Unlimited Legends #1 (Featuring Captain Marvel)

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Unlimited Legends #1
The Power of Shazam
Part 1:
Lady Shazam

Featuring... Captain Marvel

Written by Andrew
Edited by Daniel Dyer

The Rock of Eternity was home to the guardian of a great power. This guardian was known by many names, but one name was known best: Lady Shazam. She was a great wizard who had been given the charge of protecting the balance of good. To this end she was given by various entities the power to create a champion to lead Earth out of evil’s shadow. Many of the planet’s greatest had been chosen and succeeded in bringing about change. Some had failed. For nearly a century no other champion had been chosen because of these failures. That was soon to change.

Lady Shazam stood in council with the Great Entities who granted her their power. She stood silently in the center of the Rock of Eternity covered in a dark robe. Her hair, black as pitch, hung out of the hood covering her features. A faint light seemed to emanate from her body. Then suddenly, she spoke.

“I have found the Champion,” came the simple statement from Lady Shazam. Silence was the only reply. They were waiting for more.

“He is pure,” continued the wizard, “Yet experienced with the pain the world brings.”

“How can you be certain,” a voice questioned, ”that he will not be consumed with the gift, like some have before?”

“He has seen what the abuse of power can do,” came Lady Shazam’s reply.

“Perhaps,” admitted a new voice, “but to experience that power can alter the perception of man.”

“This one is young and idealistic,” Shazam responded, “While he has experienced the cruelty of life, he has also yet to become cynical because of it.”

Another voice came in, saying, “While your words likely ring true, we would like to see more. We would like to see this experience.”

A general tone of agreement assaulted Shazam’s senses. It was obvious to her that they would have to see what she has seen. She slowly bowed her head in agreement.

“Very well,” Shazam said, “You will see the life of Billy Batson.”

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

“William Batson, get over here right this instant!” came the sudden voice of Laura Batson. She was calling to her son, a young brown haired boy playing down by a stream.

“I haven’t found Mary yet,” William yelled back, emphasizing his point by waving around a stick he was carrying. “We can’t leave until we finish!”

The middle aged woman sighed and shook her head. She looked at her husband David and smiled. He looked at her and returned the expression. Both of them knew it was useless to argue with their children at this point. They began to pack up all of their camping equipment into their car. Laura was of average height and had a lithe build, while her husband was somewhat muscular. Both shared the same brown hair as their children.

William Batson, or as he preferred, Billy, finally found his sister hiding behind a bush. He pounced, attempting to tackle her to the ground, but she slid out of his grasp. Giggling, she ran off towards the stream, heading away from the campsite. Their mother watched, worried.

“Don’t stray too far!” she yelled after them. David put his hand on her shoulder, wordlessly telling her to relax. With a sigh, Laura returned to packing.

The two siblings began to near the point where the stream became a river. Billy closed in on his younger sister and finally tackled her to the ground. Laughing, Mary struggled to get out but couldn’t overpower her brother. He asked her if she gave up.

“Never!” she shrieked. “I will not be beaten so easily.” Billy gave her a skeptical look. Suddenly his sister’s face contorted into one of worry.

“Billy, Dad’s coming,” she whispered. Billy turned his head away to look for this supposed attacker, and that’s when Mary’s plan went into action. She flipped her brother over so she was on top. Billy took that momentum and continued the roll. The two suddenly split apart and headed towards the river.

A sudden splash echoed through the forest. For endless moments Billy and Mary seemed to disappear under the water. In an instant they were on top of the water gasping for air. Their cries for help echoed through the forest eventually reaching the ears of Laura and David Batson. Both broke into a run, dropping what they were carrying. David made it to the shore first, and seeing Billy and Mary drowning in the moving river, dived in to try and save his children.

David swam for the nearer of the two, Billy. He grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to shore. Laura was waiting at shore and immediately began to check Billy’s vitals. David returned to the river and looked around in panic for Mary. He couldn’t see his daughter and he began screaming.

“Mary?! Mary!!”

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

The scene faded and Lady Shazam waited for a reaction.

“The fact that he’s experienced loss doesn’t guarantee that he’s learned from it,” a voice asked.

“There is more to Batson’s story,” Shazam assured the Great Entities, “Much more.”

“Perhaps,” one voice admitted, “But I believe we have another debate besides the worth of the one you have chosen.”

“Is a new Champion truly needed?” concurred another voice, “Many heroes reside on Earth now.”

“True,” admitted Shazam, “But there is an evil growing; an ancient evil that needs to be stopped… at all costs.”

