Hello everybody and welcome back to "To Eternity, My Witch". Last chapter, James and Wanda got to the Twilight realm and were discussing how to move forward. This chapter they will facing Ragnar face to face. Hope y'all like this chapter.
Yes… two chapters in two days… please enjoy.
I DO NOT Own any of these as they are and were created by their respective creators. Marvel is owned by the late Stan Lee via Disney. Phantom of the Opera (PotO) is owned by Andrew Llyod Weber. LofZ : TP and OofT by Shigeru Miyamoto. Fire Emblem by Shouzou Kaga. Black Butler by Yana Toboso. And finally, Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi.
~ Ch 30 Facing the Snake…~
~Ragnar's POV…~
I raged around the chamber and yelled obscenities at all present, which were few, only the chained-up royals and present twisted Twili. All remained silent to my raging, even the monsters outside that had populated the area after my take over remained quiet. I destroyed the room as the pair of light dwellers made their way to my throne room.
They will pay for what they have done! They will not prevail over me, the conqueror of Twilight and the light realms. I raged to myself. I looked over to the royals and sneered in a smug way. I calmed myself and reasoned, I will kill Wanda and her slave man no matter what the Creator says. He has no reason to hate me any less now. Come to me you wretched creatures! Wanda and James! I will be your end…
I looked over the realm of Twilight and nodded. I will be ruler, and no one will stop me. I returned to the throne and sat down with determined hatred, ready to kill the invaders to my realm.
~Third Person POV…~
It took several hours, but soon James had the two orbs called Sols from the branching paths, placing them in the two circles near the main path's bridge. However, whenever he brought them close to one of the corrupted twilight beings or they got near him, they became whole and beautiful again, looking as normal humans or humanoids with twilight skins and eyes, speaking in their language as they congratulated him.
Once he placed the second Sol down, he felt compelled to stand between them, drawing out Psipherion as he did so. As he stopped, Sols melted into the ground, creating a circle around him and the energy went into Psipherion, causing it to flash and blaze with light. He lifted the sword, amazed, "Wow…" The Twili gathered around him bowed before they pointed towards the center pathway. All Twili there near him turned back to their true forms, eternally grateful to James' efforts to restore them.
Wanda gasped, suddenly remembering, "I remember Midna talking to me about the Sols now, back when we just got back from Svartelfheim. She mentioned when her realm was taken over by Zant years ago. Her people saw Link as a true hero and gave the Sols to aid him and give him strength to go on. The Twilight people see you as a true hero, James. They want you to go and kill this newest traitor to their realm."
James' eyes went wide at the information, his shock slowly turning into courage, whispering, "Me? A hero? Wanda, I'm a former assassin for HYDRA, a monster of a man. Why would they see me as a hero? They don't know my past."
"Yes… They… know… of your past, James, because of Ragnar, but they don't care about it. They've known of your redemption. They've accepted you most readily that you're the one who has come to set them and their world free from a monster of a ruler who was your and Amelia's son who got corrupted himself. They see you as their savior to free their world and them from another cruel and corrupt dictator. To them you're a true hero, James." Wanda exclaimed proudly, placing her hands on his checks, pride and love flowing out of her voice.
He turned to look around the area. The portal back to Asgard remain obvious behind him, and in front of him lead to the palace itself. "Come, we have usurper to kill." Wanda nodded, though they both knew it would be a sad, yet a relief when Ragnar would be killed. James smiled weakly, finally feeling truly freed of his past, let it all do. He turned and with Wanda at his back, he walked towards the palace. The Twili cheering them on.
Wanda and James made their way through the palace of twilight, encountering many creatures and monsters, twisted and corrupted by Ragnar's savage take over. However, most of the Twili they came across reverted to their original, uncorrupted forms as James approached them, due to the sword's holy power, all of them praising him in their language as he did so.
A few helped him with killing the monsters and beasts. Though some of the more corrupted Twili; however, didn't change, too far twisted and gone from Ragnar's rampage. Though James and Wanda were able to put them to rest and peace after several swift altercations. Several were guarding fragments that created a key to the throne room.
Coming upon the throne room, James paused, taking a deep breath, worry and sadness filling him along with rage and anger. "This is it Wanda… This is where it ends."
"Yes… yes, it is. Are you ready?" Wanda asked.
"I'm not sure, Wan. Knowing that Ragnar is my son isn't going to make this battle any easier. Though he's no son of mine with the way he's acted and what he had done to date." James growled out.
