Chapter 137: Moments

2nd March 2006, New York City

(Jasmine Sayre POV)

I try to repress my tears, “I know. But before the end, I wanted to tell you that no matter the mistakes you made, no matter their consequences, I will always love you, Wanda.”

Wanda smiled at that. It was a smile full of happiness, so much so that it broke my heart. When my daughter had truly faded, I let out the wails I have been smothering. I had been lying to her, I was never going to see her again for she was being erased from existence, her soul included. She wasn’t going to have an afterlife. But at least, she died with a smile on her face. It didn’t make me feel any better though. I’ll deal with the consequences of what just happened later. For now, I wished to mourn my daughter in peace.

I don’t know how long I spent sitting down, frozen in shock. I could feel the sun slowly coming down. I probably missed a few of my classes, not that I cared; I was in no condition to teach some brats about history, especially when they will probably forget all about it the minute they step out of the classroom. I just sat there waiting for the day to be over.

To think Wanda could lose herself like this, to ignore all of my warnings when it came to reality manipulation. I had told her that this magic was dangerous and had very severe consequences when used irresponsibly. I pretty much hammered that in her head for the first few months she spent at my manor.

And where, the hell, did she find the Darkhold? Last I heard, it was still sealed away, although I haven’t checked on it for a while and considering the book’s magic, it’s probably gone by now. I never expected to be able to seal away something created by an elder god for long. Still to see my daughter seeped in corruption and black magic was just heartbreaking to watch. I always knew that Wanda was broken in many ways, scarred by her abandonment at the hand of her father, hurt by her brother’s lack of actions regarding her. She barely trusted anyone, which was expected after her time in the Vault.

It was why I was so hopeful when she met Jean. They were so alike, the two of them, both shaped by pain and suffering, both had their trust broken harshly by a parental figure. I knew that their meeting would be life changing for the both of them. I didn’t expect them to actually bond with Kitty Pryde of all people, but the more the merrier. Slowly, Wanda’s walls started to break down, and she started to socialize with people outside the manor. I had hoped that one day, her scars would fade and she would return to the person she was always meant to be.

Unfortunately, what I had just witnessed was proof that she wasn’t. I knew that Wanda was selfish, not in terms of material things; she barely cared about those, but in terms of her precious people. She would commit atrocities to make sure that they would be safe. It was an admirable quality but there has to be a limit. The Wanda from the future didn’t seem to have any. She barely reacted when I told her that she had killed everyone that was still alive in her universe. Maybe it was the Darkhold’s corruption but I always knew that this side of her existed and yet I did nothing to curb this side of her. I don’t even know how to curb something like that. I’ll need to deal with it by myself.

Still, the most important thing I need to deal with are the consequences of future Wanda’s trip to this time. I can already feel something had irreversibly changed and this could end up pretty much destroying whatever plans I had made.

I stiffen in surprise when I feel someone tapped my shoulders. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t sense anyone approaching me. Funnily enough, it was Wanda. She looked at me worried, “Are you alright, Jasmine. You look pretty bad.”

Yeah, I probably looked like a mess. My eyes were puffed up because I was crying, my hair was all over the place, “I’m fine, Wanda,” I reassure her, “just something that caught me off guard.”

Wanda nodded, understanding that I didn’t want to talk about it, “So, we’re coming home?”

I nod, “Wait by the car, I have to speak to principle Darkholme first.”

“Alright!” she exclaimed, walking towards the parking lot.

With a wave of my hand, my eyes return to normal, my hair righted itself and my clothes looked impeccable. I looked as if nothing happened. I walk towards the principal’s office and knock. I hear Mystique’s voice telling me to come in.

I open the door and enter the office, “Mystique, we need to talk. It’s urgent.”

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“Fine, Sayre, what’s going on?”

“Something happened. Something bad, with immeasurable consequences that probably changed the future. I need to speak to Irene as soon as possible.”

She looked scared at the implication, “How bad is it?”

“I don’t know. That’s the scary part. Tell Irene to expect me tonight. I’m going to her as soon as I bring Wanda home.”

Mystique nodded, visibly apprehensive of me meeting her long time lover. I felt bad about it, to be perfectly honest. While I made sure that Irene Adler wasn’t hunted down by anyone, I still used her abilities when I could. You see, Irene Adler is a seer and not just any seer, but one of the most powerful ones I have ever met. Considering that she’s a mutant and not a mage, it makes sense that her gift was a lot more developed, but hers was extreme even in this case.

