Sorry for leaving you guys in agony and the long delay. Works got me and I had to reschedule certain stuff.
Writing about grief is actually pretty hard, and I want to do it as respectful as possible to the people who had suffered depression and the loss of their loved ones. I had to do a couple of research about grief and loss, watching WandaVision isn't enough to understand grief as well, especially to write about someone who had been an orphan and alone her whole life.
In that case, here's the best I can write about it. Enjoy!
For this particular case, there will be no post-credit scene.
Wanda is no stranger to grief. In fact, she knew it better than anyone else.
But to see Sylvie in the state that she once went through was something she had never thought she had to witness. She had experienced it, but to see her friend suffering what she had gone through was something else entirely different.
She felt like she was seeing herself.
After the other sorcerers apprehended Kang, she walked to the spot where the portal vanished, hoping to find a trace on which dimensions it came from. However, the trace was very weak and soon enough she can't feel anything before she could pinpoint where it was. Nor can she sense Loki or Mordo anywhere. They vanished without a trace.
Her heart sank to what this means.
She turned to Sylvie, who limply hung onto Loki's brother as she cried. Something before her sight made her heart tug. She had been in her place, losing someone important, and felt like she was the only one in the world.
Wanda couldn't help but shed a small tear for the friend she may have lost today. She can feel her grief, anger, guilt, and long, it was all so much to take in. Worst of all, it was mixed with her own feelings for him. Loki was a great ally, someone reliable, and a teacher to her kids. The twins must not know about what happened to Loki.
Worst of all, he is someone dear to Sylvie. That made the realization hit her like a blow, for she knew what it's like to lose someone she loved in order to protect the world. Why did it have to happen again?
Thor, on the other hand, did a better job at keeping it together. He was holding her close to him, "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," he murmured softly to her. It hit her so hard to know that they are both are crying for Loki.
It didn't feel right for her to intervene in their shared losses. After all, they both cared deeply for Loki. Perhaps she'll visit her later, she has to talk to Stephen about the safety of Kamar-taj in case of another attack.
She walked towards Stephen, who is helping his other fellow sorcerers who were injured. The other Avengers were helping him too, lifting them up on their feet. Stephen then pulled a phone out of the air and dialed a series of numbers, "Hello? Christine?" he began, "I'm fine, thanks. Listen, you may want to prepare a few rooms in the hospital if that's possible. It's a little serious and using magic will only drain the strength of some of us," he paused, listening to a few murmurs from his phone, "I understand, I'll bring the ones who are seriously in need of help. Thanks," he then tapped the phone off.
"Stephen," the Sorcerer Supreme turned to her, "Do we want to regroup?"
Stephen shook his head, "Let's tend to the others first," he said with a bare minimum tone, "We'll come up with something once we can get everyone on their feet again."
She nodded, "And Loki?"
He hung his head in defeat, there's a look of shame plastered on his face, "I can't feel him," he then turned to her, "Can you?" She shook her head regrettably, Stephen pursed his lips, and his brows furrowed, "I can't tell his chances of survival with Dormammu, but it's very slim and close to nothing," he said softly, ensured that only they both can hear what they say.
Wanda felt horrified hearing this, "Then is he…."
Stephen remained silent and closed his eyes, for he too can't voice out the inevitable. A body without a soul is the same thing as a dead man. And if Mephisto has gotten ahold of a body and took its soul, that body is as good as dead.
And this may mean, Loki had met that fate.
Sylvie had heard about the concept that life goes on no matter what.
She didn't really heed it to mind since she had always lived on her own and that been living at the end of time. Who is it to mourn when she was always alone, and that witnessing death wasn't foreign to her? Death was something common she saw while she was on the run.
But to lose someone whom she knew, to lose someone who actually cared for her, to lose someone who protected her….
No one prepared her for this. Nobody ever told her how to fix a large hole someone left in her heart.
It has been days since that ambush in Kamar-taj. There hasn't been any news after that or what the others are up to now. Well, to be honest, she chose not to know. For she doubts that anyone could even survive in the Dark Dimensions, not when that being Dormammu is there, waiting to take his soul.
That day, after Loki vanished, she didn't remember what happened after crying her heart out. She felt fatigued, and everything hurts. Even her heart. She fainted right there and then.
Thor carried her fainted body. She half expected him to throw her to another cell, she didn't mind, nor did she care. But when she woke up, it's to the room of Loki's. It's exactly the way she remembered it to be when he snuck her into his room when Billy claimed to have seen someone during the last battle. Neat and…. Untouched.
The room is just lifeless now, including herself. She had not been going outside ever since, treating his room to be her own cell. She can't face anyone, she's not even sure if she wants to. It was so painful to lose him that she withdrew to his room, unable to do anything.
Sleeping has been incredibly difficult as well. The dreams were merciless and….mysterious. She began to see the same dream night after night. A dream where she'll be rewatching the time when she lost him, but much worst. Nightmare would be right behind him, and he slowly took his soul right in front of her, and she'd be screaming.
