Chapter 9

Viviane lay unconscious in Captain Marvel's arms. All the attack Angels suddenly stood or floated at a tension, looking up at Nathan. The whole city fell quiet for a second as if a giant mute button had been pressed.

"What have you done, Nathan??" asked Marvel.

"Taken over your measly Earth-city, hero," answered Nathan.

"I mean, what's all the energy you've surrounded us with?" Nathan smiled and said, "It just happens to be an energy shield. You see, it's easier to keep the rest of your armed forces out of the city than rather tearing them apart right then and there. It'll give us more time to prepare."

Captain Marvel floated up somewhat. "So…this wasn't all about Viviane…it was just a ploy to get a foothold on Earth…" he said.

"Are you really that slow? Of course, you moronic imbecile!" he exclaimed. Nathan jumped off the machine and stopped in midair, just in front of the floating superhero.

"By the end of this day, I'll be taking my future wife out of your cold dead hands," said Nathan with an evil grin. Marvel sneered.

"By the end of this day, I'll be sending you and your army back to where you came from," he said with the utmost confidence. Nathan growled and punched Marvel in the head, sending him sailing through the air. He crashed through a billboard and then into a car. He shrugged it off and realized he still had Viviane's limp body wrapped tightly in his arms. Marvel got off the car and went inside the adjacent building.

"I have to keep you safe somehow…" he said to her. He looked around and found a small cot. Gently laying her down, he turned around and flew up into the sky. The sky inside the dome was musty and full of smoke from the several fires that were raging inside the captive city.

If this keeps up, the entire city will suffocate in smoke, He realized But they won't let that happen obviously. They can't fit a really massive army in this city. Not one to conquer the country; let alone the entire world. What other plans is he up to?

He flew around, heading towards the machine that powered the shield. It was a lot more silent now than it had been only an hour before. Most of the citizens of the city had surrendered to the invading Angels and were imprisoned in makeshift camps. Soon enough, machines of war would start pouring in here. Marvel realized he couldn't let that happen.

"Heads up!" he heard Nathan's voice tear through the sky as an energy blast hit him from behind, shredding his white cape to pieces. Marvel shrugged it off and turned around, just in time to get several quick punches to his stomach and a solid kick across the face.

"You're a tough Earthling, Captain. You could've made a great right-hand man," said Nathan, driving his elbow deep into Marvel's back. He grunted and said, "I'd never join bad guys like you, Nathan!" Marvel spun around and kicked Nathan away.

"That's too bad. It wouldn't have worked anyways. Now that Queen Jessica wants you dead…real bad." he said as he regained his motion.

"Wait, why me? I haven't even done anything to her!" Marvel said.

"You're stealing her only daughter away from her. I couldn't imagine anybody who would do that to someone," said Nathan, shaking his head some in disapproval.

"It was her choice to leave Earth! It was her choice to live the life that she wanted for herself!" Marvel argued back.

"Is that what she's told you? She's just using you,"

"From my experiences, I'm about ready to trust her more than I trust you, buddy,"

Nathan shrugged. "Suit yourself." He then delivered an energy-powered kick to the Red Wonder, sending him across the span of the city until he hit the wall of the energy dome.

After several seconds daze, Captain Marvel staggered to his feet and rubbed his head. He cracked his neck and opened his eyes. Staring back at him was an entire platoon of Army soldiers, backed up by tanks, Humvees and pretty much all what the country could dish out. As he turned his head, he noticed even more infantrymen and armor-plated vehicles. Attack helicopters hovered just above them on all sides. They sat there and waited; waited for the time when the shield would be lowered. Several helicopters fired on the shield with missiles with no luck. The shield was impenetrable. It was then he realized it wasn't so much that they wouldn't come in, but that they wouldn't be let out. Jessica wanted Viviane back as badly as Nathan wanted to conquer the Earth. It was a two-hinged plan, executed by two geniuses…or two crazies.

No one's going to help me now. I have to do this by myself… He looked back at the soldiers and then back at the city in chains.

