Shazam! Secrets of Eternity
A quick note before the story begins. I have written this as if it was a script for a comic book. Italics are descriptions and bold is narration.
Chapter 1: The Return
In the suburbs of Fawcett City, a teenaged boy stares out the top window of a house. He watches the rain fall from the sky. This is Billy Batson, a fourteen year old dark haired teenager who is very bored.
Once Billy Batson wielded the power of the gods. He was the champion of magic and stood shoulder to shoulder with the greatest heroes on Earth. But then the war happened. Darkseid and the Anti-Monitor fought for the right to control the anti-life equation. When the war ended it seemed as though everything was saved. But the aftermath would reveal one further casualty.
Billy watches as lightning forks across the sky.
Billy: Shazam.
Nothing happens.
He does not why or how but his powers are gone. Billy Batsons connection to the gods has been severed.
Billy: SHAZAM!
Again nothing happens. Then the door to his room opens, his adoptive brother Freddy Freeman limps into the room. Freddy is the same age as Billy but is taller and skinnier and limps on crutches.
Freddy: Still not working?
Billy: No.
Freddy: Damn I was hoping we could get some beer.
Billy: You don't even like beer.
Freddy: Girls do.
Billy: No they don't.
Freddy: Ok but they like the guy who can get booze. And that can be us.
Billy: Why would they like us if they don't like beer?
Freddy: I said booze, that's different from beer. You'll understand when you're older Bill.
Billy: I'm older then you. Shazam.
Again nothing happens.
Freddy: Try shouting again? Maybe you'll get your powers back if you wake up Mr and Mrs Vasquez.
Billy: This isn't funny Freddy!
The door opens again and Billy's other siblings walk in. There are four of them; Mary a dark haired girl who despite being unrelated to Billy still looks very much like him. Eugene a short Asian boy with glasses, Pedro a tall and broad shouldered latino boy and finally Darla; the youngest of the bunch, a short and excitable African American girl.
Eugene: Can you two keep it down? Mary and I were trying to study.
Freddy: You always ace exams Eugene. You don't need to study.
Eugene: If I get 100% across the board this year I could be considered for an early college scholarship and that could-
Billy: Do you think that matters?! Tests don't matter when the world could end at any moment! When the Wizard gave me my powers he said I was the champion of magic. That I had to keep the world safe from magical threats. If my powers are gone, if I can't do the job who will?
Freddy: Superman.
Mary: Wonder Woman.
Pedro: Batman.
Eugene: I don't think Batman could as he has no powers, however there are plenty of other high-powered superheroes such as Cyborg and-
Darla: Flash! I like the Flash!
Billy: Shazam!
When nothing happens again Billy stands up and sweeps the items from his desk.
Billy: God damn it! Work you stupid powers! WORK! WHY WON'T YOU WORK!
Mary: Billy!
Mr Vasquez: What's going on?
Their guardian Mr Vasquez walks inside. He is a kindly man in his early thirties with glasses and receding hair. He smiles at the children.
Mr Vasquez: What's wrong Billy? Why are you shouting?
Billy: I can't get my head around this weeks maths homework. It got to me. Sorry Mr Vasquez.
Mr Vasquez: I've been there Billy. I think we all have, except Eugene maybe. Come on, I'm awake now and I want some ice cream. Anyone want to join me?
He leaves and all the kids follow him except for Mary and Billy.
Mary: You coming?
Billy: No. Shazam.
Mary: The past week all you've been doing is sitting up here and saying your word. Do you really think if you say it a thousand times you'll suddenly get your powers back?
Billy: I passed a thousand yesterday, maybe two thousand will do it.
Mary: There's more to life than this Billy. I bet it was amazing flying in the sky and being part of the Justice League but that's over now. It's not fair and it sucks but it is what it is. And maybe it's a blessing in disguise. Now you can be a kid and enjoy growing up. When all you have to worry about is grades and being popular rather than aliens and monsters. It's not a bad thing to be normal Billy, you should try it.
She turns to leave and as she exits the room she turns back to him.
