A Friend’s Promise

Rebecca paced outside James's apartment, chewing on her lower lip as she glanced at her phone. Her thumb hovered over a text she had written: Where are you? Are you okay? She hesitated, her mind racing with everything that had happened.

After the battle with Elias, James—no, Shazam—was everywhere. The news showed blurry footage of the fight: James blasting lightning through the sky, streets torn apart, and magic swirling around. Every outlet speculated wildly about who he was. Some called him a hero. Others branded him a monster. A few even suggested he was some kind of god sent to save—or doom—them.

Elias Kain? Not one single person had anything good to say about him. He was a proper villain, through and through, which was a small comfort.

And then there was SHIELD.

She thought back to her conversation with Agent Coulson, the polite but persistent man in the suit who seemed too calm for someone dealing with superhuman threats. She was still annoyed about him keeping his identity hidden in the temple, and now he was back, asking her for answers. His approach wasn't doing him any favors in her eyes.

"We just want to help your friend," Coulson had said, his eyes as unreadable as ever. "But if James is a danger to himself or others, we need to know."

Rebecca didn't buy that for a second. She'd seen enough stories to know that government agencies claiming to help often ended with people locked away in places no one ever found. There was no way she would hand James over to them.

Now, standing in front of his apartment door, she noticed it was slightly ajar. Her heart skipped a beat, and she shoved it open.

"James?" she called, stepping inside.

Instead of finding James battered and resting on the couch, she heard the clatter of glass bottles in the kitchen. She crept closer, her worry twisting into irritation as she peeked around the corner.

Marcus was digging through the fridge, holding up a half-empty soda with a victorious grin. "Oh hey, Rebecca! Want some chips or something? James's snacks are awful, by the way. Guy has like, three yogurt cups and expired milk."

Rebecca exhaled, half-relieved, half-annoyed. "Marcus? What the hell are you doing here?"

Marcus grinned shamelessly. "Making myself at home. Thought James would be here after, you know—" He gestured vaguely toward the TV, where news anchors still analyzed the destruction from the battle. "—that."

Rebecca crossed her arms, watching him shove a handful of pretzels into his mouth. "And you just broke into his apartment?"

Marcus grinned. "Nah, the door was already open. Which is... probably not great." He tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly. "Anyway, you two good? I mean, I heard from James about the shadow-attack scene. Pretty intense moment, huh? Did you really kiss him?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and folded her arms tighter, trying to hide the warmth creeping into her cheeks. "Not your business, Marcus."

He smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Whatever you say."

Rebecca leaned against the counter, her expression darkening as the TV in the background replayed blurry footage of James—Shazam—flying around. Lightning cracked across the sky, and the camera caught just enough to make him look terrifying. She shook her head, her voice low. "Everyone's talking about him. They don't even know who he is, and they're already turning him into some... thing. He's all alone out there."

Marcus dropped the playfulness, sensing the shift in her tone. "Yeah," he said quietly, his easygoing demeanor slipping for just a moment. "It's messed up. I don't think James even wanted this. Not like this."

Rebecca ran her hands through her hair, frustrated. "And now SHIELD is sniffing around, acting like they just want to help, but... I don't trust them. Not with him."

Marcus leaned back against the counter, folding his arms. "SHIELD? What the hell is that supposed to be?"

Rebecca huffed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "A secret government agency with too much power and not enough boundaries. They stick their noses where they don't belong and call it 'keeping the world safe.'"

Marcus raised a brow, his skepticism clear. "So... like, the feds, but worse?"

"Exactly," Rebecca muttered, exasperated. "They act like they want to help, but it's more like contain and control. And right now? James is on their radar."

Marcus exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Man, when we first found out about his powers, we were both hyped, like it was the coolest thing ever. Now? I'm starting to think we should've just stuck to working at Tech Haven and called it a day."

"Those were the days, huh?" Rebecca muttered, massaging her temples as a headache began to creep in.

Marcus leaned against the counter, his expression shifting to concern. "So, what's the move? 'Cause these SHIELD guys... they're not just gonna pack up and leave."

Rebecca glanced at him, grateful he wasn't panicking. James was lucky to have a friend like Marcus—someone who could joke around even when the world felt like it was falling apart. If there was anyone she could trust with this, it was him.

"We need to find James before they do," she said firmly. "God knows where he is. If they see him as a threat—"

Marcus finished the thought grimly. "They'll take him out."

They both stood in heavy silence, letting the weight of that possibility settle over them.

Rebecca pushed off the counter, determination burning in her chest. "We need to find him first."

Marcus nodded. "Alright. Any ideas where he'd go?"

Rebecca thought for a moment. "There's only one place I can think of."

Marcus raised a brow. "You're not about to say some super-secret mystical temple or something, right?"

Rebecca gave him a grim smile. "Actually... yeah. That's exactly what I'm saying."

Marcus blinked, momentarily stunned, then let out a low whistle. "Man... my life used to be so normal. Funny thing is, I was actually thinking about checking out that temple after our last call."

