THE FINAL DOOR PROMPTED THE EXIT TO FREEDOM. They've never been more relieved as they practically tumbled out of the magical door, stumbling outside the front door. Eszter had never been happier to see Westview.

     Eszter wasn't sure how long she'd been trapped in Agatha's basement, nor did she know how much time had passed since she and Wesley were inside the enchanted door. It didn't matter anymore now that they were back in Westview, and the sun was still high in the blue sky. Eszter suspects they weren't gone too long, but it was still too long for her liking.

     "Please, tell me that was it," Eszter held her breath.

     Wesley looked around for a moment, eventually nodding. "Yeah, that was it."

     Eszter sighed quietly in relief, not wanting to be noticeable. She glances at Wesley with a subtle expression. "You took that a lot better than I did."

     She wasn't sure what she was expecting from Wesley; it wasn't Eszter's business, nor did she need to know, but she couldn't shove down her curiosity. Eszter wanted to learn more about Wesley, and she figured it was only fair, but she knew the feeling all too well. Wesley had lied and manipulated her ever since she left her friends in London, yet here she was, worried about said person.

     But Wesley shrugged with an unreadable expression. It wasn't like Eszter could read his mind--whatever magic he was using, Eszter couldn't read him. "After a while, you get used to it," Wesley played off. His face remained blank. Maybe it was because of his traumatic past or because he's good at hiding his pain. "Come on. We gotta find Wanda before Agatha gets what she came for."

     Eszter suspected this reaction, and she didn't blame Wesley's dismissiveness. While it would've been nice to know more about Wesley, Eszter figured the small insight she got was enough.

     "Yeah," Eszter responded distractedly. But when Wesley began to take off, something occurred to her. "Wait!"

     Wesley stopped in his tracks, looking back, confused. "What, why?"

     "I need to find Monica. She somehow got through the Hex, and I don't know how, but I think she might still be here."

     Monica came here looking to save Wanda and me, but I turned her away. But Eszter decided not to add that.

     "Okay. When was the last time you saw her?"

     With everything that happened so suddenly, Eszter thought long and hard. "Um . . . The last time I saw Monica was when Agatha saw us arguing," Eszter instantly felt cold as if someone had just dunked ice water on her head. "You don't think Agatha might've done something, do you?"

     Eszter should've known better than to ask stupid questions. It was evident that Agatha might've done something to Monica; the older witch had caught the rough interaction between Monica and Eszter, overhearing their loud conversation. From the outside point of view, it looked as if Monica was bothering Eszter. At the time, Eszter didn't mind that Agatha had swooped in and helped her escape that moment, but now, Eszter regretted ever walking away.

     "Knowing my mother, I have no doubts she did something."

     Now was Eszter's time to make up to Monica by helping her out of this predicament, considering it was Eszter's fault. At least, it felt like it was. Besides, there was one last thing Eszter needed to do before she could leave.

     "Okay, you go find Wanda and Agatha," Eszter tells Wesley, pushing him slightly forward.

     It was best if they split up. While Eszter looks for Monica, Wesley can go after Agatha first and make sure Wanda is safe. She needed someone to be there for her sister when she couldn't.

     But Wesley pressed his heels firmly against the ground, frowning. "And where are you going?"

     "To save a friend," Eszter said. Without wasting another second, Eszter pointed in the opposite direction. "Now, go! Find them! I'll come to find you after."

     Not giving room to argue, Eszter twisted around and ran back into the house she was trapped in. Barreling through the front door, Eszter skidded to a stop when she realized she didn't know where Monica could be held. She paused to clear her head, using magic to track Monica like she does to find her friends. It was Eszter's advantage. This always put her at ease when she wanted to make sure her friends were always safe; however, she was never able to feel this connection in the distance as she does with Wanda, but after the upgrade, Eszter was overwhelmed by it.

     Within seconds, Eszter recognized one of the two life forms emitting from the top of the house. Eszter considered them like a beacon, pulsating in waves. Though, this one felt a bit strange. While they both emitted a powerful wave, one felt brighter and had lighter energy. The second energy source was almost as dark as Eszter's, mimicking Agatha's magical power.

     Was that Monica? It was the same energy Eszter had felt when the woman approached her not too long ago, and at the time, Eszter had thought it was weird. There was something different about Monica, but the witch couldn't understand how.

