The New Justice League: The Trials of Shazam

Chapter 1: The Return of Black Adam

Shazam laughed in delight as he swooped closer to the buildings of Metropolis before going higher once more. After several hours of begging and pleading Superman had reluctantly agreed to let Shazam patrol the city while he was at work. He was not to engage anyone unless they appeared to be a legitimate threat which was then followed by a lecture on how to tell the difference with several dirty looks at Flash who still looked rather sheepish. Apparently there was a very long story involved which Shazam had decided he was better off not knowing.

"Yikes!" Shazam pulled up sharply after realizing he was only inches away from crashing through a billboard advertising a new type of soda. "That was too close for my taste," he winced. "I probably shouldn't mention that to the others." He nodded decisively then frowned when he saw someone flying towards him. From this distance all he could make out was a black costume with a hooded cape. "I wonder who that could be," he titled his head to the side.

As the figure got closer Shazam could tell that it was a man and, while it was different, certain aspects of his magical energy felt...familiar. The golden gauntlets and boots were similar as well and Shazam felt hope begin to bloom in his chest. Perhaps he could finally learn where his mysterious powers came from or maybe it was someone like him: someone who had been pieced together in a lab and had nowhere else to go. With that thought in mind Shazam stopped and waited in anticipation as the man got closer and closer until he was mere inches away.

"There you are," the man stopped in front of him. "I have been searching the galaxy for you."

"Hi, my name's Billy Batson but you can just call me Shazam while I'm in this form," he held out his hand. He had spent a lot of time watching Bruce and Clark's appearances in public in an attempt to pick up some social skills.

"I am Black Adam but since you are about to die there's no need to even bother telling you!" The statement was accompanied by a fist to the face which sent Shazam backwards.

Once Shazam had righted himself he glared at Black Adam. "What the hell was that for?" he demanded as he returned the punch. "I don't even know who you are!"

"So the wizard did not see fit to warn you, did he? I was the champion before you and I do not like being replaced!"

"What?" Shazam's confusion as the least of his problems as Black Adam lunged forward and began pummeling him. "You need to chill, dude. I'm not even sure who the hell this wizard guy is let alone what you mean by 'champion.'"

"How can you not know?" Black Adam easily dodged the blast of fire. "What kind of champion does not even know the name of the wizard that gave them their powers?" He grabbed Shazam's wrist and twisted it backwards, smirking at the sound of bones breaking.

"I don't even know how I got them," it was only his experience with being tortured that kept Shazam from screaming. As it was he simply gritted his teeth and wrenched his wrist back into position. His healing powers began working immediately and he could already feel the bones knitting back together.

"You are clearly unfit to wield these powers," Black Adam frowned. "Even if I am unfamiliar with the gods that granted them to you I can still take them from you!"

"Hey, Clark?"

"What is it, Barry?" Clark was always suspicious when his fellow Leaguers called him while he was at work, even when they didn't use the communicators. According to Bruce it was far too conspicuous to use them when not in costume which had led to the cell phones they all carried.

"Well, you know how you let Shazam patrol the city by himself?"

Clark paused, his hands stilling over the keyboard. "Yes, I remember. Is he okay?" He would never admit it but he was beginning to grow fond of the young clone. It was difficult to argue that he wasn't alive when he suffered from debilitating nightmares and panic attacks.

"If by okay you mean he's fighting some guy in a black version of his costume with similar abilities then yes he is," Flash reported.

Clark groaned and moved to turn off his computer. "I'm on my way," he sighed then ended the call.

"Going somewhere, Smallville?" Lois asked with a smile as he passed her desk.

"Breaking news, Lois," Clark informed her. "The same as always."

"Of course it is," Lois rolled her eyes as he left the room. "I swear that man thinks I'm just a pretty face with no brain. Any idiot could see that he's not who he says he is."

It took less than a minute for Superman to locate Shazam and the new threat. The two were grappling for dominance high above LexCorp where Superman could easily make out Lex Luthor and Mercy Graves on the roof along with some of their goons. He chose to ignore them, however, and simply focused on the figures still fighting.

"Give it to me!" the figure in black shouted. "I demand that you give your powers to me! I am the rightful champion-not me!"

"I don't give a crap who you are: you're not taking them!" Shazam punctuated his statement with a blow to the jaw.

"Yes I will!"

Before Superman had time to react the attacker grabbed Shazam's head and shouted, "Shazam!"

Shazam screamed in agony and Superman rushed forward, intent on doing whatever he could to help. Magical energy sparked over their bodies before the hands fell away and a very human Billy Batson fell out of the sky, screaming as he did so.

"It's okay, I've got you," Superman easily caught the boy and held him close. Billy was shaking and starting to sniffle. "Let's get back to the Watchtower," he cast a glare in the direction the villain had flown away before returning his attention to Billy. "I'm sure Bruce and J'onn can figure out what just happened."

"At least he caught Billy," Mercy commented, her arms crossed as she watched them fly away.

"At least he's good for something," Lex grumbled. "Mercy, I want you to see what you can find out about this Black Adam character."

"We're on it," Timothy Hunter spoke up. He was Mercy's second-in-command and had been with her since before she had met Lex. He and the rest of the Outsiders had followed her to LexCorp and had made it very clear that their loyalty was to her first and Lex second.

"I have no doubt that you will find out everything there is to know," Lex gave them a nod then headed back into the building, Mercy right behind him.

"This is going to be fun," Timothy sighed.

"Apart from your Shazam powers the rest of your abilities are still intact," J'onn smiled down at Billy who didn't look very reassured.

"But how did he steal them?" Flash wanted to know.

"Good question, however, I'm more interested in what he meant when he referred to being 'the Champion' and 'the Wizard,'" Batman frowned.

"And you're positive you don't know where the powers came from in the first place?" Hal double-checked.

Billy rolled his eyes. "For the millionth time-I don't how I got them. All I remember was asking for help then the magic word was in my head and I said it. That's all-I swear."

"Do you have any ideas?" Superman turned to Wonder Woman.

"I'm afraid not," she confessed. "While your lightning is somewhere similar to Zeus' it's not entirely the same. I have no experience with any other deities so I can't even hazard a guess as to who he could've been referring to."

Superman opened his mouth but before he could say anything a brilliant flash of light filled the room then vanished, taking them with it.