บท 24: Blazing Rescue
Shazam soared through the shattered window of the burning building, smoke and flames swirling around him as if they weren't even there. His form made him immune to the searing heat and toxic fumes, but his heart raced. Every instinct screamed that he shouldn't have done this—that he shouldn't be this. But as the crackling fire roared, the only thing that mattered was saving the person inside.
The apartment complex was an inferno. Flames crawled across walls, furniture melted into smoldering piles, and the ceiling groaned, threatening to collapse at any second. Shazam scanned the scene, listening intently. Then he heard it—a faint, terrified sob from behind a door.
He blitzed forward, bursting through the door with ease. In the corner, a little girl crouched beneath a table, her face streaked with tears.
"Hey, it's okay," Shazam said, his deep voice gentle and reassuring. "I've got you."
The girl hesitated for a moment, but then Shazam scooped her up in his powerful arms and rocketed through the flaming corridor. As the walls crumbled around him, he shielded the girl with his body and flew straight out of the building.
---
A Hero's Return
Down on the street, a crowd of bystanders gasped as Shazam emerged from the blaze, unharmed and carrying the child safely in his arms. Firefighters stopped in their tracks, staring at him in awe. It had been weeks since anyone had seen or heard from Shazam after the events at the carnival. Many wondered if he'd disappeared for good—or if he'd ever been real.
Now, seeing him again, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. People shouted his name, some filming the moment with their phones. Shazam handed the little girl to her waiting parents, who sobbed with relief as they embraced their child.
One of the firefighters, a grizzled veteran with soot-streaked gear, gave Shazam a respectful nod. It was silent, but it carried weight—acknowledgment and gratitude.
James nodded back, though his heart was pounding. The cheers from the crowd felt distant, almost unreal. This was everything he had tried to avoid—being a hero, being seen, being Shazam. He caught Rebecca's gaze across the crowd, and she gave him a small, understanding nod.
He knew what that meant.
It's okay. You did the right thing.
Without a word, Shazam crouched low and launched into the sky, disappearing into the clouds in a crackle of lightning.
---
Banishment at the Bifrost
The Bifrost chamber pulsed with cosmic energy, the intricate patterns along its walls shimmering with the glow of the rainbow bridge. It was a sacred place, the gateway to the Nine Realms—and now, it held only tension and bitter silence.
Odin, the Allfather, stood rigidly at the center of the room, his face etched with a combination of anger, disappointment, and pain. Thor Odinson, still clad in battle-worn armor from his reckless raid on Jotunheim, seethed with defiance, his chest rising and falling with every ragged breath.
Loki leaned against a pillar, arms folded, observing the scene with a cool detachment, though his sharp eyes betrayed the satisfaction simmering beneath. Heimdall stood silently by the controls of the Bifrost, his ever-watchful gaze lowered in solemn judgment.
The silence in the room was suffocating.
"Do you realize what you've done?" Odin's voice was low but powerful, each word carrying the weight of centuries. "You have broken the truce between Asgard and Jotunheim. You risked the lives of your comrades—and endangered the very realm you were sworn to protect."
Thor scoffed, his voice sharp with arrogance. "They came here first! They trespassed in Asgard! What would you have me do? Stand by and let them insult us?"
"You were to wait!" Odin snapped, his voice rising. "Your actions ignited a war!"
Thor's jaw tightened, his pride swelling. "A war they deserve! I was defending our honor, something you've forgotten how to do."
The room went still.
Odin's eye locked onto Thor's, his rage tempered by something deeper—hurt. "I have forgotten?" he repeated quietly, his voice laced with disbelief.
Thor took a step forward, emboldened by his anger, though a flicker of regret flashed behind his eyes. "You've grown weak, Father. You've forgotten what it means to be a warrior."
Odin exhaled slowly, the fury simmering just beneath the surface of his ancient, weary soul. "You are a vain, greedy child," he whispered, his voice cutting deeper than any blade.
"And you are a foolish old fool," Thor spat back, though the words felt heavy on his tongue.
The weight of Thor's insult hung in the air, suffocating the room. Loki glanced between them, his expression neutral but his mind racing, soaking in every fractured moment of this broken bond.
Odin straightened, gripping Gungnir tightly, as if the staff alone kept him grounded. "I was a fool," he murmured, "for thinking you were ready."
Thor blinked, his heart pounding, panic rising beneath his bravado. "Father, I—"
"It is too late." Odin's voice cracked—not with anger, but with sorrow. "You are unworthy of the title of King. You are unworthy... of the power you wield."
The chamber began to hum with ancient magic, the air thickening with Odin's spell.
"I, Odin Allfather, cast you out!"
Thor's heart dropped as he felt the weight of those words settle into his bones. Mjolnir, the weapon that had always been an extension of himself, flew from his hand, as if it no longer recognized him.
