Justice: A League of Their Own
Chapter 1: The Fall of Captain Marvel
It has been 6 months since what has been known as the 'End of Justice'.
What would start as a campaign proposition would end in a subtle, impending act of chaos. People knew that Lex Luthor was not to be trusted, as least not completely. However, they never expected him to combine his own national company of LexCorp with that of another international company called MillenniaCorp. And even more surprising… this company was owned, founded, and completely controlled by Vandal Savage.
With the two companies merged together, the duo of exceedingly intellectual corporate masterminds were able to set ablaze a massive wildfire of perfectly planned events that would completely destroy the very being of superhero existence as the world knew it.
It has been 6 months since these chains of events have left the Justice League in ruins. Superman exiled, Batman is a fugitive, Wonder Woman in a pit of absolute despair, Martian Manhunter lost, Flash missing, and The Green Lantern Corps has lost their presence on earth.
With these heroes gone, only a few have been left to fight for justice. The most powerful and possibly most threatening to Luthor and Savage, is Captain Marvel. With his apparent absence from Luthor's plan, he was able to continue fighting for justice, halting Luthor's supposed reign and planting a very deep thorn in his side.
3:00 P.M.| January 16| Washington D.C
"Mercy, bring in my reports filed on Captain Marvel", Lex Luthor said.
"Right away Mr. Luthor", Mercy replied.
There was a slight knock on the door as Vandal Savage walked through the room. His fresh, dark blue suit seemed to shimmer in the sunlight of Luthor's clear office. It was a stark contrast to his harsh demeanor, which was visible even in his deceiving smile.
"You know Luthor, you should really think bigger than just an office", vandal said. "I mean take me for an example. I like to spend my day in my massive cathedral adorned with some of the most precious items on earth. I don't do my work in a confined office, even though this one isn't 'actually' that cramped but you should still get my point."
"Thank you vandal for your input, I'll try to take it into consideration", Lex replied sarcastically. "Now were you able to get the contacts on Dr. Sivana?"
"Of course I was able to get them, I'm Vandal savage". Vandal smirked as he handed the documents to Luthor. These papers had the locations of Dr. Sivana's multiple laboratories.
"Sorry to interrupt Mr. Luthor, but I have the Captain Marvel info that you asked for", said Mercy as she entered the room.
"Thank you mercy", said Luthor as he rose from his seat. He buttoned his expensive suit jacket and picked up the papers from his desk.
"Mercy, ready the helicopter for Mr. Savage and I. It's time we met this Dr. Sivana."
4:30 P.M.| January 16| Fawcett City
Captain Marvel flew into a small apartment. He turned on a light and sat down on the soft couch in front of the television. Suddenly he hears footsteps coming towards the door.
"Oh man, I better change", he said. "SHAZAM!"
Suddenly, a flash of lightning swirled through the room and Captain Marvel was changed into a 12 year-old Billy Batson. Just as this happened, Billy's Uncle Dudley came into the room with some grocery bags.
"Oh it's just you Uncle Dudley", Billy said. "Let me help you with those".
"Thanks Billy", Dudley said.
Billy helped Uncle Dudley put away the groceries and went to sit on the couch with him. Yet, as he sat there, he had a sudden feeling that an old evil was on its way to get him… and he didn't know if Captain Marvel would be enough to stop it.
6:00 P.M.| January 16| Coast City
Dr. Sivana paced back and forth, pondering what to do with the situation. In front of him stood Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage.
"Dr. Sivana", Luthor started. "We are not asking you to do this we are simply telling you what we expect from you. Obviously you can see that Mr. Savage and I are very intelligent and very powerful people. So simply tell us what it would take to complete the task and it will be done."
"Well, um Mr. Luthor", Dr. Sivana gulped. "It would take something that doesn't exist on earth. I would need an extremely powerful source of energy. In fact, I would basically need a small sun. I mean, in order to make the matter configuration machine function in such a proper way as what you are asking is not possible."
"What if I could get you this energy source, would u be able to activate it then", Luthor asked?
"Well in theory yes", Sivana replied. However, I would also need a matter transporter that stretches its function to about 10 billion light-years away. I mean, he isn't exactly easy to obtain or recover."
The man that Lex Luthor is looking for is Black Adam. Powerful, menacing, and god-like. These are only a few terms that could describe this being. He was the original choice for the wizard Shazam's gift of power, the original champion. However, his own evil caused him to be cast into space for thousands of years.
When he returned to earth, he found Shazam's new champion, Captain Marvel. They battled, tearing apart sky, land and sea. Nonetheless, Captain Marvel was victorious and Shazam's spirit was to banish Black Adam even farther into space. But Black Adam would not give him the satisfaction. So he yelled to the skies 'SHAZAM!'. This returned him to his mortal form and he turned to dust as he was transported into the deepest of space.
But now Lex Luthor plans to call upon him to destroy Captain Marvel and help bring about the total annihilation of the Superhero era.
"Well then", Luthor said. "Let me introduce you to our third business partner."
He clicked a button on his watch and suddenly it happened. An enormous ray of light and swirling energy and then he appeared. A massive man with dense grey skin that seemed to crackle as he stepped. His menacing red eyes glowed bright in the room. It was Darkseid, ruler of Apokolips.
