4296/Witches in the Woods

Witches in the Woods
Date of Scene:	03 December 2020
Location:	North Woods
Synopsis:	Wanda and Amanda accidentally meet in the North Woods of Central Park, each on the trail of a different monster, both connected to a rogue portal on the Great Hill. So, naturally, they team up to shut it down.
Cast of Characters:	Wanda Maximoff, Amanda Sefton

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Wanda Maximoff has posed:
It's getting colder in the City. While the weather is more fully to blame for that, there seems to be a little more supernatural forces at play recently than in all its past. At least in such a recognizable form, anyway. Central Park is turning out to be the City's fulcrum, as it were. That spiritual center where things converge, and remarkably, most of those 'things' aren't of the good. (Sort of like why trucks carrying candy bars never crash, but hazardous materials? Always.)

Shadows and blips, while not literally going 'bump' in the night, do make their presences known with equal ability, however.

Wanda Maximoff, the restless Avenger, is out in the dusk, jackets piled high with a red jacket over all, her leggings peeking out under the bulk, topped with boots. Running through the woods, she's jumping trees that have fallen in the various tempests of last season, pausing only to ready yet another 'hex' in order to cast a bright light over the darkness before her, a shrill, almost too high above the range of 'normal' hearing, scream.. before it simply blinks out of this plane of existance. She stands there, pulling in air from her exertion, her hands encased in still glowing aura of soft, muted red. Once she's caught her breath enough, the redhead manages to say softly, accented in that soft Eastern European lilt, "Go back. I will find-"

*crack*

It's the sound of sticks breaking, the sound of movement in the woods that she wasn't expecting, obviously, as her hands rise, ready to set off another spell. Never shoot blind, however; it's what she'd been taught. Always learn who or what your target is for effect..

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Christmas is a magical season, they say. Amanda Sefton isn't Christain, but she'll agree with the sentiment. There's something about the Winter Solstice that just *bleeds* magic. Longest night of the year, the height of Winter's power, yada yada yada... From the Autumnal Equinox to All Hallow's Eve to the Winter Solstice and the Nights of Yule beyond, she's learned this is her busy season.

And, for once, she's not talking about her fledgling event business. (Though, gods know, it's *craaaaazy* right now. The Hallmark channel ain't got nuthin' on *her* schedule of events.)

Hood up, the protective runes on her knee-length blue leather coat and red leather trousers glowing softly to metaphysical eyes, she gives silent chase through the woods. The creature she hunts flees before her. There's a flutter of sharp wings and the flash of eldtritch fire. A high pitched *skree!* shudders the crisp air. A black body tumbles through branches, smacking and breaking a narrow limb off an ailing tree. In moments, the body, a misshapen lump of black sinew and blue-black feathers, lays still in the middle of the path.

Daytripper steps forward, throwing up a ball of witchfire to illuminate the scene better. She comes to crouch by the heap, inspecting it briefly, eyes rising as her flickering light throws soft light on the redclad body beyond.

"I swear, it's demonic," she says, crisp English accent underpinned with soft German. "Diavo bird."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Green eyes are focussed on the sounds just before her, and as the softly glowing light flickers up, Wanda can see just beyond. Friend, foe is almost instantaneous, and taking a few steps forward as the blonde crouches by her quarry, the one that she'd just heard, she 'stands down'. The glowing red fades from view on her hands, and she rolls her shoulders as she approaches now, nodding her head in understanding if not agreement. She hadn't //seen// it, not until just now, and exhales in a sigh at its sight.

"There must be nest nearby." Of course, 'nearby' could be in this nexus, or there could be... "I have not yet seen portal," and her words seem to carry a certain weight to them. There's an assuredness with a touch of question, as if there could be, and she's just missing it?

"There could be young."

Wanda looks at the other, yes, witch.. and there's a surity there. She can see the auras, almost reach out and touch them, so real they are to her that there really wasn't a chance that she could overlook it. "Wanda.. Wanda Maximoff," comes by way of introduction. "I was hunting shade."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Maximoff," Amanda echoes, canting her head as she rises to her feet. Her accent drifts closer to that of her birth and her language shifts to a recognizable Romani dialect. "*You are the second Maximoff I have met in this city.*" She smiles as she says it and pushes back her hood. "Amanda Sefton." Then, in English. "I haven't found a breach, either. But where there's one *diavlo* there's always two and usually a flock. This is a good time of year for them. Lots of carrion."

