Under your spell 🔞

Forty-Four

Steve staggered forward, holding his ribs, as he saw Thea. She wasn't the same, he knew that, he could see that. His gaze roamed over her, taking in her outfit. Everything on her, was as black as night, her lips, her hair. When he looked at her face, he saw a marking on her forehead, as though it was etched into her skin... 'Thea?..'.. He took a cautious step forward, and her gaze slid from Thor to him.

When their eyes met, he felt frozen on the spot. Her eyes burned into him, and in that moment, he was more afraid of her, than he was of Thanos. She had not said a word, there was nothing in her face that showed any emotion.

He watched as she kept her sword in her hand, at her side, and waved the other. He heard the ground crack and glanced down, seeing vines curl out. They moved towards the gauntlet, pulling the stones from it. Steve went to step forward to stop her, but his feet were stuck, he couldn't move... 'Thea, don't..'

The vines ripped the stones free, and they swirled, snaking around, twisting themselves together, before snapping off. He could see the stones withing the circular shape, and the vines blackened, before a breeze whipped it up and over to her, settling on her head. To say he was scared, was an understatement. They knew what Thanos wanted to do, but her, she clearly held a lot of power, and now the stones.

'Thea, please don-..'.. She had clenched her fists at him, making him fall silent.

Thea looked around at her family, as they all came closer. She could see Wanda further behind, now cradling Visions body. Holding her hand out, she lifted him up, bringing him closer. Using the Amulet, she moved the rocks around them, creating a table to lay his body on.

Flicking her wrist out to her right, she created small portals in the air, and bodies fell through with a thud.

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Something was wrong, very wrong. They should have disappeared by now, but they were still there. Stephen looked around at the others, seeing that they were still in one piece.

If they were still there, still alive, then she must have died. He thought he had changed the future, thought he saved her. He dropped his head into his hands, feeling guilt, pain and heartbreak. The universe was safe, but at the cost of her life.

'This was it, right?..'... His head came up, seeing Stark wince in pain as he stumbled over... 'This is the one, right? You gave up the stone, for us to win...'

'I thought I changed it..'.. Stephen sighed, shaking his head. He didn't want to tell him, she was gone... 'For us to win, she had to die. I gave up the stone, because I saw it was the only way to save her. But it didn't work, we're still here..'

Tony stumbled to sit next to Strange, frowning at him... 'Tell me you're not talking about Thea...'

'Yes..'.. Stephens voice was hoarse with emotions, knowing he now had to live without her... 'There was only one outcome, where she survived, and we won. But it wasn't like this..'.. He turned to look at Stark... 'We were supposed to be snapped away for a while. She's gon..'

His words were cut off as portals opened beneath them all, and they fell through. He landed on his side, hard. He coughed, as the wind was knocked out of him and he pushed himself to get up, looking around.

He saw the others, the rest of the team, knowing they were back in earth but every single one of them had a look of fear, and whatever they were looking at, was behind him. Turning to see, he almost dropped to his knees, seeing her stood there.

Taking in everything, he saw the ashen blackness of her fingertips, and fear seeped into him. She had used the darkhold. As his gaze continued up to her face, he stumbled back, seeing the marking on her forehead, from the dark dimension.

He didn't see this happening. He didn't think this could happen, but when he saw the shimmer of colours that were in her vine crown, his legs gave way, and he sank to his knees on the ground. She had the stones, and the darkhold had control over her.

'Thea? Someone want to tell my why my sister looks like Elviras twin right now?..'.. Tony called out, seeing her there. He had no idea what had happened... 'This your big idea? Give up the stone so she could use it?..'.. He rounded on Strange.

Tony turned back, seeing her float a few inches from the ground as she came closer ro him. He stumbled back a step, seeing how creepy it was. He felt himself stop, and glanced down at his feet, seeing vines wrapped around his legs. She reached out, her ashen fingers touching his wound, and he sucked in a breath at the pain that shot through him.

It only lasted a few seconds and he panted, catching his breath and checked his side. There was nothing there, not even a scar... 'Do you really think I'd hurt you? Any of you?..'.. Tony looked up at her, seeing her tilt her head to the side.

She floated back to where Visions body was, and Tony felt a stab of heartbreak, that Wanda had lost Vision, they all had.

'You were going to leave me Strange..'.. Stephens head whipped up, watching her... 'You sacrificed the universe to try and save me. One life for that of trillions, does not justify what you did. You would've allowed my family to be broken, sacrificed, for what? To save me?..'

She waved her hand, and two more stone tables appeared, one either side of Vision... 'Over 14 million, wasn't it?..'.. He had no idea how she knew... 'I saw this coming, months ago. My dreams became nightmares, as I saw many different versions of me, give their lives to save their worlds, realities. I found a way to save mine..'

'Thea, what did you do?..'.. His voice tremoured with fear.

'What I had to do. It took me a while to find the darkhold, and then I took the time stone one night when you slept, recreating the pages in the book of Cagliostro. I needed the spells..'... She ran her fingers over one of the empty stone tables... 'The power I have, its so..'.. She sighed, and looked over to him... 'Tempting. The things I can do. Like this..'

They all watched as she waves her hand, creating portals above the stone tables, and two bodies slowly lowered to the surface. Stephen recognised Loki as one, and the other was a female, with green skin... 'Gamora?..'.. He turned his head, seeing Quill drop to his knees, the pain in his eyes, as a tear fell.

'You chose a future, when I survived, but you have no idea, what you took from me. Let's see how that would've played out, shall we?..'.. She waved her hand to the empty space before her, conjuring Thanos and Thor, watching the Titan snap... 'Let's see what the future held for me Strange, what you sacrificed..'

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