     The shadows greeted Eszter as they danced around her, already consuming the living room, but something stole her attention. A whisper tickled Eszter's ears, soft and luring. Eszter froze under the strange voice; she looked around cautiously, expecting someone to sneak up on her, but there was no one but her. Eszter eyed every corner, searching for the voice.

     "Hello?" Eszter called. She wasn't afraid. Whoever it was should be frightened of her. "Who's there?"

     "Eszter . . ." 

     There it was again. Eszter didn't recognize the voice, but they somehow knew her name. She looked around the relatively small space, yet no one else was in the room with her. Eszter stood in a confused daze, but her defensive stance never faltered. The witch narrowed her eyes at the space hesitantly before turning away, ready to resume what she came here for, but the voice stopped her again.

     "Eszter . . ." It whispered like a ghost.

     This time, Eszter didn't ignore it.

     Eszter looked upstairs with a fleeting glance before turning away, following the whispers of her name somewhere afar. Her brain told her to run the other way, but Eszter focused on the voices calling out to her. Eszter couldn't ignore them much longer, not when her curiosity got the better of her.

     Monica can wait a second longer.

     The voices grew longer with each step Eszter took but only paused momentarily when she reached the door toward the basement. The young witch hesitated as she stared below, recalling Agatha had locked her away in the basement. Was she really about to go down there after what happened? But she didn't think too hard about it because before Eszter knew it, her feet were moving on their own, dragging her into the basement.

     Eszter reached the basement floor when the voices became increasingly louder; she grew worried. It was possible that maybe Eszter was walking in on one of Agatha's traps, though that won't be the first time, but she was going in unarmed. She didn't forget her lack of abilities in the basement, where the voices came from.

     But as Eszter rounded the corner, no soul was in sight. Eszter furrowed her brows, puzzled, but she didn't dare let her guard down. Eszter walked further into the room, listening to the voices that lured her in like a siren, and she allowed it. Without thinking logically, like she was taught, Eszter let her curiosity take flight.

     "Eszter!"

     The voice practically yelled in her ears, making Eszter jump in her skin. She turned toward the noise, but to her surprise, there wasn't a person in sight; however, what Eszter faced had baffled her. Eszter stood there and stared at the familiar book she'd seen when Agatha had it in her living room, almost as if she was taunting the luxury of her knowledge in Eszter's face. Yet, here it was, all alone, unprotected. It seemed like Agatha kept it hidden away, locked in her basement where no one would dare to look.

     From the little information she's gathered from Agatha and Wesley, Eszter knew she could learn many complex spells. She had the power to do anything in front of her, but she could only think of one thing; Agatha mentioned the Resurrection spell. It was a complicated spell, but the Dark Witch had been the only one to accomplish such a tricky thing. It was known as black magic, something more dark and supernatural.

     It scared Eszter a little, but that wasn't going to stop her from being able to bring back her loved ones. This was Eszter's one chance to get back what she lost. Eszter has already lost so much; she can't fathom letting it slip from her fingertips.

     Eszter doesn't know how she found herself in front of the Darkhold, already mesmerized by his dark features. It was intense and had Eszter shaking with anticipation. Eszter touched the book so delicately, feeling all of its bumps and ridges; it radiated with dark and chaotic magic, yet it felt almost familiar to Eszter. The book practically calls to her, luring her and collecting her mind.

     As her fingers danced along the cover, the Darkhold sprung open as if on command, the pages automatically flipping until landing on a specific chapter. Eszter couldn't help herself from checking it out, recognizing her native tongue appearing on the pages.

     "Magicae Necromantiorum," Eszter read in Sokovian.

     Eszter didn't hesitate to read furthermore, but she didn't miss the way a strange feeling cast over her like a dark cloud. But Eszter didn't care because now she knew how to bring back Tony. She can save him.

✨

     "Agnes doesn't live here," Monica concluded with a slight frown, staring at the photo as realization struck her. "You do. You're . . . Ralph Bohner?"

     Like a child, Ralph chuckles to himself. "Boner."

     Monica figured it couldn't possibly be Pietro, but that didn't explain how he could mimic Pietro's powers.

     "How is she controlling you?"

     Ralph turned around just as Monica rose to her feet, slowly nearing him with a curious sparkle in her eyes. "You wanna tussle again?" Ralph taunts as he lifts his fist, bouncing between his feet.

