Marilynn shifted the topic to avoid addressing the painful truth Billy had uncovered. She knew it was true—life had become easier without the burden of raising him alone. Without Billy, she'd had the freedom to focus on herself, even finding a new husband and a fresh start. Her life had significantly improved since letting him go, and she hadn't thought about him in years.
But she had no idea that the compass—the only gift she'd given Billy, a small prize from a carnival game—meant the world to him. For Billy, that compass symbolized his mother's love, the only family bond he'd clung to all these years.
"So, I really just made my mother out to be something she's not," Billy murmured, clutching the compass tightly. He realized now that his memories had been tinted by hope and idealism. The mother he'd held in his heart was nothing more than a comforting illusion.
Marilynn looked at him, mouth open as if to speak, but she said nothing. She knew that trying to offer any warmth now would only cause more harm. Keeping things distant was better for both of them—it would preserve her new life and prevent Billy from clinging to unrealistic expectations.
With a heavy, pained look at her, Billy finally turned and ran from the house, crushed.
Marilynn made no move to stop him. She only watched him leave, then glanced at Frank, who stood by, disgusted by her lack of compassion. Unmoved by his judgment, she turned away and closed the door without another word.
"What a neglectful mother," Frank sighed, watching her retreat. "I've never experienced something like this—my family's always been supportive. Billy… he's really had it rough." Frank was suddenly grateful that Billy hadn't received Shazam's powers; after such heartbreak, he might have turned dark, and that could've led to catastrophe.
"Since he gave up the powers for me, and there's still no sign of the Seven Deadly Sins, I'd better make sure he's alright," Frank muttered, following in Billy's footsteps to comfort him.
As Frank exited the building, he saw that Billy was already surrounded—by his adoptive family, the Vasquez clan. They had been worried when Billy didn't come home, fearing he might have run away or encountered trouble.
Pedro, one of the Vasquez children, had discovered Billy's notebook in the bathroom, filled with clues about his birth mother, Marilynn. Realizing Billy was on a quest to find her, the family immediately set out to support him.
"Are you alright, Billy?" Victor asked gently, his face etched with concern, while Rosa stood beside him with the same worried expression.
Seeing this, Billy was struck by the contrast. His mother had treated him like a burden, cold and distant, showing no desire to keep him. But here was Victor, a man who'd only recently taken him in, worrying deeply about him, and he wasn't even gone a full day.
The contrast between Victor and Marilynn was overwhelming, and as Billy looked at his adoptive family, he felt something stronger than the warmth of the compass in his hand—a true sense of family.
"I… I found her," he began, his voice quivering, "but she doesn't want me… She never wanted me…" Despite putting on a brave face for Marilynn, Billy's voice broke, and the tears he'd held back began to fall, his words choking with emotion.
"It's okay, child. You still have us," Rosa said, her own eyes moist as she embraced him. Stroking his back gently, she whispered, "Come on, let's go home."
"Yes, let's go home," Billy agreed softly, his voice trembling as he nodded.
The family gathered around Billy, walking with him in a comforting embrace. But as they moved, Billy's hand relaxed, letting the compass slip from his grasp and fall to the ground without looking back.
"Hm?" Victor, noticing this, reached down and picked up the compass. To him, it seemed like an important item that Billy had cherished, so he returned it to him with a warm smile. "Billy, you dropped your compass."
The tears that had stopped now fell once more. Seeing Victor's simple act of kindness confirmed to Billy that the Vasquez family truly cared for him, in a way his birth mother never had.
"Looks like Billy has finally found a real family," Frank observed, feeling a sense of relief as he watched. Although Victor looked tough, he was gentle and attentive, much like Frank's own father.
Growing up in his birth family, Billy had felt no warmth beyond the memory of that small compass. But now, he had something more—a family that genuinely loved him.
Frank took a deep breath, thinking ahead. "Now that Billy's safe, I can relax. I was seriously worried he might go down a dark path after this heartbreak."
Looking forward, Frank began to focus on his next mission: finding the Seven Deadly Sins. "The wizard said they're powerful demons… but if they're really as strong as he warned, wouldn't they be making more noise? They've been sealed for over a thousand years—surely they'd stir up trouble the moment they broke free?"
Reflecting on the wizard's words, Frank grew suspicious. "The demon who released them must have found a way to the Rock of Eternity… and that demon was likely chosen by the wizard long ago. He's probably from Fawcett City too, so why has the city been so quiet?"
As he pondered, he felt a sudden pull and, with a blink, found himself in the Rock of Eternity.
"Huh? I'm back here? Did I return just by thinking about it?" he murmured, surprised, as he examined his surroundings. The Rock was far larger than he had imagined, much more than just the small chamber where he had spoken with the wizard.
A flash of lightning struck, and Frank transformed into his adult Shazam form once again, the superhero suit forming around him.
"Alright, this transformation trigger is way too sensitive," he muttered, scratching his head. "I get it's linked to calling on divine power, but how am I supposed to introduce myself if I can't say my name without changing?"
Nonetheless, Frank put his worries aside and turned his attention to the vast space around him. "This place is perfect for training. Before the Seven Deadly Sins appear, I'll get a handle on my powers…"
Meanwhile, the Seven Deadly Sins' new host, Sivana, was grappling with his newfound powers and the increased ambition they stirred within him. The Sins' influence encouraged him to seek absolute control, but Sivana's natural caution held him back. Though he possessed incredible powers, he feared attracting the Avengers' attention.
The Sins, eager for chaos, grew restless. They urged Sivana to unleash his power, to sow destruction, but they were bound by the Eye of the Demon embedded in his socket and had no choice but to follow his lead.
"Here on Earth, we are unstoppable!" they promised. "No one can stand in our way!"
"Then how did you get sealed in the first place?" Sivana retorted. "If it weren't for me, you'd still be nothing but carvings on stone."
"Do you really think you're strong enough to conquer Earth? I don't know what kind of Earth you remember, but things have changed! In recent years, we've faced supernatural events constantly, and demons used to pop up like rats in the sewers!"
"And there was an event so dark it plunged the world into total darkness… Do you have any idea how many died during that?"
The Sins were stunned. The Earth they remembered had gods, yes, but it was still a relatively unprotected place. Darkness engulfing the planet? Could there have been some dark deity running rampant?
Suddenly, one of the Sins sensed something. "Wait! I sense a powerful demonic presence nearby, close to demon lord level, and there's more than one of them! Since when could demons roam Earth so freely?"
"Demons… So, someone's challenging us for dominion over Earth? Absolutely not! Earth belongs to us! Anyone who dares to take it from us must die!"
"That's it! If there are so many demons around, we don't need to start with humans. Let's devour them and grow stronger ourselves. Once we become Hell Lords, this world will be ours. No one will be able to stop us from slaughtering humanity!"
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