Chapter 1:
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-Kraken City, Xebel, Atlantis
-January 10, 2003
Finally, the day arrived, and today, January 10, Namor would have to go to Tridente City for his first day of mandatory military service.
...
Once he arrived in Tridente City, he went straight to the meeting point and stayed there floating, somewhat nervous, under the crystal-clear water.
Around him, other young atlanteans awaited the start of the mandatory military training. They were all older than him, around twelve or thirteen years old, while he was only eleven, although mentally, he was at least five years older than he appeared.
But being mentally older wouldn't help much since he knew that almost everyone present was probably stronger and faster than he was.
After a few minutes, a group of atlanteans who were part of the Xebelian militia finally arrived. The first thing they did was guide everyone to their respective private rooms where they would be staying for the next two years.
The rooms were small and only had the basics. It wasn't very different from the room Namor had had all his life in the orphanage. Fortunately, all the rooms were individual, so they didn't have to share with anyone.
After leaving their belongings in their respective rooms, everyone headed to a reception area where they underwent a routine data processing.
Then they went through a medical exam followed by the assignment of Xebel militia uniforms and a standard haircut for everyone.
Finally, they were given an initial orientation about what they would be doing for the next two years...
Commander Kratos, an imposing atlantean with a voice that resonated through the water, approached the group now in one of the training areas.
"Listen up, recruits! Over the next few weeks, you will be trained to protect Xebel. Weakness and insubordination will not be tolerated. Understood?" Commander Kratos said.
"Yes, sir!" all the recruits responded in unison.
...
On the second day, they were only taught military discipline, rules, regulations, and instruction in formation and marching.
...
The third day was the first formal training all the new recruits had.
The underwater dawn barely illuminated the waters when Namor and the other recruits were taken to the assigned training area. The first test was to swim a long distance against strong currents generated by underwater devices.
Commander Kratos divided all the recruits into several groups and then called each group in order to take the test.
Most of the recruits managed to pass the test, but a few did not, and these were considered below average...
After this test, all those atlanteans who did not pass the test formed a separate training group for the next two years of mandatory military service.
Finally, it was Namor's group's turn.
"On your marks, get set, go!" Commander Kratos said.
Namor swam with all his might, but soon realized that most of the other recruits outpaced him despite all his continuous hard training. His muscles burned, and his breathing became labored. Halfway through, he felt he couldn't go on, but he forced himself to keep going.
'I can't give up. At least I must show that I can do it,' Namor thought, knowing that even if he didn't stand out from the rest, he could at least be among the average atlanteans at the end of the test.
He reached the end, exhausted and gasping, while several other recruits in his group were already lined up on the side of the training area's end point.
"Namor, you came in last..." Commander Kratos said, looking at him with no noticeable facial expression. "But you passed the test. Still, you need to work harder."
That was all Kratos said before continuing to call the other groups to take the test.
'For a moment, I thought he was going to tell me I had failed or something like that,' Namor thought, giving a sigh and lining up with the other recruits.
...
...
On the fourth day, they were shown all the different training areas.
There was an area that heated the water inside and another that cooled it.
There was also an area with a group of rooms filled with air, so all the atlanteans could learn to move and fight as if they were on the surface.
Speaking of learning to fight, today they were also given hand-to-hand combat training. Namor was paired with a recruit named Atticus, who, despite being only thirteen, already had a muscular build and a challenging look.
"Begin!" Lyra, one of the instructors, said, and instantly Atticus attacked with strength and speed, and Namor could barely defend himself.
Each blow made him stagger, and he felt he couldn't hold out much longer. Still, Namor kept his cool and did his best, although he had to admit that if it weren't for Gamer's Mind helping him make the best decisions quickly without panicking, he probably would have lost as soon as the fight started.
Even so, after a few minutes, he ended up losing to Atticus, but at least he had managed to dodge several blows and counterattack. Yes, he may not have won, but he had undoubtedly resisted more than anyone present would have thought he could.
...
...
On the fifth day, Namor woke up with a new attitude. During physical exercises, he pushed himself beyond his limits, ignoring the pain and fatigue. Although he was still slower and less strong than the others, his endurance and determination began to stand out more and more.
Several other recruits started to get along quite well with him, among them was Atticus, who, despite being somewhat clumsy, was still one of the most outstanding due to his great physique.
Namor and Atticus got along well mainly because Atticus was very energetic, sincere, and the most enthusiastic of the recruits. He was a complete fanatic of extreme physical effort, and a common trait of his was that he firmly believed one could achieve anything they set their mind to, no matter how impossible it seemed, with sheer determination. This was why he had a lot of respect for Namor, who was two years younger and noticeably weaker physically.