     Suddenly, Ralph clutched his neck when the air cut off, and he began to suffocate. His eyes widen in terror as he fears for his life. Ralph parted his lips, hoping to inhale, but his chest shook forcefully when nothing seemed to happen. The oxygen had failed to meet his lungs, and Ralph started panicking.

     Monica stopped in her place as she watched Ralph; baffled by his actions, she rushed to his side.

     "Hey, hey. What's wrong?" Monica patted his back once she recognized the signs. "Ralph, what's wrong?"

     Monica wasn't sure what she expected him to do, especially when he clutched his neck and opened his mouth, trying to breathe. Monica knew Ralph was choking, but she didn't know what from. Was it possible that Ralph was eating something before he accidentally swallowed it? Monica didn't know, but she was about to rush behind Ralph when she froze. Was that . . .?

     The woman noticed a purple ring tied around Ralph's neck, and immediately, Monica knew who was doing this.

     "We need to go," Eszter slithers from the darkness. She looked unbothered by her actions, and it frightened Monica a bit.

     "Eszter, what are you doing?" Monica stood up and blocked Ralph from Eszter. She didn't know if Eszter was purposely trying to hurt Ralph for impersonating her brother or if Eszter thought Ralph was going to hurt her. Either way, Monica needed to save him. "Eszter, let him go."

     Eszter turned her head as she stared at Monica with a cold expression, eyes narrowing. "He's a fake," the witch hissed between her teeth. "He used me for Agatha's amusement."

     As hopeful as a child, Monica stared wide-eyed at the young witch. "Eszter, listen to me," the woman steadies her breath as she carefully watches Eszter. Monica figured Eszter still must be angry with her, but this doesn't excuse anything. "He's just an innocent bystander who got stuck doing Agnes's dirty work. He's under Agnes's control somehow, but I don't know how."

     But the Dark Witch didn't falter. She craned her neck to the side, and a dangerous glint in her eyes. "And I'm just to let this go?"

     "No, that's not what I'm saying, but you're going after the wrong person. The person who hurt you was Agnes, not Ralph."

     Ralph's eyes started to roll to the back of his head, and the lack of air was beginning to go to his head. Monica frantically looked between the pair, silently praying that Eszter would find it within herself to understand.

     But even with Monica's desperate pleas, they fell on deaf ears. Eszter barely twisted her hand when Ralph's body grew limp on the ground, eyes fluttering close from suffocation. 

     "Eszter, he has nothing to do with whatever Agnes did to you! I know he's not your brother, but this is an innocent man under her control," Monica boomed out loud when Eszter showed no signs of stopping. At this point, Monica started believing that Eszter would kill him. "Let him go!"

     The Dark Witch flickered her eyes to Monica; they were dark and distant, far from the look of a young teenager. Eszter looked just as she did when she approached the S.W.O.R.D. base, a fire in her eyes and a vendetta on her mind. Eszter merely stared at Monica as if she was challenging the woman to stop her, and it nearly brought a smile to her face.

     Nevertheless, Eszter seized her magic and released Ralph from his capture, easily destroying the magical necklace bound to his neck. On the brink of passing out, Ralph gasped for air the second it plunged through his nose. Eszter didn't bother sparing him a glance, only keeping her gaze locked onto Monica's. The witch watched as Monica rushed to Ralph's side, inspecting him and making sure he was okay; Ralph merely clung to her side, but when reality settled in, Ralph pushed himself away until there was a significant enough distance between him and the two women.

     "Please," Ralph pleaded scratchily, still gulping for much-needed air. "Spare my life!"

     Monica remained calm as she flashed Ralph a friendly smile. "Take it easy, Ralph. We're not here to hurt you."

     Ralph's eyes nearly popped out of their socket. "She just did!"

     Monica looked at him uneasily. "Don't take it personally. You kind of stole her brother's identity."

     Eszter scoffed quietly to herself but didn't bother to add her input. "This is the second time I saved your life, Monica," Eszter teases with a sly grin, cocking her brows at the older woman. "Soon, you'll be in my debt."

     Monica rises to her feet, hands settling on her hips. "I had it handled," she smiled tightly. "But thanks. How did you know it was the necklace?"

     "I'm able to sense it," said Eszter cooly. Then, her eyes turned to Monica with a studious look, almost as if she was analyzing her. Eszter can sense the sudden shift, as Monica had changed after coming to the Hex. "A lot of energies emit a beacon-like wave. Some stronger than others."

