A/N: Yay, I was able to get another chapter completed quickly! This one will show the climactic battle from the Multiverse of Madness movie, but it won't be the end. No, I have my own ending in mind for this, one that hopefully puts a bow on everything.
For now though, it will take us past the final final fight, and will more delve into what's going on inside Frank and Wanda's heads. Have fun!
Earth-838
2015
Wanda glared down at the two men chained up, her fists clenched and shaking with rage. It had been a little over a year since she saw them, but she'd never forget the two main HYDRA soldiers who tortured her and Pietro to near death. Or in Pietro's case, literal death.
Bruno and Hans. Strucker's top men.
"Wanda…"
Maximoff looked over her shoulder, seeing Frank slowly walk toward her, while Billy leaned casually on a railing.
"If you want… you don't gotta do this." Frank murmured. "Me and Russo, we were trained to kill. It's easy for us."
Wanda swallowed a lump in her throat, but held her chin up.
"You won't the only ones." she whispered, before turning back to her former tormentors. Bruno and Hans were awake now, and they were staring up at her in confusion. A quick look around them, realizing they were chained to the warehouse pipes, and seeing Frank and Billy at the other end of the room, their expressions quickly morphed into fear.
"No." Hans murmured. "We thought… we thought you were dead!"
"Sorry to disappoint." Wanda sneered, conjuring a sphere of energy in her hand.
"Please, don't hurt us!" Bruno shouted. "We were just following orders!"
"That right?" Frank snorted, as Wanda tilted her head.
"Following orders?" Wanda whispered, pausing as the magical orb dissipated. In a split second, she grabbed Bruno by the throat, beginning to choke him.
"Were you following orders when you forced my face into the floor while raping me?" Maximoff snarled, looking between him and Hans. "And you… was it your orders to abuse Pietro to the point of death?"
Hans gulped in fear, trying to back away as much as possible, while Bruno tried to speak.
"Maximoff… please don't…"
Wanda's anger flared, and as he continued speaking, she reached up, snatching his tongue in her fingers. Using her magic to make her seem stronger, she immediately pulled, ripping out the muscle and causing Bruno to spit out blood and scream. Hans' eyes widened, as he continued to back away, as Wanda turned towards him, her eyes glowing bright red.
"Please… please…" he mumbled, clasping his hands together as if he were praying. "Have mercy."
"You don't deserve mercy." Wanda growled, stalking towards him until they were inches apart. "I woke up every night to the sound of Pietro's crying, or my own. I had nightmares of what you bastards have done to us. I still hear my brother's screams. Do you know how that feels?"
Hans gasped, as she held up her fingers.
"It feels like this."
Wanda shot out whisps of her magic at the HYDRA agent, watching the energy enter his head. His eyes changed color to match hers, and for the briefest of moments, she saw flashes of his body being consumed by worms, spiders, insects…
It was gone in a moment, but when she stood up, Hans looked down at his arms, screaming loudly. He immediately began scratching at his hands, then his face, even ripping open his shirt, his eyes wide.
"Get them out of me! Get them out of me!"
"Hans! What's wrong?" Bruno asked, looking up at Wanda. "What did you do, you witch!"
"They're under my skin! They're crawling under my skin!" Hans screamed, continuing to claw at his exposed skin to the point of drawing blood.
Wanda tilted her head, realizing that the flash she saw must be what Hans was seeing, and she looked over her shoulder.
"Frank… give him your knife." she suggested. Castle looked between her and the HYDRA agent, before shrugging and walking towards her, taking out his kabar.
"You sure he won't turn it on us?" Frank asked, holding the knife out. Wanda held his gaze, as she took the blade.
"I'm sure." Maximoff said reassuringly, before handing the knife to Hans. Almost immediately, the terrified man began slicing into his skin, splitting part the flesh and spilling blood all over the floor, much to Bruno's horror. There were small cuts, longer cuts, shallow, and deep cuts. They covered his arms, torso, face…
At some point, Hans must have gained some sense that he didn't want to carry on, and in one decisive movement, he jammed the kabar into his neck and painfully dragged it across, tearing into his throat. Once the deed was done, he collapsed onto the ground, his eyes still wide in horror, as Frank retrieved his knife. He didn't say anything, simply wiped the blood off with his sleeve, as Wanda turned back towards Bruno, who was cowering, his hand over his bleeding mouth. Her head tilted in a cold manner, before she reached out, grabbing Bruno's arms. Pouring magic into her hands, she dug into his wrists and pulled, hearing the noise of flesh tearing, as she planted her foot on his chest and tore Bruno's arms right out of their sockets. The HYDRA agent's screams upped in pitch, as Wanda bent down and grabbed his right leg, coating the limb with scarlet energy, and ripped it away from the rest of the body like it was tissue paper. By now, Bruno- what was left of him- collapsed onto the floor, beginning to choke on his own blood, but Maximoff still wasn't done.
"Look at me." Wanda snarled, grasping his chin and digging her nails in, while the other hand wrapped around his throat. "You fucking look at me."
Bruno's face began to turn a shade of red, his eyes bloodshot, as the oxygen was cut off, while Wanda removed her hand from his face, clasping it around his neck right next to the other one. The man strained further, beginning to spit out blood, trying desperately to loosen the hold she had on him, but Maximoff held on, until he stopped breathing.
She must have stayed on top of the mutilated body for a few more minutes, because eventually, she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to slowly look up.
"I think you got him, Wanda." Frank murmured, staring at her blood spattered face. The woman slowly nodded, placing her hand on Castle's arm.
"Thank you for finding them… and giving Pietro justice."
Present Day
Wanda's eyes fluttered open, and she sat up, finding her in her bed again. It was light outside, unlike the nighttime she remembered when she came home from the Illuminati's headquarters. She looked to the other side of the bed, seeing her husband laying next to her, one eye open.
"Hey." she said weakly. "Sorry if I woke you."
"You're good." Castle mumbled, sitting up as well and looking at her. "I've been awake for a bit now. Thought I'd stay until…"
Wanda slowly nodded, looking out the window.
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours." Frank shrugged. "Tommy and Billy are up. I think they're watching movies."
Wanda groaned, as she strained to listen to whatever was going on downstairs. Indeed, the boys were watching something on the television. She just couldn't figure out what.
"They know they're not supposed to watch tv in the mornings." she sighed.
"After last night, I didn't feel like telling them no." Frank confessed. "They were worried sick for you, alright? Just like I was."
Wanda numbly nodded, looking at the foot of her bed.
"Hey… you good?" Frank placed his hand on her shoulder. "Another nightmare?"
"No… yes." she whispered, focusing on her feet. "I… it was when you and Billy found Bruno and Hans for me. When I…"
Wanda shuddered, vividly remembering what she did. Manipulating Hans into killing himself. Literally tearing Bruno from limb to limb.
"I'm a monster."
"No." Frank quickly said, reaching out and turning her face towards him. "Those assholes were monsters, and they deserved what you did to them."
"Did our friends deserved what happened to them?" Wanda shot back, seeing Frank turn away.
"No… but you didn't do that." Castle whispered. "I saw the footage. I heard what Reed said, and what that… thing threatened to do to Sue and their kids."
Wanda still looked down in sadness, but Frank pressed on.
