Welcome back to Ashes of Midnight. Last time, Captain America and Cynder started examining the data left to them by Crossbones, containing nothing but old HYDRA records that Cap's admittedly rusty skills in German are having a hard time translating. But while that's going on, Spyro and Scarlet Witch have finished preparations for Agatha's ritual, and in telling her, Nico Minoru also drops the reveal that all of the Midnight Sons are in on this now. Cynder's not near as annoyed as she might be at that, given she trusts the Midnight Sons. But anyways, the ritual is about to commence, so let's not waste a second. Here we go.
(Our scene opens up at a secluded altar on the Abbey's grounds, where Spyro, Cynder, Scarlet Witch and the Midnight Sons are gathered to attempt this ritual)
Scarlet Witch: (Placing Caretaker's locket on the altar) Everything is prepared.
Spyro: It's now or never.
Cynder: (Addressing the Midnight Sons) I can't thank you four enough for joining us in this.
Nico Minoru: Hey, for Agatha? We'd do anything.
Cynder: Then let us begin. (To Scarlet Witch) Wanda, if you would take the lead?
Scarlet Witch: Gladly.
(With that, Scarlet Witch gathers her magic and forms a strangely blue circle, while humming a tune not unlike "The Ballad of The Witches' Road")
Scarlet Witch: (Almost sung) Circle sewn with fate, Unlock thy hidden gate.
(And with that verse, the blue flames lighting the circle spread out fully as Agatha Harkness' spirit starts to hover above the altar)
Scarlet Witch: Agatha Harkness, can you hear me?
Agatha Harkness: I can.
Scarlet Witch: The Gray Seneschal extends a hand. Shall you take it, knowing it may lead to your destruction?
Agatha Harkness: I shall.
Scarlet Witch: Do you willingly sever your bond to this world, knowing it may lead to your dissolution?
Agatha Harkness: I do.
Scarlet Witch: And will you open yourself to the Gray Seneschal, knowing it may lead to your possession?
Agatha Harkness: I will.
Scarlet Witch: Spoken, witnessed, and sealed. I can... I will now begin.
Agatha Harkness: Steady, Wanda.
Scarlet Witch: I call upon the Gray Seneschal! Seize the spirit of Agatha Harkness and deliver her into this world!
(And with a flash of light, the spell appears to be working, as Agatha Harkness finally becomes visible to the others, with everybody being surprised)
Magik: It's her!
Ghost Rider: Whoa, I can see her! I can...
(But before Ghost Rider can finish that, not just one but two dreaded presences make themselves known, Caretaker and Doctor Strange have arrived)
Caretaker: (Bewildered by what she's seeing) Agatha?
Doctor Strange: What is this?
Spyro: (Having heard them) WE'VE BEEN FOUND OUT!
Cynder: (Trying to remain calm) Caretaker, Agatha didn't want you to find out this way. (To Doctor Strange) And I wasn't sure she wanted you to know at all, Stephen. How did you get here?
Caretaker: I noticed I was missing a precious item. A simple locator spell brought me here.
Cynder: The locket.
Caretaker: So Wanda stole it from me? I almost caught her outside my room, didn't I.
Cynder: Wanda wasn't the thief. I was.
Caretaker: The thief's identity is of little importance right now. I will not let Wanda destroy Agatha again.
Agatha Harkness: Sara, no!
(Caretaker and Doctor Strange will not be stopped though, and the ritual is interrupted, causing red energy to flow through the circle and seemingly harm Agatha Harkness)
Caretaker: Wanda, what have you done?!
Scarlet Witch: What have I done?! You're the one who's risked Agatha's destruction right now! This was her idea!
Agatha Harkness: Nothing done is worse than what you've done, Sara.
Caretaker: (Caught off guard) Agatha?
Spyro: Something's wrong here.
Agatha Harkness: You were the worst thing that happened to me. Oh how I loathed our time together, it took death to free me from your insipid...
Cynder: (To Spyro) Dead straight, that's not Agatha. (To whoever is possessing Agatha Harkness) Whoever you are, release Agatha Harkness from your control and leave this place or face my wrath!
