Kamar-Taj - Now:
"Attack!"
Wong's cry was answered by the roar of hundreds. Power surged, the collective mystical might of an army brought to the fore. So great was it's intensity that Stephen could almost taste the myriad energies being called into existence well before a single spell had been cast.
(Please, he thought, let it be enough)
Then the first wave struck.
"By the Bolts Of Balthak!"
A dozen voices intoned, a call for aid that went beyond the mundane and into the infinite. The power of the Demon Lord Of the Principality surged forth to answer it.
Lightning erupted into being and Wanda had just enough time to narrow her eyes before she was struck by a dozen bolts at once. The Scarlet Witch vanished from sight as her body became ground zero for an an arcane electrical storm that blinded even it's creators, blue lances of electric power arcing off into the blackened sky and momentarily banishing the dark.
It was powerful. A testament of their might.
It was also absolutely useless.
Red light pulsed.
Thee storm abruptly died, snuffed out of being as quickly as it appeared. Wanda stretched her arms out, looking none the worse for wear.
She smiled.
"You want to play with lightning?"
Oh shit.
"Shields!"
He raised his hands, calling his power into place as she moved-
"Let's play."
The smell of ozone, intermixed with something foul and hair-raising was the only warning they got.
One moment, they were scrambling to raise their defenses. The next, the world was crimson fire and purple lightning as Wanda proceeded to make their best initial efforts look downright incompetent. The walls of Kamar-Taj came tumbling down under the onslaught. The stone floor shattered, ground pulped into dust by eldritch force as the defensive wards were overloaded. Ash and debris filled their sight as the upper levels of the monastery was reduced to a goddamn dust cloud, intermixed with flashes of lightning.
And the sorcerers themselves.
Dear god.
The first dozen attackers... simply disintegrated, too close and too slow to stand a chance. The unfortunate souls directly behind them suffered all the more for it. Bolts of purple energy shattered their barriers before plunging into them, burning skin and flesh and splintering bones in an instant.
Twenty-three dead, just like that. They didn't even have the time to scream.
Wanda waved a hand, and the attack ceased. She considered the crackling remains at he feet, seemingly oblivious or perhaps uncaring of the cold terror that froze her foes in place.
"'When the dust settles, the only living thing in this world... will be me.' " She tilted her head and smirked "Maybe that egoistic little tin-can was onto something. Questions for later."
She looked up, finally turning her attention back to the horrified onlookers.
"So who wants to die ne-?"
A wail of maddened grief cut through the air, and Stephen's eyes widened as a sorcerer broke rank and charged!"
Fool!
"Oh, a volunteer. How nice."
...
Kamar-Taj - Then:
The Council Of the Mystic Arts convened under the purview of the the Sorcerer Supreme.
"So how do we fight a god?" Stephen asked, eyes roving over the masters of the three Sanctums and half a dozen skilled associates with a mind for strategy "Because just in case anyone missed it, that is basically what we're up against."
"The Sanctums have warred with gods before." Tina Minoru looked grim. "We triumphed before. We can triumph now."
Stephen actually snorted.
"With respect, Master Minoru, most of the those 'gods'-" He mimed air quotes "-were either up-jumped elementals or particularly old demons and other arcane beings throwing their weight around. Powerful, but not unstoppable"
He fixed her with a stare.
"Wanda Maximoff is the Scarlet Witch, and if even half the things the old stories say of her are true, than the only being of comparable power that the Sanctums have faced in recent memory was Dormammu."
Her eyes narrowed and she stiffened even as murmurs and even the odd prayer or two spread throughout the room.
"We all know how that ended." Stephen finished quietly. "And the Time Stone is no more. What happens next cannot be undone. Not this time."
"That doesn't mean that we have lost." Wong's voice cracked like a whip. "Steven may be right. We have seldom ever faced a threat on this scale."
There was a brief pause.
"But seldom does not mean never." He nodded with strength. "We have faced foes that seemed insurmountable, and we have pushed them back. It was our duty then, and it remains our duty now."
The Sorcerer Supreme's eyes panned across the room.
"The Scarlet Witch intends to kill a child for the sake of power. For her own selfish desires. She has already violated the laws of nature and magic, to say nothing of the basic decency that we pride ourselves on maintaining. Should she succeed, the very multiverse may burn for her hubris and arrogance. This cannot be allowed to happen. This will not be allowed to happen."