Sometimes, that dream played again and again, but other times, it'd be Loki fighting Nightmare. She was in a crystal skyscraper that is engulfed in darkness. And there, right at the skyscraper, would be Loki fighting Mordo in what it looks like to be an endless battle. And when Sylvie tried to run to him but was unable to reach him.
And then she'd wake up with cold sweat running down her neck and half screaming. She wakes up tired now. All the time. For it gave her more grief than actual rest, which is why she hid in his room, to avoid everything.
But after a while, she stopped dreaming entirely. But the same feeling of loss is still there.
Everything hurts, it feels like the world is drowning. Every time she tried to get back up the surface, a strong wave would wash her over and over again. The world has some kind of a sick joke to leave her in a limbo-like this, to tear away just one happiness of her life. If that's what fate wants, then what's the point of living anymore?
A knock then came to the door, she didn't even bother to turn around to see who it was anymore, for she has no intentions to open it. She just stares blankly at the window.
"Hey," it was Wanda's voice, but Sylvie didn't respond, nor did she turn to look at her, "I brought you some pizza. Well, Sam brought us, and I thought you might be hungry."
Sylvie remained silent, unable to tell her to leave her alone. She doesn't have the strength, nor did she have the will to talk. She just wants to be alone.
For a while, Wanda didn't respond to her silence. Sylvie hoped that she'll leave her alone, she doesn't think she can handle any small talks like they used to. Not like this.
There is a small clink, it seemed that she placed the plate of pizza on the table. Then there were footsteps approaching her before the bed dipped beside her. Wanda sighed beside her, from the corner of her eyes, she saw her looking at her. Sylvie slowly turned away, unable to look her in the eyes. Not when her eyes could show how broken she is.
And now that her powers are back, blocking any mind readers like her is a relief.
If Wanda is indeed trying to read her mind, she didn't show it. "Hey," she began, Sylvie still didn't have the courage to turn to face her, "If you don't eat, you might get sick."
She scoffed weakly but still not looking at her, "I'm not hungry," she managed to croak softly.
Wanda sighed, trying to form something to say to her, "It might make you feel better."
Sylvie hung her head weakly and remained silent, doubting that anything could make her feel better anymore. How many nights has she cried until there are no tears left to shed? Waking up became so much harder, especially being in his room where his presence is there, but he's also not there as well.
But instead, Wanda only scooted closer to her until she can feel her leg. Then, she took her hand pulled her close to her side. At first, she tensed a little at the sudden action. No one aside from Loki has ever done this to her, let alone show any physical touch. Though it did give her a small sense of comfort, something she hasn't felt for a while. Wanda then squeezed her hand, "I'm sorry," she finally said, and her other hand snaked to the same arm, "We should've done better."
No one, in nearly her entire lifetime, has ever shown any concern to her. Let alone even showing any remorse, even if it wasn't anyone's fault. In her time laying low from one apocalypse to another, people's true colors tend to show. And they weren't pleasant. But coming from Wanda who said that made her confused. She turned her head to the Scarlet Witch, "It's fine," she managed to croak, sounding a little broken, which she despised so much, "It wasn't your fault."
She felt her shook her head, "We shouldn't have let that happen," she sounds apologetic as if still believing that it's her fault, "And Loki had to pay the price."
Sylvie pursed her lips, remembering when Loki actually looked pale as if knowing that it'd be his last time seeing her. We survive, he used to say that to her. But can he? After seeing how he leaped to save them all? What are the chances of him surviving the ruler of death and hell itself?
The Goddess of Mischief did her best to smile at her, trying to push back all the emotions getting to her, "There was nothing we all could've done," she whispered, "Loki would go on his way to get what he has in mind anyway," just like you. He pushed her so that she wouldn't stop him go through that portal, just like she did when she pushed him back to the TVA in the void beyond. How ironic that she gets to taste her own medicine. She looked back to the window, feeling like karma has truly taken over her, is this what Loki felt?
Wanda gave her hand another squeeze, breaking her train of thoughts, "You once said that Loki's last words were 'I know that you'll find me'," she said, "Perhaps he's still alive?"
"I don't know anymore," she's close in tears, "I can't sense him, nor can anyone now," Loki once told her that the people of Kamar-taj could detect mystical arts, which was how they were able to find the Loki in the sacred timeline, the fact that it has been days that the people here are unable to detect anything from him speaks volumes already, "And the chances of anyone surviving a being from hell….," she couldn't continue any longer, for her voice is breaking. Eventually, she let loud a sigh of defeat, "I just…," she sighed, "I just feel so tired. All the time. Like," she sobbed, "I'm just drowning in a bottomless ocean."
"Sshh," Wanda hushed, pulling her softly to her side, "It's alright, you don't have to say it. I understand," she strokes her arm slowly, "But we will end this Multiverse War, and we'll find Loki. I don't believe he truly died."
"How do you know that?" Sylvie murmured, how is she still able to be this optimistic when there is not enough proof to conclude something? In fact, how is she able to stay this optimistic?
