Issue #13: "The Evil Within, Part Four"

Billy lay across his bed, still shocked, trying to figure out what everything meant. Alright let’s see. First off, there’s this chemical that had actual markings that could only be seen through a microscope. With the knowledge of Solomon, I know what those markings are, though how the chemical got there I don’t know just yet. Then there was that strange voice while I was at the Rock of Eternity, although I checked the sins and it wasn’t the voice of any of them. So there is still that mystery, and Princess Taia said to me that Evil was closer than I knew. And what was that voice that was talking to me? What in tarnation does that mean anyways? Billy was supposed to be studying for a test that Friday in Algebra and Mr. Krieger would have his head if he didn’t pass it, but Billy was finding it hard to concentrate on anything but the mysteries at hand.

Billy looked over to his dresser and stared at a picture of his parents and sighed, “I wish you were still here; I could use both of you here to help me deal with this.”

There was a knock on the door and Billy looked up. “Billy, it’s me, Mary. Can I come in? I need to talk to you; it’s about Freddy,” Mary said from the other side of the door.

“Yeah, come in. It’s not locked.” Billy sighed. He hadn’t spoken to Freddy in a few days; not since he’d seen him run off to continue his investigation into the homeless killings. Freddy was looking for whoever was responsible for what was happening in the Barrows, and Billy trusted in his best friend’s ability to resolve that situation.

Mary entered the room and sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands entwined together, looking down at Billy. “Billy, I am really worried about Freddy…something’s wrong. He missed two days of school and when I went to Wormwood after school, he refused to come down to see me. Do you know what’s going on with him?” Mary asked with a worried tone in her voice about the boy that she hoped would one day be her boyfriend.

Billy looked up at Mary with an almost blank look on his face; he hadn’t realized that Freddy had missed the last two days of school. “Maybe he isn’t feeling well?” Billy said.

“You didn’t even realize he hadn’t been in school, did you?” Mary said with a raised tone to her voice and anger in her eyes. “What’s been going on with you too, Billy. You seemed to be very distracted at school and now this.”

“Sorry, Mary, I’ve been a bit preoccupied as of late,” Billy said as he looked over at Mary and shrugged. He lay there staring up at Mary and realized how much she actually cared about Freddy. Before he could tell her something to ease her concerns, he was interrupted by his police scanner: Attention all units, attention all units…there is a 211 in progress at First National. I repeat we have a 211 in progress at the First National. Suspects are armed and extremely dangerous…use extreme caution.

Billy wanted to go to the First National, but he realized that he would have to figure out a way to explain to Mary just what was going on. He looked at Mary and shrugged his shoulders. “Mary, no matter what happens, I will explain everything soon, I promise,” he said as he ran out of his room into the backyard. Mary was caught by surprise but followed after her friend. Just as she ran past Billy’s Uncle Dudley in the kitchen, she saw, through the kitchen window, Billy looking up towards the sky, bathed in a brilliant bolt of lightning as she heard him shouting, “SHAZAM!” She left the kitchen, exited the house, and saw before her very eyes…Billy Batson transformed into the World’s Mightiest Mortal: Captain Marvel. The Big Red Cheese turned and saw Mary; he just said, “I’ll tell you everything later.”

Mary was in shock and awe as she saw Fawcett City’s protector fly away. Uncle Dudley came outside and saw Captain Marvel fly away, leaving Mary standing star-struck in the backyard. “Well, little one, I’ve got some freshly-made lemonade and chocolate chip cookies if you would like some, and I think you best come inside now,” Uncle Dudley said to Mary in an even tone.





Outside the bank, the police cruisers were screeching to a halt around the perimeter of the bank. Major Sheppard was there. He looked around and saw Sergeant Cermack talking to Lieutenant Villalobos. He walked over to the two and asked them, “Well, gentlemen, what’s the situation here?”

Lieutenant Villalobos looked over at Major Sheppard and nodded towards the bank. “Well, sir, from what we were able to get from the bank’s surveillance cameras, there are at least four gunmen in there with about thirty or so hostages. They only want to talk with our ‘boss’, and that would be you, sir.”

Major Sheppard patted the Lieutenant on the shoulder. “Thanks, Ramon, for the heads up.”