The city is depending on me…The whole world is depending on me… Viviane is depending on me…Shazam gave me these powers for a reason and I aim not to let him down!

Marvel clenched his fists and flew off into the sky.

Viviane woke up to a searing pain tearing across her body for a split second. Rubbing her neck, she looked around in a room that she had never been in before. It was dark, dirty and abandoned with rubble spread over the floor. She planted her feet on the ground and stood up, stretching out her body. Viviane walked out of the room and into the abandoned street littered with wrecked cars, cracked pavement, fallen streetlights and even more rubble.

This section must've gotten the worst of it... I hope the people got out okay…Where did Billy go??

She looked towards the sky but saw only the energy shield covering the city.

Oh no, it's an energy shield! But why would Nathan put a shield over Fawcett? Nevermind that now, I have to go find out if Billy is alright!

Viviane spread her wings and flew up between the buildings.

Captain Marvel blasted towards the dynamo, seeing Nathan standing at its side surrounded by a small force of Moon Angels. He stopped a short distance away and crossed his arms, waiting. Nathan smiled and flew towards him.

"Very resilient, aren't we?" said Nathan, smirking.

"You haven't even got to see what I can do, Nathan. I suggest that you come here and find out,"

"Sure, then. If you really are in a rush to die…" Nathan blasted his way towards him, readying his fists to punch the superhero. He swung his left fist, only for it to hit air. Marvel ducked and landed a fierce punch square in Nathan's stomach area. Nathan grabbed his gut and wheezed just as Marvel landed a powerful knee to Nathan's head, sending him tumbling on all axes. The Captain smiled and regained his serious composure.

"Come on, Nathan. I thought you said something about me in a rush to die," he said. Nathan wiped his mouth and said, "Nice one, Marvel. You got one on me. Be sure that I will not let it happen again!"

Nathan shot out a blast and exploded it right in front of Captain Marvel's eyes, effectively blinding him for a brief moment as Nathan took advantage and slammed his fist across his face. The conquered then spun around and roundhouse-kicked the superhero down to the ground. As Captain Marvel opened his eyes from the attack, Nathan slammed his knee into his stomach, driving him deeper into the pavement below. From this point, Nathan delivered a gigantic blast straight towards Marvel, utterly destroying the entire block. The dust settled as Nathan picked up The Captain and held him to the sky.

"I told you, you stupid fool. You cannot beat me. I've been trained to fight ever since I could walk and you don't even know how to fight. Face it, Marvel, Viviane is mine and soon enough this whole world will be mine as well. Just one of the many planets that lay under my rule!" he said, raising his fist to deliver another powerful blow to the downed superhero. Just then, a white blast smashed into Nathan, causing him to drop Captain Marvel and be blasted back several yards.

"I can't let you do that, Nathan," said Viviane, floating several feet in the air.

"Ah, my darling, please don't do that again. I'll be forced to put you back in your place," said Nathan as he got up and brushed himself off.

"You try and I'll see to it you get both of your legs broken, Nathan. Now get up so I can beat you down again!" said Viviane firmly, taking a fighting stance. Nathan just stood there and chuckled.

"What so funny?" she asked him.

"You want to fight me? Don't be so stupid, my dear. You know you can't beat me," he said with a grin, itching for a fight with his own fiancée.

"I can sure as well try!" she yelled as she unleashed her Lunar Blast on Nathan, who just casually deflected it away.

"Then come here and try then!" he said, firing his own powerful blasts at her. Viviane teleported behind him and blasted him from behind, driving him a few steps forward. Nathan spun around and smacked Viviane away.

"I don't like to hit my own wife, but I will if she gets too much out of line," he said approaching her. Viviane got to her feet and fed a blast straight into Nathan's stomach, knocking him clear into the sky and then down onto a semi-truck.

"I really don't like to hit jerks… take that back, I really do enjoying hitting jerks." she said, smiling a bit. She ran over to Captain Marvel, who was beginning to rise from the hole he was in.

"Billy, are you okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah…are you?" he asked her back.