Wanda genuinely smiled at her, "If there's one thing I learned about my mentor, is that we should have faith in what we believe in," she began, "He had taught me that no matter how grim it looks like, even when the world is against you, if you believe strongly and take action to find the truth, it'll eventually reveal itself," she squeezed Sylvie's hand, "What you told me, that Loki's last words were that he knows that you'll find him. Don't you think it means something?"
Sylvie looked down, remembering what he told her before he ran for the portal. Sure, he did say that. But really, the last word he told her was that…..
I love you, Sylvie.
She felt her cheeks turned warm. She's so glad that due to the crying, the color of embarrassment is camouflaged with the crying. That confession alone made her heart beat strangely when he said that. Loki had never said that to her, in fact, he had never said anything like that when they were together.
That was why she didn't really believe what he told her before he said that. It felt like he was saying farewell to her.
"Sylvie?" Wanda called her, breaking her train of thoughts, "Something on your mind? Do you want to talk about it?"
Sylvie shook her head to clear her thoughts, "No, it's nothing. It's just…..hard. I guess I'm just so tired."
Wanda linked her hand to hers and squeezed her hand, "I understand," she said, "Vision, he knew what to say to me when I was feeling that way," Sylvie turned to her, wanting to know what she was talking about. The Scarlet Witch shifted where she sat, "Right after Pietro died, the Avengers took me in, and I left my home country. I was all alone, and I was so… lonely and miserable. And I felt like….I just want to give up on life," Sylvie shuddered at her words, to think that she had it much worst than hers, "But then, Vision came to me. I didn't really understand why he was willing to come around me when I look so screwed up, I wouldn't myself. He just said that he wanted to understand what I was feeling, which confused me as well," she chuckled at the memory, "But you know what he told me?" Sylvie shook her head, and Wanda continued, "He told me that, everything can't be about sorrow. Because…. 'what is grief, if not love persevering?'"
Something in those words clicked something in her. She's unsure what it was, but somehow it gave her a realization about something as if a prison door had swung open.
She didn't know why, but suddenly, she felt like the water that she's drowning in began to slowly drain. It's still there, but the pressure seemed to slowly lift away. It feels like the words are right, but some part of her it trying to tell her that it meant something else. The optimistic part of her is trying to resurface slowly, and another kind of wave is flowing in her. Something that didn't feel like hers….
Before she could ponder further, Wanda smiled at her, "The grief we felt, it's not all about it. It's the love we felt for that person," she elaborated genuinely, "It's a reminder that that love we have for that person will always remain with us."
Sylvie looked at her and nodded, "I suppose," she sighed a breath of relief and chuckled to her, "Your Vision is quite the philosopher."
Wanda giggled softly, "I think that's what I love about him."
"He sounds like a nice person."
"He is," she looked out the window, "A charmer in words."
"Sounds like someone I know," she giggled, "But he was more annoying than comfort."
Wanda laughed, "I bet he was."
Sylvie didn't realize she was finally smiling again. She hasn't been doing that since losing Loki, she still couldn't face that reality, but she felt a wave of comfort moving her and easing her pain. What is this feeling?
"Hey, Sylvie," Wanda called her again, "I know that you don't want to meet anyone, and you might think that you are alone. But please know that you are not truly alone, we will be there for you if you need us."
The Goddess of Mischief smiled at that reassurance, "Thank you, Wanda."
Wanda smiled at her, and then she stood up, still holding her hand, "Come on," she said, "the others are waiting."
Sylvie blinked, dumbfounded, "Huh?"
"I left my twins in the dining room on their own," Wanda explained, "They were asking about you too, 'cuz I forbid them to see you while you are in here. Rather I tell them that you are fine, it's best I show them."
This person, she grumbled a bit. She told her that just now to bring her out.
Sylvie hesitated a bit, feeling a bit shy to get out of Loki's room. She had never really been inside Kamar-taj or meet anyone aside from her and the twins. The idea to meet the rest of the people of Kamar-taj made her nervous, "But…"
"Don't worry, we will be the only ones there. And even if there are others who would be there, what can they do to us?"
Sylvie pursed her lips, unable to retort against that. As far as she knows, Wanda is quite a strong magic wielder herself, having the powers from the Mind Stone. So, these people can't really do anything to her.
Wanda tugged her hand again, "Come on," she insisted, "The twins are eager to see you too, especially Billy. I promise they won't be bad."
She chuckled lightly, "Don't make promises you can't keep," She finally got up.
She laughed, "Alright, but I'm certain the twins can understand when to hold themselves. Now, come on. Mobius is there too."
"Mobius?" How can she forget about him?
She nodded, "Yea, he dropped by today and is keeping the twins' company at the moment."
"Why is he here?" she remembered Mobius struggling when she tried to bring him to safety.
"You'll just have to ask him yourself," she smiled at her, "He too was asking about you."
Sylvie gave a small pout, "Fine, fine," she finally gave up. A part of her insisted she go with her, she's unsure why she was suddenly feeling this way. Just a few hours ago, she was feeling like the world is so dim. And now, it's like someone switched the light on.
She brushed that thought away, the point is, now she's feeling a little better after that pep talk. Maybe it's because Wanda understood what she felt, and she had gone through the phase that she was feeling. No wonder she knew what to say, and the way she talked about Vision, it sounds as if he helped her come out of her shell. She's glad that Wanda was able to find that comfort and recovered well.