     Strange. Monica could've sworn she noticed the same energy from the basement radiating from Ralph's necklace, but she didn't dare say anything. Maybe Monica was seeing things, and she was trying to freak herself out for whatever she saw. For now, Monica was focusing on one matter at hand.

     "Look, Eszter. I know you're not too happy to see me, but you and Wanda are in danger. Hayward wasn't trying to save Wanda; he was trying to find a way to bring back Vision."

     What?

     "That's impossible," Eszter frowned, skeptically narrowing her eyes at Monica. "Thanos killed him. Vision can't live without the Mindstone. Not only that, but Vision isn't entirely human. He can't just come back to life."

     "It's real. I've seen the plans. When Wanda came out of the Hex, she gave Hayward exactly what he needed to bring him back. Wanda has the power to rewrite reality, that much we know, but whatever Hayward did, it somehow brought back Vision."

     The familiar feeling of anxiety was slowly creeping on Eszter. "But why would he bring back Vision?"

     "Because he doesn't just want to capture both you and your sister."

     Monica didn't have to finish her sentence; Eszter already knew.

     If Hayward managed to bring back Vision, does this mean he's back? Would he be the same Vision they lost or another version of him that Hayward rebooted? It was all starting to make sense; Hayward took Eszter in to embarrass and belittle her, make her feel like she lost everything, and stick her deep in the mud of loss. Eszter was willing to do whatever she could to save her sister, to keep Pepper and Morgan out of harm's way. Eszter was ready to go to the Raft if that meant keeping people safe.

     But after what she's discovered, Eszter realized he was never going to lock her away but kill her to make his job more manageable. He was afraid of them. Between both her and Wanda, they were powerful and held unforgiving magic. If she were in Hayward's shoes, Eszter would be scared, too. Eszter was mortified to hear the truth; the people who considered the good guys turned out to be the bad guys.

     Who would've thought? Eszter wanted to laugh at the irony.

     "I need to warn Wanda," Eszter urged.

     Monica nodded in agreement. "I saw her not too long ago. If we hurry, we might be able to find her."

     The two dashed out of the room and down the stairs, but she stopped before Eszter could proceed.

     She couldn't leave yet.

     "I'll meet you there," Eszter said without sparing one more glance; instead, Eszter turned in the opposite direction.

    Monica's question voice washed away as Eszter stepped away, determined to find what she was looking for. Eszter didn't mind Monica's questions, nor did she acknowledge the woman following her in confusion. Eszter had only one thing on her mind.

     As they rounded the corner, Eszter's lips tugged into a small smile upon spotting the slumped body resting in the corner. Unalive, yet alive. While away, Eszter could've sworn he felt like a dream, but being back in the room, Eszter was relieved to see he was real.

     "Is that . . .?" Monica's eyes widened.

     Eszter ignored Monica as she bowed to Tony's level, unbothered when he growled and lunged at her. Tony didn't get far. His body flung backward from the force, but his glowering stare never falters.

     Monica stood behind as she watched silently, wondering how in the world Tony was standing in front of her. He wasn't alive, but he was somehow here. Monica didn't understand how it was possible, but she stood there in disbelief, watching as Eszter smiled at Tony like this was normal. However, it couldn't explain how this was possible, but as Monica stood and thought about it, she was beginning to think there must be more to Eszter's powers than anyone could realize.

     Eszter was excited about what the future holds, and from her discovery, Eszter knows she can bring back Tony. When she was once afraid of what she did, Eszter wasn't scared of Tony.

     This was her creation, after all.

     "He is," Eszter decided to answer. "Let's go home."

✨

     The tension between Monica and Eszter might be one-sided, but it was there.

     Eszter suspected the sudden shift from Monica since the moment they left the house, and she had a feeling it had something to do with seeing Tony's walking corpse. Though Eszter never bothered to ease Monica's confusing thoughts, the teenager let the woman wonder in her own thoughts. It wasn't like Eszter had to tell Monica anything that didn't concern her, so she didn't see it fit to mention anything.

     Monica seemed to understand this, but the woman was itching to ask Eszter more about what she'd seen. After the heartstopping surprise, Monica wondered how Tony was here and where Eszter had taken him.

     But she hadn't made it the issue because they were sprinting toward Wanda and Wesley.