Having noted the fading glow of power from the other woman's hands and eyes, Amanda opens her own inner eye and lets her magical senses expand, tasting just a hint of the woman's power. She inclines her head faintly, a sign of acknowledgement and respect due another witch, no matter how different the power.

"Are there more shades about, then? Diavlo and shades together suggest something bigger at play."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda looks momentarily surprised, but that gives way quickly and easily to a laugh, and she inclines her head. "Pietro," and the sound is warm and affectionate when she says her twin's name. "My brother." The shift of language is noted, and her response is equally as fluent, if not simply shorter. "He is good man. He stays for me." The one person she can trust in a storm, and the one person who has weathered all her personal storms and has come out on the other side.

At the return of introduction, Wanda smiles, and inclines her head. She doesn't have that ability, the third eye... everything is there, overlaid to the point where it begins to become difficult to discern real from.. magical real. As a result, the night shines with more than just the neon lights of the City. "It is good to meet you," brings the return to English.

"There are shades," is murmured as green eyes look about, her attention catching on the sounds of the forest. Must be fox, or raccoon.. they live here too. "Diavlo alone is bad, with shade?" She shakes her head. "I only knew about shade which is..." and she shrugs lightly. Not really difficult, when one understands the black, inky 'nothing' that is a shade. "Hunting individual will not help, then."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"No," Amanda agrees. "We need to find the source." She looks down at the lump at her feet and murmurs a soft spell. Beneath it, a small portal opens. The body falls through into... somewhere. It's gone, anyway. The portal winks out.

Stepping around the spot where it fell, she approaches the other woman. "I like Pietro," she says witha bit of a smile. "He *is* a good man." And it's nice to simply meet another gypsy in the city. One who understands. "Now I know why he wasn't frightened by my magic."

She now takes a moment to turn in a small circle, senses probing the woods. "My question now, is: gate or summoner." She gives the other witch a bit of a sharp smile, one that suggests she enjoys the hunt. "What do you think?"

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda watches as the body disappears down a hole in their particular reality, and close up once more. She can feel the magic, the soft pulse of energy that lies within the earth, in the ground, and once it's gone, she turns her attention back to Wanda. "He is afraid of nothing, my brother. He will stand in storm."

She's already determined there are foxes about, the crack of a stick, the rustle of fallen leaves not always the harbinger of dark forces before an attack. But, Wanda is just this side of paranoid in good times, and with the coupling of shades and demon birds? There is more to come, undoubtedly, and as a result, there is something of a wary eye. Rolling her shoulders again, they lift slightly, and cants her head. "Gate," is said softly, as if not to bring yet more on with the declaration. "This forest is good place for scout." Her tones, the words come from her almost as if she's in a trance, "Dark, and they are careful. Someone is on other side, watching." Green eyes turn back to the other woman and she's once again animated, "It is closed, but will not always be so. I followed shade from that direction," and she points.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda watches the woman grow still and 'listen', as it were. She's been know to do similiar, but without the trancelike trappings. Her 'sight' works differently. "That's roughly where the bird originated from, too," she concedes, though she followed along a more circuitous route to chase it down. "I think you're right. A gate. Could be fae or mage, but the hell lords have been very active, lately. Westchester is crawling with imps because of them."

Well, actually, because of a stupid girl drunk on power. But isn't that always the way?

She gestures to the path. "Shall we hunt it together?"

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
The mention of 'hell lords' brings a cold shiver down Wanda's spine, and there's a nod of acknowledgement and agreement in the words. "I wonder what it is they have planned," is murmured more to herself than Amanda, but it's out there. She looks back at Amanda now, and brows rise, "Imps? They are distraction, maybe?" So, she wouldn't be surprised if more show up now and again.

Ah.. stupid girl.. stupid, stupid girl is the cause.

"I think it would be nice change to hunt together. Too often, it is me. Sometimes Pietro, but not always. Is good to have new friend to hunt demons..." Wanda pauses in her words before she's ready to get down to business before asking, "Do you like ice cream?" Nothing better than hunting demons AND THEN, ice cream.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"They're a byproduct," Amanda says dryly, as to the imps. "A greater demon convinced an idiot girl to sell her soul. I doubt she'll see Yuletide morning. A friend of mine, stronger than me, closed the gate. That one, at least, won't open again."

