In a universe within the DC Universe.
This universe was under Highfather's control.
Highfather was hardly a good god, but he was easygoing enough. He didn't oppress humanity or think about harvesting them whenever the mood struck.
He generally let humans live out their natural lives, then claimed their souls.
That meant the souls were of lower quality than those taken in the prime of life, but there were plenty of them, so it worked well enough.
The people of this universe lived peaceful, happy lives.
But today was different.
Something had begun to go wrong in this universe.
In one galaxy, the light of its stars began to dim, then went out.
The whole process took less than a year.
And like a virus, the darkness spread outward as more and more stars went out.
Highfather sensed something was wrong, so he ordered the Shazam Family under his control to investigate.
The Shazam Family was a family of six, each with extraordinary abilities.
Strength, wisdom, courage, stamina, speed, and divine power.
They were formidable.
They weren't as strong as Superman, but they could fly, fight, and think. They had always been useful pawns in Highfather's hands.
As the six members of the Shazam Family searched for the cause of the dying stars, Fire Phoenix flew from galaxy to galaxy, scattering seed after seed.
These seeds sought out intelligent life to inhabit, much as the Phoenix Force had once inhabited Jean Grey of the X-Men.
When the time was right, they would take control of their hosts and absorb the energy of stars.
Once they had absorbed enough, Fire Phoenix would consume them.
It was cruel, but that was reality.
By chance, the six members of the Shazam Family encountered a girl inhabited by the Phoenix Force.
She was around