Chapter 694: The Way Home (3)
The Wizard's Revelation
In an obscure little village in northern Central City, a fierce battle was coming to an end.
On one side was the bald Dr. Sivana. Fused with the Seven Deadly Sins, his combat power was immense. With seven demons at his side, he was virtually unstoppable. Alas, he was facing Linda Danvers, Barry Allen (The Flash), and Billy Batson, who wielded the power of the Six Gods.
The fight came and went quickly. Linda wielded her fists, striking fear into the Seven Demons and preventing them from showing themselves. Billy seized the opportunity to strip the demonic power from Sivana's eyes, turning him from an omnipotent powerhouse back into an ordinary man.
After dealing with Sivana, the group rushed into the basement and found the unconscious Wizard Shazam.
The Wizard's body was already weak. After all the turmoil, he didn't even have the strength to breathe and was close to death.
The group didn't hesitate, quickly moving him into a medical pod before all returning to the Rock of Eternity.
It took two full days for Shazam to open his eyes. Seeing the young man so close, he couldn't help but sigh.
"You came after all."
Billy awkwardly ruffled his hair, asking somewhat tentatively,
"Um, how should I address you? Mr. Wizard? Or Teacher?"
"Call me the Wizard. The power of the Six Gods comes from the Pantheon; I am not your teacher."
Shazam grasped the armrest and sat up. Noticing the needles in his body, he asked curiously,
"What are these for?"
"For healing. Your body is very weak and needs nutrients."
Shazam shook his head, pulling out all the needles attached to his skin.
"I know my body best; I don't need these. Where are they? Black Adam and the other superheroes? Where are they?"
"Things might be a little complicated."
Billy recounted everything that had happened in detail. When he learned that Luke and the three others had been dragged into the Underworld by Black Adam, the Wizard's face immediately changed.
"Mr. Wizard, can you think of a way to bring them back? The Justice League is too important to Earth to just be gone."
"Where is Black Adam?"
"Boss extracted his soul, so only his body remains. He's next door."
Shazam quickly got up and, with Billy's support, went to the adjacent room. The former Egyptian demigod lay on a stone slab, eyes closed and lifeless. Shazam carefully examined his body. Moments later, he sighed with a complex expression.
"What a terrifying young man. To be able to extract a soul protected by the power of the Six Gods."
Just then, Linda and Barry arrived. As they were about to speak, Shazam stopped them.
"Say no more. I will help, but..." He sighed again. "...I can only do so much."
Linda urgently asked, "What do you mean? You can't open the gate to the Underworld?"
Shazam shook his head.
"Opening the gate requires three conditions: One, a spell; Two, a sacrifice; Three, the endorsement of Anubis, the God of Death. I can meet the first two, but not the third."
Linda grew angry. "Teth-Adam could do it. Why can't you? You were his teacher!"
"Black Adam's power of the Six Gods comes from the Egyptian pantheon and possesses the power of the Supreme God Ra. Anubis answers to Ra, so he could summon the Underworld Gate. I am different. My power of the Six Gods comes from various pantheons and cannot exert control over Anubis."
Shazam coughed into his chest for a moment, then continued.
"The only option now is to connect to the spacetime node between the Underworld and Earth. That was the source of the War of the Gods and was later sealed. I can open that seal and reveal a small gap."
"And then?" Linda pressed. "What then?"
"There is no 'then.' Only waiting."
"Waiting?"
Linda was dumbfounded. Barry Allen was also confused. How could a small gap help?
Shazam gasped. "To prevent the Underworld from invading Earth, the Gods used supreme power to forcibly change the node's route, redirecting the path to the Underworld into the Dark Space. Once inside, one gets lost and can never return."
"Are you saying Luke and the others..."
"No, there's still a chance. Opening the gap is like lighting a beacon. If they are truly traveling back through the Valley of No Return, they might, if they are lucky, see this light and find their way home." He paused, then shook his head.
"They might also never see it."
The air instantly solidified, becoming as quiet as a tomb.
The expressions of the three heroes were grim. Linda even clenched her fist, bloodlust swirling in her eyes.
Sensing the tense situation, Billy whispered,
"Is there no other way?"
"No. This is the only way."
Billy gestured with his fingers. "What are the odds? Is it at least fifty percent?"
"A grain of sand in the ocean."
Billy was immediately silenced, standing awkwardly aside, stealing glances at Linda with a nervous look. If they didn't return, it meant the Justice League would likely disband.
And Boss might become the shortest-reigning world's richest man in history.
Barry Allen stepped forward, speaking in a strained voice.
"Regardless, we have to try. Even a one-in-a-thousand chance cannot be given up."
"Linda, are you..."
"I'm fine."
Linda unclenched her fist, gritting her teeth and demanding, "Begin now. Unlock the seal immediately."
The Wizard said no more. Supported by Billy, he slowly left the room, ascending the tower to the entrance of the Fourth Layer, the Void.
"The Rock of Eternity itself is a seal. It seals the entrances to Heaven, Hell, the Underworld, and other planes. Becoming the Rock of Eternity's master means shouldering the responsibility of constantly defending against invasions from these different planes."
"Do you all have that awareness?"
Diana and Barry paused, falling into deep thought. Billy was still too young to understand the gravity of the meaning.
The Wizard continued, "My time is limited. Whether those four return or not, I hope you and Billy will shoulder this responsibility together."
With that, he chanted a spell, tracing a perfect star-pattern in the air with his finger.
Time flowed, and a wooden door materialized before them. The door was carved with hourglasses representing time and vortices representing the void.
The Wizard pushed hard on the door, but despite using all his strength, the door didn't budge. He smiled helplessly. Age had caught up to him; he no longer had the strength to even open the door.
"I'll do it!"
Billy stepped forward, grabbed the handle with both hands, and pulled outward with all his might.
Crack!
A strange sound echoed from ahead, like space being torn open. Darkness surged from the crack, threatening to consume everything.
The three heroes felt a chill deep in their souls and involuntarily stepped back.
The Wizard whispered, "That's enough. The seal is open. All that's left now is to pray to the Goddess of Destiny that they find their way home."
Linda was filled with frustration.
"Can I go in and look for them?"
"Going in means annihilation. You will never return."
The Wizard coughed, slowly walking away.
Linda and Barry stood guard at the doorway, waiting like lighthouse keepers for that faintest glimmer of light.
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