Scarlet Witch (4th series) #7

New Salem, Colorado, USA, where Wanda Maximoff the Scarlet Witch is supposed to be on her day off. 'A hidden magic city? I never knew magic people were so organized, Wanda!' the mysterious young woman called Amaranth exclaims as she examines her new surroundings in awe as she accompanies Wanda and Wanda's children – Billy a.k.a. Wiccan and Tommy a.k.a. Speed – through a marketplace. Wanda explains to Amaranth that this place protects their kind from persecution, and reveals that Agatha Harkness once led it. 'I can't really see her partying in the streets!' Amaranth responds, to which Wiccan notes that this festival is for Praxidice – a justice spirit – and Agatha does like to judge. Tommy looks confused, and asks 'Wait – New Salem's for witches? Not to be weird, but how'd I get in?' he asks, to which Wanda points out that being her son has some privileges.

Amaranth tells Wiccan that Wanda makes it all sound so normal, but that even her name carries power. 'And expectations. Feed me snacks, and I'll tell you about my own wild destiny' Wiccan responds, before telling her not to worry, as every witch or warlock is unique – and they are all powerful here. Amaranth joins Wanda at a stall selling fruit and daggers, and is confused by the combination. 'Who is this festival for again?' she asks. Wanda admits that their way of honoring Praxidice may seem unusual, but explains that they strive for the poetic, and that this stand offers the sharp edge of justice and the sweet reward that follows. 'And the stockade? What does cruelty and public humiliation symbolize?' Wanda informs Amaranth that the stockade doesn't shut, and that celebrants lean in the open cradle and unburden their painful truths. 'Cute. But not everything needs to be talked about' Amaranth responds.

Wiccan informs Amaranth that it is voluntary, and notes that they all have secrets. 'My father found me in a burning forest. He adopted me... and I drove him insane' Amaranth reveals. 'Speed and I are the reincarnated sons of a witch and a synthezoid – when does your story get weird?' Wiccan smiles in response. Speed appears next to Amaranth and tells her that he and Wiccan never drove any of their parents mad with their minds. 'That's a talent' he smiles, to which Amaranth tells him that if he saw the look in her father's eyes, he wouldn't joke. 'I'm not – it's cool! How does it work? Do you just stare at someone and they -?' he begins, before Wanda shoots him a disapproving look. 'Speed!' she snaps, folding her arms as she stands next to a stall where several skulls appear to be for sale.

'Yeah?' Tommy asks as he races over to his mother, who reminds him that they are here to welcome Amaranth, not antagonize her. 'What's wrong?' Wanda then asks Speed. Speed shrugs and tells Wanda thzat her is fine, just asking questions. 'With your uncle's subtlety' Wanda notes, referring to her brother, Quicksilver. 'What's wrong?' she asks Speed once again. Tommy reveals to his mother that he and David broke up. 'I lost him twice. First to Orchis. Then... as soon as he's back, he's gone again. Things haven't been amazing' he laments. Wanda tells Tommy that she is sorry and asks Tommy if he has told Pietro. 'Not really. He'd just suggest murder' Tommy responds. 'He does do that' Wanda agrees, before telling Tommy that she has lived this loss many times, and that it is never easy, but that he can always talk to her.

'Tell me, Wiccan, what artful secretsb does this cat-guessing game hide?' Amaranth asks as she and Wiccan stand at a stall where several cats are playing. 'It's simple divination. You forsee which kind of cat is in the vessel and -' Wiccan begins, before one of the cats hisses and Amaranth asks Wiccan if the cats are supposed to be this aggressive – when suddenly, the cat lashes out at Amaranth and scratches her arm, drawing blood. 'This is a game...it's supposed to be a game' Wiccan utters. Shocked, Amaranth looks at her arm and claims that she has never bled like this before. Wiccan is confused, and states that this isn't right, as there is no real danger here – it is a party. 'And so it is, Wiccan. Sadly, you've confused your role in the festivities' the cloaked figure behind the stall announces. 'This day is dedicated to justice! But youre not its celebrants – you are its means!'

All of the attendees at the festival suddenly turn towards Wanda, Wiccan, Speed and Amaranth, their eyes glowing red as they start to surround the heroes. Wanda realizes that the city itself is possessed. 'How could I not see it – not sense it!?' she wonders, before instructing Speed to run. 'There could still be a way -' she begins, '- out?' Speed asks, announcing that he ran the whole perimeter and can confirm that the town has gone full monster. 'We're the only ones unaffected! There's no help!' Speed exclaims, nervously. Wanda reminds Tommy that he is a Maximoff, and that they help themselves. Suddenly, A blackness begins to enshroud the four, and they suddenly vanish, with Speed screaming as he falls into darkness.