As you did, a small voice said inside her.
"Let's see the others," Wanda said again, looking genuinely happy to see her.
To which Sylvie was obliged to follow. The pizza that Wanda brought is forgotten.
This is the first time Sylvie is able to actually see what Kamar-taj really looks like without anyone restraining her. The place actually felt like something the Asian cultures have in their home structures. It felt safe.
The people in there didn't look hostile towards her, rather….conflicted. Although it's something she expects, after spending time with Wanda, that feeling was somehow forgotten until she walked past them. Their expression was neither hostile nor friendly.
"Don't mind them," Wanda whispered beside her, "They're not usually used to foreigners."
Sylvie scoffed, I've been here for several months now.
"Here we are," Wanda announced softly beside her.
The dining room was big yet simple. It's like those school cafeterias, except mirroring the architectures of Kamar-taj. There are not many people there, some were sitting on their own while reading something, and some are eating together…
But three people caught her attention. An adult and two children were in a corner of the dining table, inspecting something. The man has his back turned while the kids face him.
"Wait, so you can go anywhere and anytime with this 'tempad'?" Billy looked at the device in his hands that Mobius showed them.
"That's right," Mobius, who sat in front of him, said, "In the past, it was how we get around catching bad guys. It's easier for us to find Kang too."
"Wow, is that how you were able to find us?" Tommy enthusiastically asked.
"In a way," he said, "But we found Kang first, and coincide with you guys."
"Oooh," Billy hummed, tapping the keyboard randomly. He can think of the many things where he wanted to go, "Can I use it?"
"Absolutely not," Wanda quickly chimed in as she grabbed Sylvie's hand and pulled her along to their table.
The three of them immediately turned towards the two ladies approaching them. The moment the twins laid their eyes on Sylvie, they beamed, "Sylvie!"
The Goddess of Mischief didn't expect them to be so enthusiastic to meet her. In fact, no one has except Loki when they met again in the void beyond. "Tommy, Billy," she greeted back, then she turned to Mobius. She then noticed the arm cast that hung around his neck, holding his left arm, "Mobius? Are you…."
"Don't worry, I'm alright," he lifted his arm cast, "Wanda's healing magic helped with the wounds, but this arm is gonna need more attention."
"Is it broken?"
"Sort of," Mobius chuckled, "But Wanda helped with that, now it's bruised. But ya know, better bruised that broken. If her power made the healing part of my body keep working, it's gonna fight against itself."
"I see," she hummed, sitting beside her friend, "But it's good to see you are doing fine."
"I can say the same to you," Mobius placed his hand on his shoulder, "It's been a rough week hasn't it."
"Hmmm, it's kinda hard to grasp on what's real and what's not," Sylvie clasped her hands nervously on the table.
"I understand," Mobius hummed.
"Thanks for helping me back there," she completely forgot how he stepped in to stop Mordo before he could take her powers. He may not have powers as she does, but his courage to stand up to what's right despite knowing that astounds her so much. She's glad she got a friend like him.
"No biggie, I think it's you who saved me. And," he gestured to the twins, "These two champs."
"Yea," Sylvie turned back to the twins, "Thanks for saving me, you guys."
The twins gave her different reactions. Tommy adjusted his sitting position and straightened his chest with pride, while Billy sheepishly looked away as if embarrassed. "You're welcome," the twins said.
"Now this you haven't told me," Wanda sat between beside Tommy, her tone was neither angry nor pleased, "Do you want to tell your mother about this? I thought I told you to stay out of trouble."
"Well, you told us to stay with Sylvie," Billy corrected her, "You never told us not to fight him."
"Yea, and we beat him just fine," Tommy chimed.
"Geez, I swear Loki isn't really teaching you two," Wanda grumbled, making Sylvie and Mobius chuckle.
While the mother and kids are bantering about the boundaries of fighting, Mobius and Sylvie had a conversation together. "How are you feeling now?" Mobius asked.
Today has been really surprising to her. Wanda's pep talk, and now, Mobius checking in on her, even though he himself is injured. God, she feels so selfish. "I'm fine, thanks Mobius," she said, "Sorry, I haven't been able to visit you…"
"You don't have to," Mobius quickly and genuinely dismissed her, "Wanda helped me not turn in to the hospital, so I made a small report right after the battle."
Sylvie raised her brow, "You are one workaholic."
"Force of habit," he simply said, picking up a fries on his plate and munching it noisily. He then pushed a small box to what looks like a small, packed lunch, "Try some beef bowl from New York, they're pretty good."
"Thanks," Sylvie took the box and opened it, seeing neatly sliced beef on top of rice. They look pretty good. She took a spoon and scooped them to her mouth, "This is good."
Mobius smiled at her, "It's great and packed with good stuff for your health," he sounded like a worrisome mother now.
Sylvie gave him a smile of appreciation. Aside from Loki, no one has ever been this careful about her. Being alone taught her that you can't count on anyone, that everyone will just leave you eventually. That it's no use hanging onto people when the end result will only be being left behind.