(And just like that, with a diabolical laugh, the energy once blue turns red as the entity possessing Agatha Harkness makes itself known, particularly to Magik.)
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) Hello, sweetling.
Magik: Mephisto!
Doctor Strange: Release Agatha, we have no quarrel with you!
Magik: Speak for yourself, Doc.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) You want me to simply give you this withered ecto-puppet? I'm genuinely disappointed, one of you must know how this works by now.
Spyro: Let me guess. You want to strike a bargain.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) Good to see someone remembers how this works.
Cynder: There will be no deals today, demon. I repeat my ultimatum, release Agatha. Now.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) At least hear me out. I'm offering a simple trade. You give me, Illyana, and I give you this faded rag of a spirit.
Cynder: Like hell that's happening.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) Then I'll just destroy her and leave.
Cynder: That's not an option either, Demon.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) And here I thought you were the true power here. But if you have no hold over the Queen of Limbo, then you're as useless to me as this wizened phantasm.
Cynder: (Getting an idea) At least let us talk it out.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) Don't talk too long now, or I'll melt your spectral friend here.
Magik: There is little to say.
Cynder: (Quietly) Illyana I'm just stalling for time...
Magik: There is little to say, because I know how to force him out.
Cynder: Then what's the plan?
Magik: If I banish him directly, Agatha goes too. But if I channel my power through someone close to her...
Cynder: Sucker punch. He goes, she stays, all's good.
Magik: Almost. Whoever I send my power through will take incredible pain.
Cynder: Then use me.
Magik: Are you nuts?
Cynder: Between me and The Hunter? I think we can take it, especially if it means saving Agatha, defying the Devil, and stopping him from claiming you.
Spyro: It won't be just the two of you. Send it through us both.
Magik: You are both fools, but you're the bravest fools I know.
Mephisto: (Through Agatha Harkness) Enough deliberation. Do we have a bargain?
Cynder: Magik, I believe you have our answer.
Magik: Three words. GO TO HELL!
(With that, Magik casts her spell through both Spyro and Cynder, surrounding the two in Limbo magic, causing an immense amount of pain but also driving Mephisto from Agatha Harkness and through a Limbo portal as the red light fades and Agatha Harkness resumes control again.)
Caretaker: (Still reeling from all of this) Agatha?
Agatha Harkness: Sara? You can hear me?
Caretaker: Hear you, see you, everything.
Agatha Harkness: What, no kiss?
Caretaker: And now I know it's you.
Agatha Harkness: Sara, what you've done here, bringing everyone together, it's...
Caretaker: It's not enough, sadly.
Agatha Harkness: I have never been more happy to tell you you're wrong in my life or afterlife. What we've got here is better than we ever expected. Now we just need to finish it.
Caretaker: Does this mean you're here to stay?
Agatha Harkness: You thought I did all this to say goodbye? Oh, Sara, you are hopeless sometimes.
Caretaker: Not anymore.
Scarlet Witch: And just like that, everything works out.
Cynder: Listen to you, sounding all confident. I knew you could pull this off.
Scarlet Witch: (Seeing there's something brewing with Caretaker and Agatha Harkness) Why don't we leave these two alone for a moment? Looks like they could use some time alone.
Cynder: Agreed. Let's get out of here. I think we could all use some sleep.
(Everyone gets the message and leaves Caretaker and Agatha Harkness alone, with Scarlet Witch whistling the tune to "The Ballad of the Witches' Road" all the way, as our scene ends)
And that looks like a good place to end for today. Before anyone asks, yes I put the Ballad of the Witches' Road in since A, this is a very Agatha Harkness centric chapter, and B, as I'm writing this at the end of September, Agatha All Along has just come out and that song is stuck in my head. Doesn't help that I'm listening to it as I'm writing this. Anyways, it looks like everything has worked out alright for once, and Agatha Harkness is back! But what part does she play in stopping Malefor's plans? We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I believe there's a data drive of old HYDRA files that needs attending to. So be sure to tune in next time to see where that goes! Same time... same channel!