"It wasn't you, alright? It wasn't." Castle told her. "Doesn't matter if you couldn't fight them, you didn't kill anyone last night."
Wanda eventually nodded, reaching to grab his hand and squeeze it.
"We'll have to explain what happened." she murmured. "Notify the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, Inhumans-"
"They already know." Frank said softly. "I, uh… I killed Mordo."
"What?" Wanda's eyes widened, as she looked at him in shock. "Why… why did you do that?"
"He was going to put all the blame on you." Frank growled in a low tone, remembering what the baron had said to him. "He didn't give a shit that a variant of yours was dreamwalking."
Wanda's mouth went dry, but he continued.
"Sue and Johnny found me right after, saw the same footage I saw. Then they went to contact everyone else."
Wanda looked down, unsure of what to say. What could she say, after seeing the bodies of the Illuminati for herself? Billy and Amy were her and Frank's friends, she couldn't imagine how Susan Storm must be feeling right now.
"But I still have to make an official statement on behalf of SHIELD." Frank told her, getting up. "But if you need me… you're more important-"
"I'm okay." Wanda quickly told him. "Go. I'll make sure the boys are alright."
Frank slowly nodded, as he leaned down, kissing his wife.
"Okay… okay." Castle murmured, pulling away. "I'll be back soon. I promise."
Wanda smiled at her husband, before he turned and left the bedroom, leaving her alone again.
Music: "Only Way" from Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness OST
Earth-199999
America screamed in anguish, as Chthon slowly sapped away her powers, her strength, and her very life. Each second, she prayed that one of two things would happen: either Chthon finishes in killing her, or Strange and Frank, somehow, could save her. The first option seemed more likely at each passing moment.
However, as Chthon absorbed the girl's powers, he suddenly sensed something was… off. He slowly looked up, as did his demonic offspring, seeing just in the distance was a figure shrouded in black, coming towards him.
"Strange." Chthon chuckled. He should have known the sorcerer would find a way back. "Stop him, my children."
All four demons made their way to the edge, with the biggest one forming a crimson orb of chaos magic. As it was about to throw, a golden lasso with a speartip at end end suddenly pierced its jaw and penetrating its misshapen skull. The lasso, which the demons looked down to see it was held onto by Wong, was pulled down, and the lead monster followed, falling down the cliffside.
"Come on!" Wong yelled, as the other three creatures approached the edge. One of them grabbed a large slab of stone, lifting it high above his head…
"Oh shit."
Just before the monster hurled its projectile, a portal suddenly opened up, appearing as a slit made of fire, and a familiar looking figure jumped out, yelling in anger.
"Castle?" Wong questioned to himself.
Frank Castle fell on top of the monster holding the stone, pulling him backwards and making it drop the slab, before falling off. The demon he had landed on turned around and roared in fury, while the other two seemed fixated on Wong down below. Frank responded with a growl of his own, feeling a surge of strength, and raced forward, punching the demon's knee. A loud crack was heard, and the demon howled, trying to swipe at Frank, who blocked by raising his arms, then followed by plowing his fist through the monster's skull, tearing out its blackened brain.
"Holy shit." Castle murmured, chucking the organ to the side. Guess those deadite powers really were handy.
While Frank had fought his monster, the other two demons had picked up more slabs of stone, throwing them down at Wong, who barely had enough time to conjure a mystical shield to block himself from harm. They were about to grab another, when the black cloaked figure of Strange suddenly soared past the Sorcerer Supreme, flying high above the monsters and flapping his "wings", creating a shockwave so powerful, the creatures were thrown off the cliff.
"Strange!" Wong laughed. "I knew you two were alright!"
Zombie Strange nodded, lowering himself down to meet Frank, noticing his eyes were a blank white.
"What the hell happened to you?"
"Read from the Necronomicon." Castle told him. "What the fuck happened to you?"
"I'm dreamwalking into the corpse of my variant we buried."
The two possessed heroes suddenly heard a dark laughter, and they both looked at the altar, seeing Chthon approach them.
"You can't stop me." the demon boasted, creating an orb of magic. "You both may have gained some power, but neither of you hold a candle to me!"
Chthon threw the energy sphere at Strange, who quickly shielded himself with the cloak of the souls, forcing the spirits to suck up the magic.
"This time, it will take more than killing me to kill me." Strange promised, revealing his severely decayed face. Chthon threw another energy orb, and Stephen and Frank jumped out of the way, with Strange relinquishing his cloak to envelop the Great Shadow.
"Get Wong!" Zombie Strange told Frank, who rushed back to the edge. Seeing the Sorcerer Supreme was nearly at the top, Castle reached down, grabbing his wrist, and pulled him up with his superhuman strength.
"You good?"
"Yes, I-"
Wong's mouth hung open, seeing both Frank and Strange's undead appearances.
"I don't even wanna know."
Frank nodded, while Strange controlled the Souls of the Damned to carry Chthon towards them, while Wong prepared a mystical sphere to contain the demon.
"Hold him!" Stephen called out, while the Sorcerer Supreme slammed the sphere shut.
"You have to end this, Strange!" Wong called out, as the souls kept attacking Chthon. "Take America's power! It's the only way!"
"No, wait!" Castle called out to Stephen. "She can control it! Strange, you know this!"
The sorcerer looked at Wong and Frank, two people he'd consider his friends, and slowly nodded, before running back to the altar.
"Yeah." he muttered. "This is the only way."
Strange magically unlocked America's restraints, just as Chthon exploded out of the magical prison, sending the souls scattering, and knocking Wong unconscious from the blast.
"I've grown tired of this." the demon growled, walking back towards the altar-
"Hey, prick."
Frank suddenly pulled Chthon around and punched him square in the face, making the demon stumble back in surprise.
"Even with my offspring's power coursing through your veins, you are no match for me." the Great Shadow chuckled.
"Maybe not if you use your magic bullshit." Castle spat, pulling out the Kandarian Dagger. "But I'll bet you've never been in a fist fight."
"A weak attempt at goading me into physical competition." Chthon smirked. "But in truth, Frank… it has been an eternity since I have demonstrated my strength."
Frank threw another punch, and Chthon blocked, before cocking his arm back and slamming his fist into Castle's jaw. Even with the deadite powers he just gained, Frank still flew back into a stony wall, as the foundation shook. Castle slowly got back up, but Chthon picked him up by the throat, punching him in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him. The Punisher responded by slamming his forehead against the demon's, then proceeded to lash out with both legs and kick off the Shadow's chest, landing on the floor.
"Come on." Castle murmured.
"You know if you kill me, you'll kill Wanda." Chthon warned.
"Yeah." Frank murmured, looking down. He knew this would happen. As much as he wanted to save Wanda, even telling Kassie as such…
"But I'm not gonna let you kill that kid. Whatever it takes." he vowed, gripping the Kandarian Dagger tighter.
Hopefully it wouldn't come to that. But if it had to…
Chthon growled, levitating up in the air, prompting Frank to use his deadite powers to do the same, and the two charged each other. They met just above the altar America was restrained on, trading punches and kicks, as Frank maneuvered around the demon and tried to stab him with the Kandarian Dagger. Unfortunately, the eons of being imprisoned didn't seem to slow Chthon down, as he continuously dodged the blade with impressive speed, before aiming a punch at Castle's wrist with enough strength that forced him to let go of the blade, causing the weapon to clatter to the floor. The Great Shadow followed with a brutal backhand that slammed Frank into a statue of Chthon itself, cracking the stony chest.
