Battle!

Plagued by dreams and attacked by demons, the Scarlet Witch has ventured to the town of Unity, New England for answers. There learns that a Nexus Being known as Lore is traversing reality eliminating her counterparts and stealing their power. Since making this discover, she has been attacked and tormented by Master Pandemonium. Joining him are the Avengers West Coast, whom Lore have transformed into demonic versions of themselves.[1]

Cornered with nowhere to run, Wanda stands her ground and fights back. She is able to hold her own against her transformed teammates thanks in part to the combat training she has been receiving from US Agent. Slipping away from the dog pile of foes, Wanda then unleashes a powerful hex that causes the entire forest around them to explode. They soon recover and continue their pursuit of the Scarlet Witch.

Meanwhile, Wanda’s ally Agatha Harkness has been drawn back to Avengers Compound. There she finds War Machine’s discarded helmet and discovers that it is alive with psychometric traces. Using her magics, she forces the helmet to tell her where the Avengers have gone and is unsurprised to hear that they went to Unity.

Back in New England, Wanda flees from her pursuers through the mystical forest that has sprouted up around town. Seeking cover in one of the homes she runs into Wonder Man, apparently one of the only members of the Avengers that haven’t been transformed. They both agree that the right thing to do is to get back to Wanda’s Quinjet and contact the east coast team and get their help. However, as they jog through the forest together, Wonder Man suddenly transforms into a rotting corpse and holds her until the others can catch up and knock her out.

Wanda soon wakes up and finds that she has been tied to a stake constructed from the bones of animals in the catacombs beneath Unity’s abandoned church. A prisoner of Master Pandemonium once more, Wanda demands to know why he is doing all of this. He explains that after he was last defeated by the Avengers, he was banished to Mephisto’s realm.[2] There he was tormented by the demon the results of which has turned him into the hideous abomination she sees before her today. However, he endured due to his unrequited love for Wanda until one day, something set him free so he could return to Earth and claim Wanda as his beloved as it has been foretold. The Witch has no idea what he is talking about and her continued rejection of his affections angers the madman.

However, before he can bring harm to Wanda, Agatha Harkness arrives and frees Wanda from her bonds. The two witches combine their power to defeat the demonically transformed Avengers. With his minions defeated, Master Pandemonium is then bound to one of the catacombs stone monoliths. With the immediate battle over, Lore appears before Wanda and Agatha in an astral projection and suggests that Wanda surrender as her victory is inevitable.[3]

Recurring Characters

Scarlet Witch, Agatha Harkness, Master Pandemonium, Lore, Avengers West Coast (US Agent, Spider-Woman, Living Lightning, War Machine), Mephisto (flashback)

Continuity Notes

1. A footnote here reminds readers that this story takes place prior to the dissolution of the Avengers West Coast. This reminder is there because this story was published after Avengers West Coast #102.

2. Master Pandimonium was responsible for the destruction of Wanda’s children in Avengers West Coast #51-52. Although her children were seemingly destroyed, as explained in Avengers: The Children’s Crusade #6, they will be reincarnated into new lives. They’ll turn up again in Young Avengers #1.

3. Immortus identified Wanda as a Nexus Being in Avengers West Coast #61-62.