     "Wanda, get away from him!" Eszter tried to warn, but it was too late.

     The White Vision was holding Wanda's head between the palm of his hands, practically holding the woman in the air. The White Vision was slowly crushing Wanda's head when his attention was torn away from the woman, finding Eszter a short distance from them.

     "Eszter, get back," Monica urged.

     But Eszter didn't move a muscle, not even when the White Vision's centerpiece began to glow amidst Wanda's panicked cries. The White Vision was going to fire a powerful beam at Eszter once his system recognized the witch as another target, and still, Eszter didn't dare to move. The witch was playing chicken; she stood tall and brave, ready to defend herself from Hayward's creation.

     Then, someone flew past Eszter with incredible speed; she nearly didn't see him. Vision collided with the White Vision, sending both of them flying before Vision shoved the White Vision into a parked vehicle, sending it up in flames.

     Wanda was on the ground with Wesley rushing to her side, helping the woman, but she was trying to gather her bearings. Whoever that was wasn't Vision; at least, not the Vision Wanda knows. Even though he looked so much like her Vision that she had lost, Wanda was devastated to discover he wasn't the man she grew to love.

     Eszter wasted no time as she ran to Wanda's side.

     "Wanda," the witch gasped in a whirl of worry yet a flush of relief. Eszter practically forced Wanda to meet her gaze. "Are you okay?"

     However, they shone with despair and grief when Wanda met Eszter's gaze. "You're okay," Wanda breathed with comfort, brushing aside Eszter's concerns. Wanda couldn't help but pull Eszter into her arms as she wrapped her arms tightly around her. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Eszter."

     Eszter kept her mouth shut as she continued to hug Wanda; a small part of her enjoyed the comfort from her older sister, feeling like it had been long overdue. However, Eszter couldn't bring herself to say anything. Was it wrong of her to not want to forgive her sister? She supposed it was, but Eszter let silence do the work.

     Together, the sisters stood.

     "Where are the boys?" Vision swooped in.

     "They're in the house. Safe."

     Vision then stared at Wesley with suspicion. "And him?"

     "He's with us," Eszter announced.

     Wanda catches her breath. Guilt immediately made home in her heart. "Vision . . . I should've told you everything. The moment I realized what I had done."

     "It's alright, Wanda. I know why you made this world, but this . . ."

     "I can fix it," said Wanda instantly.

     "Can you?"

     As if he could feel Agatha, Wesley felt the hairs on his arms rise. "She's here," Wesley turned around.

     "Oh, this is awkward," Agatha appeared from above the house, watching everything as if she were watching a movie. "Your ex and your boyfriend together at the same party. Who are you gonna choose, Wanda?"

     "Vision, this is our home," Wanda declared.

     "Then let's fight for it."

     Vision turned and flew directly toward the White Vision, colliding with the other humanoid in a powerful force. Wanda followed Agatha.

     "Eszter," Wesley hurried to the witch's side. "You okay?"

     Eszter snapped out of her thoughts when she realized Wesley was talking to her.

    She hums. "Yeah, you?" Eszter redirected, awkwardly shifting the attention away from her. Wesley nodded. "Let's kick your mom's ass, yeah?"

     A laugh managed to escape from Wesley's mouth. "Yeah."

     The two friends shared a glance, nodding at one another before Wesley took to the sky with Eszter close behind; as Eszter's hands conjured her magic, she was lifted from the ground when she felt someone holding her back.

     "Wait," Monica stops Eszter before the witch can go far. "Back at Agatha's house . . . Eszter, what was that?"

     For some reason, Eszter wasn't expecting Monica to mention what she'd seen; neither of them bothered to talk about what happened when they left, and Eszter figured Monica would respect Eszter's business. However, it should've been obvious that, at some point, Monica would ask about it.

     "Are we really going to talk about this?" Eszter raised her brows, almost annoyed that Monica wanted to know. "Now?"

     "I just saw someone that was supposed to be dead," Monica's voice gradually grew louder, and her concern continued to increase. "How is it possible that Tony Stark was here?"

     The answer to Monica's question was strange, especially for someone who wouldn't understand--hell, Eszter barely understood until now. This world is new to Eszter, and she's barely getting to know it, and the thought of having to explain this sounds almost unbelievable. That's why Eszter was so silent' she didn't know how to tell Monica the truth behind Tony's appearance, or maybe she did because she did that. It was Eszter who brought someone back from the dead.

