What Remains || Wanda Maximoff

The Ruins

(A/N: hey guys i dont really know what im doing, ive never seriously written anything before. ignore my bad writing. i'd say english isnt my first language but it definitely is lmao)

word count: 895

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Y/N'S POV:

The wind was the first thing I noticed.

It howled through the ruins of Mount Wundagore, whipping snow across the broken stone and biting through the layers of my S.W.O.R.D. uniform. Every few seconds, a stronger gust forced me to turn my face away, shielding my eyes from the ice and snow behind my goggles.

I could barely see more than a few yards ahead.

"Visibility's getting worse," someone called over the comms.

I tightened the strap of my pack and kept moving.

"Yeah, I've noticed."

A burst of static came through my earpiece.

"Agent L/N, maintain your position until the weather clears."

I rolled my eyes beneath my goggles.

"Sure. I'll just stand here and become a human snowman."

"Agent L/N."

"I'm moving."

I trudged up the slope, my boots sinking into the snow with every step. The climb was exhausting, but I refused to give the mountain the satisfaction of making me turn around.

I'd been sent on worse missions.

Probably.

Maybe.

My wrist-mounted tablet flickered as I checked the mission information again.

MISSION: RECOVERY
LOCATION: MOUNT WUNDAGORE
SUBJECT: WANDA MAXIMOFF
STATUS: PRESUMED DECEASED

I stared at the last line.

"Presumed," I muttered.

That was an interesting word choice.

According to the report, the Scarlet Witch had destroyed the Darkhold across every universe as she brought the temple at Mount Wundagore down around herself.

Her body had yet to be recovered.

Apparently, that was supposed to be my problem.

I sighed and continued walking.

"Remind me why I volunteered for field work?"

"You didn't," a teammate answered through the comms.

I smiled faintly.

"Right. Forgot about that."

The first ruins came into view several minutes later.

What remained of the temple was barely recognizable. Massive pieces of stone were scattered across the mountainside, some half-buried beneath snow. Ancient carvings were still visible on a few of the broken walls, though most had been damaged beyond recognition.

I slowed as I approached.

This was where it had happened.

Where the Scarlet Witch had made her final stand.

I reached for the portable scanner attached to my belt and switched it on.

"Beginning scan."

The device hummed.