On the other hand, Namor still didn't really stand out. In the eyes of the instructors, he was just an average recruit who worked harder than the rest, but there was nothing that impressive about that.
...
...
On the night of the sixth day, after an exhausting training session, Namor sat alone, watching the artificial lights slowly dim, marking the arrival of night in Tridente City, underwater.
In the depths of the ocean, where Atlantis' eight city-states are situated, sunlight does not reach. To mark the day and night hours, the atlanteans have developed advanced technological methods.
Underwater clocks synchronized ensure that the schedules are uniform in all Atlantis' city-states. These clocks, distributed throughout the cities and also available in personal versions, allow all citizens to keep track of time.
Additionally, digital devices mark the days and nights similarly to how it is done on the surface. The cities are equipped with lighting systems that simulate day and night cycles. During the night, the lights dim, while during the day, they shine brightly. Lighthouses and lights on buildings and streets turn on and off to mimic sunlight and nighttime darkness.
An impressive aspect of Atlantis is the controlled bioluminescence. The atlanteans cultivate and control bioluminescent organisms that emit light at specific times of the day to simulate sunrise and sunset. They use biotechnology to modify plants and animals, making them emit light according to a set schedule.
Strict routines and schedules are based on a master clock in Poseidonis, which all other city-states follow.
Oh, and the atlanteans also have customs and rituals indicating the beginning, usually at 7 am, and the end of the day, at 10 or 11 pm, helping them maintain a proper circadian rhythm and a structured life despite the lack of natural light in the ocean depths.
Namor, sitting in silence, reflected on the marvels of life as an atlantean. Despite the tough training days and the fact that he was still adjusting to all this.
He was truly grateful to have Gamer's Mind because otherwise, he didn't think he could control his constant thoughts filled with doubts... Often, he felt small and insignificant among the other atlanteans, which is why he wished to go to the surface to stand out.
In this life, he didn't want to be just another one in the crowd like when he was Adam.
...
...
-Tridente City, Xebel, Atlantis
-January 17, 2003
After another exhausting training session on his seventh day of mandatory military service, Namor now swam through the dark corridors of the Tridente City barracks, seeking to reach his small dormitory to rest. The sparse lights in the corridors illuminated the aquatic pathways and the marine stone walls.
Namor had trained hard all day. His body was exhausted, his muscles aching from the effort. As he approached his room, his mind was filled with thoughts about the tough training and his future goals.
Upon reaching his room door, he paused for a moment, breathing deeply.
"Just a little more..." he told himself, trying to gather the last drops of energy. With a sigh, he pushed the door open and entered.
But instead of the familiar sight of his modest room, he found himself in a completely different place. He was in a dark, cavernous cave, lit by torches that cast unsettling shadows on the walls.
"What the hell...?" Namor murmured, looking around in disbelief. He stepped back, trying to return through the door, but it had disappeared, leaving him trapped in this strange place.
"Um... Hello?" Namor asked, very nervous and panicking, but luckily, Gamer's Mind was doing its usual job of calming him down and letting him think/process all of this.
He finally decided to move forward cautiously, his steps echoing in the silence. Turning a corner, he found a hidden entrance in the distance with a bright light that caught his attention. With his heart pounding, he headed towards it and finally entered a passage where the walls were covered in strange symbols...
After a few seconds of walking, he noticed another dim light shining at the end of the tunnel.
When he reached the end of the passage, he found himself in a vast cavern adorned with ancient statues and an imposing throne in its center. Seated on the throne was an old man with a long white beard, dressed in a majestic robe.
"Welcome, Namor," said the old man in a deep, resonant voice. "I have been expecting you."
Namor frowned, confused and alert. To make matters worse, for some reason he couldn't quite understand, all of this felt strangely familiar.
Namor slowly walked towards the old man who, somehow, knew his name.
"Where am I?" he asked, managing to maintain his composure in the face of this crazy situation, thanks to Gamer's Mind constantly helping him. "And who are you?"
And yes, those were the smartest questions he could think of, even with Gamer's Mind's help.
Unfortunately, the old man did not immediately respond. Instead, he stared at him as if analyzing him. Namor could almost feel those piercing eyes looking into his soul.
What Namor didn't yet know was that this old man was none other than the wizard Shazam. And the moment the wizard looked closely at Namor, he immediately noticed the oddity in his soul.
There are several things the wizard notes that indicate the soul of the young man in front of him does not belong to that body or this dimension.