Wong's fist came down and rattled the table and people spine's went straight as they followed his every word.
"With or without an Infinity Stone, we will not fail!"
...
"Damn. That was a good speech."
The air of mystical awe deflated like a popped balloon and nearly everyone turned to glare at the Master who had spoken.
Rintrah glanced back awkwardly, taurian features shifting. "What? It was!"
Stephen snorted. "You ruined the moment."
But the aura of grim melancholy had faded, replaced with a degree of optimistic pride and sharp conviction.
"In any case." Wong glared at the sheepish R'Vaalian for a moment longer before turning his attention back to the the rest of the room. "Scarlet Witch. Twelve hours to prepare a strategy. Begin."
"Long distance spell-casting. No hand to hand." Master Garcia of the New Your Sanctum suggested immediately, and Stephen clicked his fingers and nodded.
"I second that. Even before she started harnessing her more... esosortic abilities she's been capable of telekenetically crushing her enemies into fine mist. An physical attacks she can see coming, she will be able to block, and for the sake of this plan? Assume she can see everything coming. Getting close just makes it easier for her to do her thing. Keep your distance, and keep moving. Stand in one place and you're a sitting duck. Under no circumstances should you attack her head on, regardless of whatever artifact you've got on you. It will not work, and If she gets her hands on you..."
He didn't need to finish.
...Kamar-Taj - Now:
The grieving sorcerer wailed, the tip blade of his spear burning with white flames as he charged Wanda head on.
"Don't!" Wong roared, but it was too late.
The man pressed the attack, the spear's blade cutting through the air as he stabbed towards Wanda's middle with every bit of strength he could muster.
Her right hand snapped out and gripped it right below the the blade, holding it steady as the man raged and wailed and despaired in his effort to run her through.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" She spoke softly, almost gently. "To be cursed to live while the ones you love die? I know the feeling all too well."
Over a hundred spells lashed out, the opportunity to strike her down in her moment of distraction proving far too tempting.
Wanda merely tilted her head, and a dome of red formed over the pair, the spells washing off with contemptuous ease. The poor fool leapt back and she let him pull the spear out of her grasp.
"My parents. My brother. My Lover. My children. Everything and everyone I have ever loved, gone, just like that."
"Fuck you!" The man howled. "Fuck you, you fucking fucking fucking demon bitch!"
He threw the spear aside and lunged, drawing a dagger-
"That's enough out of you."
He didn't get all that far as he as Wanda blurred into motion, one hand wrapping around his throat and brutally immobilising him. The other she drove through his chest, punching through his back in an explosion of bloody viscer a and shattered shards of bone. He gaped, blood spurting out of his mouth and running in rivets down his throat.
"Be grateful." she whispered to the dying man. "Be grateful that I granted you the mercy of death, rather than allow you to live a life with that kind of pain."
She squeezed, crushing his throat into a bloody ruin before tossing his ruined corpse aside.
Then she let the barrier fall, and turned to the others.
"Does anyone else want to-?"
"By the Icy Tendrils Of Ikthalon!"
"Oh?"
The whips of blue light circled her a moment before bursting, and the Scarlet Witch dissapeared beneath a veritable mountain of enchanted Ice.
Bind. Strengthen. Reinforce.
The secondary set of energy poured over the ice, glowing sigils glowing over the structure as their combined might pressed into an what potent spell and reinforced it at the most fundamental level.
It would not hold. But it would give them time.
"Strange!" Wong bellowed.
"Almost done!"
The ice began to crack.
...
Kamar-Taj - Then:
"So how do we kill her?"
Steven didn't flinch at the question, but it was a near thing.
He'd expected of course. He'd even accepted it. The stakes were too high.
And yet...
Why did it always come to this?
Wong spoke up then then.
"No. We do not now what her death will bring, It is entirely possible that should her mortal body expire, she will under go some form of apotheosis. She could become a goddess in truth, and we could all fall before her."
Stephen nodded to him, careful not too look too grateful.
Better than nothing.
"So what is our goal here? Trap her?"