"Hello Luther", he said in a booming voice. "I see you require my assistance in this matter."
He handed Luthor a small metallic cube. It seemed to give off a massive gravitational energy. Almost like a small sun.
"This will power your machine", he said. "But after you use it, it will become a small wormhole and suck in this entire laboratory. Oh, and as far the teleportation problem, it's been taken care of."
He snapped his fingers and two parademons walked through the array of light holding a large cylinder filled with dust. Darkseid had used his Apokoliptian technology to gather the ashes of Black Adam.
"Well Luthor there you go", Darkseid said. "And do tell me how it all results. I would care to see how this all turns out."
"Will do Darkseid", Luthor responded. "Amazing how easy it is to have such powerful partners. All it takes is promising them half the world and they have no problem helping you with all your needs."
Dr. Sivana loaded the metallic cube into the matter configuration machine's core processor. Then, he placed the cylinder into the main chamber. He turned on the machine and a loud booming sound echoed throughout the lab.
A flash of light… A dim scream of anguish… An array of energy.
Suddenly there he was, in the middle of the lab, with a yellow hue of steam flowing from his body, was Black Adam. His black and gold garments as fresh as ever.
"I HAVE RETURNED", he yelled. "I will destroy Captain Marvel and regain my rightful place as a god."
"Well, aren't we glad to be back", Luthor said. "Tell me Black Adam, how would you like to help me help you?
"Go on Luthor", Adam responded.
"Well you see, Captain Marvel has been a pain in my side for quite too long", Luthor said. "But, I know that you can stop him better than anyone else. All I'm asking is that you make sure; he doesn't have a chance of… 'bouncing back'."
"It shall be done", Adam replies. "I know the one thing that Marvel doesn't, and that will be his ultimate downfall".
5:00 P.M.| January 17| Fawcett City
Billy Batson walked across from his apartment into a narrow alley. He looked around to make sure the coast was clear. After he got done checking he took a deep breath and as he looked up at the sky he yelled 'SHAZAM!' and there was a flash of lightning.
As the smoke cleared Captain Marvel stood in Billy's place. Suddenly, he swirled around and around, causing a whirlwind of magical energy to spiral around him. Then in a flash, he had teleported to The Cave of Shazam, where he had first been granted the power of the Champion.
"All powerful wizard, I need your advice and eternal wisdom", Marvel said. And as he spoke this, the spirit of Shazam appeared before him.
"I need your help with a bad feeling I have been getting recently", Marvel started. "I have a feeling as if a great evil has returned and it will cause me and many others great loss."
"Yes my Captain Marvel, your feeling is right", Shazam responded. "In fact, he is already here and he plans to-
The spirit of Shazam is cut off as Black Adam lunges from the shadows, digging his hands into Captain Marvel's skull. A surge of immense power flowed throughout the cave as their magic clashed and they were teleported back to the city.
Black Adam through Captain Marvel to the ground as he began to speak.
"As you already know Captain Marvel…", he started. "My mighty power comes not from the wizards great heroes, but instead from the ancient gods of Egypt. And because of that, my powers and yours have always been a bit different. However Captain Marvel, even the Wisdom of Solomon wouldn't help you understand what I'm about to do, so instead of talking about it I'm just going to get on with it."
"I'll never let you", said Captain Marvel as he launched into Black Adam. "I will never let you win!"
"Oh please, as if you had a choice", said Black Adam.
Suddenly, Adam grabbed Marvel's head and stared deep into his eyes, literally staring into the windows of his soul. He stared into the power of Shazam that lied within. And then he did it, Black Adam spoke mysterious words as he looked at the sky. Then he said it… 'SHAZAM!'
Lightning reigned from the skies and hit them both simultaneously. That's when something unexpected happened. Captain Marvel had not changed, but Adam had. His hair had become longer, with a silver streak that flowed down the middle. His eyes seemed to glow a hot red as he stared down at Captain Marvel.
Swiftly, Captain Marvel tried to swing at Black Adam, but it was to no avail. His strength was completely gone.
"What did you do Adam", he asked.
"Oh nothing much", Adam replied. "I simply took away The Power of the Champion from you and added it to my own. I didn't expect it to change my physical appearance like it did but I guess there's no changing that. Anyways, I now have the true power of a god, the ultimate power. And sadly, you are now powerless. Also, don't think that I'll tell you how I did it." He said this as he lifted Captain Marvel off of the ground.
"Besides, if I told you it would just defeat the purpose of doing all this," Adam continued. "Anyways Marvel, I hope you liked being the Champion, because it's over… Forever."
Then Black Adam lifted Captain Marvel and himself up higher into the air.
"Let's see you fly now, Captain Marvel", Black Adam said. Then he let go as Captain Marvel fell to the streets below.
2 Hours Later…
Captain Marvel woke up in a crater in the middle of the street. He had lost his strength, speed, flight, and magic. Yet, he was unharmed by the fall… even though he did fill a bit sore.
"Well, maybe I can at least turn back", he muttered. "SHAZAM!"
But nothing happened. Billy Batson was stuck inside the body of Captain Marvel; and he was powerless.