"I see you have procured the weapon my traitorous children forged to destroy me." Chthon seethed with rage. "No matter. When I am done here, I shall destroy them as well, and then start this multiverse anew."
"You won't get the chance, asshole." Frank spat.
"Who will stop me? You?" Chthon asked mockingly. "Strange? The other Masters of the Mystic Arts?"
"Goddamned right." Castle roared, his eyes a blazing white, as he leapt away from the statue and flew straight towards Chthon, grappling with him in midair.
Music: "Trust Your Power" from Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness OST
Back on the ground, Stephen finished freeing America, momentarily glancing up to see the battle between Chthon and Frank.
"America, you okay?" Zombie Strange asked Chavez, who looked at him in mortification. "Sorry, it's me, in the other me's body."
America slowly nodded, looking back to see Frank and Chthon flying around and trading powerful punches, so powerful they were rocking the mountain.
"You're going to take my power aren't you? To stop Chthon from doing it?" Chavez whispered, feeling a tear slide down her cheek. "It's okay if you do. I get it now."
Stephen opened his mouth in shock, but eventually shook his head.
"No. I'm here to tell you to trust yourself." Strange told her. "Trust your power. You've come this far in your training. From myself… from Frank… our variants… you can control it."
"But… I still have a lot to learn… I haven't mastered it-" America started to say.
"That's okay." Strange smiled sadly. "You can open portals at will. You're proficient in defending yourself, and you've learned from the best. You're ready. Every time you sent us to another universe, it was preparing you for this moment, when you kick that demon's ass."
Slowly, America's face morphed into a smile, as she curled her fist in determination. At the same time, Chthon threw Castle to the floor, landing right next to him, and punched him in the face so hard, the stone beneath him cracked. Seeing this, Zombie Strange rushed towards the demon, but the Shadow threw an orb of chaos magic directly at him, sending him to the floor.
"You've been a thorn in my side for too long, Stephen Strange." Chthon growled, as the orb began to burn the variant's flesh. "Now you die-"
America suddenly let out an angered yell, punching the demon and opening a portal behind him.
"Whoa." Chavez gasped, seeing the demon stagger- actually stagger- from the hit.
"What… how?"
Chthon quickly recovered, trying to grab America, but the girl ducked, punching the monster in the stomach, kicking his knee out, and uppercutting hm in the face- all of which created new portals. She threw one final punch, one that would send Chthon to the floor, when the demon suddenly blocked the strike with his magic, slowly getting up and towering over the girl.
"I can't beat you." America realized, forming her other hand into a fist. Hopefully Wanda was still in there, or what she was going to do next would be for nothing.
"So I'll give you what you want."
Using her free hand, America punched Chthon one last time, causing the demon to grab her by the throat. Chthon bared its teeth, preparing to snap the girl's neck and then take her power, but suddenly, as if a new feeling took hold, it looked past Chavez, taking in the its surroundings.
"What… is… this?"
Those walls… the television set, which was playing the animated Snow White… the floor that was littered with toys…
The black eyes were suddenly replaced by white sclera and pale green irises. She's been here before.
Eagerly, Wanda looked to her right, seeing her sons sitting on a couch and holding a bowl of popcorn.
"Billy. Tommy." she gasped. The children looked up at her, eyes widening, before letting loose a blood curdling scream.
"MOMMY! THERE'S A WITCH!"
The two boys jumped off the couch and began racing up the stairs, causing Wanda to turn to the one person who could have been responsible: America.
"What have you done?" the Scarlet Witch hissed.
"This… is what you wanted…" America told her, though struggled to speak with the hand on her throat. Maximoff growled, shoving Chavez to the ground, just as the boys' mother- Wanda's variant- met them on the stairs.
"It's okay, it's okay-"
The variant stopped in her tracks, seeing the Scarlet Witch use her powers to fling the couch to the side.
"You." the woman gasped, holding out her hands, as crimson magic formed as defensive weapons.
"I'm their mother!"
Scarlet Witch narrowed her eyes in anger, raising her arm to wrap the variant in magic.
"Get away from them!" the crazed witch shouted, flinging her variant across the room and at the edge of the kitchen. Both America and Frank made a move to run forward and confront Wanda, but were stopped by Strange.
"No." Stephen barked out. "Not yet."
The moment Wanda's variant hit the floor, a man suddenly ran into the kitchen, his eyes wide with worry. Frank's own eyes widened, as the person tending to Maximoff's variant was none other than himself. And if he was here…
"Get the fuck away from my wife!" the variant Frank roared, grabbing a knife from the kitchen counter. He only made it a few steps towards the Scarlet Witch, before a blast of magic sent him reeling on the floor, right next to his Wanda.
"Mommy! Daddy! Get away from our mom and dad!" Tommy and Billy yelled, running down the stairs and picking up their toys, only to start throwing them at Wanda's back. Maximoff turned towards them, seemingly confused at their outburst, while holding up her hands in a feeble attempt to shield herself from the projectiles.
"Boys- boys, stop- please stop- STOP IT!"
Upon Wanda's final yell, the boys ceased their attack, and instead shrunk back to hiding behind the stairs' railings.
"P-please… please don't hurt us." Billy sobbed, as Wanda slowly walked towards them.
That was the moment Frank ran through America's portal and towards the woman he loved, despite Strange's protests.
"Castle, no!"
Music: "They'll Be Loved" from Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness OST
Frank ran past Wanda, putting himself between her and the kids, and looked deeply in her eyes.
"Wanda, stop. You're scaring them."
Maximoff's eyebrows pitched in confusion, as she tried to look past him towards the two boys cowering behind the stairs.
"I… I would never hurt them. Never. I would never hurt anyone. I'm a mother, not a monster-"
Wanda stopped, looking down at her hands. Or more importantly, at her fingertips. They were a darkened black, almost as if she dipped them in pitch. Just like Agatha Harkness'.
Oh god. What has she done? What has she become?
"I know you're not, Wanda." Frank murmured. "But if you do this… if you take away their mother, they won't love you, alright? Much as you'd want them to, they won't."
While Frank was speaking to Wanda, Tommy and Billy had run out from the stairs and towards their parents, who had gotten up and were now cradling their children. Wanda looked over Frank's shoulder to see the family holding each other, and the sight finally made her realize what she had planned to do: take a mother and father from their kids.
The realization finally broke Maximoff, and she collapsed on her knees, with Frank softly grabbing her shoulders and sinking with her.
"Hey, shh shh shh… it's okay." Castle whispered. "You stopped yourself, yeah?"
"You stopped me, Frank." Wanda sobbed, shutting her eyes and turning to the side. "If you hadn't, I would've… I would've…"
Maximoff began to weep, and despite Frank's efforts, he couldn't stop the tears that poured from her. That was, until they both heard the boys begging their mother not to leave them.
Frank looked back towards the family, seeing Wanda's variant trying to stand up, even though Tommy, Billy, and Castle's own variant were trying to hold her back.