"Yes, Billy, I'm okay," she answered back with a smile.

"Nathan…he's tougher than I thought. He has experience and has greater range than I do. Viviane, I need you to go hide somewhere. This fight might get out of hand and I need to put him down quickly,"

"No way!" she said "Nathan knows how you operate, Billy! That's how he beats his enemies. He learns about them, then he strikes their weak points. You're gonna need me in beating him!"

Captain Marvel sighed. "You may be right, but I-

He looked down at her face with her mad look.

"We attack him together. We're a team." he said. She smiled and nodded. The two flew off towards Nathan's crash site as they saw the giant truck he landed in being hurled at them. The conqueror was using his own energy to throw whatever he could get his hands on at the duo. Nathan grabbed a small compact car and hurled it at Captain Marvel. The superhero grabbed hold of it and smashed Nathan over the head with it. Nathan ripped apart the car, seemingly unfazed by the impact and blasted Marvel. Then, a giant white blast smashed into Nathan, driving him deep into the pavement.

"Billy, are you okay?" asked Viviane, taking her attention off Nathan.

"Viviane, watch out!" yelled Marvel. Suddenly, a quick, powerful blast smacked into the princess from the crater. Nathan jumped out and got ready to fight.

"I'm not done yet, Marvel!" he yelled as he tackled Captain Marvel. The two rolled over the street, exchanging punches with each other. Nathan managed to get on top and shocked Marvel with energy across his face. The Captain screamed in agony as Nathan was pulled off the superhero and thrown into a nearby store.

"Watch out, Billy. Stay back and recover while I'll fight him!" she said, running into the store. Marvel didn't answer as he was still shrugging off the energy attack. She looked around and saw the mess that was the food store, but no Nathan to be seen. Viviane took another step, her feet cracking glass. She sighed and took a few more steps inside. There was a door about three feet to her left was left open. Taking a deep breath, she gently opened the door. There was nothing in the next room except for a dirty storeroom.

Suddenly, she felt something brush pass her wings. Viviane froze; her eyes widened. Slowly but surely, she turned around to the door, finding no one. She shook her head and headed out, just as two arms crashed out of the floor and took a hold of her legs. Viviane let out a loud scream as the two arms pulled her down into the basement level. Nathan grabbed onto her neck and slammed her against the brick foundation.

"Do not disobey me!!" he said angrily.

"Spare me…" she said in defiance. Nathan responded by slamming her against the wall.

"Tell me that you'll be a good wife or else I won't have to punish you again," Viviane spat in his face. Again, she was slammed against the wall.

"I won't tell you again! Say that you'll be a good wife!" he demanded. She looked deep into his cold eyes and said, "No."

"If that's the way you want it to be then, my dear. Then so be it!" Nathan said as he raised his fist. He flung it straight at Viviane's face. She stared the fist down for a second and as it neared her, she ducked and allowed it to smash into the bricks behind her. Viviane then delivered a knee into Nathan's gut. With a Lunar Blast, Nathan was blasted to the far wall.

"Viviane, dear…don't be so cruel…" said Nathan, coughing out some blood.

"I'm not going to kill you, Nathan," said Viviane, raising her hand up.

"Oh good…you foolish girl..." he said, chucking some. Viviane surrounded him in energy and lifted him up.

"I'm not the one who was kneed by a girl," she said, blasting him onto the street above. Viviane slowly floated up and saw Nathan brushing himself off.

"You're still too weak to beat me, my dear," he said as he pointed his hand down at the still recovering Marvel, who was having trouble standing up. Nathan's hand glowed with energy "Your savior here failed to keep you safe. Now he gets to pay the price for your defiance!"

Suddenly, Marvel stood up and took hold of Nathan's hand. The conqueror screamed in pain as The Captain crushed his hand in. He was brought to his knees as Marvel let go of his hand.

"Damn you…!" he said, holding his now useless hand. Marvel landed a massive punch across the face.

"Viviane, now's our chance! Take out the machine!" yelled Marvel.

"With what, Billy?" she asked. He looked down at Nathan and gave her a smirk. She nodded and picked up Nathan. Viviane spun around in great circles and flung Nathan towards the shield dynamo. The Angels surrounding the dynamo saw their leader coming and several of them caught him in midair.

"Unleash it, Viviane!" yelled Marvel. Viviane nodded and knew what he meant. She concentrated all of her internal energy and will into a ball just outside her palms. Viviane pointed it at the dynamo and struggled to keep all the intense energy in check. At the top of her lungs, she yelled the name of her attack and released a rather thin but surprisingly power and fast beam at the dynamo. The attack overpowered the beaten Nathan and crew of Soldiers Angels guarding the dynamo.

In a flurry of sparks and explosions, the machine blew apart and fell to the ground in pieces. The shield disappeared and all of the available forces rushed in to help out the embattled and wrecked city.

"We did it, Billy," said a very tired Viviane.

"No…you did it. I just helped you," replied Marvel.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. You were the- Viviane, watch out!" A powerful blast smashed into Captain Marvel, knocking him off his feet and into the ground.

"Billy!!" yelled Viviane as somebody grabbed her from behind. Marvel managed to get to his feet and looked at the woman grabbing Viviane from behind, a woman who oddly looked a lot like Viviane.

"Mother, what are you doing?!" asked Viviane, struggling against the Queen Jessica.

"Mother? You're Jessica?" asked Captain Marvel.

"Yes, I am and I'm betting that you're the person that's trying to take my little girl away from me," she said, trying to hold the squirming princess down.

"I'm not trying to do that! Listen, let her go and we can talk about this!"

"There's been enough talking already!"

"Let her go! Please!" said Marvel as he approached the two.

"Stay right where you are or else my Viviane gets to pay the price!" said a more frantic Jessica, her eyes suddenly a very different shade of blue.

"You wouldn't do that to your own daughter. Not even you would do that,"

"Oh? I wouldn't?" Jessica said as she used her thumbnail to slowly cut across Viviane's neck. Viviane yelped out in pain.

"No! Stop! What do you want!?" pleaded the superhero.

"Say your magic word. Now!"

"You can't be-

Jessica began her slicing again.

"No! Okay, okay, you win," said Marvel in defeat.

"Billy, no, don't listen to her!" yelled out Viviane. He shook his head and softly said his magic word, transforming him back into Billy Batson.

"Now that's a good boy…" said Jessica. Suddenly, she raised her hand and blasted the boy, knocking him unconscious.

"Billy!! No!" yelled Viviane as she broke free from her mother's softening hold.

"It's what's best for you, dear," said Jessica.

"No, Mother, you've gone too far this time!" replied Viviane "You can't go around doing this!"

"I'm your mother and I can do whatever I please. You will go back to the Moon and you will marry Nathan like it is planned,"

"No, I will not, Mother! You can't make me!"

"Well…if you really feel that way…" said Jessica, as she used her powers to float the still unconscious Billy to her "Then I guess if we just get rid of this Earthling, then I guess I can probably change your mind…"

"Mother, no!" yelled Jessica. The Queen dug her nails into Billy's neck. Blood seeped down onto his clothes. With a start, he awoke and yelped in pain.

"Stop! Please, Mother, I'll go…Just don't hurt Billy any longer…" said Viviane, her eyes watering. Billy looked up at the two ladies and tried to talk, but he was unable to. Jessica's nails had punctured his vocal chords. The look on his face said it all as Viviane stood next to her mother. Tears streamed down her eyes as did with Billy's eyes.

"Don't follow me, Billy…I didn't want you to get hurt…I'm so sorry…" Viviane said. As Viviane faded away, her words echoed across Billy's ears.

"I love you, Billy…"

Blood and tears mixed down Billy's neck. He covered the wounds on his neck and looked up at the night sky. The Moon was dark orange, turning on red. Billy reached out to grab the Moon. So close, yet so far. His eyes turned back into his head and Billy fell over into a deep sleep.