Rebecca grabbed her coat and gestured for Marcus to follow. "Come on. If we're right, James is probably back at that temple. And if we don't get to him before SHIELD or Elias does..."

Marcus didn't need her to finish the sentence. He grabbed the last pretzel from the bag, shoved it in his mouth, and followed her out the door.

"Alright, Rebecca," Marcus said, trying to sound upbeat even though worry gnawed at him. "Lead the way. Time to save our boy."

---

Chapter: Reflections of Power

James stepped into the mirror dimension, a place that felt more like a fever dream than a reality. The skyline before him was a warped echo of New York City, where skyscrapers floated at odd angles, their surfaces shimmering like oil on water. The sky shifted colours—greens, purples, and fiery oranges swirling in a dance that made him question his sanity.

"Is this… real?" he asked, feeling a knot of anxiety tightening in his stomach as he scanned the surreal environment. The ground beneath him felt solid, but the defiance of physics surrounding him was unsettling.

Elaria stood beside him, a small smile on her lips. "Welcome to the mirror dimension. Here, the rules of reality don't apply like they do outside. It's a safe place for you to train."

"Safe? This looks like a scene from a horror movie," he replied, trying to suppress the unease creeping into his voice. "What exactly are we doing here?"

"This dimension allows us to push your limits without real-world consequences. You need to learn to control your powers if you're going to stand against Elias Kain," Elaria explained, her tone shifting from playful to serious.

Taking a deep breath, James tried to center himself. "Alright, I guess. I am ready."

Elaria turned to him, her expression hardening. "Good. First, you need to transform. Go ahead."

James nodded, bracing himself. "SHAZAM!"

Lightning crackled around him as he transformed into the superhero, a surge of power flooding his veins. The familiar thrill was overshadowed by the weight of responsibility. This wasn't just about flashy powers; it was about learning to control them.

"Now, let's see what you can do," Elaria instructed, her gaze unwavering.

"Okay. What's the plan?" James asked, his voice steady but laced with tension.

"Let's start simple. Get ready." Without warning, Elaria conjured two massive buildings from the surrounding landscape and sent them crashing down toward him.

"Holy—!" he shouted, barely managing to dodge the falling structures. The ground trembled under the impact, debris scattering everywhere.

Shazam emerged from the wreckage, shaken but physically intact. The realization that he could have been crushed rattled him more than he wanted to admit.

Elaria stood nearby, arms crossed, watching him with an amused expression. "Welcome to your first lesson. Here, you can unleash your full power and learn how to control it."

"Did you really have to drop two buildings on me?" he said, still catching his breath, his heart racing from both the near-miss and the abrupt shift in his training.

"Absolutely," she replied, not bothering to hide her amusement. "You need to learn to expect the unexpected. Power is one thing; control is another. Besides, it wouldn't have really hurt you—much."

James took a moment to steady himself, the energy still thrumming through his veins. "Okay... Not exactly okay, but you get the idea."

"Good. Show me what you've got." Elaria raised her hands, summoning swirling energy around her.

He launched himself upward, flying high above the distorted landscape. "Just try not to kill me," he thought, apprehension still nagging at him.

As he soared, he glanced down at Elaria, who was now surrounded by a series of illusions, each mirroring her movements. "Let's see if you can find the real me," she challenged, her smile teasing.

"Okay, wait. This is bizarre—" Shazam muttered. Suddenly, a rope of swirling orange energy wrapped around his feet, tugging him downward.

"Seriously?" he grunted, shaking off the strange bindings. He wasn't about to let an illusion take him down that easily.

"Nice try!" Elaria called, her voice echoing in the bizarre landscape. But before he could react, he felt a sudden chill down his spine. The Statue of Liberty, rendered in surreal detail, plummeted toward him.

"Motherf—!" he shouted, bracing himself as the massive structure crashed down.

BOOM!

Dust and debris blasted everywhere, forcing him to claw his way out of the wreckage. He took a second to catch his breath, heart still racing. Shaken but in one piece, he muttered to himself, "Yeah... that was way too close to call just a spar." his heart raced as he shot back into the air.

Elaria's illusions began to close in around him, and he focused his energy, adopting a fighting stance. "Time to take this seriously," he said, as he charged forward.

With swift, deliberate movements, Shazam unleashed a series of punches and energy blasts at the illusions. Each strike sent a shockwave through the air, breaking the mirages apart with a satisfying burst of light.

Adrenaline surged through James, but underneath it simmered a growing realization: this was just the beginning. He was still figuring out who he was—both as James and as Shazam. The real challenges were yet to come, and if he was going to face them, he'd have to be ready for whatever came next.

As he landed, breathless but steady, Elaria clapped, a spark of approval in her eyes. "There we go. Keep pushing—you've got a lot more in you."

He nodded, resolve settling deep within him. This was about his future—and there was no way he could back out now.

---

Chapter ends...