"I accept your service, Sorcerer Supreme. Now, look into the Mystic Mirror and see your true self," Mephisto commanded, a confident grin on his face.
"As you wish, my Master," Doctor Strange spoke, turning and making his way over to the large mirror.
Strange stood looking at his still-human reflection, his expression unfazed as thick black smoke suddenly began to form at his feet and quickly rose to consume his body. Mephisto and Scarlet Witch looked on and could still see the outline of Stephen Strange's figure, when without warning the Sorcerer Supreme's form was consumed by a hellish fire within the smoke. The magic-user threw his head back and let out a painful yell as the hell fire grew consumed him and signaled his metamorphosis with a blinding flash of light.
The Scarlet Witch blinked a few times to clear her eyes of the bright light and found herself in a beautiful forest. She looked down at her body and she found that she had been restored to her human appearance and wore a pure white version of her trademark ensemble. Looking around her, Wanda Maximoff saw that trees had grown tall and their branches were covered in green leaves too numerous to count in the picturesque forest. There was a waterfall nearby that flowed into a little stream. The forest floor was made up of soft, green grass and even flowers had bloomed here and there.
It was a far cry from Mephisto's hellish land.
"Wanda," came a familiar voice from behind her. The Scarlet Witch turned around to see that Stephen Strange was also in this beautiful place and he too wore a pure white version of his Sorcerer Supreme look, complete with the long, flowing Cloak of Levitation and Eye of Agamotto.
"Ah, Stephen," the Scarlet Witch spoke, "You have created a truly lovely place here. What with the trees and the flowers and even the waterfall, and, oh yes, I hate this plan."
"Wanda, don't be so negative. It is a fine plan, as long as our protective spells hold," Doctor Strange said with a smile, "And I'm glad you like my pocket dimension. It symbolizes our souls, you see. As long as this place is green and beautiful we will know that we are being protected from Mephisto's Seed of Sin and any other corruptive influence that place may hold for us."
"You aren't the one that has him pawing all over you. Playing the role of sex object," Wanda said, disgust obvious on her face, "It is revolting."
"I never said this plan was without its sacrifices. And I hate to remind you, but this is is only the beginning," Strange said, trying his best to sound understanding, "We are going to face true corruption. We are in deep undercover and with that comes with having to do things that stand against our very natures, Wanda. But in the end, we can bring Mephisto down from the inside. I know it. We've already found out that the Fantastic Four are under his control." Strange turned away and looked around him at the beauty that surrounding the both of them, before he continued, "I fear that we are the last line of defense for the Earthly realm. If we fail, then the corrupting fires of hell itself will burn and reshape all we hold dear. Mephisto will win and we cannot allow that."
"Stephen, I'm worried that you have become too arrogant already in this plan. The two of us holding back the corrupting fires of hell?" Wanda replied, "We will have to do despicable things to prove to Mephisto that we have been corrupted to our very cores. These corrupting fires of hell you speak of. I fear that in the end it will be the two of us that are consumed by them."
"That is why this place is so valuable, Wanda," Strange urged, "Whenever we feel that things are going too far we can retreat within ourselves to this sanctuary. Leave our bodies on auto pilot as it were. This place will keep us from falling into total darkness. And if..."
Suddenly, there was a loud, booming cry of anguish sounding in the distance that caused Doctor Strange to become quiet. Finally, the voice faded away. Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch looked at one another and both said at the same time, "Mephisto." They both knew they had to play their roles as his now faithful servants well, and if he was in trouble, it was only natural they would have to help him. And if whatever power had made Mephisto cry out in pain was strong enough, the two magic-users would be perfectly fine in finishing off the Hell Lord themselves.
With that, Strange and the Scarlet Witch closed their eyes and returned to Mephisto's hellish realm. Leaving the pocket dimension sanctuary that represented their pure souls, little did either of them know that in a thicket of white roses sprouted a tiny, inky black weed.