Lieutenant Villalobos replied, “Better you than me. I just made Lieutenant and I don’t need something like this going wrong on my record.”

Mayor Sheppard looked at his lieutenant with an arched left eyebrow and a tilted head, before he turned his attention towards the bank. Grabbing a bullhorn, he first cleared his throat and then started talking, “This is the FCPD. We want you to come out with your hands up. You are surrounded and there is no way to escape.”

A few seconds later there were several shots fired out of the bank towards the police officers. They all quickly ducked behind their cruisers for cover.

“DAG NAB IT!” Sheppard yelled as he ducked behind his cruiser. “Boy, these guys are getting on my nerves.”

Sergeant Cermack smiled. “Yes, sir, they are, and just think, the day has only just started,” he said, and in return received a glare from Major Sheppard.

“Dude, you just don’t think do you?” Lieutenant Villalobos said to Sergeant Cermack as they ducked behind the same cruiser.

Sergeant Cermack just shrugged his shoulders. “Well, Major, what do you think we should do, sir?” he asked Major Sheppard.

“A good question, Sergeant.” Major Sheppard looked towards Lieutenant Villalobos and asked, “Lieutenant, do you have any idea what the ETA on SWAT is?”

“Sir, SWAT is just about in position over the building in the chopper. Jay Mack and his boys are about five minutes away,” Lieutenant Villalobos answered Major Sheppard.

“So, we wait for the SWAT boys to do their jobs and we can call it a day.”

And then suddenly Captain Marvel landed behind the commanding officer. “Major Sheppard, can I be of some help?” the Big Red Cheese asked with a polite smile.

“Oh yeah, Captain Marvel, most definitely. There are at least four gunmen in the bank that we know of and they have everyone that was in the bank as hostages. We are getting ready to send the SWAT team in through the roof and through the front door with some flash-bangs, but I’d like to end this with little or no loss of life,” Sheppard explained to Captain Marvel.

Captain Marvel nodded in agreement and then turned to face the building. With the speed of Mercury, he entered it and disarmed the criminals. With the strength of Hercules, he was able to bend and tie their assault rifles around them all, before depositing them outside the bank. “Here you go, Major Sheppard… Sorry I wasn’t able to put a ribbon on them.”

There were cheers and shouts all around for Captain Marvel from the police officers on the scene and from the former hostages as they exited the bank. Captain Marvel just smiled and waved as he was about to fly away. Major Sheppard managed to catch his attention and waved him down.

“Thank you so much, Captain Marvel; we really do appreciate this. But before you fly away, I wanted to know if you recognize that compound in the person’s blood sample?”^*

Captain Marvel looked at Major Sheppard and nodded his head. “Actually Major, I did. It’s called DMZ. It is a chemical that can only be created by certain demons,” he said to Major Sheppard.

“Really? Wow, so what in God’s creation would a demon want with our city’s homeless population?” Major Sheppard asked aloud.

“That, Major Sheppard, is only one of many questions that we’ve got to answer to figure out what is truly going on in Fawcett City,” Captain Marvel replied to Sheppard.

Captain Marvel started to float upwards as he said to Sheppard, “I’ve got to go, but I’ll be here whenever you need me.”


^* Shazam #12





In a dark basement room, where the walls were made out of black marble, sat two golden thrones atop a raised pedestal. Behind the golden thrones were two dragon-men, one with a sword hanging from its hip, the other with a battle axe hanging there. They both had their large muscular arms crossed over their massive dark gray scaled chests. On the floor, on his knees, before them was a man who wore a deep green robe with silver inlaid symbols.

All of a sudden there was a deep-colored shimmer and then a teenage boy appeared. He wore a deep navy blue uniform that was transforming into a form-fitting costume with a nearly blood red thunderbolt on his chest. The dragon-men reached for their weapons at their hips and charged at the intruder, but he was no ordinary individual; he was Freddy Freeman, Kid Marvel, the partner of Fawcett City’s protector…Captain Marvel. He smiled wickedly and raised one hand towards one of the dragon-men and hellfire flames shot out from his hand knocking the dragon-man back against the wall, knocking him out. The other saw what had just happened and raised his battle axe and charged at Freddy, who just continued to smile. Freddy raised his other hand and lightning bolts streamed out from his hand hitting the dragon-man square in the chest. Freddy fried him to nothing more than black char and bones. The battle axe fell and clanged against the black marble floor with a spark.