Mary: Or you can just sit up here wasting away. Your choice.
She leaves. Billy sits there for a moment.
Billy: Shaz...I hate it when she's right.
He gets up and goes to join them.
One week later. Billy walks out of school alongside his siblings. He is laughing and they are all happy together.
Billy: So as Eugene aced that test I say we all go and celebrate!
Freddy: The cinema has a major comics marathon, you all in?
The six of them head towards a bus going to the city centre.
For a moment Billy Batson thinks about how he'd rather fly in the sky but then he puts those thoughts to the back of his mind. He finds it easier each time. Perhaps he could get used to normal life after all. But events will change all that.
The sky over Fawcett City darkens and then turns dark, red lightning crashes across the sky and clouds begin to spin forming a portal. A being leaps out of it and slams on the ground. The creature is thirty feet high and is a red skinned muscular being with horns and burning red eyes. The creature surveys his surroundings and begins to laugh.
Creature: Yes! YES! FREE! SABBAC IS FREE!
Sabbac opens his mouth and breathes fire at a group of civilians, a car tries to swerve away from him but Sabbac sends it crashing through a building with a single blow. He then leaps in front of the bus and kicks it causing the bus to slam to a stop. Inside the bus are the six siblings. The impact knocks them all to the floor.
Freddy: The hell is that thing?
Darla: Looks like a devil! Billy is it the devil?
Billy: Why are you asking me? I don't know. Now run!
Billy and Pedro kick open the bus door and they run out of the bus. Darla trips up but Billy helps her to her feet.
Billy: Don't stop Darla you have to-
He catches site of an old woman still inside the bus. Billy turns and runs back towards the bus. And Sabbac.
Mary: BILLY!
Billy runs inside the bus, he helps the old woman to her feet but then Sabbac breathes fire on the burst and it explodes! Billy's eyes slam shut.
And when he opens them he finds he is in another place. A narrow rocky tunnel with a light at the end of it. Billy walks through the tunnel and emerges into a large chamber. In the centre of the chamber is a throne with an elderly Aboriginal man sat on it. A glowing lightning tattoo is emblazed on his chest.
Billy: Wizard.
Wizard: Batson.
Billy: WHAT THE HELL MAN?! YOU WAIT UNTIL NOW!
Wizard: Excuse me?
Billy: I thought my powers went because you were dead! But I find you sat here chilling?! What you take a holiday or something?!
Wizard: I would watch your tone boy-
Billy: No! NO! You don't want me to be Shazam fine. But at least give someone else the job! What's happening in Fawcett wouldn't happen if you'd done your job-
Wizard: I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO IN THIS WAY BOY! ESPECIALLY AFTER I HAVE SPENT THE PAST MONTHS SAVING YOUR LIFE!
Billy: What?
Wizard: Months ago when Darkseid died your connection to the gods was severed. The circumstances demanded that you be given new patrons and their blessings. But once the war ended your old and new powers were clashing. You would have found that when summoning one power another would manifest instead. These blessings would clash and tear you apart. Something needed to be done, but there was an impasse. Your old patrons refused to be replaced while your new ones did not want to be discarded. Except for Zonuz but his opinion counted for little. There was a conference and eventually an accord was reached. I apologise with the time it has taken but time does have a habit of slipping away from you when your life is measured in eternities. You will find yourself with your old blessings when you transform but you can summon one of the powers of one of your new patrons once per day. Now go Billy Batson, go be the hero you were meant to be.
The Wizard gestures and lightning strikes Billy who vanishes.
And reappears in Fawcett City. But not as Billy, now he is Shazam, an older idealised version of himself. He shields the elderly woman from the explosion resulting in her only being knocked unconscious. He walks out of the explosion and then flies across the city in the blink of an eye and into a hospital lobby.
Shazam: This lady needs help!
He flies away and back towards Sabbac, he flies over his siblings.
Darla: YAY! GO BI-
Mary puts her hand over Darla's mouth.
Freddy: Oh you are going to get your ass so kicked!
