Shiva

Representatives

Part 5 of The Replacement

by CSyphrett

When the fearsome Kali emerges from other-dimensional exile once more, Martin Martine must become Shiva one last time to defeat her, but only if Captain Marvel can convince him that he used to be a hero! Witness the final fate of Shiva and Kali!

***

Continued from Captain Marvel: Shiva and Kali

Late one evening in Fawcett City, Martin Martine had just settled down into a peaceful sleep. He had a job at one of the radio stations there, but there was always something off about Sterling Morris’ WHIZ. Martin couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he couldn’t shake the unease he felt whenever he stepped foot in that building. And now, even in his dreams, that same unsettling feeling haunted him.

***

Little did Martin know, the house where he’d formerly resided had been completely demolished during a fierce clash between Captain Marvel, his former successor Shiva, and Shiva’s wife, Kali. Having been abandoned for quite some time by then, the wreckage and timber were subsequently cleared away. All that remained was a hole in the ground marking the spot where the basement used to be.

Amidst this shallow cavity, a faint glimmer of light emerged. Gradually, a clawed hand extended outward from within the luminosity. With three additional hands following suit, they pulled the radiance into a void, enveloped by an abyss devoid of light. Using her incredible strength, a strange-looking, four-armed figure managed to squeeze her coal-black body through the shrinking gap just before it sealed shut.

Time to look up old acquaintances and kill them, thought Kali as she took flight from the scene.

***

Meanwhile, Billy Batson sat in the broadcast booth at Station WHIZ, reading the news for his beloved radio show. This station was like a second home to him, and outside the booth, Uncle Dudley patiently waited to share a meal with him after his shift. But when a newsflash flickered across the screen, Billy knew he had to act immediately. He quickly left the booth and made his way down the hall, the station personnel accustomed to his sudden disappearances. In the emergency stairwell, Billy whispered the magic word that transformed him into his alter ego.

In a flash of red, Captain Marvel soared into the sky, compelled by the unexpected news that had flashed across the ticker tape — news that should have been impossible.

***

Meanwhile, Martin Martine abruptly woke from his troubled sleep. He glanced around his bedroom, everything seemingly normal, yet the lingering feeling from his dream persisted. Seeking solace, he made his way to the kitchen. Flipping on the radio perched atop the refrigerator, he hoped the music would distract him as he rummaged for a late-night snack.

Suddenly, the voice of Ronnie Andrews, the D.J. for WROC, cut through the airwaves, disrupting the rhythmic beat of a song. We interrupt this broadcast to warn citizens to stay away from downtown at this time, she announced urgently. A new super-villainess has emerged, wreaking havoc on the city. I repeat, stay away from downtown.

“Guess I won’t be taking a stroll downtown anytime soon,” Martin muttered with a smirk as the music resumed. He gathered the ingredients for his sandwich, carefully constructing it on the kitchen table. “After all, what good would I do against a super-villainess?” he pondered aloud, resigned to his role as an ordinary citizen.

Little did Martin know, fate had other plans in store for him. Unbeknownst to him, his path was about to converge with the mighty Captain Marvel in a way he could never have imagined.

***

Captain Marvel soared through the city, his heart pounding with adrenaline. The destructive aftermath of his enemy’s rampage dominated the landscape before him, and a frown etched across his brow as his enemy ripped through an empty office building. I’m glad it’s Sunday, he thought as he zoomed forward, then smashed into Kali, driving her into the ground.

Preparing for her retaliation, Captain Marvel clenched his fists, fully aware that Kali’s strength matched his own. But before he could deliver his next blow, one of Kali’s four arms firmly grasped his, while the other two rained down powerful strikes. The impact sent Captain Marvel sliding across the ground, his momentum abruptly halted.

“Ah, you again,” Kali sneered, effortlessly springing to her feet. Her eyes burned with malice as she leveled a piercing gaze at her nemesis. “Where is Shiva?”