"Wanda… hey, Wanda… you don't gotta do this, alright?" the variant Frank murmured.
"I'll be okay. I promise." the wife replied, kissing her husband on the cheek, and softly walked towards the Scarlet Witch and Punisher. Once she was within reaching distance, Frank shifted slightly, allowing the variant to cup Maximoff's chin and tilt her head up. Wanda's eyes slowly opened, staring up at her alternate self, waiting for the condemnation she rightfully deserved.
"Know that they will be loved."
The Scarlet Witch's mouth opened in shock, having expected her variant to hurl an insult at her, or denounce what she's done. No, instead, she… forgave her? Understood her?
Wanda was about to speak, but her eyes suddenly glazed over with an inky black sheen, and she screamed. Frank stared at her in horror, realizing that Chthon was trying to regain control, now that Wanda was seemingly abandoning her mission to find her children. Now that it seemed she was broken once more.
"No." Frank mumbled, as he moved to stare directly into Wanda's eyes.
"Wanda, listen to me." Castle spoke, gripping her shoulders. "You're stronger than me. You're stronger than him. Don't let this shitbag take your soul."
"Maybe I want him to, Frank." Wanda grinned, though her voice began to sound more like Chthon's. "He says he can make it all better."
Frank steeled himself and continued staring into Maximoff's blackened orbs, preparing himself for what he was about to say.
"Look Wanda, I get it." Frank confessed. "I know how it feels, yeah? The power, it feels good, you know?"
At that moment, Frank saw out of the corner of his eye that the skin around his hands became tighter, as well as growing claws. On Wanda's end, she saw Castle's skull begin to show, while his teeth grew sharper, and his eyes turned a milky white. Realizing what was happening, Frank blinked several times, focusing on his anchor: Wanda herself.
In an instant, the deadite within him was dispelled, and Frank continued speaking.
"But if you keep using the Darkhold, Wanda, you'll lose yourself. You gotta let it go. You can't let him win."
Chthon-Wanda screamed again, until two glowing red pupils formed in the sea of black that was her eyes.
"I… I can't, Frank." Wanda pleaded. "I'm not strong enough-"
"Yes you are. You're better than me." Castle cut her off, while still internally fighting the deadite for control. "You think Chthon's going to let your kids live? You think you can trust him with that?"
Wanda was taken aback by what Castle said, somehow knowing he was right. At the same time, she discovered a new strength within her, one of determination that pushed back against the demonic presence. She realized she had to expel Chthon's presence from her body. Not just for herself, but for Frank, America, and Strange. Not to mention the variants.
Using every bit of willpower she had, Wanda threw her head back and screamed, causing a black vapor-like substance to shoot out of her mouth and nose, making its way towards the portal.
"That's it." Frank murmured. "That's it. You can do it, Wanda."
The vapor continued to exit Maximoff's body until there was nothing left, making its way through the portal, making America duck to the ground. Inside the tower's chamber, Strange watched, as the spirit of Chthon phased through the ritual altar, before vanishing.
"America, close it!" Stephen yelled.
Chavez quickly formed a fist, and Frank and Wanda were back in their universe. Though Strange had an idea on what just happened, it was Frank who knew the full extent of what he had just done, even if a part of him was happy.
"Oh fuck."
Music: "Not A Monster" from Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness OST
Wanda suddenly began to scream again, writhing on the ground. Frank looked at her in fear and confusion, as he noticed something began to move inside her stomach, pushing against the fabric of her dress.
"Holy shit-"
Maximoff's midsection was suddenly ripped open, as two bone white hands revealed themselves, crawling out of the hole they made. What followed were arms of the same hue, a skull like head, and a body that emerged, chaos magic coalescing to form an ebony cloak and hood. Frank's eyes widened in genuine fear, as he stepped back from the monstrosity.
"Finally… I, am, FREE!" Chthon roared triumphantly, stepping out of Wanda's body, and looked upon the group with dark black eyes. Those eyes found themselves on Strange, who laid there defenseless, and he stepped towards him.
"Doctor Strange. How pathetic you've become." the demon chortled. "Other versions of you have become the Sorcerer Supreme, but you? You are still second fiddle."
While he was speaking, Frank rushed back over to Wanda, cradling her head in his hands.
"Wanda, hey, stay with me." he murmured, looking at her ripped open stomach. "Focus on healing, yeah?"
Maximoff slowly nodded, and with a shaking hand, hovered over her gaping wound. Magic seeped from her fingers, slowly mending the flesh, and once it was done, she looked up… only to find Chthon grinning at her.
"Thank you Wanda. I could not have returned to my full power if not for you. I merely had to use the right motivation. Dangling children in front of you that you could never truly have."
"Motivation…" Wanda's eyes widened. "Strange said the boys I created were pieces of Mephisto's soul."
"And who do you think carved those pieces out of him?" Chthon cruelly smiled.
"You never… you never cared about helping me." Wanda realized, seeing the demon laugh.
"You were my means to an end, so that I could return. As you always were." the Great Shadow revealed, holding out his hand. "And now, I have no further use for you."
Wanda gasped, as her magic was suddenly sucked out of her, forming into Chthon's open hand. The monster reached out with his other arm, and the stone walls of the castle glowed, relinquishing its magic back to its owner.
"Oh no…" Strange murmured, seeing the altar begin to crumble.
"Yes…" Chthon grinned, as the last of Wanda's magic was absorbed into him. Unfortunately, given that her dress was created with magic, that was also stripped away, leaving her stark naked. Seeing this, Frank quickly took off his trench coat, placing it over Maximoff so she could be partially covered.
"God dammit." Frank muttered, looking back up at the demon. As he stared at this… this monster… he suddenly felt a surge of anger, and he leapt up, roaring loudly, and began to throw a punch.
"Stop."
Castle stopped in his tracks, as Chthon gave him his full attention.
"Killing you would be too easy, Frank." Chthon mused, as magic poured from his hand. "Time you meet some old friends."
The magic wrapped around Frank's head, penetrating his mind, and his eyes suddenly turned black. Chthon laughed coldly, before telekinetically throwing the Punisher's body into a wall, and rose up.
"I thank you all for your roles in engineering my return!" Chthon shouted, as he finished absorbing the magic from the castle's walls, and vanished in a haze of crimson light. With the chaos magic sapped out, the entire castle began to shake, before bits of the ceiling crumbled and fell, splitting the altar. In the process, Wong suddenly woke up, seeing Wanda holding onto Frank's body, trying to shake him awake.
"Frank, wake up." Maximoff whispered. "Please. We need to get out of here."
America looked to where Zombie Strange lay, who held up a hand to her.
"Leave, now!" Stephen ordered, before seeing the Kandarian Dagger in the corner. "Grab the dagger too!"
"On it!" America shouted, quickly taking the weapon and looking at the zombified Stephen.
"I'll find you!" Chavez promised, before running towards Wanda and Frank. Wong soon joined them, and America opened her hand, creating a portal in front of them.
"Go! Before these walls become your tomb!" Strange shouted. America nodded, and with Wong and Wanda holding onto Frank, they all leapt through the portal, just as the castle crumbled to dust.
Stephen gasped, falling to the floor, as Christine grabbed his arm.