Shazam: Hey ugly!
Sabbac turns and Shazam punches him in the face with a fist covered in lightning. Sabbac crashes to the ground and spits out a tooth.
Sabbac: I will not be imprisoned again! This world will burn!
Sabbac breathes a stream of fire towards Shazam.
Shazam: Burning...that gives me an idea. What was the Martian god called again?
As in response the sparking lightning logo at the centre of his suit starts to show flames instead of sparks. The torrent of fire hits Shazam but instead of burning him it spins around Shazam like a snake and flies back towards Sabbac. It explodes and Sabbac is floored! Shazam looks at his hands which are covered in flames.
Shazam: Cool!
He aims a stream of fire at Sabbac and then he electrifies it. Sabbac is both burned and shocked.
Sabbac: I need more power! SABBAC!
A huge bolt of red lightning charges up in the atmosphere and slams towards Sabbac.
Shazam: So that's his trick. I'm guessing that lightning is empowered with blessings from his patrons. But it has to hit him to do that and my lightning could...thanks Solomon! SHAZAM!
Shazam summons his own lightning bolt that crashes into the red lightning of Sabbac. The two bolts collide in a massive explosion that is felt across the world.
In the Justice League Watchtower Cyborg looks at a satellite image of Fawcett city that shows an image of a large magical explosion.
Deep under Fawcett city there is a laboratory. Working inside the lab is a middle aged thin bald man with a glowing right eye. The instruments in the laboratory beep and some burst as they go over their limits. Dr Sivana stares at them in shock.
Sivana: What was that?!
Khandaq. Black Adam hovers over his country. He looks towards America and the magic he can sense.
Black Adam: Hmm...welcome back Billy.
The explosion was even detected as far away as Apokolips where Darkseid now trapped in a teenaged form holds his court. Darkseid smiles.
Darkseid: Interesting.
Fawcett City. The dust clears both Sabbac stands up and finds himself in human form. He is a bald overweight man.
Sabbac: SA-UUHH!
A pipe hits him in the back of his head and he falls unconscious. Billy stands over him.
Billy: It's good to be back. Shazam.
Lightning strikes him and he is Shazam again. He lifts up Sabbac and walks towards the police who have gathered around the battlefield. He hands Sabbac over to them.
Shazam: Keep his mouth covered and don't let him make a sound. Get someone who knows magic to help keep him contained. Sorry I haven't been around for a while but I'll make up for it.
A policeman with a name tag saying Jones takes Sabbac and nods at Shazam.
Officer Jones: You're back now, that's what matters.
The onlookers cheer and the loudest cheerers are his siblings. Shazam grins and waves at them all.
Light years away. A monastery floats in the void of space on shattered wings of pure light.
This monastery was home to the Light Monks of Tec, weavers who could make incredible sculptures with their light waves. Twenty minutes ago something hungry found them.
Inside the monastery waves of light are being consumed by creatures. These creatures are tall and thin with long limbs. Their faces are featureless except for a circular mouth in the centre of the face. The mouth is ringed with many teeth. The light sculptures are absorbed into their mouths and consumed.
Creature: Magic. Tasty magic. Want more. Need more.
A shockwave hits the monastery. The creatures look up.
Creature: More magic. Tasty powerful magic. What? Where?
One of the creatures extends a wide clawed hand and an image of Earth forms, then it changes to Shazam.
Creature: Earth magic. Shazam magic. Our food.
The creatures leave the monastery and set course for Earth.
S – The Wisdom of Solomon
H – The Strength of Hercules
A – The Stamina of Atlas
Z – The Power of Zeus
A – The Courage of Achilies
M – The Speed of Mercury
Once a day Billy can summon one of the below powers. He can use them for 24 hours before the connection is severed. If he were to use more than one at once in combination with his old powers he would die.
S – The Strength of S'ivaa
H – The Fires of H'ronmeer
A – The Compassion of Anapel
Z – The Source Manipulation of Zonuz
A – The Boldness of Ate
M – The Lightning of Mamargan (The Wizard)