First, the wizard perceived that Namor's soul seemed to be about 16 years old, while his physical body was that of an 11-year-old atlantean boy. Although the wizard knew there could be many reasons for someone's physical body not aging at the same rate as their soul, this discrepancy caught his attention.
Additionally, the wizard Shazam noticed something even more unusual: although Namor's body had a genetic predisposition for magic, his soul showed no trace of it. This was extremely rare, as in his dimension, all living beings had at least a trace of magic from birth. Generally, this amount was imperceptible, but it was always present. Only a few beings had the actual ability to sense magic, and even fewer could use it, as their bodies also needed a genetic predisposition for it.
Shazam knew for certain that there was always some magic in both the body and soul of living beings in his dimension, but he couldn't detect any magic in Namor's soul. This contrasted with his body, which clearly had the ability to project magic, making the situation even stranger.
The old wizard could conclude that the soul inhabiting this young atlantean's body was not only not the 11-year-old boy known as Namor, but also came from another dimension, likely one where magic did not exist.
Although Shazam was interested in discovering how the soul of a non-magical being had come to his dimension, he decided to respect the young man's privacy, as he valued his own. He would focus solely on the purpose for which the young man had been summoned to the Rock of Eternity.
Thus, the wizard decided to focus only on testing whether the boy in front of him, whether or not he was the original Namor, was worthy of inheriting his powers.
He would simply make him take the test of courage against the seven deadly sins. If he passed the test, it would mean he was worthy. Otherwise, he would let him go. Shazam had already seen that Namor's soul showed no signs of darkness, so at least he knew the boy was not an evil being. Besides, a young, non-magical soul had no capacity to control the rare circumstances in which he now found himself.
While the old wizard analyzed Namor in silence, the young man was full of questions and concerns. The old man hadn't answered him and was only staring at him. Luckily, Gamer's Mind kept him calm, and Namor took advantage of it to analyze the surroundings for any extra information.
It was then that Namor saw a symbol of a golden lightning bolt above the thrones and the old man seated. This symbol seemed very familiar to him, and he remembered seeing a similar scene in the Shazam movie, one of the DC heroes. The current situation was similar to what Billy Batson had experienced in the movie, although with some differences.
Namor began to wonder if this was really the place known as the Rock of Eternity. The only thing he didn't understand was why he, an atlantean, had ended up there. Maybe the old wizard knew his true identity as a human from an Earth where the DC world was fictional. However, Death seemed to have made sure that didn't happen, even giving him the Gamer's Mind ability so no one would find out and forcing him not to reveal anything about his past.
Before he could think further to reach a logical conclusion, Namor noticed the old wizard getting up from his throne and slowly approaching him, staring intently.
"Namor," Shazam spoke again, while Namor could only look at him and think that this old man didn't look anything like the old wizard in the Shazam movie.
"I am the last of the Council of Wizards," the old man began. "Sworn to protect the realms from the Seven Deadly Sins. But the years have passed, and I grow weak. That is why I seek a champion to inherit my magic."
"Huh? So... you... you want me to inherit your magic?"
Namor was confused by this sudden turn of events. First, he ended up in the DC world in the body of an atlantean named Namor, like a Marvel character, and now he was summoned by the old wizard who gave powers to the DC character Shazam, also known as Captain Marvel, who wanted him, instead of Billy Batson, to inherit his powers.
Yes, all of this was extremely weird and unexpected. Namor had no idea how many things were going to change now in this DC world, whatever version of the world he was in. But at least he knew it wasn't the movie version he had seen because neither Aquaman nor this old wizard resembled their movie versions.
"With this..." the old man said, striking his great magical staff against the floor in front of him and then showing a golden, shiny hologram of a man without facial features but with a perfect, very muscular, heroic body, wearing a cape and the same lightning bolt the old man had in the center of his chest. "all of my powers will become yours."
"But first..." the old wizard suddenly added, making the hologram disappear. "You must demonstrate that you're pure of heart and strong in spirit."
Instantly, as the old wizard said this, seven voices whispering could be heard around.
"He lies," one of the statues said, its eyes turning blood-red and staring directly at Namor.
"Don't be his champion," another statue said, also now looking at Namor with blood-red eyes.
"We can give you power," a different voice added.
"Yesss, just take the eye..." another different statue said, all trying to convince him.
"Take the eye..."
"Take it!
"You'll have all the power you need... you'll never be weak again."
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Well finally the story begins!
I know the prologue was quite long but it was absolutely necessary to set the groundwork. Now, I hope you all enjoy this story and the more support this gets, the more motivated I will be to write, I wish you all a good day.