Heroic Cognizance | Shazam

Chapter 23

"Hold on, do you guys hear that?" Superman said suddenly, looking around the void. The group looked around in confusion, finding only darkness surrounding them. "Look," he said, pointing towards a light.

- - -

Marvel winced at the tight metal digging into his wrists, letting out a shaky breath as he opened his eyes to stare at the void beneath him. He'd been on his knees for so long that hew was sure if he was Billy he wouldn't be able to feel them. 

Then again, he wasn't really sure how long he'd been on his knees...

The demigod sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Just- just stay calm. The last thing you need is to freak out and have the Gods go zappy on your brain," he told himself, shuddering at the thought of when he'd first woken up here and Zeus had electrocuted him in an attempt to get him out of the bonds.

The God's lightning had never hurt him before, but in that moment of panic, it hurt.

He couldn't blame the king though, the action had been one of instinct since only a sliver of the Gods existed within him.

Cap leaned his head up and rolled his neck with a soft sigh, glancing around the void. He wasn't sure how long it had been since Klarion had last spoken to him, but he knew that the witch boy had to be doing something to help. 

The nightmarish visions had stopped shortly before he appeared, and boy was he thankful for that.

The demigod wasn't sure he'd be able to handle seeing his heroes for at least a couple of days without the thought of seeing murder in their eyes.

He shuddered at the thought of Clark's glowing red eyes boring into his soul and blasting into his heart. Of Batman's cold stare locking onto him as he slit his throat, or Flash's cruel, snarky laughter as he sucked the oxygen from his lungs with his speed.

The thought of Wonder Woman using her lasso against him or of Hal crushing him with his ring made him tremble. Of Zatanna turning his magic against him. He swallowed thickly, his breath shaky.

Nope, he wasn't gonna be able to see them for a hot minute. He hoped they understood that as soon as he woke up, he was gonna vanish for a couple of days.

Maybe they wouldn't look for him?

He hoped they wouldn't. He needed time to gather himself if the League learned his secret. He was almost positive they would, but a part of him, a part that was distinctively 13 and full of hope, pleaded with the higher powers that they wouldn't.

"This is such a mess..." he muttered softly, his shoulders dropping again as he shut his eyes.

"You can say that again," a voice said, echoing throughout the void and making the Captain freeze.