Arrival

The doorway was located in a small Inn, a place decorated like a cheesy American '70's Mythology flick. But the attendants knew the true passers-through from the casual wanderers, and the Doorway to New Olympus was very real and very there.

Billy hesitates before opening it. it has taken him several hours to fly here, under his own power, but he is here and now... He swallows, closing his eyes one more time before opening the door and then walking through.

And he opens his eyes and is struck, as always, by sheer wonder.

New Olympus was created by the Olympians prior to the Godwar, and abandoned by them near after that. But it was inhabited by The Six and their servants and attendants and allies. Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. Seven beings, some started as mortals, all now Gods of one sort or another, each granting him power and aid in times of need, when he calls upon them with the name of the older Wizard, Shazam.

He breathes in the cold air, feeling the electrical life that shivered through him every time he was here. The lush greenery, the white columns, the towering and multidirectional fortress that was New Olympus fills his senses. And he smiles. Hope fills him too, and he walks forward.

His bliss, his hope, all of it crashes down around his ears as between one step and the next he is surrounded. His eyes go wide as he sees the Hecatoncheires surround him in all their awesome ugliness and might. The hundred-handed, fifty-headed monsters watch him and smile their dark smiles and thrust their spears, driving him forward. Billy can feel a sinking feeling in his stomach.

This is soooo not a good sign.

Their spears and wordless motions drive him forward and, no longer so eager, he trudges into the depths of New Olympus.

He stumbles along, driven by spears, to a corridor with little light. There, a door opens and, with a cry, he is thrust inside.

Inside, he finds himself in a richly appointed room, where one man awaits. Billy's breath catches in his throat as he starts forward, only to be stopped by the vision's upraised hand.

"I do not have long son. But they offered and I took the time. Your mother and I love you, and always will. And we will be there for you when we can. You have been expected here, by the Six. You are going to face the Trial."

The words send a shiver into Billy's very center as he stares at the spectre of his father.

":I don't understand!"

This latest shock is too much and he shudders, falling forward. Familiar arms catch him and lower him and as he blacks out, he hears that voice from his dreams murmur.

"Rest, my son, and know you are loved..."

And words chase him down into darkness...

Last Night

Billy wakes and his mind reels as he starts up, and realizes he is in a bed. His mind shifts slowly and he remembers arriving and being escorted, and his father...

He shivers as he remembers words half heard, half felt...

"Son, I know you are having a hard time dealing with this, and I know this will come as a shock, but your mother and I have watched over you for years. The One made it possible and he has allowed us to be there for you. But we couldn't interfere, ever. And when you had your recent troubles, oh, how hard and bitter a thing this has been. And worse, still, soon we must go on. We love you, son, and always will, and we are proud of who and what you have made yourself."

His father's voice got serious then.

"You are here for a trial, a quest and a testing by the Six, but remember that you are not alone and the One, and we, are always with you."

Everything else faded into nothing, and Billy sighs as he lays back again. Was it real? Or was it another illusion?

He didn't know what to think, or feel. And what kind of trial and challenge was he here for? Unless... of course. The Six knew what had happened, and they wanted him to deal with it their way. He shivers again.

This is going to be very very interesting, and possibly very bad.

Judgement

Different guards come for him early the next morning, these being faceless, masked and robed beings with very large swords. They escort him to a large room with seven chairs of different kinds, from elaborate to simple.

When he is in the room and waiting, there is a flash of light and then there are six bodies there, Six who he knows very well. He bows low to them and they nod, each one. The Six sit in quiet regality, watching him. Zeus in his roman throne, Solomon on a simple ancient divan, Mercury on a moving chair, Atlas on a giant sized recliner, Achilles on a war stool, and Hercules on a folding chair of silver light. The seventh chair, the chair of the One, stays empty, as it always does.

Zeus voice sounds and it shivers Billy to his core as he listens

"YOU ARE HERE TO BE JUDGED AND TO BE TRIED. YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND WANTING AND MUST PROVE YOURSELF AGAIN AS WORTHY TO BE THE CHAMPION AND THE WIZARD. TRIALS WILL WE SET AND TRIALS WILL YOU SUCCEED AT, OR YOU WILL SURELY DIE."

The echoes fade away and Billy swallows.

"If I succeed, will you help me, will you show me how to get everything under control? How to be better at what I do?"

This time, it is Solomon's voice that sounds.

"IF YOU SUCCEED, WE WILL NOT HAVE TO."

"Oh. Uhm... what do I have to do?"

He is scared, and a part of him wants to just run and hide and never look back. But he wants help, he needs it and has to find some way to get better to prevent anything like this from ever happening again.

He has to.

He looks up.

"I'll do it. When and how does it start?"

"NOW."

And there is a flash of light and the throne room fades away from his vision. he has just time enough to gasp before he is hanging in darkness, globes whirling in front of him.

For a long timeless moment he hangs, then he is suddenly zooming forward, towards one globe that swells and grows and then...