Freddy turned and saw the man who knelt on the floor. He walked over to him and stood in front of him. The man looked up frightened at the sheer brutality of Freddy’s actions. “What’sss going o-…” he croaked out as Freddy grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up off the ground with the strength of Hercules.

“What’s happening to me?” Freddy yelled, with red sparks of lightning coming out of the corners of his eyes, as he stared at man in the robe.

The man tried to talk but was barely able to speak, his mouth moving but no sound escaping his lips. Freddy was so enraged that he threw the man across the room. The impact of the man hitting the marbled wall left the wall shattered as he crumpled to the ground. Freddy walked over to him and again picked him up by the collar of his emerald green robe.

“I’ll only ask you…one…more…time, what’s happening to me?” he asked again.

The hood of the robe had fallen back revealing to Freddy the man’s face, which was covered in green scaled hide instead of skin. The man’s hands moved quickly to pull the hood back up over his head to hide his green scaled hide.

Freddy took a step back in horror and again yelled at the man, “What’s happening to me and what the heck are you?”

The green scaled man stood up and rubbed his throat as he looked at an enraged Freddy. “I am Dragon King and we ssserve the sssame massster. I am hisss thrall. All you need to do isss call out hisss name and you will…learn everything you need to…know,” Dragon King said as he coughed while rubbing at his throat some more.

On the other side of the room, the remaining dragon-man recovered but was holding his left arm. He saw on the ground a pile of ashes and bones. This dragon-man grabbed the fallen battle axe of the other dragon-man and started to charge at Freddy till Dragon King held up his hand at him. “No…ssstop. It isss alright…he belongsss here,” the Dragon King croaked out. The remaining dragon-man stopped in its tracks and stared at the King Dragon.

Freddy looked at both Dragon King and the dragon-man and said, “I belong here?”

Freddy turned as he looked around. The room that he was in resembled the room that he entered at that estate on the west side of Fawcett City. He once again saw the two golden thrones and a smile slowly crept across his face. He felt the urge, the compulsion to say something…





The Wizard Shazam was looking into the historama and he sighed. He felt his heart breaking.

“See, old man, I told you that you were too late. Your powers are corrupted and he is now mine to do with as I please. All he has to do is say MY name,” the disembodied voice said and once again the sinister laugh rang throughout the Rock of Eternity.

“There is always hope…” the wizard said as he sat back in his stone throne, sickened by the corruption that had taken hold of young Freddy Freeman.

“See, even your other two champions are being corrupted by the one,” the voice said. “Which is more important, old man, the lives of the one or the many?” the voice asked the wizard in a mocking tone.





The soldiers of Amon Syrd came upon the newly-created gardens and the people that had been working alongside Black Adam, Isis, and Caesar. The citizens heard the pounding of many booted feet and, once they saw the soldiers coming over the horizon, they all scattered, hoping they would be able to survive what terrible horror they knew was approaching them.

The soldiers started firing their guns and rockets toward the newly-built buildings. They burnt the newly-grown gardens till they were ashes. Woman, men and children were chased down and either beaten or killed by the soldiers of the ruthless dictator. It was utter destruction and something that Amon Syrd had decided to do to show the people of Khandaq that he was their ruler and that he controlled their fates. He controlled their lives with fear and violence. And he had done so for many years…unopposed.





It had been three millennia since he’d last set foot in the Rock of Eternity. And it had been almost as long since the Wizard had been forced to imprison Teth-Adam within the ancient scarab. Egypt’s former protector had entered the main chamber room where the wizard sat. “What is corrupting the powers, old man?” Adam demanded as he stood firmly with his fists on his hips and a determined look on his face.

“Oh look, old man, your very first champion. Oh, how quaint that you return here after so very long. It should be you that is by my side, Teth-Adam,” the voice said.

“YOU! What? I will never serve you. I didn’t in Egypt and I certainly will not do so now.” Adam turned and looked at the wizard. “How can you allow this to happen? He will turn the power into something for his own ends and you sit here and allow it to happen? You must stop him,” Black Adam said.