The words were incredulous, and Minoru snorted "If we take Master Strange's words as any indicator than we'd have better luck wrestling down the Hulk."
"Who?"
For the second time in as many minutes, they all turned to Master Rintrah
"Seriously?"
"I live here full time!" the man (bull-man? man-bull?) defended himself hotly before tapping his snout. "You try going out into human civilization with a face like this!"
"...Fair enough, but-"
"No!" Wong glared. "No more idle conversation!"
An awkward pause followed.
"Right." Minoru nodded. "Now, the elephant in the room. How exactly are we going to trap her?"
"There are ways to seal arcane power away." Someone offered. "Artifacts, rituals and the like."
"Agreed." Stephen sighed. "But the vast majority of those are time consuming and demand every bit of focus you could muster. The casters won't be allowed to fight back."
More murmurs.
"You see the issue, right? It would take nearly all of us to seal her power away and we'd be sitting ducks. She'll slaughter us in seconds."
"We can wound her, attack and soften her defenses-"
"She has. Literal. God. Like. Power."Stephen cut him off flatly. "She doesn't even have to cast spells. She can just aim in our general direction and let it rip. Thonly way she'd lose in a contest of strength is if she somehow stopped thinking-"
He blinked.
Surely not? That couldn't work.
...But maybe...maybe just.
A sharp smile flashed across his features as an impossible and down right insane plan began to form.
"I have an idea."
...Kamar-Taj - Now:
The ice exploded, a wave of crimson flames erupting from within it.
Screams erupted as the flames suck and consuming the poor fools who'd been too close to defend themselves.
Wanda rose through the air and looked down at them all, swatting aside the wave of multicolored spell-work and vicious intent with insulting ease.
"The Masters Of The Mystic Arts." She scoffed derisively "I expected better."
She raised a hand and gathered her energies.
No more games.
She was disappointed in their efforts, but she supposed that's what she deserved for having high hopes.
Kill the Gnats
Yes.
Yes, It was time to end this, to end them, once and for all-
"Wanda."
She grinned as Stephen descended from above, held aloft by that cloak he was so proud of.
"Stephen! Sorry, I lost track of you for a minute there!"
He stared at her with a stony expression.
"What? Come to fight me all on you own?" How delightful. "Or maybe you're here to beg? Is that why you look so constipated? Had the great Steven Strange finally overcome his pride-?"
"You disgust me."
...
She tilted her head. Then she started laughing,
Oh, this was too good!
Arrogant meat
"Hahaha!" She almost doubled over. "St-ha-Stephen. What on earth makes you think your opinion of me matters?"
She spread her arms as she drew closer.
"Back to your old habits, are we?" She smiled as he tensed. "Back to believing the world revolved around you and your whims? You insignificant, little-"
"You're right." He had the gall to smirk. "I'm insignificant, and my opinions are even more so. Know who isn't?"
"Enlighten me"
"Your children."
She froze.
...
Kamar-Taj - Then:
Steven held his head high as the inhabitants of the room looked at him with stunned expressions.
"You're insane"
He shrugged. "Maybe a little."
"Batshit insane."
"Probably."
"Stephen." Wong's face was creased, heavy in thought. "Are you sure about this?"
No, he was not sure about putting himself on the fucking firing line, but needs must.
He needed to do this.
"She can't see it coming." He nodded as much to reassure himself as it was for the others. "She can't even get a hint of what we're planning. I'm perfect for this."
"She knows you but she almost killed you before." Minoru warned. "There's no guarantee being her former colleague will help."
"She just needs to not kill me out of hand.I'll handle holding her attention just as soon as I have it."
"How do you intend to do that?"
"By being myself."
Wong snorted in sudden realisation, looking at him with an expression of disbelieving awe.
She raised an eyebrow. "An overconfident, possibly suicidal fool?"
"No."
He grinned.
"A complete and utter dick."
...
"....You probably shouldn't sound so proud of that-"
"For the love of- Rintrah, stop ruining the moment!"
...
Kamar-Taj - Now:
"How do you think they'll feel when they find out what you did to get them back?"
Please god let them be ready.
Wanda went utterly still, eyes hollow and focused on him with blood curdling intensity.
"Stephen"
A cautious man would have taken the warning in her voice as a sign that he needed to shut the fuck up.