     "He's back, and that's all you need to know."

     "Eszter, I'm not the enemy," Monica reassures when she feels Eszter is beginning to close off. "I'm just concerned. That's all."

     "You're not gonna like the answer," Eszter forewarns.

     "Try me," challenged Monica. "After this is over, okay? As a friend." Eszter tenses but nods nonetheless. This seemed to satisfy Monica because the woman released her grip on Eszter. "Go. Don't let Hayward get the upper hand. Please stay away from the new Vision, and keep an eye out; I've seen his plans. Hayward will find a way in eventually."

     "He's the least of my worries, but thanks for the heads-up. For now, keep out of Agatha's way and find someplace safe. I'll come find you when it's over."

     "And you'll explain everything?"

      Eszter hesitated for a second. A small part of her hated that Monica felt as if she deserved an explanation, but as a friend, Eszter nodded eventually. "Yeah."

     After that, Eszter flew off into the sky, where she found Wesley waiting for her above. Together, the both of them soared after Wanda and Agatha. It was three against one, so they easily had the advantage; however, Eszter knew not to underestimate Agatha, for she was possibly more knowledgeable than all three combined. Agatha could easily fool them if she wanted to.

     As Eszter and Wesley approached the two witches, Eszter's blood ran cold.

     "Eszter, perfect timing," Agatha's chirpy voice screeched from the rooftop. It was unbearable and incredibly annoying. "I was just telling your sister about you two. Wanda, did you know you and Eszter were destined to kill one another?"

     While Eszter felt frozen at the announcement, Wanda seemed to find Agatha's accusation unbelievable. There was no way Wanda was this so-called Scarlet Witch, nor was Eszter the Dark Witch she was meant to kill for greater power. Wanda was just Wanda, and Eszter was just Eszter. They're two sisters who got lucky when the Mind Stone gave them telekinetic abilities.

     Wanda refused to believe anything Agatha had to say. Anything and everything Agatha speaks, Wanda can't decipher the truth from her lies. The woman had played her like a fiddle, making her look like a fool. However, Wanda gets the feeling that Agatha isn't lying; the woman seems so serious Wanda is having a hard time not believing a word she says.

     "You're lying," her gaze darkens threateningly.

     "Am I?" Agatha taunts. "I'm not surprised she never told you. You two were on different paths."

     Wanda furrows her brows with deep frustration, but when her eyes landed on Eszter's silent form, it had her questioning herself. But the longer Wanda watched Eszter's reaction; she realized Eszter wasn't as shocked to hear Agatha's claim as she was. For some reason, Eszter wasn't shouting insults or making jokes at this nonsense. Eszter merely stood aside with silence on her side and guilty eyes hidden beneath her stoic expression.

     At that second, Wanda could've sworn her heart was in her stomach at the utter horror of actualization.

     This couldn't possibly be true. There's no way Eszter would believe this nonsense, would she?

     There's no chance that Wanda was this so-called witch, and there was no way she or Eszter were destined to kill one another. While Wanda might've been a terrible sister for the past few years, she never considered hurting her little sister. This is something Wanda couldn't possibly believe.

     The sheer thought of killing her own sister terrifies Wanda.

     "Wanda . . ." Eszter called out, but was there to say? She had no defense against the claims. 

     But the strawberry-haired woman shook her head, refusing to hear her. "She's lying. It isn't true," Wanda said sternly, glaring at Eszter. "I'm not a witch, and neither are you."

     Eszter's throat suddenly became uncomfortably thick. "Wanda, she's telling the truth," she admits like a knife to the chest.

     Agatha watched the sisters' turmoil, satisfied to see them struggling to deal with this. "You two were meant to destroy the world until one of you dies," Agatha finishes.

     The younger witch winced. "I was gonna tell you eventually," Eszter tried, but she lied.

     Eszter never wanted to tell Wanda. She didn't want to believe it herself, but Eszter figured that if Wanda never knew about it, maybe it wouldn't come true. The prophecy would never have happened if Wanda remained clueless about the fact, but Agatha had ruined that for her.

     "No," said Wanda with defiance. "I'm not what you say I am. We're not what you think we are."

     Agatha scoffed. The tip of her lips curled with the Devil on her shoulder. "Oh, really?"