“He can’t stop me, Teth-Adam, you of all people should know that. Dear old daddy won’t lift a finger to stop me now, would you, daddy?” the disembodied voice said to Black Adam.

“SHOW YOURSELF…” Black Adam shouted out.

“Oh now, now, Teth-Adam, all in good time. Remember, Teth-Adam, everything happens for a reason and to all things the world must turn,” the voice said.

Black Adam looked at the wizard. “Speak in riddles no more and face me, coward. Face the righteous fury of Black Adam,” Black Adam shouted, directing his anger towards the unknown voice.

“Tsk, Tsk, Teth-Adam. Now, daddy wouldn’t give that away. Now, Teth-Adam, you’re on a righteous path and you must play fairly. It just wouldn’t be right for a father to reveal his son’s plans, now would it? And just like that he couldn’t protect his latest champion from anything either. Oh, poor Captain Marvel, the powers of the Gods given to an ignorant child,” the voice said.

“Only a coward hides and refuses to show themselves. You hide, for you fear the might of Black Adam. And I need not the wizard’s assistance to discover your identity,” Black Adam announced defiantly to his disembodied adversary.

“Oh, Teth-Adam, you were always over-confident and put too much faith in your Gods. For knowing my identity and the ability to stop what I have set into motion are two different things. I assure you, little Teth-Adam, you will not be able to stop me. You couldn’t even save your own family when they needed you the most, could you? I’m afraid not, my long time ‘friend’ Teth-Adam, and just like then you won’t be able to stop anything,” the voice said.

“What?” Teth-Adam’s eyes were filled with rage. “You will fall and knee before me and beg that I mercifully end your existence once and for all,” and with the speed of Heru, Black Adam left the Rock of Eternity to the sounds of a sinister laughter echoing throughout the ancient Wizard’s home.





The first rays of sunshine were just hitting the small rural homes of this small town. Inside one of these small homes, stood a young man named Julio Caesar Rodriguez, known to some as the arrogant young mage, Caesar. It had been some time since he’d had to journey to this island of his birth, but he was looking for solace for his soul; he’d come to Puerto Rico for Anita Fernandez. He stood silently in front of an open window with his eyes closed and his hands behind the small of his back. He wore just a pair of black dress pants with black shoes, and his shoulder-length hair was down. On his bare chest lay a golden cross with a ruby in the center that was reflecting the morning sun. His head was slightly titled back and his breathing was steady and even. Suddenly he inhaled the strong and welcome aroma of coffee. He turned and looked behind him to see his hostess, wearing loose-fitting purple sweatpants and a purple tank top over her petite body. Her long straight black hair was tied back as she smiled at her friend. Her tanned complexion radiated the kindness that Caesar always saw whenever he came to visit his fifteen-year-old friend. She had, in her hands, two hot cups of coffee. “I guess you read my mind, huh,” Caesar said with a smile on his face.

Caesar leaned in and gave her a kiss on her forehead as he grabbed a cup of coffee from her hand. As his lips pressed against her forehead, she closed her eyes and smiled warmly at his gesture of affection. He whispered to her, “I’m sorry I missed your quinceanera a few months ago.”

She whispered a reply back to him, “Well, you were in Metropolis recovering from a broken arm and a broken ego.”

He smiled and took a sip of his coffee as he turned away from her. She too took a sip of her coffee and said to Caesar, “So, are you going to talk to me about Estella or do I have to read your thoughts?”

Caesar looked back at Anita with a smile on his face and replied, “All you’re going to get are images of Zatanna in a…”

Anita interrupted him before he could finish his sentence with two fingers over his lips. She said, “When are you ever going to stop with the bravado and arrogance? I’m not one of your groupie fans from Vegas, or one of those hero-types that you’ve been hanging around with lately. I know you better than anyone else. You may think that you’re a big league magician like Zatanna, but you still are just Julio to me.”

Anita caressed his face as his eyes closed and he turned his face into her hand. “It’s been so hard with Estella in that mystical coma and knowing that it’s because of me that she is like that. Every time I think I have a spell that’ll wake her up, it just proves to be another failure,” Caesar said to her, his voice cracking from the emotional guilt that he felt for his sister’s condition.

He moved away from Anita as he tried to regain his composure, although his eyes were welling up with tears. “Another lesson to be learned, Anita: Magic always comes at a price.”