"Hey, are you alright?"
Strange looked down at the Darkhold book, just in time to see it convert into chaos magic and dissipate into thin air.
"No… that's not good." he murmured, looking up at Christine.
"What happened? Is America alright?" Palmer asked.
"Yes. Yes, she's okay. She's looking for us now."
"And Wanda?"
"She… she's herself again." Stephen murmured, thinking back to Chthon exiting her body- and how he did it…
"But Chthon's been unleashed."
Christine's blood ran cold, just as a star shaped portal opened up, and America jumped out, followed by Wanda, Wong, and Frank, who was being carried by the other two.
"Oh my god, what happened?" Christine asked, as Wong laid Frank on the floor. Stephen opened Frank's eyes, seeing they were pitch black, but the body wasn't moving.
"He's not possessed by Chthon…"
"No. He's living a nightmare." Wanda revealed, making everyone look up at her. Upon noticing she had no clothes save for Frank's trenchcoat, Stephen thrust out his arm, and an extra pair of black robes flew down from the staircase, wrapping around Wanda's body.
"How do you know?" America asked.
"Because it was one of the first powers I had after I was experimented on." Maximoff replied, as she held onto Frank's hand, ignoring the fact he was ice cold. "Come on, Frank. Fight it."
Wong conjured mystical circles around Frank's head, which settled over his face. The eyes were still black.
"This is… troubling."
Wanda immediately looked at the Sorcerer Supreme, hearing her heartbeat increase.
"What do you mean?"
"I've never seen this spell before." Wong explained. "Wanda, your… enchantments, they would only cause the victim to hallucinate momentarily. But Chthon's…"
"They will stay until Frank is dead." Doctor Strange realized, seeing Frank's body begin to lose color. "Either through lack of hydration in the real world…"
"Or whatever injuries he sustains in his mind." Wong finished, making Wanda's eyes widen in fear.
"Is… is there a way we can help him?" Maximoff asked.
"Yes, but it's risky." Stephen told her. "One of us will have to enter his mind and save him from whatever he is seeing."
Everyone looked down at Frank's comatose body, before Wanda immediately said "I'll do it."
Strange sighed, figuring she'd be the first one to speak. And yet…
"Wanda, are you sure?" he asked. "You just lost your powers-"
"I'm doing this." she snapped, looking back at Frank. "He's been trying to save me ever since I turned to Chthon. It's time I return the favor."
Stephen looked at Wong, who simply shrugged.
"Okay. But be careful." he warned, grabbing Wanda's hand- the one that wasn't holding onto Frank. "Whatever you see in there can and will hurt you."
Wanda nodded, as the sorcerer created mystical symbols in midair, pressing them to her forehead, then created another that flew to Frank's. After conjuring one final circle that encompassed the three of them, Maximoff's eyes lit up, and her vision was overcome with a bright light.
Music: "Frank's Choice" from Punisher Season 1 OST
Wanda looked around, finding herself in a darkened chamber of sorts. Straining her eyes, she noticed there was a desk with several monitors on top, a grid pattern of iron bars beyond them, and a man with slicked black hair having his back towards her. If her memory was correct, he was Frank's old friend Billy Russo. And just past the bars…
"It was always going to come down to you and me, Frank. Time for quid pro quo."
Wanda's blood chilled in her veins, as she recognized that voice. As she crept closer, stopping just a few feet behind Billy, she looked over his shoulder to see Frank Castle tied to a chair, bloodied and beaten, with William Rawlins holding onto a knife.
So this was the nightmare Chthon placed him in. Frank was reliving when Rawlins tortured him.
Upon seeing Rawlins get closer, Maximoff instantly decided she was going to intervene, stepping forward and putting Russo in a headlock. Billy flailed around, trying to escape, but Wanda forced them both to the ground, wrapping one of her legs around his arms and slowly cut off the blood flow to his brain. Despite Russo's struggling, Wanda could feel his body eventually tire, and within a few more seconds, his attempts to resist ultimately ceased, just as Rawlins spoke again.
"You're a dead man, Frank. Your heart just doesn't know it."
Wanda looked back up to see Rawlins aiming the knife right at Frank's eye, and time slowed down for her. She took one look at Castle to see that this wasn't just a memory. The ziptie that was binding Frank's hands weren't broken. Even more alarming was that fact that, despite the fact that he was supposed to have had a shot of adrenaline, Castle's eyes were beginning to close. Almost as if he was giving in.
"No." Maximoff whispered, running down the stairs as Rawlins raised the knife back, preparing to gouge out Frank's eye. William's arm surged forward, but just as it was inches away from its target, Wanda's arm grabbed his wrist, making him twist his head in her direction.
"What the-"
Wanda didn't let him finish, bashing her head into his and sending him to the ground. As the former CIA agent scrambled to get back up and retrieve his knife, Maximoff turned to look at Frank, seeing all the cuts and bruises he sustained. Not to mention the blood covering his entire body and face.
"Frank…" she murmured, feeling her blood begin to boil. It's almost like her entire body was overcome with rage, and she began to see everything in a red tint.
"You…" Wanda seethed, slowly looking back at Rawlins, who had finally gotten up and grabbed his knife. William backed away slightly, swinging his weapon in a wide arc, before lunging forward and stabbing Maximoff in the side. Wanda barely felt the knife go into her, as she grabbed Rawlins by the throat and tilted her head, before extending her leg behind his and kicking back, tripping him and making him fall to the floor. As William groaned, she reached down and yanked the knife out of her side, feeling a slight ache, but still shuffled towards the downed agent.
Rawlings began waving his arms around in a feeble attempt to block her, but Wanda planted her knees on his chest and stabbed into his gut, twisting the knife to elicit a painful yell.
"You're wrong." she growled, pulling the knife out of his stomach- and began stabbing downward towards his neck. Maximoff wasn't sure how many times she brought the blade down, or where exactly she was aiming. The meat of the shoulder, maybe. Or perhaps his collar bone. She just knew that her own vision was beginning to get disoriented, but she could still see Rawlins' body under her.
With one final stab at his jugular, Wanda drove the knife deep into the skin, digging in and twisting to form a small hole that oozed out blood, before tossing the blade away. At this point, her hands were covered in blood, but she paid it no mind as she formed them into fists and rained down upon Rawlins' face.
"He's a reminder- all- men- die!"
As she spoke, Wanda continued punching Rawlins, smashing her fist into him so hard, the very ground appeared to shake. Or at least that's how she perceived it. With every hit, it felt like her bones were going to shatter, but she kept punching, pouring more strength into each one than the last. She was driven purely by rage at this man- this monster- and she wanted to see him die.
Wanted to. Needed to.
At some point, Maximoff let up on her punches, only to grab Rawlins by his chin, forcing him to look up at her. As they both stared into each other's eyes, Wanda felt a flicker of a new emotion, forming itself among the sea of anger.
Fear.
Rawlins was breathing heavily, his pupils dilating, but he found his voice to ask one question:
"What… what the fuck… are you?"
Wanda let go of the agent's chin, bringing both her hands up to the side of his face.
"The Scarlet Witch."