Captain Marvel grunted, sweat trickling down his forehead as he quickly regained his footing. “Shiva chose to forget you, rather than remember the pain,” he responded, his voice dripping with defiance. “Why don’t you give this up and retire yourself?”

A venomous smile curled at the corners of Kali’s lips, and her eyes glinted with dark intent. She ripped a chunk of the office building’s wall through the air, her raw power showcased in the destructive display. “Why don’t I kill you instead?” she retorted, her voice dripping with malevolence.

With an explosive punch, Captain Marvel shattered the wall, particles of debris scattering through the air. Without hesitation, he lunged toward Kali, only to find her swiftly evading his advance, matching him in speed and agility. The two adversaries danced in the air, their movements a blur of power and precision.

Abruptly, Kali pivoted, seizing a hapless bystander in two of her four arms. The shock of the situation gripped Captain Marvel, forcing him to come to an immediate halt. “I thought this might get your attention,” Kali taunted, her voice chillingly calm amidst the chaos. “Bring Shiva here, or I’ll tear this poor soul limb from limb.”

Captain Marvel’s jaw tightened, his entire body coiled with tension. “I already told you,” he gritted through his teeth. “He made himself forget you, just as he made the entire world forget. Even if I brought him here, it would do you no good.”

“I did not ask for your opinion,” Kali spat, her grip tightening on her hostage’s arm, eliciting a wince of pain. “Bring him to me now. I’ll give you exactly two minutes. After that, this man becomes a human salad.”

With clenched fists, Captain Marvel reluctantly flew away, heart heavy with the weight of his mission. Within seconds, he landed outside a modest house, his mind plagued by anticipation of the news he was about to deliver. A deep breath steadied his nerves as he pressed the doorbell, a resounding chime breaking the silence of the night.

The door creaked open after what felt like an eternity. Martin Martine’s perplexed face peeked out, his eyes widening at the sight of the World’s Mightiest Mortal. “Captain Marvel?!” he exclaimed, a mix of awe and confusion coloring his voice. “It’s an honor to meet you, but why are you here so late?”

Captain Marvel, his gaze unwavering, wasted no time. “I need to talk to you, Mr. Martine,” he said earnestly. “It’s about your wife.”

Martin’s brows furrowed, skepticism flickering across his features. “I don’t have a wife. I’ve never been married,” he insisted.

Captain Marvel locked eyes with the bewildered man, a mixture of empathy and determination in his gaze. “That’s not entirely true,” he declared, his voice steady. “May I come in?”

“Of course,” Martin responded, stepping aside to usher Captain Marvel into his home.

“What I’m about to tell you will be hard to believe, but I need you to listen,” began Captain Marvel.

“By all means, go ahead,” replied Martin, inviting his guest to sit down in his living room chair, while he sat facing him on the couch.

The weight of revelation hanging heavily in the air, Captain Marvel took a deep breath, knowing the inexplicable truth he was about to reveal would test the limits of belief.

“In the ’50s, you were a hero named Shiva,” he began, his voice filled with sincerity. “While I was trapped in space, you became my replacement. You fell in love and married, and your wife became a formidable hero known as Kali. For a time, you were together a force to be reckoned with. But then, Kali summoned an unspeakable entity, and you sealed both her and the creature away in another dimension. To protect the world, you used your power to erase the memories of your wife and yourself from everyone’s minds.”

Martin sat in stunned silence, grappling with the enormity of the information. Eventually, he nodded, an openness enveloping his expression. “I’m listening,” he said skeptically, inviting Captain Marvel to continue.

“Well, your wife wants to talk to you right now,” Captain Marvel affirmed, his voice laced with hope and urgency.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Martin replied, disbelief etched on his face. “If I supposedly erased everyone’s memory, then how do you still know all of this?”

Captain Marvel sighed, his eyes filled with the weight of the truth. “We met a few months ago,” he confessed. “That’s how I found out. But now the real question is, how can we make you remember? The last time you were struck by lightning.”

Martin’s calm demeanor remained unchanged as he replied, “I’d definitely prefer not to be struck by lightning again. And the fact that my so-called ‘wife’ wants to meet me doesn’t exactly sound like a pleasant reunion.”