Suddenly Caesar felt a dark presence behind him; a presence that he knew was connected to his sister’s condition. He turned and quickly moved Anita behind himself as a flaming doorway appeared. Casually stepping through the doorway was a figure that Caesar knew all too well. The figure wore a white suit with a red tie. His demonic smile revealed his jagged teeth. He had short blond hair and his skin was very pale. Before them stood the Ruler and Lord of Hell himself: NERON.

Caesar and Anita stood before the devil himself. Fear could easily be seen in her eyes as she stood behind Caesar. Neron’s blood-red eyes narrowed at the sight of both of them. The flaming doorway disappeared behind Neron as he spoke to Caesar, “Listen carefully, my young mage, for the balance of all things is tipping and not in my favor.”





Black Adam stood atop Fawcett Tower, the tallest building in Fawcett City. “Oh, Isis, where are you, my love? I could use your calming presence now,” he said into the wind.

“She is searching for new resting spots for the artifacts of Ma’at, Teth-Adam. I was sent to assist you in her absence,” Ibis said as he bowed to Black Adam in a show of respect.

“I am not so sure you can help, Amentep,” Black Adam replied as he stared out into the horizon as he attempted to quell his anger.

“You know there was a time you and I were once friends,” Ibis said to Black Adam, who simply nodded his head.

“That was long ago and it is not good to dwell on the past, Amentep,” Black Adam said plainly and continued to speak. “Powers of the wizard are being corrupted by an ancient evil. It is an evil that has gotten a hold of one of his current champions. The wizard is unable or unwilling to banish this evil. So I will do what he will not do.”

“This ancient evil that you speak of is…”

Black Adam interrupted Amentep, “Yes, the bastard son of the wizard is responsible for all the corruption of his powers.”

Ibis’s face spoke volumes with shock. “Then the rise of the Mummy^* was actually his doing. We must contact…”

Black Adam interrupted Ibis once again, “He has manipulated many things and now he is ever so close to entering this plane of existence.”

“Then we have not a moment to spare…I shall find Captain Marvel and he can help us prevent the ancient evil from completing his nefarious plan.” Just as Ibis finished his statement, he tapped his Ibistick on the ground, and, with a flash of light, Ibis the Invincible disappeared from Black Adam’s sight.


^* Shazam #3





Mary sat at the kitchen table across from Uncle Dudley. Moments ago, she had found out that her best friend was actually the alter ego of Fawcett City’s greatest hero, the World’s Mightiest Mortal, Captain Marvel. Uncle Dudley finished his plate of chocolate chip cookies and a tall glass of lemonade as he noticed that Mary had yet to touch refreshments. He stood up and placed his plate and tall glass cup in the sink. He stood at the kitchen sink with his head hung low, trying to figure what words to be said to comfort this young lady. Suddenly he was broken out of his thoughts by a flash of lightning that came from the backyard. “Well, I guess I’ll leave you two to have your chat,” Uncle Dudley said to Mary as he left the kitchen, clutching a hand towel.

Billy sat down at the kitchen table directly across from Mary and said, “Well, Mary, I don’t know what’s going through your head at this moment. I know that this was the hardest thing to keep from you. But I guess it’s one of the rules of being a superhero.”

Mary finally spoke up, “Well, this explains why you are always disappearing so much. But if you are Captain Marvel…that means that Kid Marvel is…Freddy Freeman.”

Billy started to rub the back of his head as he just nodded, acknowledging her suspicion. His head turned away from her. Mary reached out and grabbed Billy’s hand and gently squeezed it.

“I understand why you kept this from me. I guess deep down inside I’ve always known.”

A moment later, Ibis the Invincible appeared in a flash of white light. “Good day to you, William. Good day to you, Mary,” he said as his eyes turned and focused on Billy. “The assistance of your friend is needed, William.”

“It’s alright, Ibis. Mary knows now,” Billy replied and then Ibis smiled at Mary.

“You must remember to keep the secret well-hidden, Mary. I am sure you can imagine what might happen if the secret of Captain Marvel were ever to be made public.” Ibis spoke to Mary in a serious-mannered voice.