But now, it seems that what she believed in is going to change forever.
"Oh, and Sylvie," Mobius popped a small ball of steak in his mouth, "I'm sorry about Loki. I wish there was another way."
She looked down to her food, feeling her heartache for the man who cared so much about her. She's still feeling overwhelmed by the loss but after that pep talk with Wanda, she felt a new wave of feeling wash over her, "I'm sorry too."
"For this whole time knowing him, I never expected that he'd go this far onto sacrificing himself," he sadly mumbled, "But it seems that I was wrong. And he surprises me, I guess that's what he's always good at. Surprising people, even when he's not here."
"Hmmm," Sylvie hummed, he did surprise her even before he threw himself to that portal. That last kiss… she felt like it meant something more than what they shared in the past. Like a promise.
"Listen, Sylvie," Mobius scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, "The last time I was with Loki, he told me how he wanted you out of this place so badly. And I think Stephen Strange is agreeing with that fact after I spoke to him. So here's a few options I can give you," he adjusted where he sat, "one, you can still stay here, and they won't lock you up. Or two, you can help lead the TVA with Miren. We could use your intellect to help with this Kang case. It's quite out of hand, I tell you."
Sylvie raised her brow, "You spoke to Strange?"
"Yea was asking how you were holding up. Then I brought the subject to him," he explained, "The least I could do now is to fulfill a friend's request."
Sylvie's eyes flew wide. All this time, while I was in his room, they were all fighting for me? She always thought that she was now alone, back to where she was before. She had spent so much time with Loki that she had forgotten what it's like to be alone. When Loki vanished, she thought that she has no choice but to start from the very beginning again: Alone, aimless, and the only thing in mind, revenge.
She felt like she wanted to cry again, feeling overwhelmed that what she thought that she'll have to go through again is not true. That she has friends now, people whom she can rely on.
"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" her friend placed a hand on her shoulder.
"No, it's just," Sylvie wiped the small tear from her eyes, "I was so foolish, locking myself away."
"You were grieving for him, it's alright. You just needed some space," Mobius said, "Hey, whatever it is. We're glad you are finally here with us. We'll solve all these Multiverse Madness together, and maybe, find Loki altogether."
"You believe he's alive?"
He nodded, "Perhaps," he said, "I don't like to get into conclusion lest I find solid evidence myself when it comes to Loki. I know because I spent years studying him, if something isn't really true yet, there may be something behind it. And he's quite good at fooling people."
She hummed, perhaps she too is believing that too.
"Sylvieeeee," Tommy exclaimed, drawing both their attention, "You gotta tell Mom that we actually took on Kang back there! She didn't believe us."
"Yea! We were clear with you that time!" Billy added, looking so distraught, "You saw us, right?"
The Goddess of Mischief couldn't help but suppress a giggle, even Mobius chuckled. He grinned at her, "Guess you got some company."
"Seems like it."
"I'll let you think on what you want to do," Mobius said, "Let me know tomorrow."
Sylvie was about to nod before a blast of an explosion blew the dining hall.
"Stephen," Wong called Stephen, breaking his line of magic, finding dimensions after dimensions of mysterious figures that he can track down.
"Yea?" he hummed as he was still trying to look for signs in the magic he conjured floating gracefully.
"I'll be going on a small trip to San Francisco," Wong said, "I am going to study about the Ten Rings."
Stephen quirked his brows up, "You found the user?"
"Yes," he replied, "The boy possesses it now, and with him being more cooperative than his father, we might be able to find its origins."
Stephen placed his hands on his chin, "That might be able to solve this multiverse mystery."
"Exactly," Wong nodded, "We know very little of the Multiverse, and with new branches growing slowly, and messing up with our own line, it might be able to shed light on how we can locate Mordo and Nightmare."
Mordo, what have you done to yourself, Stephen thought sadly. The friend who had been with him taught him the ways of the Mystical arts turned away from the very thing he had helped him to be now. How ironic sadly, but things change, and so did we, "Alright, get as much information as possible. If we are correct, perhaps we might be able to find allies from the other multiverse as well."
Wong nodded, then he created the swirling portal and went through it, leaving him alone in the library.
Stephen sighed and continued to do his own research. Mordo has been up to something big ever since he left Kamar-taj, and he doubts that he's going to relent. Words don't seem to be able to sway him back after being under the influence of Mephisto. It seems that changing his heart back will be impossible.
He sighed, checking on a few other books that might shed light to increase the detection of magic users in different dimensions. So far, there hasn't been much, or anything related to the Multiverse. Only Kang knows.
He had been questioning the Kang they captured for days, and all he could provide is that Mordo was the one who found his own way of contacting Nightmare/Mephisto. He only paved the path on the Multiverse and took advantage of the ever-growing branches, taking notes of different 'variants' of himself and the others. The true mastermind of Kang is still out there, he just doesn't know where or which branch he resided to.
And that's the difficult part. It's no longer finding a needle in the haystack when you don't know where the haystack even is.