'Billy? Mom? Anybody? I can't stop! There's nothing – no ground – I can't stop falling!' Speed cries out, before realizing that there is no wind, no air, and wonders how he can be breathing with no air. Suddenly, a voice speaks to him and tells him that it seems impossible, but that he has stepped beyond reason – into the world of magic, where he will fall forever – and there, on the agonizing cusp of death is where he will stay.

'Searching for your bearings, Wiccan'? The strange voice asks as Wiccan falls and lands in shallow water. 'You wil never find them. Not here...in a pocket realm of my own making' the voice adds. Wiccan looks around as the voice informs him that this is a void that kills any and all sensations, but for now, the sound of their voice. 'You are mighty, Wiccan. Your destiny is mightier still. Focused... you would trounce me'. Wiccan goes wide-eyed as the voice tells him 'But you are not the Demiurge yet. Not truly. Not in full. Once, your spells were tied to hearing your words. No longer of course – but I've taken all your senses. Without them, cut off from everything, even you can forget yourself' the voice announces, as Wiccan begins to run through the shallow water. 'Here, you'll never gain the foothold you'd need to attack. But do please enjoy screaming for your wits' the voice adds as Wiccan opens his mouth to scream, only nothing can be heard.

Amaranth lands hard on a patch of grass, where several plants with large mouths full of teeth can be seen. 'Welcome to my secret garden' the mysterious voice calls out to Amaranth. 'Wh-what is  this? Who are you?' Amaranth asks as she looks around, examining her surroundings. 'A concerned citizen. Not long ago, this was my city. Today it is again' the voice responds, to which Amaranth, dodging one of the plants, tells the voice that it will take more than monster plants to keep it. 'You will let me go!' Amaranth declares. 'No' the voice tells her. The creatures recoil from Amaranth as she tells the voice that she wasn't asking a question, and notes that the creatures are allergic to her presence. 'As is all magic, I might wager. But the garden isn't the threat. And the threat isn't magic' the voice tells her as a green vapor rises up through a grate, and Amarath is rendered unconscious. The voice reports that the vapor is methyl propyl ether, knowing that a spell would never bring her down. 'But a credit card and some knockout gas are a fine memento mori' the voice jokes.

Finally, the Scarlet Witch is in a dark room, where she looks up at several large screens depicting her children in peril, Amaranth asleep and two others who are very special to her, her dear friend Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye appearing to crumble, and her ex-husband, the Vision, mouth open wide, in some mutated form. 'Your son – falling and suffocating forever. Your other son – caged by his own dreaded senses. Your student – felled by compounds so rare I found them on the internet' the voice exclaims. The mysterious voice instructs Wanda to gaze upon her works – the children who are under her care. 'And yet – see how you protect them?' the voice asks. A figure steps towards Wanda, who turns and sees the man who has a demonic appearance. He has the same voice that has been haunting everyone as he reminds Wanda that he said they were the means to justice – which was true, with an artful flourish. 'You have wronged me. These spirited youths are  just collateral damage -' he begins, to which Wanda interjects: 'Not while I still breath!' She casts a hex towards the assailant, who is knocked backwards. 'So judgmental! Just like mother!'

'Mother?' Wanda asks as she walks towards the assailant, who starts to sit up as Wanda tells him that she knew she recognized that voice. 'This poor man isn't you – he's a puppet... so let's cut the strings' Wanda suggests. A magic staff materializes as Wanda tells the man that his jailer's spells are strong, but her hex pike is stronger, and that it is a primal disruptor. 'The focused edge of your ties to the probability field' she notes, as she slams the hex pike into the probability field surrounding her as she screams 'REVEAL YOURSELF!' only for the voice to tell Wanda that she will have to earn it. Several of the locals surround Wanda and attempt to fight her with various weapons, only for Wanda to keep them at bay with the hex pike and tells the mysterious voice that they speak like they set the terms. 'But make no mistake...they are always set by me!' Wanda makes another attack at the probability field, and the voice tells her that they are so sick of her tone.

'It really is you... NICHOLAS SCRATCH!' Wanda exclaims as she has broken through the probability field, revealing the villain standing up a series of steps nearby. 'That is my name, Wanda. I've built quite the personal hell for you here. Wouldn't mother be proud? Scratch responds. If your issue is with Agatha Harkness, take it to her! But end this. It is beneath your mother – and beneath you' Wanda responds. 'Did you say beneath? Take a look. Your charges are all doing the best they can. They're impressive, especially William...but not impressive enough. Of course, not all three need suffer...' Scratch announces as the ground beneath he and Wanda appears to be some sort of scrying pool, which depicts Wanda's children and Amaranth, trapped. 'One might be freed of their shredding bonds' Scratch adds, informing Wanda that she needs to choose – and survive.