The one here in the park? That's another matter. Diavlo and shades are a different matter altogether.

She blinks a little at the question about ice cream, and then offers an easy smile and a laugh. "Who doesn't like ice cream?" It might be a little cold for the dessert, these days, but that's what hot chocolate's for... maybe with a hint of Bailey's.

She lets her magical senses drift out once more, in the direction they believe they must go, and with a glance to her new hunting partner, makes a brief gesture to encourage her to come along. She begins to walk down a path that will eventually take them toward the Great Hill.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda nods in the information again, filing it away. Why would a greater demon.. and her hands raise to hug her coat a little more tightly around her. "I do not like demons," is said plainly. "I am happy to keep them away." Her undertones hold a certain weight; speaking from personal experience, perhaps? Brows rise, and her head tilts once more, "More powerful friend? Dr Strange?" He's got a little more power, or at least control on her, thus making him the first logical choice in her book.

She begins her path, then, her words belying the seriousness in their current quest. "I have not met many who did not like it. Those who did not? I cannot trust." She says that with a touch of a smile on her face. Sort of liking puppies! Who doesn't? And if they don't, can they be trusted? Truly?

Wanda's got her attention settled to the trail they're taking, watching and listening. Occasionally, she'll stop, crouch down to look at something on the ground closely. Subtle tells of creatures passed are there, all in indeterminate timing. Could be lower powered and comparitively recently, or higher ability and 'some time ago', with the commensurate fading from this realm. And the closer to the Great Hill, the less she has to kneel to look at the residual markings.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda chuckles at the assessment of people who don't like ice cream. Hey, they're out there. The puppy test is more reliable. Because... Puppies!

But the witch follows her companion, sweeping their flanks with an occasional ping of magic meant to flush out mystical things hiding in the dark. It won't do much to frighten a true predator, but the creatures they hunt? It will at least attract attention. And sometimes the easiest way to hunt something is to draw it to you.

Nevertheless, the closer they get to the hill, the more her senses are drawn that way. She lets out a chuff of air. "Have you ever noticed," she says conversationally, a hint of dry humour in her tone, "how the bad guys always choose either the flashiest spot to make their portals, or the creepiest?"

When they reach the edge of the treeline leading to the hill, she pauses and draws a spell around her. It cloaks her in shadow, even under the light of the half moon. Only a hint of rim light calls attention to her, glancing off of surfaces turned most fully to the light.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Anything that may come out of the woods at them, Wanda would easily be ready for them, barring any nth level demon from the pits of Hell. Then, things could get dicey- but thankfully? No Hell Lords come to the noisy witches in the woods, and their path is, for the most part, unhindered. The occasional deer do stare at them with baleful eyes before whipping their short tails up to showcase the white, and bounding away.

"Never nice house in good neighborhood, yes, I have noticed," Wanda returns, the Eastern European giving the words that soft lilt. "Flashy is nice. Creepy, not so nice but understandable." Though, to be fair, witches tend not to have white picket fences in good neighborhoods either. Flashy mansions, sure.. creepy, haunted looking houses? Absolutely. So, glass, stones...

There's a quick grin that is given to Amanda even as the the newly acquainted witch begins to disappear, or at least, cloak herself. It's not something Wanda does, however, and instead, the softly muted red glow is settling once again on those delicate hands, and her hands begin to form something that would be considered a ward; protection, a shield from negative magic. "I will go up and call for open.. see if it will open to me." Of course it will... "I will keep attention."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda likes her cozy condo... even if it isn't hers. Then again... that might explain why it looks so *normal*. Pepper is good for that. Conventionally speaking, anyway. Her association with Stark does call into question just what is 'normal'.

Shadowcloaked as she is, even though she nods, Amanda speaks softly. "Sounds good. You keep them busy, I'll see what's going on behind." Because, really, Daytripper isn't nearly the heavy hitter Wanda will prove to be.

She rises gently off the earth, an eldritch wind giving her flight. As Wanda approaches directly, she circles around to flank the hill tangentially, waiting to see if that portal opens and who it is that answers the knock.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
It's something the pair of witches also have in common, without realizing it. Stark housing, after a fashion. The Avengers Mansion isn't creepy, not by a longshot, but if she didn't have a room there? She's Roma. She'd find a place. As it is, she's been in the City a long time, all things considered. Still, it's home, and Central Park is part of it.