“We have sensed this evil as well,” answered one voice, “Yet as we have already asked, is there a need when there are many capable heroes already prepared to fight it?”

“The last thing we need is another rogue Champion,” a new voice lamented. Silence was its reply.

Lady Shazam shook her head and tried to explain, saying, “I fear you don’t understand. The power of the enemy has grown to the point that they may create their own champion. This would mean a creature or being powerful enough to stand up to any of Earth’s heroes.”

More silence greeted Lady Shazam’s words. She understood their position, due to the level of failures that have happened in the past with their power. After a minute’s hesitation, one of the Entities spoke.

“If we decide we are opposed to a new champion,” it said, “You will likely choose one anyway. Is that not correct?”

Hiding a smirk, Shazam replied, “I can not answer that.”

“Then we will hear you out, Wizard,” a stronger voice announced, “To ensure that the one you have chosen is of substance, as you say. Continue with your evidence.”

“Thank you,” Shazam said with sincerity, “Though I must warn you. The next series of events are just as compelling, if not more so, than the death of Mary Batson.”

---

[Spider-Man Beyond]

Billy looked out of his bedroom door. No older than fourteen, he was still greatly affected by his sister’s drowning a year ago. It seemed his father was still feeling the same way, but where Billy handled his pain with tears, his father handled it with alcohol. For the past number of months, his father would spend evenings in front of the television drinking. This seemed only sad at first, but eventually it got worse. He would drink in the morning before he went to his coaching job at the local high school. He would sneak a drink at lunch. Eventually, he was drunk almost all day. Needless to say, he lost his job. It got worse than that.

Soon his father began to scream uncontrollably, yelling about the most mundane of things. First it was sports scores, and then it was job searching. Then he began to complain about Billy not doing his chores, or Laura not cooking the lasagna quite right. At first his mother yelled back, but that only seemed to spur David Batson on. Quietly, his mother endured the emotional outbursts of his father. More and more, though, Billy could tell that his mother was getting tired of carrying the load in the marriage. One night, she snapped too. Billy watched as his parents argued in the kitchen.

“Just because you’re going through hard times doesn’t mean you have to take it out on this family, David!” Laura screamed.

“Maybe if you all would pick up the slack around-!”

“Pick up the slack?!” Laura interrupted, “Who’s the one who lost his job? You!! If you weren’t drunk all the time maybe something would get done around here!”

“It’s the only way I can concentrate,” David sneered, “because all you and the boy do is cry all the time!”

“At least we’re healthy about it!” Laura insisted. “Just because you think you failed Mary-“

Within a moment, Billy Batson saw a sight he never thought would happen. His father backhanded his mother straight across her face. Billy was in shock. His father had never been so unhinged. Laura screamed in pain and held her face. She immediately shot a look at her husband that was as cold as ice. David Batson backed away from his wife, his mouth agape. He started to mutter.

“Oh my God,” he stuttered, “What did I… what did… I?”

“You hit me, David,” Laura said simply, tears starting to form as she held her face.

“I… oh my God,” David gasped, “I’m sorry… I… I didn’t mean to-“

“Well you did, David,” Laura snapped. She turned and began to walk to their bedroom. Billy couldn’t hear what was happening, as both of his parent’s voices had suddenly become very low. He heard a lot of movement but nothing more. A minute later he saw his mother leave the bedroom carrying two suitcases. She walked straight to his door. Billy jumped up and watched as his mother opened the door. She handed him the smaller of the two suitcases.

“Pack up some clothes Billy,” she sniffed through tears, “and some toys. We won’t be back for awhile.”

With a nod of understanding Billy did as he was told. He began to put clothes into the suitcase as his father walked up behind his mother and began to plead with her not to go. Laura allowed him to talk all he wanted but she wasn’t listening. She simply watched as her child began to put his things away. As soon as he finished she took Billy by the hand and led him towards the front door.

“How many times do I have to say I’m sorry?” his father asked before Laura could open the door.

“If you need anything, I’ll be sending you a forwarding address,” Laura said, ignoring David’s question, “I had to be at the excavation in Egypt next week, so I’ll arrive a little early.”

She turned around, and looking David straight in the eyes said, “We won’t be coming back here when I’m done. Get some help David. If not for me, for Billy.”

David’s eyes rested on his only son’s. The two looked at each other, but anger swelled up within Billy and he turned away. David Batson closed his eyes, trying to stop a tear.

“Please don’t go,” David whispered.

“You’ll get a letter in about a week,” Laura said in a whisper. Quickly, she turned and left with Billy.

To be continued...