Captain Marvel #6
Genesis Part 6 of 6
Astarte lowers herself down from the ravaged high-rise to the giant crater in the courtyard. Her lips curl into a sneer as she watches Captain Marvel crawling on his hands and knees trying to get his bearings.
"What's the matter Billy-boy? Why not let Atum out to play."
She kicks Captain Marvel in the ribs and he flies into another tenement nearby with a huge plume of dust and debris.
"This pathetic fool Old Man? This is your herald?"
She tips her head back and cackles. Her body contorts and starts to grow. She starts getting larger and larger. Her skin turns pale and then blue. Her eyes emit a blue light. She grows taller than the tenement building itself.
"Come on now Captain and let little Atum out."
The dust settles and Captain Marvel is standing tall in the rubble. She smirks at this. Then opens her right palm and smashes it down on top of The Captain. "Uggghhh" He groans as she pulls her hand back up. She tilts her head back and starts cackling again. He lay there with one eye open watching this titan Astarte.
Hundreds of people are lining the street screaming and yelling. Some are taking pictures. Captain Marvel lies on the bottom of the crater. He looks up at the gigantic Astarte with one eye. He can feel a blackout coming on. Tunnel-vision starts to set in. Astarte starts laughing and tearing apartment buildings apart. She throws a roof in one direction and swats a few cars in another.
"Hurry my love!" She sings. "We have such destruction to wreak!"
He feels another headache coming on. You can control this Billy. Remember what I have told you. You were destined to be my Champion. This is nothing you can't handle.
Captain Marvel lay there for a moment. His vision normalizing. The headache starts to subside. He picks himself up. He can feel the power returning to his body. He lifts his head up and the sun shines brightly across Billy Batson's chiseled face. Blood starts dripping from his nose. He wipes his nose with his hand.
"Blood." He almost sounds surprised.
He looks back up at Astarte who is giggling in a high pitched squeal.
"Fine! I guess I am just going to have to rip him out of you!" she cackles.
Astarte lashes out with her hand trying to smash our hero. Captain Marvel jumps out of the way police rolling to a stance. He quickly turns and motions out with both of her arms in the direction of her face. Instantly, large chunks of the building and rocks from the ground are hurled at her face. She looks surprised and covers her face quickly, but not quick enough. The debris crashes into her face with a strong force behind it. She stumbles backward a bit.
"Ahh... clever." she says slyly while bringing her hand up again.
Captain Marvel dodges her hand and flies around her arm smiling. "I AM a Master of Magic and all."
He grabs Astartes ear with both hands and jerks her head backward.
"Aggh!" she bellows and falls to her knees. "What is this! Who do you think you are? You are nothing to a
God like me!"
Astarte holds her head in her hands and snaps it back into place.
"Now, I will give you one chance!" Captain Marvel calls out to Astarte as she gets situated. "You can leave this realm and never come back. This will be your punishment. I have proven that I can beat you already! What will it be?"
Astarte smirks as she turns around quickly shooting flame in the direction of Captain Marvel. When she does she misses. Captain Marvel isn't there. She looks confused for a second until out of the sky flies Marvel striking her across the jaw. "MARVEL!" he screams and brilliant balls of bright white lighting flow out of the sky, through Marvel, and into Astarte. She convulses and swats at the air but misses Captain Marvel who flies off of her and comes back with a balled up fist.
"Now STAND DOWN!" Captain Marvel yells while delivering a thunderous uppercut to her gargantuan jaw. She shows her pain and holds her jaw. Then disappears in a puff of smoke. Captain Marvel hovers there for a moment. His heart is beating fast and loudly. His breathing is heavy. He looks around but doesn't see Astarte anywhere.
Careful boy, she is cunning.
"I don't see her."
It doesn't mean she's gone.
Captain Marvel flies around for a moment looking in all directions.
"Well, she's gone now. I have to get Freddy to somewhere safe before she comes back again."
Marvel turns and notices that the tenement has been crushed.
"FREDDY!"
Quickly Captain Marvel flies to the wreckage and starts throwing rocks around frantically searching for his friend.
"Freddy!" Captain Marvel stands up and raises his hands in the sky. The rubble rumbles and starts lifting off the ground. Marvel wipes away some tears.
"Come on man!"
"Why do we have to fight Billy?"
The voice carries from behind him.
I don't like thi....
"Sha-Zham?" Marvel whispers. He hears nothing. He looks around and sees nothing out of the ordinary. He can hear sirens in the distance. Then Freddy pokes his head out from behind a turned over SUV.
"Bill!" He calls. "I was thrown into a dumpster. Gross. I thought I was dead for sure!"
Captain Marvel smiles and flies to his friend.
"FREDDY!"
"Yeah! I am okay." He wipes himself off. He is bruised and beat up pretty badly.