With a frown, Captain Marvel studied Martin’s reaction. “You had a magic word,” he explained. “It sounded something like ‘beevisog.'”

“Beevissog,” repeated the radio engineer. “BVSSGG!”

In an instant, blue rain ascended from the floor, transforming Martin piece by piece into his alter ego — blue-skinned, four-armed, three-eyed, and red-haired. Pyjamas morphed into a tunic of chained links.

“So, despite all our efforts,” the transformed Martin, now known as Shiva, said, “Kali walks the earth again.”

Captain Marvel nodded grimly. “That’s right. And she wants to see you.”

Shiva’s eyes glinted with determination. “Then let’s not keep the lady waiting,” he said. “Who knows what she’ll do if she becomes impatient?”

The two heroes hurried to the door and took flight, soaring through the night sky like twin thunderbolts. As they flew, plans were discussed in hushed whispers.

Upon landing in downtown, Kali’s eyes lit up with a sinister smile as she spotted her long-lost husband. It was far from a pleasant sight.

“I have been awakened,” Shiva declared, meeting Kali’s gaze. “Release the man.”

“Why not?” Kali sneered, flinging her hostage away. “Killing you and this pretender is all I desire.”

Kali lunged at the heroes, but they evaded her with skill. Captain Marvel disappeared to the right, while Shiva darted to the left. Shiva flew a weaving pattern throughout the glittering city at night, keeping ahead of her. Unyielding, Kali pursued her husband closely, drilling through anything in her path. Shiva led her out of the city, desiring to remain clear of any bystanders when they finally met in battle.

As they reached a remote location, over the ruins of the house that they had once bought after first getting married, Shiva and Kali clashed. Their blows rained upon each other, each matching the other’s strength. Suddenly, a lightning bolt cracked through the night sky, striking Kali while she was trying to end her former husband’s life. She crashed to the ground.

“Lightning won’t harm me!” Kali roared defiantly.

“It wasn’t meant to harm you,” Shiva explained, his voice laced with determination. “It was meant to bring you back to your senses.”

“My senses are perfectly fine!” Kali shot back, pouncing at her husband. “I will be the only heir to Shazam’s power and rule over these puny humans as I see fit!”

But Shiva caught her in his powerful embrace, holding her close.

Captain Marvel stepped forward, his voice filled with conviction. “I don’t think so, lady,” he stated firmly. “Only Shiva and the other members of my family possess the power of the Old Wizard. The only other one that comes close to that is Master Man. (*) You don’t bear any resemblance to them.”

[(*) Editor’s note: See Captain Marvel: Master Race.]

Livid, Kali struggled in Shiva’s grip, her eyes burning with anger. “Liar!” she spat, defiance in her voice. “Shazam did grant me my powers!”

Captain Marvel met her glare with unwavering resolve. “That’s simply not true, lady,” he replied, confident in his words. “If you want to ask him yourself, I’m sure he will tell you the same thing.”

Shiva held onto Kali tightly with two of his four arms as they soared through the air, trailing behind Captain Marvel. They followed him into a deserted subway station, the wind rushing past them as they whizzed over the tracks and into the pitch-black tunnel. Kali wasn’t keen on going, but she had no choice.

As they ventured further, they passed a row of statues along the wall, each one representing the Seven Deadly Sins. Finally, they arrived in the chamber where Shazam resided. Captain Marvel ignited the brazier, summoning the Old Wizard in a cloud of smoke and thunderous roars. Shazam raised an eyebrow when he saw the unexpected guests.

“Shiva, Captain Marvel,” Shazam greeted them. “But I must confess, I do not recognize the young lady.”

“Liar!” Kali erupted, breaking free from her husband’s grasp and swinging her fist with all her might. Her blow passed through Shazam’s phantom form, shattering the wall behind him. In an instant, lightning struck the villainess, propelling her onto the floor. Despite her efforts to continue her attack, both Shiva and Captain Marvel held her back.