Oh well. He'd never been very cautious
"How do you think they're going to react to the crimes you've committed? The people you've killed?"
"Stop. Talking. Now."
"How do you think-"
"Stephen-"
"-that they're going to feel-"
"I'm warning you-"
"-when they find out-"
"I will-!"
"-Just what kind of monster their mother really is?!"
...
"I was going to kill you." She spoke finally, and their was no emotion to her tone.
Just empty void and terrible conviction.
Rip. Tear. Flay. Give him an endless hell!
"But now, Stephen?" Her eyes burned with red light! "You will beg for death that will never come!"
"We're ready!"
Thank fucking God!
"No thanks." He winked. "I'm good."
And then he rocketed down like a bat out of hell.
Eat his heart!
Wanda followed, a scream of inarticulate rage tearing it's way out of her throat as she closed the distance between them, hands reaching to tear him limb from limb!
So focused she was on her self appointed goal, she didn't even pause as Stephen hit the ground and passed clean through it, merely following in his wake.
And straight into the Mirror Dimension, over a hundred remaining, well prepared and ludicrously pissed off sorcerers standing in position and waiting for her arrival.
"Now!"
...
The Mirror Dimension:
"BY THE CRIMSON BANDS OF CYTTORAK!"
Wanda screeched in unholy outrage as a hundred chains of ethereal crimson shot towards her from every direction, snaking around her outstretched limbs and pulling taught!
Vile vermin!
Insignificant wretches! She'd drown them in their blood and nightmares for this! She'd-
And that's when she saw Stephen, flying back towards her at full speed.
What was he-?
Truly?
For just a moment, for the first time in months, Wanda was alone in her head as she realized what her friend intended to do- and she paled in horror as the implications registered.
Such delicious irony.
She howled, calling for her power to shatter her bindings-
No, I think not.
She screamed in agony as her magicspurned her, refused her call and tore at her from the inside out!
Stephen closed the distance between them.
Yes
No
Yes
No!
Yes!
N--
Stephen Strange's open palm slammed into her center of mass and metaphysically rammed her soul straight out of her body.
A sound plan.
A soulless body could not think and therefore could not use magic, regardless of whatever concentrated power it could harness.
A sound plan. But they didn't know that all was not as it seemed.
That something far, far older and more patient than them had been pulling the strings for a very, very long time.
They couldn't hope to know that in casting Wanda out... they had unleashed something far, far worse.
...
Stephen watched grimly as Wanda's body went limp.
His colleague drifted closer, manipulating the surface of the Mirror dimension as they began to cast the rune's that would seal her power away for good.
He hoped it would be enough. This had gone on long enough.
"I'm sorry it had to end like this. I'll try and-"
On a whim, he peered into the Astral layer, trying to speak to his former friend one last time, before recoiling in horror.
If Wanda's physical form was gaunt, than her soul was emancipated. Blood run in rivets from a thousand and one cuts layering her body, her mangled skin barely stretching over brittle bones. She floated in a pool of incomprehensible black that had his senses screaming with primordial fear and his eyes burning as he witnessed something no human being should ever come into contact with.
The soul could not lie. It was a representation of an individual's true self.
What in the ever loving -!?
He felt bile rise to his throat as her eyes snapped open suddenly, revealing hollow pits that erupted with black a moment later.
"Stephen" Wanda whispered. "Run."
Then the entire abominable mass jerked, shifted and launched itself at Wanda's physical body!
...
Wong watched in horror as The Scarlet Witch jerked into sudden motion, arcane chains shattering like glass.
"Retreat!"
But Stephen was too slow.
In an instant she had him, hand closing around his left arm and the other sieving his right shoulder with crushing force.
Power exploded out of her, different from before.
Malicious.
Vile.
Evil.
She smiled, tilting her head and opening her eyes, revealing orbs of pure obsidian.
"You're....not...Wanda." Stephen gasped, veins of black spreading up his arms and across his neck.
Wong rushed forward, but it was already too late.
"No. I am Elder, and this is the closest to true freedom I have ever come." It smiled, shadows pouring out from between it's teeth. "Welldone,Sorcerer."
Then it reared back and tore his arm straight off his body, a shower of blood and a scream of purest pain punctuating the movement.
"Stephen