     Before they knew it, Agatha was chanting something in Latin under her breath, making some motions with her hands. The magic formed around them, but the incantation caught Eszter's attention.

     "Wesley, what is she doing?"

     But her question was answered when there was a sudden shift around them, and when Eszter turned around, everyone was frozen in place. It happened so quickly. Everyone dropped what they were doing and turned toward the trio, making their way over to them, but their attention seemed to focus mainly on one person.

     All around them, the people of Westview had circled the three of them. A mixture of emotions came from the crowd. Eszter was suddenly overwhelmed by the grief, confusion, anger, and fear radiating from the people. She knew this day would come; Eszter nearly did the same thing out of pure rage, but now, Eszter was scared for Wanda.

     "I don't recognize my face in the mirror, my voice when I speak. I used to try to resist you, but then it felt like I was forced into this dark pit," Herb frustratedly tried to rack his brain around his memories, but everything was jumbled. "But when I wonder why, I can't remember. Do you?"

     Eszter stepped back as Herb followed, staring at her with despair and anger. She was confused by his accusation, especially when Eszter knew she had nothing to do with his. At least, she hopes not. Eszter didn't know if she did. What if she did do something to everyone? How would that be possible? Eszter didn't even create the Hex.

     Dennis wasn't the once cheery guy he was portrayed to be. "I'm exhausted," he heaves a heavy sigh.

     "You're fine," Wanda's reassurance was firmer than intended. "You're all going to be fine."

     "When you let us sleep, we have your nightmares," Norm accused.

     But an emotional Wanda remained in denial. "I've . . . I've kept you safe in here. You feel . . ." Wanda was trying so hard to convince everyone that everything was normal, but it was pointless. "You feel at peace."

     "We feel your pain," Dottie argues with a gentle tone.

     "Your grief is poisoning us," Mrs. Hart interjected with fear. Her eyes shifted between the sisters. "With Eszter, it only got worse."

     Eszter stared back at Mrs. Hart, suddenly feeling misplaced. Could Eszter have made things worse for Westview while she was here? Eszter figured she might've affected the town when she was angry, but her powers were sometimes uncontrollable.

     "Use your power and free them, Wanda. Heroes don't torture people," Agatha shoved the word in her face. "It's what Eszter would've done. She wanted to do it, too. Did you know that?"

     Eszter looked at Agatha appalled, but she shouldn't be surprised.

     Wanda looked at Eszter, betrayed. "What?"

     "I . . ." the witch stammered suddenly. "I'm sorry."

     Agatha cackles. "Oh, dear. She's been looking forward to this since she came to me for help," the woman cooed with a sick and twisted demeanor.

     Deep down, Wanda hoped Eszter would deny Agatha's accusation and call the woman a liar, but she didn't. Eszter just stood there quietly, guilt evident on her face. So, it was true. Wanda figured Eszter didn't mean to open the Hex last time, and she nearly apologized, but now . . . Wanda doesn't know how to feel. Eszter almost ripped away her family all because she was jealous.

     Wanda fell deep into thought, trying to figure out when Eszter was upset with her. What would make Eszter want to take away the very thing that gave her a piece of happiness? But no matter how much she wished for quiet, everyone cried and begged for freedom.

     Wanda begged them to stop, but everyone continued to plead and accuse. No one wanted to be trapped with the witches anymore. They suffered far too much to let Wanda continue with this torture. But when Wanda saw Eszter being swarmed by everyone, something ticked until it couldn't compress any longer; Wanda let out a pained scream. Everything happened at once before Wanda could stop it, exploding from her like a ticking time bomb.

     A burst of energy exploded from Wanda from her despair, but Wanda hadn't realized what she'd done.

     Eszter watched in horror when a similar band wrapped around everyone's neck, but for a minute, Eszter had thought it was her. But when Eszter turned toward Wanda's hunched form. Everyone choked and gasped as they clutched their necks, falling to their knees to Wanda's mercy.

     "Wanda, stop!" Eszter screamed. Moving quickly, Eszter waved her hands and warped Wanda's powers before releasing everyone.

     "I'm sorry," Wanda whispered in horror. "I'm sorry."

     "If you won't let us go, just let us die," Mrs. Hart said. Her words hit Wanda hard. "Please."

     Eszter stepped forward but didn't go closer. "Wanda," she calls softly, earning her sister's attention. "You have to let them go."

