and red glowing cracks appeared in the floor.
"Scarlet Witch...I like that." Wanda muttered.
"Wanda! What are you doing?!" I cried as the floor and walls began to crack.
Morgan smiled and shot a beam of fire at Wanda.
She raised her arms, the floor and walls burst and everything began to glow an incredibly bright white.
————————
I awoke on a wooden floor. I slowly stood up, rubbing my eyes.
I looked around and blinked a few times before my surroundings came into focus.
I was in the Sanctums library. Wong was sitting at his desk, reading a book.
"Wong? What the hell happened?" I asked.
He looked up from his book, his eyes widening.
"Strange? Where did you come from?" He asked, standing up.
"I was just on another Earth, you know that."
Wong nodded, and looked behind me.
I turned around and breathed a sigh of relief.
On the ground behind me was Wanda, her chest rising and falling slowly, showing she was very much alive.
About two feet to her left was Sir Perceval, the Ebony Blade in his right hand and his shield laying a few feet away from him.
Save for a few dents in his armour and cuts on his tabard, he seemed fine.
"And who is he?" Wong asked, pointing to Perceval.
"A hero from the other Earth. If he's here, did the others come too?"
I looked around for signs of anyone else who was present in the battle, but could find no sign of them.
"Stephen, should we not take them somewhere they can rest?"
I nodded.
"I need to talk to Tony Stark. We'll take them to the Avengers compound."
——————
"You went to a magical fairy tale land, fought a Disney witch who looked like Wanda, got a magic rock that has Thor and countless other people in it and brought Prince Charming back as souvenir?"
Tony Stark stood in the Avengers med bay with his arms crossed and his eyebrow cocked.
I sighed and pinched my nose.
"I suppose I did yes. Look, I don't know if Wanda killed Morgan or not, but based on the fact that we're back on our Earth and not there, I think she's still alive. She's got the ability to travel between Earths. I think she could come here and take the runestone back from us if we're not careful."
Tony sighed.
"You know, it'd be nice if we didn't have to deal with a world ending threat for once."
"It's unfortunate, but we need to crack the rune and rescue Thor before Morgan can use him against us."
Tony nodded.
"That's your job right Gandalf." He said, patting my shoulder. "I've got other stuff to deal with. If this fairy tale baddy does come, the Avengers will back you up. You're welcome to stay in the facility as long as you like."
I nodded.
"Wanda, Wong and I will be moving in. Perceval is ours to deal with so he'll stay as well, once he regains consciousness."
Tony nodded and waved his hand.
"Welcome to the Avengers Dr. Strange."
"It's only temporary Stark."
Stark waved his hand and left the room.
——————
Three men stood kneeling at my feet, defeated.
"Where did the others go Merlin?" I snarled.
He chuckled.
"You've doomed our world Morgan. But they will save theirs. They have your stone and they have many more heroes than we do."
I curled my hand into a fist, a blue glow consuming Ironheart.
"Then I'll add you to my armies and get Odinson to help me."
Ironheart slowly disappeared as the glow engulfed Merlin and Captain Avalon.
"You'll never win Morgan. You may get all of us on this Earth, but you'll never beat the others." St'Vaan said.
"Your optimism was the death of you St'Vaan." I said.
He smiled before disappearing.
"I'll use you to get Arthur and the others Merlin. I hope you realize that."
Merlin nodded, the blue glow covering him.
"I figured as much. Tell me Morgan, how will you feel once you've doomed your Earth?"
I snarled at him and he disappeared with a content smile on his face.
I turned to the severely wounded Mordred.
"Perceval really did a number on you didn't he?"
He chuckled.
"You don't look any better yourself."
I nodded.
"We will allow ourselves time to rest, then we take the world. I won't stop at just this one. I want my stone back."
A/N:
Apologies for the time between updates. I had some stuff happen that made me not want to continue the story I was currently writing, but the recent MCU announcements got me inspired again! (Especially Kit Harrington as Black Knight, hell yeah!). Hopefully I'll be more consistent with updates in the future.
As always, I hope you continue to enjoy and I thank you for reading up to this point and being patient with me.
~Maca56
Also, R.I.P. MCU Spiderman, Disney's greed took you away from us too soon.