Wanda floated to look him in the eyes, "I agree; he needs to be stopped, my James. As much as he is your blood, he needs to be ended."
James frowned, though he nodded, "Come, doll. Let's get this done." He unlocked the throne room door, its chains rattling as they fell and disappear from sight. The doors swung open to a large throne room for the palace.
James and Wanda cautiously went forward, both noticing right away Ragnar sitting on the throne at the head of the room. He was tense, a sneer on his face as James and Wanda approached. His helmet was off this time, his face clearly seen. Despite his twilight features, James and Wanda could see he had features from Amelia and James in him. James internally sighed, despite the rage rising in him it narrowly pushed down the sadness that was trying to well up in his soul. He was going to have to kill his own son.
Ragnar's sneer deepened, "So, you survived to come here, have you father? And you dear Wanda? The people here are pitiful to see you as heroes to save them and those of the light realms. A divine beast indeed…"
"It's so lovely to meet you finally, Ragnar. A pleasure. Besides, it's because of the curse you placed on my James which is why we're finally here… traitor." Wanda said, her voice dripping poison as she smiled wickedly in a Cheshire cat like way.
Ragnar stood, his sneer turning into a sickly-sweet smile, "Magic you say? Hold your tongue for a moment, imp, and I will speak on magic." James growled in rage at Ragnar's response to his wife, yet he remained cool and collected, his courage rising, yet knowing it wasn't time yet to attack. He held his glare at Ragnar, one he perfected from his days with HYDRA. Wanda sneered at Ragnar as he did yet remain silent.
"Magic in this world with the Twili, we were all locked away. Even as I am not truly one of them, being the son of a monster from the world of light." Ragnar paused at Wanda's shout.
"How dare you call my husband a monster, you vile creature! IF ANYONE IS THE MONSTER… IT'S YOU RAGNAR. I…" Wanda raged, her powers crackling around her, yet Ragnar laughed.
"ME? A monster? Hardly you whelp of a princess! I served the Twili royal family for several decades! If not my entire life. I earned my right and rose in status! The magic that we were given and now squandered here in twilight is because of royals who were fine with their sentence here in this desolate half world! They surrendered their right to force their way to the top as rulers of the light realm!
"I was forced to the sidelines as Midna was yet again chosen to rule her people and the Twilight! Who then chose her daughter Luna and her husband Lars? In this prison we were forced into by the light dwellers, I served under her and her family's leadership too long to see them throw it away further! Forced to watch as they refused to use their magic to bring the Twilight Realm to fight… Because of a do-nothing queen named Midna refused to take over the Realms of Light for her own…
"I believed I was the one to rule next in her stead! But did they acknowledge me as their king? NO! When she chose her successor and overlooked me, not even acknowledging me as their king… I was denied the legendary magical benefits of the ruler of Twilight and magic granted to the royals! It was then I chose to go a different route. One of anger and rage and despair!" Ragnar flew forward, forcing James and Wanda to shield themselves, only to transport behind them.
James and Wanda quickly turned, the former now holding Psipherion aloft at the raging twisted son of his. Ragnar continued to rage as he spoke, "I found a… a god! One that would grant me my wish, as I do his will. My god only has one wish… His wish for me was to merge shadow and light… and make darkness." He suddenly came up from his weird position, his helmet on again. He let out a deep, ragged growl and transported yet again, disappearing. James and Wanda looked around wondering where Ragnar went to.
They found him where he had transported to, floating right above the throne itself. Ragnar growled loudly and transported them to the guardian's lair of the forest temple. Wanda fused with James and whispered frantically into his mind, "If he's going to be transporting us to and from the different temples' guardians' rooms, be prepared to anything! We need to kill him, James! And fast!"
Indeed! James got the boomerang out, and like before when facing Fungidio, used his bombs that he bought in Trondheim was able to cause Ragnar to fall from the ground in a heap, stunned. James, although hesitant for a moment, attacked Ragnar's prone figure, a few gashed appearing on his body and many more on his armor. Ragnar soon recovered and again floated around attacking James and Wanda from the air more frantically. It only took James once more to get Ragnar to ground to attach him, leaving behind more gashes. Ragnar raged and transported them again, this time to the guardian's lair in found in the Frost Giants' home world realm.