Thor lunged for it, but Odin's magic was relentless. The hammer hovered before him, just out of reach, glowing with a power that now seemed foreign.
"Whosoever holds this hammer," Odin whispered, casting the ancient spell over Mjolnir, "if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor."
The glowing runes along the hammer's shaft burned brighter, sealing the enchantment. Odin's expression was hard, but there was a flicker of sadness in his eye. With a flick of his wrist, Mjolnir vanished, hurtling through the void toward Midgard.
Thor reached out desperately, but his father's next words shattered any hope he had left.
"Your powers are stripped from you... until you prove yourself worthy."
And with that, Odin raised Gungnir and slammed it against the floor. The Bifrost erupted beneath Thor's feet, its swirling rainbow vortex tearing through the fabric of space.
"Father!" Thor shouted, his voice filled with panic and regret, but the vortex consumed him, dragging him down into the endless void.
He fell.
---
The Aftermath in the Bifrost
The swirling bridge sealed itself with a deafening hum, leaving only the silence of the Bifrost tower.
Odin stood at the edge of the portal, his shoulders heavy with the burden of what he had just done. For a moment, the mighty Allfather seemed smaller—an old man pained by the loss of his son.
Loki stepped forward slowly, his hands clasped behind his back. "He'll die out there," he said quietly, though there was no genuine concern in his voice—only the soft whisper of a manipulative seed planted.
"He will live," Odin replied, his gaze distant as he stared into the void where his son had vanished. "If he learns to be worthy."
Loki gave a small, calculated smile. "And if he does not?"
Odin didn't answer. The Allfather turned and walked away, each step heavier than the last.
Heimdall, silent as ever, lowered his gaze. His expression was unreadable, but the flicker of regret in his golden eyes was unmistakable.
---
Chapter: A Falling Star
"You didn't have to come, you know? I'm alright." James Carter sat on the edge of his couch, his hands gripping his knees like they were anchors. His heartbeat was still erratic, every thump dragging him back to the fire—the girl trapped inside, the smoke choking his lungs, and the power surging through him like a storm he never wanted to unleash again.
But he had said the word. And with it came the weight of him—Shazam. The world felt different every time the transformation hit, like a part of James slipped further away each time.
From the kitchen, Rebecca stirred a pot on the stove, casting him a sideways glance. It was surreal, seeing her in his apartment like this—calm, collected, as if the chaos they'd just escaped hadn't left a scar.
"Why? I can't come over without a reason now, tech guy?" she teased, her voice light as she set two bowls on the counter.
James gave a faint smile but didn't respond. Rebecca knew the look in his eyes, the way his shoulders sagged under the weight of thoughts too heavy to carry alone. She walked over and sat beside him, resting a hand on his.
She didn't press him. She didn't need to. He'd talk when he was ready, and until then, she'd be there.
"Come on," she said softly, giving his hand a gentle tug. "Fresh air will do you good."
Without waiting for his answer, Rebecca led him toward the balcony door. They stepped outside into the cool night, the lights of New York spreading beneath them like a sea of stars.
James leaned on the railing, letting the night breeze wash over him. It didn't erase the tightness in his chest, but it was better than the walls closing in on him.
Rebecca stood beside him, her shoulder brushing his lightly. "What you did tonight—it was the right thing, James," she said, her voice steady.
"I know." He exhaled slowly. "But I didn't want to. I didn't want to turn into him again."
"You didn't have a choice," she whispered. "And because of you, that kid made it out alive."
He nodded, though it didn't make the knot in his chest loosen. Saving someone should feel good, shouldn't it? But all he felt was the weight of his powers—the crackling storm that always simmered just beneath his skin, waiting to break free.
Rebecca leaned into him, resting her head gently on his shoulder. They stood like that, silent, the moment stretching between them. There were no words, no promises. Just the quiet presence of someone who understood.
James closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself breathe.
Then he saw it.
A streak of light tore across the sky, bright and fast, leaving a blazing trail behind it. His brow furrowed. "You see that?"
Rebecca shifted beside him, her eyes following the streak. "Yeah... It's beautiful."
The streak burned brighter, its glow intensifying as it hurtled toward Earth like a falling comet.
They stood in quiet awe, unaware of what they were witnessing.
What looked like a star was, in truth, Mjolnir—the enchanted hammer cast from Asgard, destined to crash down on Midgard. A weapon of immense power, waiting for someone worthy enough to wield it.
As the light faded into the distance, James and Rebecca stayed on the balcony, unaware of how much their lives—and the world—were about to change.
---
Hello, Dear Readers.
I request you all to kindly rate this book. It will help me get more readers. And if possible, give me your powerstones as well.
After this arc, I will take a short break of 7 days to go through all the MCU films again. It will help me to understand the plot for the future.
Peace.
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