That's why he is currently devoted to finding Mordo or any allies from the Multiverse, because he may be the last person to contact the real Kang. After all, he had allied himself with the variant of Kang. And the Kang they last fought was stronger, so maybe they're closer to find the real Kang.
Plus, he read that Mordo was in contact with people of the Multiverse, and those people have powers too. If he's right, perhaps these people may have powers beyond their expectations, and maybe, just maybe, they may be able to help them find Kang. After all, Kang had been in many Multiverses. That man, the bald guy he ran across in those documents might be a great ally...if he could find him.
But where to start, he wondered. He closed the book he had been reading and placed it back on the table….
Until his eyes caught sight of the 'Book of Theseus'. The book that Loki last read.
He sighed, why in the world was he reading that after knowing that Mordo would be after Wanda?
A part of him felt a little guilty. He was an ally too, assisting the protection of Kamar-taj, and identifying threats. It's true that he hasn't been at their very best with each other, perhaps he was being cautious. He sighed, who am I kidding? Deep down, he still doubts Loki. How can he not? He attacked New York and killed a bunch of people back then. And he has a history of backstabbing people, particularly his own brother.
But….over the past few days, even though his snark still shows, he hasn't been showing signs of hostility. In fact, he was actually acting as an ally. An actual ally. Wong seems to get along fine with him though, so perhaps he's just being paranoid?
And his last sacrifice to save them all from being pulled into that portal. Truly though, he doubts that Loki would do any kind of 'heroic' thing. Sure, there are moments where people changed for the better. However, to willingly give their life for another is another matter entirely.
Stephen sighed, perhaps it's worth reading the book that Loki last read. Perhaps it might give him a little insight, even though it has little to no relation to what Mordo and Kang are up to…..maybe.
He opened the book and began scanning through the contents. Looking for anything that perhaps might be in relation to what he's looking for, and found none. It was mostly about souls, sleeping souls, and the art of Astral projections. What a load of bull…
Astral projections, sleeping souls.
Suddenly, his gears began to turn. He began to continue reading the page thoroughly:
Sometimes a soul can be so weak that a dark entity may be able to possess it. If seen from the Astral dimensions, it will appear as a dark entity enters its body, manipulating one's weak mind. If the soul is very weak, the entity could slip easily into its body and possess it. Connecting its consciousness with the soul.
Interesting. He kept reading.
A soul can wander freely. Just as the Astral production, it can be transferred to an object. Its consciousness from the body will fade and eventually, joins the soul.
A soul can also sleep in another's body. There are two ways: 1) the astral body can wander to the body or 2) to hide from Astral enemies, it can hide in any objects, and whoever touches that object, that soul will reside with that human.
After reading that sentence, Stephen thought back to their last battle with Mordo. Mordo was possessed by the consciousness of Mephisto. He was able to access some of his powers, hence, the dark portal to the abyss of the Dark Dimensions.
Loki tackled Mordo to the dimension he was trying to suck them all into. Was he trying to take Nightmare's soul? That's impossible because Nightmare is a conscious, not a soul. And taking him out of Mordo is impossible lest Mordo did it himself.
So what was Loki doing? What was he accomplishing doing that? Sure, to save them. But then again, the heart to move someone to give their lives for them seems…farfetched. Especially since Loki was holding onto Sylvie when she has swept away, struggling to get her back to him.
Thus, the body carries two different souls. This concept was introduced from the tesseract, where a weak mind can be manipulated easily. Entities from the dark dimensions are common to perform such acts.
In order to release that different soul from the body, one must have a powerful connection to align to the other soul. The bond must be strong in order to awake again.
Loki did say something to Sylvie before he did what he did. She was the last person Loki spoke to, the last person to even touch him. He gave something to Sylvie, he saw it.
Could that mean that he…..
A loud explosion suddenly echoed and rumbled the room. Specks of dirt began falling slowly like snow. Shit, Mordo must've figured it out.
Without thinking twice, he ran out of the library, quickly determining where the source of the explosion came from. The Cape of levitation swiftly glided him and hung on his back.
He hopes that he's not too late.
Get up, Sylvie.
Sylvie's ear rang. She still hasn't pieced together what's going on, it was so sudden. First, she was sitting beside Mobius, about to say something to the twins, and the next, she found herself on the floor.
She grunted, getting back up. Luckily the explosion happened a little further from them, so she wasn't injured. Are the others injured?
After shaking her head, clearing her mind, she looked around, "Mobius? Wanda? Kids?"
"Here," Mobius grunted behind her, making her turn around and upon her feet quickly to get to her friend. Mobius appeared behind a flipped table, getting back up.
"Oh my god, are you okay?" her friend just recovered from a battle, and something just have to appear.
"Yea, just got thrown off, but my arm's fine-," he broke off and fell on his knees.
"Mobius!" she panickily exclaimed, Sylvie inspected his body on where the injuries came from and found that it was from his arm, the injured arm. The cast broke and a huge wound appeared, "Mobius! You're injured!"
"It's just bleeding," Mobius tried to brush it off, then he scanned around, "Where's Wanda and the twins?"