“He lies!” Kali screamed, struggling against their grip. “He did create me!”

“Shiva is the only one present to whom I have granted the powers of the gods, aside from the Marvel Family,” Shazam explained calmly. “I can prove to you who your true creator is.”

“I don’t believe you,” the avatar of destruction spat.

Shiva, too, had believed that Shazam was responsible for creating Kali. He hadn’t seen the Old Wizard since he first took on his powers, and it hadn’t occurred to him to question whether Lily had received the same gifts. (*) It was Captain Marvel who had raised this possibility, catching Shiva off guard. He hadn’t known that Master Man had been bestowed abilities akin to Captain Marvel’s, just as the latter had been unaware of Shiva’s mission to combat the threats that arose in the absence of the Marvels and several of their friends and foes.

[(*) Editor’s note: See Shiva: Times Past, 1953: The New Kid.]

“The Historama reveals both past and future events,” Shazam remarked, pointing at a large, mystical screen resembling a television. “This is the truth of your origin.”

Restrained by the heirs of the power of Shazam, Kali was forced to observe the unfolding of history through the Historama. As she watched, she found herself transported back to a time when she was the youthful and still-unmarried Lily Lovelace. In this past moment, she was guided through a tunnel that led her to a cave that bore a striking resemblance to her current surroundings. It was evident now that the place was superficially the same, but there were significant differences.

In that previous time, Kali had received her powers from a Shazam figure captured in the picture. With newfound abilities, she took flight under her new identity of Kali. However, this Shazam quickly transformed into someone else entirely. To her horror, the mentor she believed to be deceased also underwent a disturbing transformation. (*)

[(*) Editor’s note: See Shiva: Times Past, 1958: The Birth of Kali.]

Overwhelmed by the truth, Kali collapsed. She had always believed that her powers were meant for good, not to inflict harm upon others. She had never wished to hurt anyone.

“Rakasha!” she cried out, as a swirling black cloud engulfed her. When the smoke dissipated, it was only Lily Lovelace Martine who rose from the floor.

***

Sometime later, Martin and Lily Martine found themselves on a quaint dock, the calming sounds of crashing waves nearby. A cool sea breeze swept over the shore, ruffling their hair as they took in their surroundings. Billy Batson trailed behind them silently, taking in the scenic view. Suddenly, a mysterious one-eyed man in a brown suit emerged from a cluster of bungalows atop a cliff that overlooked the beach. His presence commanded attention, his stern expression seeming to conceal more secrets than the choppy sea held waves as he observed them with his piercing blue eye.

As the man approached, his steely blue eye scanned the couple with an intensity that made the Martines feel as though their very souls were being examined. After a moment, the man broke the silence and introduced himself, his voice holding a hint of intrigue and authority. “My name is Gallowglass,” he announced, his voice firm and brimming with hidden knowledge. “Welcome to the Grimoire Academy of Applied Knowledge.” (*) In that moment, Martin and Lily felt a surge of anticipation, knowing that their lives were about to change forever.

[(*) Editor’s note: See The Books of Magic: Changeling Unmasked.]

Interrupting their thoughts, Gallowglass continued, “Adam will get you settled in and show you around.” He beckoned another figure to join them, a man who made his way down to the pier. His sickly yellow skin was marred by deep scars, rendering an eerie sight. Despite his unsettling appearance, his eyes held an unexpected warmth, mirroring the gentle smile that adorned his face. The groundskeeper, known as Adam Frankenstein, had arrived to guide them through their new journey.

Acknowledging Adam’s presence with a curt nod, Martin shouldered their bags, ready to embark on this adventure. As he prepared to follow Adam toward the unknown, a sense of both excitement and trepidation fluttered in his chest. He couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness as he glanced back at their new friend. Martin and Lily had no doubt that the challenges ahead would test their mettle, but at least they were not alone.

“Good luck,” said Billy, bidding them farewell with a wave. Their journey at Grimoire Academy was just beginning.

The End

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