"We gotta get you outta' here. Whatever that was is nothing that you should be around here for. I don't think she's gone. Not at all!" He paces around. His long white robes are spotless. "Where could she be?"
"YOU AREN'T PART OF THIS EITHER!"
Marvel spins around and scowls at Freddy.
"What are you talking about?" He holds his hands up in protest. "I have a responsibility! I can't just sit here and watch this lady walk all over Cairo!"
"YOU HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY HERE!" Freddy has tears in his eyes. "Your BILLY BATSON! Reporter for the Daily Star NOT defender of the damn universe!"
Marvel shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head.
"Sha-Zham?" he whispers and covers his mouth."What should I do?"
I have no advice for you young Batson. I need not to meddle in your mortal affairs. I am trying to detect traces of Atum. I need to banish him.
"It's complicated Freddy." Marvel blurts out. "I didn't choose this! I didn't want it, but I am destined to do this Fred! I have to do this." His eyes focused into Freddy's.
"I have to do this. These powers need to be used to stop things like her!"
"POWERS?" Freddy yells. He sharply thrusts his arms out into the air at no one. "You died like five times ever since that bus came into town*!"
"It's dangerous for me now Freddy."
"Yeah, well... Maybe I'll see you back in Cleveland. Maybe not right?"
Freddy turns and starts running in the opposite direction of the sirens.
"FREDDY!"
Marvel calls out but Freddy keeps running.
It's for the best Billy. Freddy was serving no purpose here.
"He's my best friend!" Billy throws a stone into the sky and it sails through the clouds.
He still is your best friend Billy. Let him leave and run to safety. We have a battle to fight. Your guard should be up Astarte is afoot. I haven't heard anything from Atum but I am sure he will be back soon. Be on guard.
Billy nods and stands tall. He feels the rips and tears on his white robes and lets them go. It floats off into the world then fades out of existence with a slight spark.
"Do we have to fight?"
That voice again carries on the wind. Captain Marvel watches from high up in the clouds watching the local law enforcement investigating the scene and talking to witnesses. He is barely visible up here in his white robes. He spins around quickly when he hears it again and sees Astarte floating in front of him. He scowls angrily.
"MAR..."
She pinches with her fingers and Captain Marvel can't open his mouth.
"No, no, no... there will be none of that."
I've got it Billy. You need to speak her name backward. Speak it at least four times. It should expel her soul from this poor woman's body.
Captain Marvel struggles but he can't get his mouth open. Astarte starts floating around him. He swings out with his fists but they fly right through her. Like punching through steam.
"Billy Batson, why don't you just give it up."
She starts kissing his arms.
"Why don't you just give up and let Atum come out. He is going to anyway. It would be noble to do it that way!"
The headache starts to come back again. Captain Marvel struggles.
"Atum... My love. Just come out."
Marvel struggles and his face turns beet red. His eyes widen and veins pop out all over.
"Come on my beautiful... Come out my dark king."
Marvel's face feels in pain. He squeezes his eyes shut as tight as he can. Billlllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy... hur........hue..... hhhh...... aaaa... Aaaaa... He opens his eyes. They are bloodshot. He feels his face and it is starting to change. His ears are starting to come to a point. AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAATttttt The voice in his head is agonizing. It doesn't even sound like Sha-Zham anymore it sounds like nails on a chalkboard. Marvel looks at his hands and they are covered in blood. His nails are cracking and black nails are showing through. His white robes are starting to turn black. TTTTTTTTuuuuuuUUUUUUUU...
Marvel starts to fall. He lets go of everything. He just lets loose and stops thinking. Luckily it works. It takes her by surprise! "What?" She looks confused as he begins a free fall from the clouds quickly descending.
"NO!" Astarte screams as she darts at Marvel. He forces his mouth open with everything he has and gets out. "Etratsa!" Her eyes widen and black lightning shoots out of the sky striking the goddess. She screams and then poof. That raven haired woman from the roof is falling through the sky out of control.
Billy a voice says not Sha-Zhams. Billy... I will live again! The headache subsides and Marvel shakes his head. He sees that the ground is quickly approaching.
Billy come on boy! That was close get control you can do it!
"MARVEL!" Billy screams. White lightning washes over his body and he shoots back up into the sky he matches the velocity of the woman falling and catches her. Nearly missing the ground and shooting back up into the sky.
Astarte and Atum have been quieted for now I think. I sense no trace of Atum. That was very close.
Captain Marvel looks down at the woman that he cradles in his arms. She begins to stir. He leans his head in. "Don't worry ma'am. I'm Captain Marvel and I'm taking you to the hospital. Can you tell me your name?"
She opens her eyes and coughs.
"Donna, my... my name is Donna Troy."
Her voice is dry and horse.
"It's okay Ms. Troy. I'm gonna get you to safety. You're in good hands."
Captain Marvel will return in Captain Marvel #7
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