"Over here!" the voice of a child replied. They both turned to the source and found mother and children together. Tommy zoomed towards them, "Are you guys, okay?"
"We're fine," Sylvie replied, "What happened?"
"LAUFEYSOOOOONNNN!" a shriek of anger echoed the Kamar-taj. It was so loud that it startled them all, finding the source wasn't easy.
Until something caught Sylvie's throat and slammed her all the way outside the ruined dining room. Sylvie was taken by surprise and as the air in her lungs was knocked out of her, making it harder for her to process.
"YOU, INSOLENT WITCH," the attacker roared at her, clenching his fist tighter, making her choke "WHERE IS HE?"
Huh? Sylvie opened her eyes slowly.
And found that she's face to face with the person she wanted to kill the most since losing Loki. Mordo-Nightmare. His fangs showing and eyes glaring daggers at her. If looks could kill, she'd probably be dead by now.
She also realized that she's no longer in the dining room anymore but on the training grounds, slammed against the entrance wall!
Mordo-Nightmare slammed her again, knocking her head, "WHERE IS HE?"
"What are you talking about?" Sylvie chastised.
"His body is an empty shell, you were the last person to speak to him," Mordo growled, "Now, I'll ask you once again," he tightened his fist, strangling her, "Where. Is. He."
Unable to hold back her frustration too, she lashed out, fuming energy blasts in her hands and burning the hands that are tightly clenching her throat, "How should I know?" she hissed as she burnt his hands, making him shriek and withdraw from her. She quickly inhaled the needed air that she wasn't granted of before and softy holds her throat, easing the pain. Then she glared at Nightmare-Mordo, gritting her teeth, "You were the one who took him away from us!"
"His body, yes," Nightmare-Mordo answered disgustingly, "but his soul was nowhere to be found."
What? "Then that's for you to figure it out, I don't know even where in the world you took him!"
"You," his pointy finger pointed at her, "are the last one who made contact with him. You know where he is."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" she summoned more energy in her hands and threw it at him, "You took him away from me!"
Mordo dodged it easily, "You are another kind of Loki. The least you would do is know where he is," and with that, he quickly summoned his dark circular shield and threw it as if it were a frisbee.
Sylvie quickly used what energy is left in her hands and threw it at the dark mystical shield, shattering it. She then lunged at him, throwing him everything she's got, "What are you talking about?" She sneered in frustration, "I am me! Nobody else!"
Mordo blocked her fast attacks, he tried to return the attacks, but Sylvie had been giving him multiple blasts, "Denying yourself won't bring him back, the only thing you need to do is to accept who you are. A Loki."
Sylvie was getting more irritated every time he speaks about him, how dare he tries to lecture her about a person he took from her? What the hell does he know?
"SHUT UP!" and she charged at him. This time, she felt even more energy flowing in her, as if a dam has been opened and flooding out everything.
"Hooo, you've become stronger," Mordo hummed in a sarcastic tone, "I wonder why."
"I said," she let all the energy inside her flow right out, "SHUT UP!" And she blasted another energy at him.
"AHHHHH!" An ear-piercing scream echoed the entire ground. At first, Sylvie felt a huge pride for finally hitting square. He deserved what he gets.
But after seeing what made him scream, the scene in front of her made her startled and confused.
She did throw a huge energy ball at him, bigger than she had ever created in fact. She did wonder how come she never had that kind of strength when they last fought. However, something else caught her attention.
A dagger. A familiar dagger pierced right through his shoulder.
Sylvie gasped. Loki's dagger! She didn't remember ever summoning such a thing, why did it appear when she didn't conjure it?
"Bastard!" Mordo spat as he pulled the dagger off of him and tossed it away. His face boiled with so much fury and immediately charged at her.
Sylvie was too occupied with what just happened that she didn't have time to react. With a reflex, she blaster another energy as she backed away midair, her mistake. Mordo dodges it and is close to throwing his mystic shield at him. She could not dodge anywhere nor she had enough time to push him back. She holds her arm up to protect her face.
But the attack never came.
"Impossible," Mordo murmured, "So that's why…."
As Sylvie slowly opened her eyes, wondering what happened to the attack, she was startled at the sight before her.
A shield floats right in front of her, blocking Mordo's attack. It then turned into a steel sword and swung its blade at Mordo. The Dark Magician had no choice but to retreat from his spot and away from Sylvie.
I….What? Throughout her time, she had never done this kind of magic before. To conjure any object was something she barely learned from Loki before the sorcerers here arrested her, and to be precise, she never had this kind of magic in her learning list. And yet….
Another sword then appeared in front of her and both blades began levitating around her as if they are her guard dogs.
"SYLVIE!" a familiar voice shouted from the entrance, making the two people turn to the entrance where it came from.
Strange appeared from the entrance, his mystical shields ready.
"You," Mordo sneered, "I thought I blocked the pathway here."
"Wanda helped me to chip off your force fields," the Sorcerer Supreme leaped gracefully to Sylvie's side, "She's taking care of the other fields that you created, and then, you won't have anywhere to go next." He then turned to her, "Are you alright?"