"Okay," and the return doesn't sound apprehensive; she's keeping her feelings to herself at the moment. Taking a deep breath and steeling herself, she begins to head towards that spot that they've both identified as 'ground zero', her hands down and glowing that soft red. As she steps closer, the air around her is still quiet, patches of air are colder than others however, a tell that there is something there, or will be.

Wanda pauses in her steps, and stands there, looking into that middle distance, as she views the air, the aether before her. There are runes being scratched into the air on their side, mirror-backwards, and Wanda's hands rise first in ward for herself, and then.. the 'knock'. It comes more as a quick incantation, her hands moving in arcane circles before there is a small explosion, a *POP* as air is displaced, and deep, enveloping darkness is emitted; shadows are coming, and Wanda turns lights to the creatures, bright light into the abyss that simply seems to pull it to itself.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Yes. The city is home. Six months later, Amanda considers it her personal territory to protect. Let Strange deal with the multiverse. Her little patch of ground is a few hundre square miles of Hudson River lowland.

As the darkness ignites beneath the red will of the Roma witch, Amanda draws closer. Dark as it is, her shadowcloak is still brighter than the darkness that pulls the light into it. This tells her they are dealing with something far more dangerous than a rogue practitioner. Not the hell lord from Westchester. But, still deadly.

As the creatures make their presence known, she waits long enough for them to focus on Wanda and then moves in behind them to see just who it is that pushes them forward.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda takes that step back, drawing them forward, her hands not ceasing in movement as she creates those arcane sigils in the air. One red bolt is tossed, a brilliant light is enveloped by a shadow, and there's a high pitched *screech* that emenates from deep within. The red glow of her own forcefield gives her some measure of security, certainly, and she can toss her magic with seeming impunity.

One, two.. it's difficult to discern the individuals as they come from the inky chasm that is the portal, and with each throw, it illuminates the entrance, only to be doused immediately, taken in and swallowed by nothingness.

Wanda's expression turns from concerned to determined as she ceases her backward steps, and instead, begins to push forward again, green eyes taking on a flare of will. There's a change in the air, now, as the portal begins to fall into itself, or looks as if it does. The formation, the essence that makes up the doorway is changing as red flares begin to push in, the form itself looking a great deal more unstable, as if it's going to just blink out of existance.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Behind the line of creatures stands a figure in shadow. The figure is indistinct but its smile is toothy, wide, and hungry. Amanda isn't certain it's the source of the creatures, but it certainly seems to be their master. She throws up a light in front of its eyes, an illusion of angelic glory, full of wings and terrible celestial warriors.

After all, she's learned recently, that even fallen angels are formidable to face alone.

The creature flinches turning towards the light. It breaks its concentration on the figures that fly towards Wanda, and Amanda looses a blast of eldritch fire at its exposed flank.

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda is drawing in more and more power, so not only are her hands enveloped in that red glow, but it seems her body now is encompassed by that magical aura. The creature just on the other side that Amanda has shown light on gains the other witch's attention. The shadows, they find their energy is lost with the shifting of that portal. The energy that had been gained from the darkness that emenated is lost, and they fall to the ground, only to disintigrate into the soil, leaving patches of burned, dead grass behind.

It's that creature now, that stands in the doorway. The illusion of an angel, shrouded in light and glory-- it's a great idea, and one that Wanda wouldn't have thought of. But, in the name of working as a team, Wanda brings her hands up, and pushes them towards the illusion, giving it form, substance... a reality where before, there hadn't been. In that moment, then, the angel, because it now is truly one, pulls a sword and is ready to dive to battle, to vanquish the darkness.

From the view of the battlefield, under that hood, green eyes are still turned to that middle distance; she's living in a place that is not in the 'here and now' in this battle. While her present is here, she's more becoming a conduit, a walking, talking mass of chaos magic that is pulled in from the world around her. It's not an easy thing, creating a reality where there hadn't been before.. and it does take a little something from her, even on this lower scale.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Sheisse..." Amanda breathes, backpedalling away from the illusion-made-real. Her nature is far less than celestial, of course. But as it turns toward the monster instead of her, she takes advantage of that to step back out of the portal. Just in case it closes.

Her eyes stray to Wanda. She's heard rumours of this woman's power, though she'd never heard her name before. It's... impressive. Reality benders often are.

She lets the shadowcloak drop and throws up a shield in its place. Perhaps, if nothing else, she can keep the battle from spilling beyond the portal itself. Why ruin the landscape any worse than it needs to be?