Mary nodded her head and said, “Oh yes, sir, I know. I promise that I won’t tell a single soul.”

Uncle Dudley entered the kitchen as Billy and Ibis were about to leave out of the backdoor. Billy stopped and looked at Mary as he asked his uncle, “Uncle Dudley, can you give Mary a ride home, me and Mr. Ibis have to take care of some other business.”

Mary turned and gave Billy a great big hug and whispered to him, “Be careful.”

“I will.”

Billy looked around before he spoke the wizard’s name, and a bolt of lightning came crashing down onto Billy Batson, transforming him once again into Fawcett City’s champion, Captain Marvel. Mary and Uncle Dudley had covered their eyes as the lightning bolt had engulfed Billy Batson, and afterwards, uncovering them, Mary found herself in awe at the sight of Captain Marvel, while Uncle Dudley was, as always, just proud of the legacy that his nephew was carrying on. They both saw Ibis raise his Ibistick and suddenly the heroes disappeared in a flash of white light.





The Dragon King was again on his knees with a large black stone on the floor in front of him. Freddy sat on the smaller of the two golden thrones; the remaining dragon-man was standing behind Freddy with one of its clawed hands resting on the hilt of the battle axe and the other arm hung by its side.

Dragon King was chanting some ancient archaic words. There was a feeling of controlled power in the room and then a voice was heard. “Massster, we have finally found it. The heart of Darknessssss is finally ourssss,” Dragon King said.

“Beautiful slave, when my champion says my name, give him the heart of Darkness,” the disembodied voice said and then it was gone.

The Dragon King looked up at the pedestal and saw Kid Marvel sitting there, on the smaller of the two golden thrones. He just sat there with his fist under his chin. His skin was pale and his eyes seemed to be changing to a deep crimson in color. His uniform was such a deep navy blue that it appeared to be black with the thunderbolt upon his chest no longer shining a bright gold, but having tints of red like his eyes. His cape appeared warped, tattered and disgustingly dirty. He sat there contemplating what to do.

Dragon King looked up at Kid Marvel and smiled. “All you have to do is say hisss name,” he said as he waited for Kid Marvel to act upon the impulses that were within him.

Kid Marvel stood up, a wicked smile crossed his face, and his eyes began to glow brightly. There was a feeling of calmness in the room, like the calm before the storm. He raised his hands above his head, his palms turned outwards, and then raised his head upwards.





Black Adam was standing there pacing on top of Fawcett Tower, when suddenly there was a flash of white light, and there, now standing in front of him, were Ibis the Invincible and Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel looked at Black Adam with wide eyes. “What’s this about, Ibis?” he asked in an angry tone.

Ibis stood between Black Adam and Captain Marvel with his hands up, and said, “Captain Marvel, Black Adam on this day is not your enemy.”

“No, Captain Marvel, I have not come to fight you, for there is a greater danger out there that threatens more than you and I this day. The bastard son of the wizard is about to enter our realm and we must put our past differences aside and stop him. If he is allowed to walk into this realm again, the boundaries between hell and this world will be broken.” Black Adam spoke in a serious even tone.

Captain Marvel looked at Black Adam with stunned eyes. Through the Wisdom of Solomon, he knew that what Black Adam was saying was the truth. Captain Marvel looked at Ibis, who simply nodded at Captain Marvel as he spoke, “It is true, Captain Marvel, the wizard Shazam had two children. They are both demons. Both are evil and both seek the destruction of the earth by bringing hell to all four corners of the world. If they were to ever walk our plane of existence, the heavens would rain blood and all of humanity would be lost.” Ibis finished as Black Adam nodded his head in agreement.

“So how do we prevent this from happening?” Captain Marvel asked.

“We can’t. He has already tainted the wizard’s powers and now I know how,” Black Adam replied to Captain Marvel’s query.

Captain Marvel looked at Black Adam with a befuddled expression, “How can the wizard’s powers be tainted?”

“By one that is empowered by his name. Since neither you nor I are tainted, there is but one left unaccounted for.”

Captain Marvel’s eyes widened to the size of silver dollar coins and whispered, “Freddy.”

“Yes, your partner. The one called Kid Marvel is the cause of the corruption of the wizard’s powers. We must not hesitate any longer; we must find him and destroy him,” Black Adam said to Captain Marvel with conviction in his voice.