Maximoff plunged her thumbs into Rawlins' eyes, making him unleash a strangled gasp like a wounded animal and flail around, as he gurgled on the blood pooling out of his mouth. Wanda drove her thumbs deeper, trying to reach as far as she could go, while she let out an animalistic roar.
"DIEEEEEEE!"
Once her digits reached as far back into his head as they could, Williams' body stopped moving altogether, and Wanda leaned back. Ever so slowly, the rage she felt was ebbing away, replaced with… satisfaction. She began to breathe hard, beginning to feel light headed, and slowly got up from the dead man's body. Maximoff attempted to step away, but instead stumbled, feeling herself fall-
Wanda suddenly felt a hand press against her back, while another laid itself on her stomach.
"Shh, it's okay." Frank's voice murmured in her ear. "I got you."
Wanda couldn't believe it. After everything that she had done- not just to him, but to Strange, to America, to a variant of herself- and he was still holding onto her with all the care in the world. Maximoff felt tears spring from her eyes again, as she felt her body get lowered onto the ground, next to Rawlins'. That's when Frank moved into her view and blocked the light, but she could still see his face. Bloodied, bruised. But he was also looking at her in fondness. Wanda reached up, resting a shaking, blood drenched hand onto his face, coating his cheek with even more crimson.
"I'm sorry." she murmured. Castle's eyes drooped down to the ground, as he repositioned himself to kneel closer.
"It's okay." Frank whispered, bringing his forehead down to touch hers. "You're gonna be okay, alright?"
Wanda squeezed her eyes shut, slightly shaking her head. She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve him.
"No." Maximoff said quietly, in silent resignation. "You'll never see me again."
Wanda's eyes snapped open, seeing Frank's body laying on the floor of the destroyed sanctum, his eyes slowly closed. She looked over to Strange, who nodded.
"You did it." he murmured, though he held a grave look in his eyes. "Wanda…"
"Send me back to the Mirror Dimension." Maximoff told him, surprising everyone. "Chthon took my powers. I'll never be able to escape."
"Wanda, don't-"
"I took the Darkhold. I released Chthon. I let him manipulate me into going after America." she continued, casting an apologetic look at the teen. "I have to be punished. Frank would agree."
Strange lowered his head, trying to find something to say to that. It was Chavez who spoke up first.
"Chthon is still out there. We'll need everyone to stop him." the teen murmured.
"You don't need me." Wanda said bitterly. "I'm no good to any of you."
Maximoff slowly stood up, looking everyone in the eye.
"I'm sorry. For everything." her voice wavered. "But if you won't lock me away like you should… then send me back home."
Stephen finally looked at Wanda, seeing the pain in her eyes, and he knew then and there that there wasn't any talking her out of this.
"America… let's send her home."
Chavez, looking uncertain, held out her hand, and a multiversal portal opened up, showing a busy New York street, right outside the Sanctum. At the same time, Doctor Strange held up his hands and rotated in a circular motion, creating a portal within a portal. One that showed her cottage in the middle of a field.
"Goodbye… all of you." the Scarlet Witch whispered, before walking through the gateways. Strange's portal closed up almost immediately, leaving next to no trace of Wanda Maximoff behind.
Earth-199999
Wanda stepped into her cottage house, empty, as always. By now, she began to feel an aching in her side, the exact same spot where Rawlins stabbed her in Frank's nightmare. She chose to ignore it. After everything that happened, she didn't have the energy or will to do anything, just simply stand there…
Wanda…
Maximoff turned around, seeing her parents in front of her. Her mouth hung open, and she blinked, twice. They were still there.
"Mama? Papa?"
"You should have killed him…" Oleg Maximoff snarled, his teeth morphing into fangs. Her parents' eyes glowed red. "How could you join him?"
"Who?" she asked, taking a step back in surprise.
"STARK!" they both wailed, as their ghastly bodies became covered in flames and ash. "He killed us, and you let him house you, feed you!"
"He changed!" she stammered. "He saved the world!"
"But he didn't save us! You didn't save us!" Irina screeched, before they lunged forward, grabbing their daughter by the throat. "If you had used your powers then, then we would still be alive! But you joined him!"
"Nooo!" Wanda screamed, shutting her eyes. When she opened them, the apparitions of her parents were gone. The former witch breathed heavily, pulling herself back up on shaking legs. Was this her guilt manifesting? Was this… was this what Frank felt?
Music: "Farewell" from Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness OST
The Christine Palmer of Earth-838 slowly approached Stephen, watching as America kept the portal to his Earth opened.
"What's your universe like?" Christine asked, looking through the portal.
"It's… it's beautiful." Strange murmured, as America created another back to Earth-838. "But… I need to let you go."
Palmer looked at Stephen in curiosity, knowing that he meant more than just sending her back to her universe.
"I love you." he admitted. "I will always love you, in every universe. And it's not that I don't want to care for someone or have someone care for me. It's just… I get scared."
Strange paused, looking down at Frank's still unconscious body.
"Frank and I are alike. We prefer to do things our way, because if we don't… the ones we love get hurt."
Christine nodded, stepping forward, and leaned in close.
"So face your fears, Doctor Strange."
Palmer leaned forward, kissing Stephen, who placed an arm on her waist. A final kiss goodbye between the two, before they went their separate ways.
Eventually, the kiss was broken, and Christine turned towards the portal, stepping through.
"Goodbye, Stephen." she whispered, just as the portal closed.
"Goodbye Christine." Strange mumbled, looking back down at Frank… who was now waking up.
"What… what the fuck is going…"
Frank immediately looked around, seeing only Strange, Wong, and America.
"Where's Wanda?" he asked, seeing what looked like a destroyed Sanctum, with a swirling vortex outside. "Where is this?"
"We're in a universe that was destroyed by an incursion." Stephen quickly explained, as Wong and Chavez began to walk through the portal. "As for Wanda is… perhaps we should get back home first."
Earth-199999
After seeing the phantoms of her parents, Wanda had quickly left her house, walking along the side a picking up a shovel. As she walked towards the plains behind her home- the place that would have had apple trees, if she had cared enough to grow them- she felt a rush of wind move past her. Or maybe she only heard it.
"You didn't see that coming?"
Wanda stopped, closing her eyes.
"Pietro." she murmured, looking over her shoulder to see her brother. "Don't do this."
"Don't do this?" Pietro let out a fake gasp in mockery. "Don't remind you of your failures?"
"Please." she begged. "I know I fucked up. With America-"
"Not just with the kid." her brother snapped, as his eyes darkened. "You pushed us to join HYDRA, to allow them to experiment on us!"
"We… I thought we were going to change the world." she whispered. "I didn't know…"
"No, you didn't." Pietro scowled, stomping up to her. "You didn't think, just like when you had Stark create Ultron!"
Maximoff opened her mouth, but Pietro pushed her.
"You didn't think there would be consequences?" the twin roared, fist sized bulletholes materializing across his body. "You didn't think it would come back to haunt us? No, you just wanted to play mind games with Stark instead of avenging our parents and killing him on the spot, and because of that, I wound up dead!"
"That's not true." Wanda tried to say, but she felt herself having doubts. It hurt to remember what she thought that day in the base, but she eventually choked out, "I wanted… I wanted him to suffer, like we had suffered-"
"It is true!" Pietro yelled. "You got away scot free, but me? I died because you wanted to have some fun!"