Using the fire spear, James battled Ragnar, unfreezing the frozen parts of Ragnar's armor as said man flew around blasting him with ice flares and trying to stomp him. James growled in pain as an ice piece hit his shoulder rather hard, though because of it, he was able to place a rather hard blow to Ragnar's leg. Ragnar groaned and fell to the ground because of the loss of balance, stunned yet again, returning to his normal size. James slashed at him, trying to weaken his armor and to beat down Ragnar's energy and stamina. Again, he and Wanda did this evil battle with Ragnar in the frozen chamber until he was again stunned and James had a chance to attack his son.
For a third time Ragnar raged, transporting them to another guardian's lair. He was becoming more erratic each time that he transported them to the different lairs. This time it was the lair of Volga's chamber in Muspelheim, forcing James to use his ice spear and the ice arrows to get Ragnar to get stunned and frozen for him to attach the traitor. Each of the two times James was forced to face him here, Ragnar raged further and became more unstable. After bringing him down a second time, Ragnar screamed in rage.
A fourth time Ragnar transported them to the lair of Twinrova, making a phantom of himself to battle Wanda while he battled James. At that unfortunate moment, James had a flash of pain go through his head. Memories of Steve in the helicarrier again resurfaced when HYDRA still controlled him. He struggled to battle Ragnar as his memories played out. He tried to aim a fire arrow at Ragnar as the Phantom Steve in him mind tried to dodge his attack.
James groaned in pain as he flashed between memory and reality, at Ragnar's burst of flames at him and Phantom's Steve's punch. He let loose the arrow and it found the mark in Ragnar's shoulder, Phantom Steve's shoulder. Ragnar screamed in pain and fell to the platform below him, causing the memories to fade. James limped, struggling, as he leapt over to the platform where Ragnar lay stunned. He slashed at the prone figure, causing a greater number of wounds on jagged armor and on Ragnar.
Said man screamed in rage and struggled to float into the air. He transported them one last time to the field bordering north of the palace of Asgard. No one was near them, aside from several Twilight beasts who hid as soon as Ragnar appear with James. This time James was panting and shaking with adrenaline, knowing he was near exhaustion. Yet he knew he and Wanda had to finish of the usurper. Ragnar looked around confused at first yet screamed as he himself wiped out twin blades from his sleeves to fight sword to sword with James.
James brought out Psipherion and made ready to fight. Yet Ragnar was one to cheat and fight dirty. As they dueled, James garnered deep wounds on his torso, back, and right arm. Yet as they dueled for several hours, James knew Ragnar was at his own end when he paused, letting his guard down opening a window for him to push and attack with the helmet splinter. Ragnar stumbled back and dropped his swords at James' attack.
James wiped Psipherion up and around and suddenly ~ a scream of pain ~ cutting Ragnar's left arm clean off. The blade so sharp it cut through flesh and bone with ease as if through butter. The field around them disappeared as Ragnar's power flash erratically, transporting them to the throne room of the Twilight Palace as it slowly came back into focus.
Ragnar continued to scream as he stumbled back further and fell into the throne and sat down heavily, clutching at his arm stump, blood heavily leaking everywhere. James continued to hold Psipherion, yet he let it fall to his side, knowing the battle was won, breathing heavily. The fused shadows flew out from Ragnar's pocket dimension, and to Wanda who stared in happiness knowing the curse would be lifted. Though she and James were both horrified to see that she never changed back into her true self.
"WHAT?! WHY AM I NOT CHANGING BACK?!" Wanda shrieked as she looked at herself. Yet a ragged voice came from the throne.
Ragnar growled out even in pain as he glared at them with hazy hate filled eyes, "TRAITORS! Insolence!"
Wanda's gaze landed on Ragnar, her eyes filled with a murderous intent, her body shaking in anger as she screamed, "Traitors?! Ha. You know the reason why the Twilight Royals and people never chose you as king? It was your eyes, Ragnar! Everyone saw it in your eyes… They all knew not to choose you because of your arrogance and lust for power! Do you think they or the people of light forgot what the Twilight Ancestors lost their king to such greed and the war that Zant had brought for that matter, or Thanos for trying to get the infinity stones to kill half the population of the universe?!" James felt a powerful something in Wanda never seen or felt. He stepped back from her, truly felt fearful of his wife for once. She was on the verge of doing something deadly.
Ragnar, eyes wild and face wild with insanity, still clucking his shoulder, grunted in pain yet his voice was clear, "Foolish Wanda. The curse on you cannot be broken." He didn't see her murderous intent.
Wanda sneered murderously, her body tensing, her hair lifting into the air as it clutched. Wanda's eyes flashed with dark red and teal light, her power charging. James growled and sneered at his son. No. Never my son. He thought. He shied away further from Wanda as her rage boiled over and started to hurt his right arm, burning it slightly.