     Wanda's glossy eyes met Eszter's. "I can't," she whispered in a broken voice.

     The young witch frowned sympathetically. "You have to."

     And that's precisely what Wanda did. Reluctantly, Wanda gave them a chance to flee when she opened the Hex. Wanda grunted from the immense power hitting her so suddenly, but the strawberry-haired woman held it for as long as she could. Wanda recalled the same feeling when she first arrived in Westview; it was intense and powerful, too uncontrollable for Wanda to handle. The Hex was bigger than Wanda had anticipated, but she managed to pull the Hex apart.

     Once the Hex started to break apart, Eszter rushed to the nearest person. She helped Dottie back to her feet, but the woman shoved her hands off before running around. Eszter told herself not to take to the offense at Dottie's dismissal, but it left a horrible feeling.

     Behind them, Billy and Tommy appeared in a flash before they fell on the ground, reaching out for Wanda as they cried. Their forms were being torn from the fabric of space just as the Hex was slowly diminishing, and it was like the Hex was taking the twins with it. They slowly faded into nothing, giving Eszter flashbacks to when she watched Peter turn into dust.

     Soon after, Vision was halfway gone; half of Vision's form shed and flew into the sky, reabsorbing back to Wanda's powers. She noticed it when her sons cried for her, and she watched as her lover was slowly dying because of her. But Wanda couldn't figure out how. After all this time, Wanda thought they would survive the fall of the Hex; however, Wanda was killing her family.

     It was all her fault.

     Sensing Wanda's predicament, Eszter turned to her sister. "Wanda, you have to let them go," she urged.

     Even though Eszter enjoyed the idea of the Hex, she hated it at the same time; but when Eszter saw the fear of losing her family, a small part of her was guilty of being inconsiderate. She was so consumed with her jealousy and her own fear of abandonment that Eszter didn't consider what Wanda needed. It was wrong of her to think about herself, but Eszter couldn't bear the idea of being replaced by something Wanda had created.

     But as predicted, Wanda shook her head. "No. I'm not losing more people," she said firmly, standing her foot down. "I'm sorry, Essie."

     Eszter might've felt her heart shatter a little, but she knew. She understands now. "I know," Eszter responded with a light smile.

     It hurt Eszter to say, but what could she do? Eszter would be a hypocrite to make Wanda lose the family she made while she had the chance to resurrect someone at any given moment. Eszter watched as Wanda closed the Hex with a final cry, falling to her knees with a broken sob. Her heart ached for her sister. Eszter stood back as Billy and Tommy rushed to Wanda's aid, Vision shortly after. The witch watched the family interact, and it hurt like a knife to the heart. Eszter wasn't sure how to feel, but she told herself it should make her happy Wanda had found her peace.

     But was it wrong that Wanda had chosen a family she had created over her?

     Eszter ignored her broken heart while tearing her gaze away from the family, suddenly uncomfortable with the angry thoughts circling her head.

     "Watch out!" Wesley shouted in warning.

     Eszter turned around a second too late. Agatha was already blasting a wave of magic at them, but Wesley had taken the hit by throwing a shield up around them. The impact had sent a blast of energy around them, but that's not what Eszter had worried about.

     "Wesley!" Eszter gasped.

     Determined to protect her family, Eszter decided to blast her magic at Agatha; the hit was more brutal than Agatha could've fathom, nor was she able to take what was given. It had taken her off guard, but she was impressed nonetheless.

     "How sweet," Agatha coos with a soft grunt.

     To make things worse, the White Vision appeared in the distance. Next, S.W.O.R.D. was barreling through with their large trucks. As danger lurked around them, everyone turned and stood defensively, watching every corner cautiously. Eszter scanned the area; she kept her eyes on Agatha while occasionally turning toward Hayward and his team.

     It didn't take S.W.O.R.D. long before they climbed out of their vehicles, rushed ahead, and aimed their guns at the family of supers.

     "Listen, boys," Vision started. "Your mother and I never really prepared you for this."

     "But you were born for it."

     Suddenly, Vision took off after the White Vision, directing him away from his family.

☁︎isabel's thoughts☁︎
This took me two tries to write, and while this is better than the first version, this one isn't my best. Though, it was kind of cool writing Eszter finding the Darkhold.

If I need to, might come back to fix anything. But for now, I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless :)