Chapter 10

Viviane stood still as the maids fitted the wedding dress onto her small frame. They tugged at the dress, trying to make it fit in certain places. The dress had previously belonged to Queen Jessica when she was around Viviane's age. Her marriage to the reigning king went flawlessly. Jessica fully engrained herself in the royal ideology that she had to be a good wife and queen for the rest of her life.

Maybe that's why it's in such perfect condition… thought Viviane. The maids finished their work, bowed and left the room, leaving Viviane standing alone in her ridiculously expensive dress. She looked towards the large, expensive mirror you'd expect to see inside an enormous castle and frowned. Her eyes were red from hours of hopeless sobbing.

But remember why you're doing this… she thought besides…Mother took away my teleporting powers and posted guards all over the palace…so she wouldn't let me escape.

Viviane fought back more tears as she looked at the dress. Her face was made up all pretty-like and her hair was what most would call, perfect. Resting on top of that hair was her small, jewel-encrusted tiara. Viviane took it off and inspected it, rage slowly building up inside her. She whipped around and threw it across the room, only for it to be caught by Queen Jessica.

"Becareful, dear! This is my old tiara that I wore when I got married to your father!" she said, holding it carefully and attempting to place it on top of Viviane's head again. Viviane moved out of the way and turned her back on her mother.

"Viviane, please, don't be so cruel to me. I'm only trying to do what's best for us," she said.

"You mean, what's best for you, don't you?" said Viviane in a sniping voice. Jessica sighed and placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"I just want our family to be together like we always have,"

"Always have? Mother, you have barely been around my entire life. You have always been away on some diplomatic mission or some silly royal ball that children weren't allowed at. Lisa was the one who was always there for me!" said Viviane as she turned to face her mother.

"But I still loved you, even though I never told you, honey" said Jessica, now in a defensive position. Viviane sneered and held up a silver-colored plastic bracelet.

"Remember this? I gave this to you when I was seven years old, mother. I spent a week making this for you," she said.

"Oh! You found it! I was looking everywhere for that!" said Jessica.

"I found it propping up the dinner table, Mother! Looking at it right now, it's been there ever since I gave it to you, hasn't it? How do you explain that?"

"Viviane, calm down, please. Princesses should not be yelling at their mothers."

Viviane growled and threw the bracelet down towards the floor, cracking as it hit.

"I bet you don't really care about this marriage. So why all the fuss? What's the real reason you want me here, Mother?" demanded Viviane. Jessica just stared back, in shock at what Viviane was asking. After a few seconds of silence, Viviane said, "Right. Send me back, Mother. Right now."

"Viviane, you know I can't do that…"

"Right now, Mother! Right no-

Jessica laid a backhand slap right across Viviane's young face. There was an instant silence in the room. Viviane looked down, holding where Jessica had smacked her.

"I'm sorry it had to come to that, dear. You have to understand that there is nothing you can do. In about an hour, you will get married to Nathan and you will love him and you will have his children. Period. Now get yourself cleaned up and be downstairs in five minutes," said Jessica as she headed towards the door "I just hope you comply…or I'd hate to see what will happen to poor Billy, if he even is alive."

Viviane sat down, alone again in her room. The tears came again, messing up the make up she was wearing. All hope was dwindling…even if Billy was alive, how would he possibly make it here on time?

Billy slowly opened his eyes to fluorescent lights high on the ceiling of a gymnasium. Out the corner of his eyes, he saw people frantically running around helping others to beds or seats. Billy sat up and saw he was in the middle of a sea of beds, where many injured people were being tended to. A large section of the gym was missing to the extent where you could see what was happening down the street. Billy turned away and reached to his neck to feel a large amount of bandages covering his neck. He opened his mouth to talk only to feel a fierce burning sensation stabbing at his throat.

Jessica did more damage to my throat than I thought…But looks like they managed to patch it up. It hurts to talk so I better just rest my vocal cords.

Nobody was taking notice of the poor boy with the blood stained shirt and pants, since there were worse cases than him coming in. All of them victims of the devastating Angel attack. Billy groaned and walked towards the exit, passing all sorts of injuries that Billy didn't want to look at.

The sight outside was worse than he had imagined. The sky had begun to show stars as the lights in the city were gone and the smoke from the fires had started to diminish. The fire department and police, along with the military, had started to restore order to the ravaged city. Several skyscrapers were in ruins, including the WHIZ Radio Building where Billy worked. The streets were cracked, ruined and littered with craters. Transportation was almost impossible except for the major streets that miraculously survived the Angels' bombardment. Cars and buses were sticking out of the buildings they had once parked by. Billy walked down the war zone, looking around at the alien landscape that was once Fawcett City.

So much damage…so many lives lost…countless more ruined…And Captain Marvel was no where in sight. Some superhero I am…

He sat down on bench and put his head in his hands.

And Viviane is gone. I couldn't even protect one person. One person! The whole city depended on me and I let them down. Now look what happened!

Billy grabbed a piece of rubble and threw it at a destroyed car. The impact hit with a loud pang, echoing all the way down the block. Everyone was either in refugee centers or leaving the city. To make matters worse, his throat was ruined.

"Sh-

Billy started coughing, so much so that it brought him to his knees.

"Sha-!

Again, he coughed, spitting out blood as he did.

I can't say it! What am I going to do?? I can't transform!!

Billy wiped his mouth clean and stood up. He fell back on the bench and sighed. Tears fell from his eyes.

"Stop crying. Is this what the new inheritor is?" said a voice from deep within Billy's mind.

"What? W-who are you?" he asked the disembodied voice.

"You don't know who I am? Why, I've been with you every since you got your powers, young man!" it said with its booming voice.

"I still don't get it…"

"My name is Solomon, as in 'Wisdom of…' Do you get me now, son?"

"The 'S' in Shazam. You're the one who gives me knowledge. Sir, I need your knowledge now! I can't transform since my throat is ruined!" asked a frantic Billy.

"That I can see," said Solomon "So you're just going to sit around and do nothing about it?"

"No, sir! But if I could transform, I would've done it by now!"

"The Power of Shazam heals all wounds, young Batson. You do know that don't you?" asked Solomon.

"Yes, I do know! But how is that going to get me into Captain Marvel?" asked Billy.

"Just say the magic word, young Batson,"

"I can't, sir! My throat is ruined!"

"No, it is just damaged. If you're throat was ruined, it wouldn't be part of your body anymore."

"It hurts!"

"As much as it's going to hurt if you don't rescue that poor girl?"

Billy went silent. He knew he wouldn't let that happen to her.

Billy opened his eyes. His throat still burned from the previous attempt to speak a single word. He wondered if he could even speak anything at all. Jessica made sure he wouldn't be able to speak; her way of separating the two lovers from each other. Billy could taste blood in his mouth but tried to ignore it. This was bigger than his damaged vocal chords. It was about him trying to save the woman he loves from a life she didn't want.

"Sh-

He coughed, blood now filling his mouth.

"Shaz-

Billy made a hoarse hacking noise, covering the bench with his own blood.

"Shaz-

The coughing got worse and pain filled his neck. He couldn't do it. His throat was just too damaged.

I can't do it! I can't…I…

Viviane made her way to the altar. The temple was packed with over a thousand guests just waiting to see their princess be wed to the future king Nathan. Soft music played as she synched her steps with the song. A noticeably beaten Nathan stood on the altar in his ceremonial clothes, smiling devilishly as he awaited his bride-to-be. Viviane looked down at her feet, rather concentrating on her steps than to be looking at that monster Nathan. At the first pew, the Queen Jessica sat patiently and smiled. Her smiled shone not with pride, but with satisfaction rather. Jessica's eyes gazed at her movements, as if she was inspecting every aspect of Viviane's movements. Viviane stepped on the altar and looked up at Nathan, who was smiling back down at her. She closed her eyes and blinked up tears.

Billy…I need you now…More than ever…

Billy pounded the bench.

I can't! I just can't…

Please save me…

I can't…

Please…

I…

Please…!

I…can…

Viviane's voice resonated inside Billy's mind. At her full strength, she was yelling the magic word. Each time she yelled, Billy's resolve got stronger and stronger.

I can't…let it happen! She doesn't deserve it…!

"Sha-

It's the right thing to do!

"Shaz-

I owe it to her!

"Shaza-

I LOVE HER!!

"SHAZAM!!"

The lightning boomed down onto Billy Batson, transforming him into the World's Mightiest Mortal. Everything about him was now running at full steam; even his throat was fully healed. For a moment, Marvel took the time to admire the feat he had accomplished. He shook it off and took towards the skies. After a minute, he stopped and looked down upon the broken and battered city.

"Fawcett needs me, Solomon," said Billy "I should stay and help them. I can't be selfish with my own needs,"

"That is true, young Batson. They do need your help in getting back on their feet," said Solomon.

"Then I'm going back," said Billy.

"But only after you have saved your young Viviane, Billy," said Solomon.

Billy was amazed. "But I thought you said…"

"Listen to me. Humans are a resilient race. Even after the most terrible of tragedies, they always managed to bounce back. You have done everything you've can to protect this city and they are most grateful for that. The people need to learn that they don't always need Captain Marvel. Follow your heart and do what you must, but the one who needs you more than ever is the one that you love," said Solomon.

Marvel nodded to himself. He finally understood why Solomon's power was wisdom. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Fawcett. It won't take long, I promise." Captain Marvel then turned around and blasted towards the icy vacuum of space, heading towards Earth's only satellite.

As the wedding progressed, it was getting dangerously close to the "I do's." To Viviane, it was all a blur. Jessica sat with a smirk on her face, never taking her eyes off Viviane. The rest of the audience was looking eagerly on. Viviane knew everyone else in the kingdom was watching. She had to get out of this quick…

"And to you, Princess Viviane De Milo of the Lunar Kingdom of the Moon Angels, do you take Prince Nathan's hand in serene matrimony?" asked the man moderating the wedding.

"I…I…I…" she mumbled. Nathan arched an eyebrow to her. "Say it, already. We don't have all day, honey," he said in a low voice.

"I…I...I...D-

Just then, a powerful quake rocked the temple. Several people jumped and screamed. Jessica looked around, concerned with something else other than the quake. After the commotion died down, another powerful quake rocked the temple. This was followed by several smaller quakes that got louder after each one. Suddenly, a Soldier Angel came running in from the entrance to the temple.

"We're being invaded!" he yelled frantically.

"By who?" demanded Nathan, stepping down from the altar.

"By one man! He looked like an Earthling!" the soldier answered "He's on his way here!"

Nathan turned his gaze to Jessica. "Is it who I think it is?" he asked her.

"Of course it is, you twit. I thought I had him out of the way for sure," said Jessica with the utmost confidence.

"Then what would you have us do then?" he asked her.

"Just stay put, Nathan dear. We will have to make an example of him in front of Viviane."

Then, suddenly, the doors went flying and crashed down right in front of Jessica. Captain Marvel floated in slowly, throwing away three unconscious Soldier Angels.

"Billy!!" yelled Viviane as she ran towards him. Nathan's arm shot out and grabbed her to prevent her to get any nearer. Marvel looked coldly at Nathan.

"Let her go," said Marvel.

"Ha! You'd think that people wouldn't listen to that line anymore!" said Nathan, holding down the struggling princess.

"I won't ask you again. Let her go," Marvel demanded again. Jessica took a step in front of Nathan.

"Viviane is not going back with you. Even if she doesn't get married with Nathan," said Jessica, taking a hold of Viviane.

"Jessica…what are you talking about?" Nathan asked. Marvel looked on.

"Nathan, dear, trust me. By the end of this day, Captain Marvel will be dead and Viviane will be a totally different person." said Jessica in tone unheard of from the queen. At that moment, the tips of Jessica's wings turned a dark gray.