Ragnar continued, "The curse was placed on you by my god. The power you hold over the Twilight and in the world of light will never return. Already he is renewed and has descended into the world of Light." Wanda tensed further, fury coursing through her knowing now a greater evil existed in the palace of Asgard.
Ragnar continued, "As long as my master, Ganon, is alive, he can resurrect me without ceasing." He looked up in victory, yet as he did so, Wanda's rage finally broke loose, her hair becoming three large appendages as she screeched bloody murder. They violently stabbed into Ragnar's chest, causing him to scream in agony. Wanda then tore him apart into specs, her hair returning to normal as James watched in horrified shock as Wanda's powers ceased.
Wanda shook with fear, her eyes wide with it. Her hands flew to her face in horror as she whispered in terror, "I… I just used a fraction of the power within me now… I used but a fraction of the magic of the Twilight Ancestors and of mine and of the Triforce of Wisdom!"
James' fear of his wife fled, replaced with pride and courage, "You used a fraction and killed a monster, Wanda. I couldn't be prouder of you."
Wanda turned to him, horrified, tears in her eyes, "James… I… I just killed your… son… I am a… monster…"
James shook his head as he placed a tender hand to her check, grunting in pain slightly, "Ragnar was no son of mine for what he did, I am happy he is dead. For he did not deserve to live. Besides, you're no monster, Wanda, you're beautiful and a warrior I am proud of. Strong, not weak. The strongest Avenger. Let's put it behind us, we need to get back to the world of light."
Wanda smiled, her tears drying and her tension easing away. James smiled at her in comfort as he caressed her check. Yet as he did so he felt something at the back of his mind. The Winter shoulder was there. The Winter Soldier watched from the back of his mind. James, losing awareness to reality for several seconds, turned to the Soldier in question inside his mind. The Soldier smirked, giving James a nod as he sat down in the chair behind him.
James, finally placing the past behind him and his shame and guilt, nodded back, knowing full well the Soldier had no control over him anymore. Moving without remorse and guilt, James walked within touching distance of the Soldier, and he looked smiled. He looked down at his vibranium hand before reaching out to the Soldier with it. The Soldier raised a bow but reached out and shook his hand heartily.
James truly felt freed from the Soldier's control after that. They parted, and James watched as the Soldier was chained to the chair by chains and he disappear completely into nothing. His mind scape turned from a dark depressing place to a beautiful landscape, with snowcapped mountains in the background and the ground he stood on was covered with beautiful flowers and meadows. Just like Amelia's mindscape. He closed his eyes and praised the Maker. Soon he came back to reality.
When he came to, Wanda was looking into his eyes with grave concern. She cupped his checks with her hands gently, asking, "James are you alright? You spaced out for several minutes as soon as I mentioned Ragnar. You stood there looking off in a 1000-yard gaze, eyes glazed, and as still as a statue."
James sighed in relief, knowing this was going to be welcome news to Wanda. His smile put Wanda at ease. He touched her shoulder lovingly, "The Soldier is truly gone. He has no control anymore, since I have released my guilty and shame and have let the past go. I have let go and know he has no purpose in my life. Because of this, his purpose and the indoctrination of HYDRA have no control over me anymore, causing him to disappear. Meaning he will never surface again."
Wanda let out a joyous laugh with tears of joy. She put her arms around his neck in a tight hug. James hugged her back, tears running down his face, a smile as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge on his face. No words were needed. They were elated to the moon and back that the Soldier had no control over James and was truly gone. After several minutes they parted, gathering their emotions, Wanda pulled back further and smiled. James smiled back and murmured, "Let's leave this place and let the Twilight rebuild. For we have Ganondorf to face off with."
Wanda nodded hesitantly, "Right! James! Let's get back to save the world, to save Amelia. I believe there is a chance to save her. I couldn't take the evil power that Ragnar was holding. But at least I have the power of the Twilight Ancestors with me aside from my own. And the Triforce of Wisdom that Amelia has given me. With it I can return the cherished power Amelia bestowed on me."
She looked at her hands and then to James who smiled in his Brooklyn way. She turned and pointed to the floor, creating a portal. She turned back to James, who was still smiling, gesturing, "Come… The world is waiting… Amelia is waiting."
Hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review and/or favorite the story. Tell me what y'all are thinking of the story.
Until next time.
WS. Z.