While the children remain trapped, Scratch hurls two magical winged serpents towards Wanda, who hurls the hex pike at them, cutting their heads off. 'Survival is my best trick, Scratch. I reject your choice!' 'You would. Agatha taught you well' Scratch responds as he casts a thin magic line towards Wanda, and reminds the Scarlet Witch that Agatha abandoned him, turned on New Salem for the outside world, and now that he is newly revitalized – well, where is she? Agatha doesn't turn to him, her son, but to Wanda. 'She tests you. She sees you. Just as she will see me break you in flesh and spirit' The magic line appears to slam into the ground around Wanda, collapsing it in on Wanda – only for Wanda to snap her fingers and Wanda appears behind Scratch. 'Hair of the Likho's familiar – a shrewd counter to a hex. Impressive, Nicholas. For you' Wanda remarks.

'Even your praise is an insult. And you're so confident!' Nicholas exclaims as he casts another spell, which appears to slice Wanda down the middle of her body, cutting her in two. Scratch claims that Praxidice offers more than mere justice – she guides those who seek vengeance. 'Is it not right you'd find yourself divided? Shorn in two? Is that not what you did to my family?' Scratch asks, telling Wanda that she is a thief, and all that she has was meant for him. 'It is all yours...but you can still suffer for it'. But suddenly, Wanda is able to reform herself, and she grabs Scatch by his throat and tells him that he exhausts her. 'I have taken nothing from you. And despite your death traps... I refuse to let you take anything from me!' Wanda declares as she hurls Scratch backwards, and manifests three copies of herself which she sends to rescue her children and Amaranth.

As the first copy shatters the realm Wiccan is trapped in, Wanda tells Scratch that they may have shared teachers, but that they are not the same. The second copy finds Speed and grabs onto him, stopping him from continuing to fall, while Wanda informs Scratch that his logic, his forced choices, are all insults to her. 'Perhaps you would need to choose who lives and who dies?' Wanda suggests as then third copy revives Amaranth. Scratch collapses to his knees and Wanda steps towards him, telling him that her rules are hers alone, and that this was a desperate play. 'Enchanting all of New Salem is quite the feat – but you should've known better' she declares. 'No! NO!' Scratch responds, as he gets to his feet and starts to run. Wanda follows him and tells him she is sorry Agatha shut him out, and that he was a fool to make her his enemy.

'Was I, Witch? Was I?' Scratch asks, pointing out that disenchanting the entire city will drain Wanda beyond repair. 'Saving New Salem will kill you! You do have to choose, Witch! It's your life or theirs! It's -' Scratch begins, before he stops in his tracks, Amaranth appears before him. 'Going somewhere?' she asks. 'No...not you, creature. You think I can't sense what you are? You're worse  than her! You're a bigger monster than she could ever be!' Scratch exclaims. 'Tell me something I haven't told myself, wizard!' Amaranth retorts as she shoves a hand against Scratch's chest, and tells him that maybe Wanda wouldn't survive snuffing out his spells – but she has talents of her own. 'Oh no' Scratch gasps as Amaranth breaks through Scratch's spell that New Salem is trapped in. 'Nice! You've got a magic “undo” button? Even for a spell the size of a town?' Speed asks as he appears alongside Amaranth. 'More like “delete” and it's not exactly a gift, Tommy. Not even close' Amaranth responds.

Scratch drops to his knees befofre Wanda, who folds her arms and tells Scratch that this is a sad place  to find him. 'There is a world where you came to me. Where we learned togethr' Wanda suggests, to which a wide-eyed Scratch claims that he wants that world. 'Then you shouldn't have destroyed it!' Wanda snaps, before suggesting to Scratch that she could send him to Mephisto, as he has been his property beforfe. 'But if you're truly the warlock you say...I've got just the place!' Wanda declares as she casts a spell that opens a portal – and  drops Scratch in the Witches' Undeworld, where he looks up and sees someone who looks remarkably like the Scarlet Witch standing over him. 'A pleasure to meet your acquaintance. My name is Lore... welcome to Hell' the woman smiles.

With Scratch banished, New Salem is secure, and the rebuilding begins. Wanda and Wiccan embrace, while Speed hugs the surprised Amaranth. The method of Scratch's citywide enchantment is found in its after effects. There is an ache in the crown chakra, and in the interstitum, the fluid between organs – telltale signs of a cursed water supply. But with the city's waters purified, it is finally time to celebrate. Amaranth looks confused as she joins Wanda and the twins at a table where an assortment of food is placed before them. Despite Wanda's power, or the danger it draws into her path, this is magic that she has learned to cherish.

Meanwhile, at the Northwest Passage, in the Arctic Ocean, Canada, where fires rage in the control room of a large ship. 'Report – report! What in the hell did we hit?' the Captain asks.. 'I'm sorry, Captain – we've run aground!' an officer responds, while someone notes that there is nothing on the maps, nothing on the radar. 'Then get out there and take a look, sailor!' the Captain orders. The ship appears to have run aground on a large iceberg, but a member of the crew declares that this can't be some rogue iceberg, as something is moving down there. 'Get the Captain! Notify command! We need  to push back – now! We've got to -' the crew member begins, as the ship suddenly appears to nose-dive into the ice.