"Stop!" his sister screamed, falling on her knees. "Please… please, just stop…"
She heard the gust of wind again, and after minutes of silence, looked up again.
"Pietro?"
Nothing. She slowly got back up, feeling a knot twist in her stomach, and began to dig.
"So lemme get this straight-" Frank scowled, pacing around the Sanctum. After leaving the destroyed dimension, Strange, Wong, and America all thought it would be a good idea to regroup in the New York Sanctum, as Kamar-Taj was still in ruins, and that's where Stephen began to tell him what happened after Chthon made him relive William Rawlins' torture. He could still feel some of the pain from the hits he sustained, but he wasn't sure if it was just phantom pain from the memory. Or maybe his deadite powers were slowly healing him. Didn't matter.
"After Wanda saved me from whatever Hell Chthon put me in, you just let her leave?"
"She insisted on it, Mister Castle." Wong told him. "She wanted us to put her back in the Mirror Dimension, and we refused even that."
"You should've kept refusing!" Frank began to shout. "That asshole's still out there, he's still gonna want the kid-"
As he turned to point at Chavez, something in his mind clicked.
"Wait a second… he didn't take you." Castle realized. "He could've taken you once he neutralized Wanda and myself."
"So… why didn't he?" America asked, widening her eyes.
"He's scared." Frank mumbled. "He's scared of you. Of Wanda… and me. That's why he took away the powers he gave her, but it ain't enough."
Castle looked back at Strange, taking a step forward.
"You gotta send me to her Strange. We need her, you know that." the Punisher demanded. "She'll listen to me."
"Like the last few times she listened to you?" Stephen retorted. Frank's eyes narrowed, clenching his fists. In a flash, he stormed over to Doctor Strange, grabbed him by the collar, and lifted him up with one hand, his eyes turning white.
"Frank, stop!" America shouted, as Wong raised his hands defensively.
"I'm going to get Wanda. I'm not asking." Frank hissed out. "So you do what you gotta do."
Doctor Strange wore a grim look, as his hands twitched.
"Very well." Stephen said begrudgingly, rotating his hand. A small portal opened up, and a golden book with a cross slowly fell into his hand. "When I read the Book of Vishanti, it told me it would require all of us to defeat Chthon."
Frank nodded, lowering Strange back to the floor, as he opened up another portal, this time showing Wanda's cottage.
"Go." Stephen told him. "We'll come for you after we translate more from the book."
Frank's eyes reverted normal, and he slowly stepped through the portal, finding himself back in a sunny meadow.
Time to convince Wanda Maximoff to come back with him.
Wanda didn't dare look back up, and even drowned out all other noise, as she dug a six foot hole in the ground, wide enough to lay her body in, and then dug another foot down at the edge to catch rainwater. After finding a tarp and blanket from the house, she laid it out across half of the hole, before lowering herself in. She wasn't sure if this would help her, but she had to try.
Maximoff breathed a sigh of relief, wrapping the blanket close to her chest, when she heard someone call her name.
"Wanda."
She gulped, recognizing the voice as smooth and clipped. Just like…
Oh. Oh please god, no. Not him.
"Wanda, look at me."
Maximoff slowly looked to her left, seeing a man- android, actually- sitting right next to her, his cybernetic eyes boring into her. His purple-red face darkening from the tarp overhead.
"V… Vis?"
Vision looked down, almost in sorrow, before speaking.
"Am I not enough for you anymore, Wanda?"
"What?" Wanda's mouth went dry. "What are you talking about?"
"Am I not good enough?" Vision repeated, looking up at her. "After everything we've been through- I tried to save you from Stark's wrath when the Avengers split. You were my world, Wanda. I loved you with all my heart, and I thought you felt the same… why else would you enslave an entire town to try to bring me back?"
"No." Maximoff sobbed. "It wasn't like that-"
"Stop lying to me!" the android yelled, startling Wanda. Cracks started to form in his head, caving away to reveal the gaping hole where the mind stone was- before she blew it to smithereens. Before Thanos turned back time and proceeded to rip the stone out of his forehead himself. "Were you so quick to move on after you killed me twice?"
"Vis, please!" Wanda cried out. "I didn't think I'd love anyone after you, but Frank-"
"He's a murderer, Wanda!" Vision interrupted. "He's a murderer, just like you!"
Maximoff was speechless, as she looked at the android. How ghoulish he looked, with the hole in his head.
"You can't deny it Wanda, you're a monster. You would have killed that child America, if Strange and Castle didn't stop you."
Wanda closed her eyes, looking down. Felt tears squeeze out and land in the dirt. Everything he- everyone- said was true. She would have killed the girl. She took all of Westview hostage because she couldn't bear a life without Vision. She should have left Tony alone, maybe Pietro would still be alive. If she knew about her powers as a child, then maybe, just maybe… her parents would've lived.
She had been carrying so much hate in her heart for as long as she could remember. Hate for Frank, for pushing her away. Hate for Doctor Strange, who kept her from finding her boys. Hate for SWORD, who shredded Vision's body to be near unrecognizable. Hate for Tony Stark, who murdered her entire family, in one form or another. But above all else, the one person she hated the most, was herself. Despite her powers, she couldn't save anyone closest to her.
"You're right…" she whimpered, opening them to see Vision staring blankly at her. "I am a monster… I don't… I can't fix this…"
"Yes you can." Vision told her, staring down at her lap. Or more importantly, the belt around her waist.
"There's only one way you can make it right."
Wanda slowly nodded, feebly reaching for the Desert Eagle in her holster. Somehow, despite losing her clothes when Chthon took her power, that had stayed, which she had quickly put over the robes Strange gave her. It felt heavier than usual when she pulled it out, pointing it underneath her chin, closing her eyes in the process.
It was the only way to right her wrongs. The one good thing she could do to cancel out all the bad she's done, and even that didn't feel true. But most of all, she was tired of all the hatred she had stored, eating at her soul, until there was nothing left.
"I'm sorry Vision… goodbye…"
She pulled the hammer back, hearing a bullet lock in the chamber, slipped her finger in the trigger well, and…
Music: "Quiet Reflection" from Punisher Season 1 OST
"Wanda?"
Maximoff opened an eye, noticing a shadow looming over the foxhole. And that voice…
"Frank?" she croaked out, looking up to see Frank Castle standing over her.
"Hey." Castle murmured. "Mind if I join you?"
Wanda felt her throat tighten, as she shook her head, the gun's muzzle rubbing against her chin.
"I want out." she whispered, palming the gun. "I went too far."
"No." Frank told her, eyeing her grip on the pistol. "No, that was Chthon who did all those things, not you."
"But I'm the one who let him out." she reminded him. "Everything he did, everyone he killed, that's on me, and he used me as a fucking puppet to do it!"
By now, Wanda was sobbing, as she struggled to keep the Desert Eagle under her chin.
"I don't want to fight anymore. I'm done." she cried, feeling tears pour down her face. "I thought… god, I thought I wanted this. To see Tommy and Billy again, but not like this."
Wanda looked up at Frank, and right now they could only feel each other's pain. Their loss.