“How could Kid Marvel be tainted by this evil that you’re talking about?” Captain Marvel asked.

Ibis began to speak as both Black Adam and Captain Marvel listened carefully, “Remember some time ago, Captain Marvel, when the Mad Mummy rose. Am I right in thinking that Frederick Freeman was in the sarcophagus, giving that creature his life’s energy?” Ibis asked and Captain Marvel nodded in a silent reply.

Ibis continued, “The only conclusion is that when he was inside the Mad Mummy’s sarcophagus, he was infused with the evil that is corrupting the powers of the wizard.”

Captain Marvel’s head was hung low as he turned away from both Ibis and Black Adam. Ibis placed his hand on one of Captain Marvel’s broad shoulders and said, “You understand the how, Captain Marvel, but if either of the wizard’s children were to wrestle control of hell from Neron, they would not stop at simply ruling hell. They would breach the barriers between the realms; they would seek to bring hell to our world.”

Captain Marvel turned to face Ibis and Black Adam with determination in his eyes as Black Adam said to the Big Red Cheese, “We must stop them, no matter what the cost is, Captain Marvel; we are the world’s only hope.”

“So, we’ve got to find Freddy and stop the wizard’s kids from raising hell,” Captain Marvel said as he slammed his fist into his hand.

A bright purple light flashed and suddenly, standing before Captain Marvel, Black Adam and Ibis, was the arrogant mage, Caesar. Standing with him was a short female who wore a metallic gold form-fitting costume with golden-colored flared boots and gloves, while the remaining parts of her outfit - a half shirt, a skirt,. and a mask that covered her facial features – were all colored purple with gold-trimming.

Captain Marvel and Black Adam knew Caesar but his companion was unknown to them. But before either of them could question Caesar, he raised his hand and said to them all, “Normally I would’ve been stunned to see you two together and not at each other’s throats, but seeing this gathering tells me that you’re all ready to fight that sidekick of yours.”

The female dressed in purple and gold smacked Caesar’s shoulder. He looked back at his companion with a look of shock that she’d hit him. “What?!?”

Caesar quickly turned back to Captain Marvel and said, “I’m sorry for coming off disrespectful about this situation. Time is running out and I know where to find Kid Marvel.”





Kid Marvel stood on the raised platform in front of the small golden throne. His arms raised high above his head and a wicked smile on his face. He looked down at the Dragon King, who was smiling eagerly. “Yesss, sssay hisss name. Sssay hisss name,” he whispered over and over again, urging Freddy to say the name of their master.

There was a loud BOOM and then deep-crimson flames built a circle around Kid Marvel where he stood. The smile on his face broadened wide as the crimson flames closed in around him. “Yes…I feel it…I feel the power…I call forth the power in his name.” Kid Marvel called out with a loud booming voice, “SATANNUS!”

From behind the remaining dragon-man, Captain Marvel quickly appeared, along with his companions . The dragon-man turned to look behind and saw the enemies of his master. Before it could react, Black Adam ripped its head off. Just as the body of the headless dragon-man fell slowly to the floor, the crimson flames finally died out. Dragon King turned and faced the enemies of his master and said with conviction in his voice, “You are all too late…Kid Marvel is no more…He has spoken his name and is now the thrall of our Lord Satannus!”

Freddy Freeman stood before them all, but he was no longer Kid Marvel, the teenage sidekick of Captain Marvel. He was now transformed into the thrall of Satannus, wearing a form-fitting jet-black costume, a blood-red thunderbolt across its chest, and his eyes were glowing crimson and his skin was pale white as if all the life had been drained out of him.

Captain Marvel put his hand on his chest, over his heart, as he felt a deep pain within at the sight of his best friend. He had lost him to the evil that was hidden within him. “Oh no…Freddy…no,” was all that Captain Marvel could whisper to himself.





The ancient wizard sat in pain in his stone chair as he looked through the mist and saw all that was transpiring. He looked over to the stone statue of his son Satannus. Crimson light suddenly started to seep out of the cracks in the stone. The wizard looked over at the cracking statue with sickly eyes and simply whispered, “Victory is not guaranteed…you will taste the bitter sweet nectar of defeat.”

To Be Concluded!



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