By seers, unlike prophets, I mean people who have visions of the future. These visions could happen or could not happen, hence why they are usually taken with a grain of salt. Irene, on the other hand, was able to divide her visions into paths, each leading to another. It helped her structure her mind, and avoid succumbing to the madness many seers end up suffering from. She could understand the concept of choices and their impact on the future.

She rarely said anything, considering how dangerous this could be, but if things are dire, she usually tries to help people and guide them towards the correct choice. I had offered to protect her, so that she wouldn’t be used by anyone. The woman didn’t have a chance of defending herself, considering her age and her disability. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that she was blind.

At the moment, Irene was the only person that could tell me what were the consequences of future Wanda’s journey.

I walk out of the office and towards the car. I take the usual route towards the portal in New York that takes us home. On the way, I look at Wanda who was on her phone, probably texting her friends, she looked so happy. How could she end up being the desperate woman that destroyed so many lives? Future Wanda had betrayed her friends and colleagues so that they could make her a time machine, and even when that didn’t work, she lost herself in the black arts. Damn that cursed book and damn Chthon to hell. The Wanda from the future was a monster. That was a fact, not an opinion. I could feel the state of her soul and it was so twisted and ruptured that it barely even qualified as a soul. She had killed so many people, committed so many atrocities for a doomed attempt at coming back in time. Her dream walking didn’t help her soul either.

However, I still loved her, atrocities and all. Don’t get me wrong, if she hadn’t been fated to be erased from existence, I would have killed her myself for her actions, as much as this would destroy me, I still had a responsibility to the planet as a whole, and I would have killed her without hesitation.

But now, as I looked at my daughter, I wondered if she was fated to suffer the same fate as her counterpart. To lose herself in darkness and pain, willing to break reality itself in a desperate attempt at seeing her precious people once more. Should I kill her now to spare her from such a fate? It would be a mercy; she would have an actual afterlife and not be erased from existence. Doing it would break me, but what’s one more heartbreak in my life. I have lost so many people, that I’m surprised I’m not numb to the sensation anymore. No, this wasn’t the move. I never kill anyone for something they haven’t planned to do yet and Wanda was currently an innocent.

I sigh in relief at my choice, I only had to prevent Wanda from turning into the monstrosity that was her future self, I still take another glance at my daughter, “Wanda,” she turned towards me and I continue, “you know that I love you, right?”

Wanda looked confused, but strangely happy. Had I never told her that? The teenager answered in a low voice, “yes, I know. What’s this about?”

“Nothing, Wanda. I just wanted you to know.”

The rest of the trip was spent in silence and when we arrived home, I waited for her to get to her room before creating a portal towards Irene’s hideaway.

As soon as I arrived, I was met by a hysterical Mystique who was trying to send me towards the elderly woman. I walk there to find her convulsing in her bed, eyes rolled up, foam in her mouth. The woman was having a seizure. Damn, this is bad. I touch her head and start repressing her seer abilities. Irene starts to calm down and breathe normally.

Mystique looked relieved at this, “What happened?”

“I told you that something happened that altered the future. Irene was always having visions and had classified them. She was affected by what happened because every single prediction she ever had changed at once. The future is now different. Her mind didn’t know how to deal with so much new information at once.”

“So, is she alright now?”

I shake my head, “As soon as I stop my spell, her abilities will return and seizures with them. She will not survive something like that, especially at her age. The only way for her to survive is to bind her powers permanently.”

“Do it!” she ordered.

“Maybe, but I want to hear it from her. This isn’t a choice anyone can make for her. Her powers are a part of her, and have been a part of her for decades. She needs to have an input about this.”

A voice interrupted us, “She’s right Raven. This is my choice. I never would have forgiven you if you had taken it for me,” it seemed that Irene was getting coherent, “do it, Jasmine.”

I nod at her, “do you remember any of the predictions?”

“Yes. Every single prediction was the same, they all changed to the exact same thing. I saw the stars going out, I saw nothing but darkness and death. The balance has been shifted; you’re our only hope Morrigan.”

I nod and press my hands towards her temples, leaving small runes that looked like beauty marks. Irene nodded solemnly accepting the loss of her powers, and me, having lost one of my strongest allies.

Irene’s last prediction came to mind. This was bad, really bad. The stars going out was bad. Was this the goal of whatever I was fighting? Destroying light in the entire multiverse? I still have no idea and that was the scariest thing.

For the first time in a very long time, I started to feel powerless.