"I just… I wanted to save someone I loved for once." Maximoff confessed. "I wanted to feel safe, not like that scared little girl in Sokovia, trapped under the rubble of her parent's home. But I don't feel safe, and I'm really fucking scared. And I don't want to get anyone else killed over this. This is the only way."
Wanda sniffed, looking at the ground.
"I don't even remember the last time I saved someone."
Maximoff kept the gun on herself, closing her eyes. This was it. She was finally going to end it all. The pain, the suffering. She'd get to see her parents again. Pietro. Vision. Maybe even her boys.
And that's when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She opened one eye, seeing Frank had climbed into the foxhole, staring at her. Staring through her.
"You saved me."
Wanda raised her eyebrow, but he continued.
"You've saved me plenty of times, Wanda, without even knowing it."
"What… how?"
Frank sighed, looking at the dirt walls.
"I, uh… I got desperate. I used the Necronomicon, and turned myself into this monster." Frank revealed, allowing his eyes to turn a deadite white for a moment. "But do you know what's keeping me from getting completely taken over by the evil?"
When Maximoff didn't answer, Frank told her.
"It's you. You're my anchor to who I am." he revealed, reverting his eyes to normal. "When I let it… into me, I could feel my soul being dragged down into Hell. But you, you manifested alongside Maria, and you both pulled me out."
Frank looked back at Wanda, staring right into her eyes.
"You're not the only one that's scared either." he murmured. "The reason I pushed you away… the truth of it is because I'm afraid of people turning into me. Happened with Amy. Happened with one of Parker's variants, when his Earth's version of me entered his life. Shit, our Peter almost killed Osborn, and I had to talk him out of it."
"Then why are you here?" Wanda asked bitterly, not wanting to look at Castle. He already told her all this, what was the point?
"I'm here because I was wrong. Wrong to push you, and everyone I care about away." Frank admitted. "Amy, she made her choice, and she and Parker support each other. America, Kassie, they can take care of themselves, and they still got hope. In a way, they restored mine too."
Wanda finally looked back at Frank, as he squeezed her shoulder.
"I'm sorry I pushed you away. Fuck, I'm so sorry." he mumbled. "If I didn't, then maybe… maybe all of this wouldn't have happened-"
Maximoff cut him off by planting her lips on his, surprising him with the kiss. The shock was momentary, as he kissed her back, only pulling away when they both felt themselves lose oxygen.
"Thank you, Frank." Wanda smiled mirthfully. "Thank you for saving me."
She leaned in for another kiss, but suddenly flinched. Something that caught Frank's eye.
"Hey- you alright?"
"I'm-I'm fine." she stammered, looking down.
"No you're not." Frank shook his head, seeing her fingers brush against the side of her robe. "Come on, lemme see."
Castle slowly shifted Wanda's robe, seeing a knife wound in her side.
"Christ, Wanda." he muttered.
"It's not bad-" she tried to lie, but he cut her off.
"Bullshit." he interrupted. "If that's the same one Rawlins gave me, it's bad. Come on, you're gonna need that stitched."
"How did you know-"
"Because I could still feel every hit Rawlins dealt out on me." Frank murmured, thinking back to those phantom bruises. He still wasn't entirely sure how he was fine, but Wanda wasn't.
"Hold on."
Frank's eyes turned white, and he picked Wanda up with ease, before levitating out of the foxhole. When he finally reached the ground, he made his way back to the cottage, pushing the door open, and swiftly carried Wanda into the kitchen, setting her into a chair.
"You got first aid?" Castle asked, checking the cabinets.
"Third drawer on the right." Wanda answered. The Punisher nodded, approaching the drawer she instructed, and took out a small silver container with a red cross on it, opening it up to find some gauze, a needle and thread, and some rubbing alcohol.
"Gonna need that off." Frank grunted, as Wanda moved a part of her robe to the side, exposing the bloody wound. Castle poured some of the alcohol on the gauze and dabbed at the hole, making Maximoff wince in pain.
"Sorry." he murmured, grabbing the needle and got to work on the stitches. As soon as she felt the sharp pain, Wanda instinctively grabbed Frank's shoulder, squeezing it tightly.
"It's okay." Frank promised, closing up the wound with relative ease. Next, he took the gauze and pressed it to her side, bandaging the wound and completing the field dress.
"Okay… you good?" Frank asked, looking into Maximoff's eyes. The Sokovian numbly nodded, as they two became lost to each other. Without realizing it, Frank leaned in, kissing Wanda, as she rested her hand on his face. They both closed their eyes, Castle's empty hand making its way around her waist, the other dropping the gauze, as they melted into each other.
Their worries seemed to melt away as well, as Frank forgot about Doctor Strange or America Chavez. Wanda forgot about Tommy and Billy, or Vision. For now, it was just the two of them that mattered, in her small kitchen.
For a moment, they didn't worry about Chthon, or the multiverse, or anything…
Castle suddenly heard what sounded like sparks, and he broke off the embrace, looking over his shoulder to see Strange and America stepping through a portal. A red haze entered his vision as well, and he looked to the side, seeing a crimson orb, floating in front of a hand. That hand belonged to Wanda Maximoff, who seemingly stared at the magical sphere in awe.
"Wanda… Chthon didn't take away all your power." he stated the obvious.
Maximoff sheepishly smiled, flexing her fingers.
"No… I don't suppose he did."
Wanda looked back at Strange, who quickly recovered from his surprised reaction.
"You couldn't have knocked?" Wanda grumbled, slowly getting off the counter, Frank helping her.
"No time." Stephen announced. "After what Frank and I discussed before he came here- as well as the following conversation with Miss Chavez- I believe Chthon is coming to Earth. Our Earth, to attempt to take America's power again. We need to move."
"That right?" Frank raised an eyebrow. "Why isn't he here now?"
"Because I think you were right that he's scared." Doctor Strange revealed, taking the Book of Vishanti out and flipping to the page that showed several figures. Frank took a good long look, seeing depictions of what appeared to be silhouettes of himself, Strange, America, Wanda, several others… and a certain person who appeared to have a chainsaw for a hand.
"He's scared, of what we can all do if we work together." America added. "I think he's going to summon an army to fight for him, kind of like when Wanda sent those monsters after me."
"That right?" Frank snorted. "So what, we're gonna call the Avengers or something?"
In response, America created a portal, showing a what looked like a shooting range with a familiar looking redhead.
"Not exactly." Strange replied, having the ghost of a smirk on his face.
A/N: Okay, maybe I kinda pulled it out of my ass as to why Chthon didn't just kill everyone and steal America's powers at the Darkhold Castle, but I'm running out of ideas. Maybe I'll have to say the reason is because he made them both somewhat immortal, which is how Frank survived that Do Not Resuscitate order that was mentioned way back in Daredevil Season 2. As for Wanda... I don't know. I've already hinted that not all of her powers were taken, so I'll probably explain that Chthon stole most of the magic he gave her, but she still retains the powers that the Mind Stone gave her, essentially bringing her back down to her power levels in Age Of Ultron.
Anyway, I don't have the next chapter all fleshed out, so it could take awhile, but depending on how long it is, it might either be the last chapter or the penultimate one. But I will be more focused on the heroes rounding up the allies they've met throughout the multiverse thus far.
That's all for now. Bye!