Sylvie blinked at this sudden change of Stephen Strange. The last time they met, he was hostile towards her. But there's no time to think about it, she nodded, "I'm fine."
"Did he take anything from you?" he told her rather softly, as if not wanting Mordo to hear what he just said.
Huh? "No."
"Good," then he turned back to Mordo, "You can't run anymore, Mordo."
"Heh," Mordo scoffed, "It takes more than that to stop me, and with the powers of the Great Mephisto, nothing can stop me."
"You have become the very thing you swore to destroy."
"As I said," he readied his shields, "The bill comes due."
"Not quite!" Another voice entered, and from above came Wanda, whose clothes had turned to her signature red armor, floating gracefully down in front of Sylvie, "You owe us a living room."
Mordo furrowed his brows, and he leaped back away further from the three of them. There were sounds of more footsteps coming, it seems reinforcements have arrived. "Three sorcerers are more than I can care to face," he looked at them, particularly at Sylvie, making her blood boil, "As I thought, 'your' voice can't reach us here," he then let his dark magic flow around him, "Now, I'm certain of where your heart is. I'm just certain that you'll come to visit." And at that, the dark magic enveloped him, and he vanished into thin air, erasing any traces of his magic.
The three of them finally let their guard down now that the threat is gone. Wanda and Stephen then turned to Sylvie, the Scarlet Witch began, "Are you okay?"
The Goddess of Mischief nodded, "Yes, I'm fine. Are Mobius and the twins alright?"
She nodded, "After I tend to his injuries, I had them watch Mobius while I get here as fast as possible," she explained, "Honestly, I didn't know that he'd throw you this far. And he threw in so many force fields along the hallway, that's why it took a long time for me to get here."
Sylvie smiled in appreciation, "Better late than never," She like this new habit where she has friends to count on, "Thank you."
Wanda smiled back before turning a little shocked, "Sylvie," she began, Sylvie realized that her red eyes are looking past her. When she turned back, the blades that were protected are still floating behind her, "When did you know how to do this?"
She turned back to them, "I don't know. It just….happened." She remembered fighting, even when she last fought him at the cell, but never had this sense to conjure a blade. It's so odd.
"No, it didn't just happen," Stephen said, making both ladies turn to him, "There's a reason behind this ambush."
"What did you find?" Wanda asked.
"First of, Sylve," he turned to Sylvie, making her a little nervous, "When you parted from Loki, did he give you anything? Or did he do or say anything you find odd?"
"Well," she thought back, the only person whom she told about what happened at their last moments together was only Wanda, but she didn't mention the four words to her, "He gave me his dagger," he conjured his dagger and couldn't help but startle, "Oh," when she was able to do that. It's like she got back a forgotten memory in her muscle.
"Did he look pale after he gave you that?" Stephen asked again.
"Yes," Sylvie was impressed with his guesses, Was it luck? "But how do you know that?"
He nodded, "As I thought."
"What is it?" Wanda pressed.
"Sylvie," he began, "The reason why Mordo came back for you is that you were the last person to interact with him."
"But what does that have to do with anything?"
"Mordo must've come back to retrieve his soul, to what we can say safely is that…. Loki's body, currently, is an empty shell."
The ladies furrowed their brows, "I beg your pardon?" Sylvie asked, to which Wanda's eyes widened at what she just said, making her confused too, "What?"
"In those final moments you were together, it was enough time for Loki to transfer his soul to his dagger," he pointed at the dagger that she is holding, "He managed to keep his consciousness from fading away before throwing himself to that portal."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Sylvie couldn't understand where this is all going.
"Sylvie, Loki's body, currently is empty. His soul is not in him," Stephen said, "He transferred his soul to his dagger, and entrusted his weapon to that very last person. And because you were the last person to interact with him, that soul is then transferred again out of the weapon at that very moment and to the very last person who keeps it now."
Her eyes widened at this new information, she clenched her hand to her heart, realizing what this means, "Wait….so that means, Loki is…"
The Sorcerer Supreme nodded in confirmation, "Yes, Loki's soul is sleeping inside you, both of you are now joined together. That's why you were able to awaken to his abilities"
This is another difficult chapter to write about, and I was particularly stuck in Wanda and Sylvie's part. At first, I wanted to do it in Wanda's POV, but it won't describe the grief she had in detail and the dreams she has been having. It was tough as I wanted it to be as respectful as possible for the people who had gone through loss, grief, and depression.
I'm no psychologist, but I know what it feels like to be depressed, and I respect so much for the people who were able to overcome that and suicide altogether. That's why I wanted it to be right, and I hope I did.
Anyways, let me know what you think! Did I lack something? Especially the part of Wanda and Sylvie, I hope I didn't rush how Sylvie was able to slowly recover from her depression.
Sylvie's awakening to Loki's abilities was fun to write. But I'm a sucker in action scenes, so let me know if I repeat certain things too much.
For those who have watched Shang-chi...well...that's like a fun easter egg to write about. I felt like it fits, but i dunno...what do u think?
Until then! As always, please leave some reviews ^^ I wanna know what you think.
For this particular chapter, there won't be any post-credit scenes.