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda doesn't have control of Amanda's illusion turned reality anymore than Amanda does. An angelic creature will do what one will do; find the greatest of evil to fight and conquer. Now, all the redhead has to do is to be sure that the angel, once done, doesn't harm either of them. It needs to be sent away. Uncreated, as it were. Something she's loathe to do simply now because the creature of light is living, sentient.. and mission bound. Does she have the //right// to pull it away from reality? From life?

Her hands are down now; there's no need for casting. The red dissipates from her body, remaining at her fingertips, and it dances there is magical waves. Before her, the battle begins between light and darkness, inky black, seething darkness. The creature of light bears the sword and strikes thrice, pushing back the foul creature.. and within the span of a few heartbeats that seem as hours to Wanda, the decision is taken from her. The angel pushes into the portal, stepping through onto the other side.

"Can you close it?!" is called out. "Please.."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Portals are Amanda's specialty. She might not be able to bend reality, but she's great at moving between them. "I've got it!" she promises.

She raises her hands and steps forward, pulling in energies of her own. Her eyes glow with eldritch power and her aura ignites with it. Arcane symbols fly through the air, spinning around as she calls elements of the city to her to help her bind this reality away from the other.

The portal squeezes closed slowly, like a balloon with a slow leak. She is pushing against the power of the darkness within. But that darkness is losing to the light.

She draws in more power and channels it into her runes like water through a firehose. With a sudden explosion of light, the portal slams closed, only a fading shimmer of heat left in the fading light of her power. She staggers slightly, but keeps her feet.

"Well," she says, looking at the Avenger. "I think they're in for a fun night..."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
There Wanda stands, her hands at her sides, and her gaze is still set to that middle distance as if she's watching, listening to something far off that no one else can hear. It's not that she's attuned to the now closed portal, no.. that's gone. It's the power that still moves through her, feeling as if her body simply can't contain everything that is within.

That is her biggest problem... such a small vessel for so much power.

She's silent for a long moment, before she takes a breath, drawn as if she hadn't actually been breathing. It's a gulped breath as her arms wrap around herself in a sudden feeling of coldness, whether by the fact that it's a December evening, or the fact that there were shadows before her, and a demon in the doorway.

Turning about, one could almost assume Wanda didn't hear the quip from the blonde, but she did. There's something of a smile, a ghosted one but one all the same, as she drops her hands back to her sides. "It was what he wanted, I think. I do not believe it will open again."

She looks at the other witch, her expression tired but pleased in the outcome. "Thank you."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda's magic settles around her, fading back into nothing as she releases it back into the aether. She slowly approaches the other woman, watching her for signs of distress. She can see why Pietro is so protective of her. Why he isn't freaked by the little magics Amanda can do in comparison.

As Wanda finally reacts to the cold and to the release of her power, Amanda steps close enough to lay a gentle hand on her shoulder until the woman's hands drop to her side. Then Amanda's hand falls away. She smlies. "I'm glad. That's not a fight this realm needs to see." A beat. She nods. "And, you're welcome. Anytime. It's... nice to have a hunting partner sometimes."

Wanda Maximoff has posed:
Wanda takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, deliberately. She's doing that on her own now, centering herself, finding that final release. Rolling her head back, she lets the cool night in, as it were. That sense of 'normal'.

"It was very good idea," the redhead admits easily, if not a little tiredly. "It was nice, and we are good team." She looks down, then back to the path before she laughs softly, "Now is when I get ice cream.. but I think sleep is better."

After a moment, however, Wanda pulls her phone out of her pocket; it's a Starkphone, of course. A button is hit and the screen lights up before she hands it to Amanda. "Would you give me number? I promise I will not give to Pietro."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda laughs. She's pretty sure she already gave Pietro her card, anyway. "By all means," she grins. She lifts a hand and conjures a card, really nothing more than a small teleportation spell. Then, she extends it to Wanda with an easy gesture. "Call anytime. Maybe next time, we'll have time for ice cream." Because, yes. She actually agrees that sleep is the better choice.

Hellgates really do take efforts to close. At least, she didn't need a banishing spell on top of it all. Or Lucifer. She doesn't want to push that one too far.

"We do make a good team. Good journeys to you, Wanda. Safe home." With that, she steps back, raises her hand in farewell, and summons a portal to take her home.