Kill Your Heroes.

Kill Subject: Iron Man

"So, I'm really glad that you're okay." Iron Man, or rather, Tony Stark said to me as he handed me a glass of scotch. Oh, he didn't change a bit, I still remember the day he saved me from my death. From my dawn. He came with that glowy armour of his and smiled, he felt just like the sun that day. Whispering comforting words of it's going to be okay. I believed him, I truly did. I f*cking admired him. And now I see how much of a fool I was. To think that he was perfect. Always a hero.

Stupid.

I said nothing for a while and simply smiled, turning to look at the sunset from the roof of Stark Tower while taking a sip of the cold alcoholic beverage. It was delicious, and a way of comfort to what I was about to do. "Yeah," I finally started. "All thanks to you," And raised the glass.

"Merchant of Death."

And the world came to a halt as Stark's eyes shone in realisation. He yelled to Jarvis for the suit, but it was already too late. Jarvis couldn't move the suit to the roof in such short period of time, time that I used to pull my simple, but deadly, pistol and aimed it towards Tony's head, before lowering it down to his heart. Or rather, Arc Reactor. Then, there was a loud bang.

Tony Stark fell, Iron Man was no more. And I, I cried. For he was never a hero.

Heroes don't die, heroes don't fall.

Iron Man? Iron Man was a lie.

Kill Subject: Alice

The girl ran, ran, ran, trying as hard as she could to escape the traps. They snapped and struck at whatever came nearby, those beautiful sounds interwoven with the clanging of metal. I watched from the distance, a bright smile on my face.
Another snapped in front of her, but the girl jumped and dodged it, most of her flowing golden hair snapped off.
What was she doing? A true visitor wouldn't be afraid. A true hero of this Wonderland wouldn't be afraid of this beauty, of this destruction.
She caught sight of me on the cliff and screamed for help. To her, I was just another mad inhabitant of this vast Wonderland. The smile on my face grew painfully wider.
"You think you're a hero to us, Alice?"
I aimed my gun, the cool metal pressing against my cheek. It took more of my sanity and shot, the "hero" crumpling onto the ground and bleeding profusely from the wound in her forehead. Instantly, I began to laugh.
"Heroes don't die, Alice. Heroes don't get shot, Alice. Heroes don't lose to villains, Alice!"
Laughter spread through my being. The "hero" was dead, and the "villain" to rise. What a touching ending.

A soothing breeze blew through the dense forest. Well, at this denseness and diversity, it must be called a jungle. No matter. I had more important businesses. Sitting in the edge of the jungle, close to a village, sat a woman. A young woman, pretty, but not pretty pretty. Walking slowly along a little grassed road, I was getting closer to my target.

She'd know I come. She always has a way of knowing when something approaches her, but I never seem to find out how. No matter. She'd soon be gone. And she couldn't run. She can barely walk without krutches. Ha! This'll be easy. But I couldn't just start a fire anywhere, I'd have to get close. Snapping my fingers, I created small bursts of fire. But this was not all. When I was ready and in position, my magic could set huge areas ablaze in seconds.

As I eventually catched a glimpse of her in the distance, she looked, to my surprise, well aware of my presence. She looked down, seemingly preparing a trap, weapon or something. Like she could use plants for that. She eventually looked up, turning slightly towards me.

"You! What do you want?" She had seen me. I had to act either quick, or seemingly innocent. The latter was not my thing. I ran over towards her, just now realizing the short fence of thorny vines set up around her. I jumped, grabbing a branch and climbing up a tree. Assumably still knowing where I was, she gasped, then turned towards me, holding something up against her mouth. And was that... Seeds?

Through this long, thin pipe, she started blowing pointed seeds in my direction, a few of which actually hit. They did minimal damage, but if she wanted a fight, she'd get it. As far as I was able to reckon, I could jump from tree to tree, before getting to her. So I did for a while, before deciding to take this one on one. Landing on the ground with a thud, I took slow but certain steps in her direction. She was breathing anxiously. In her hands she held a couple mushrooms, to which I laughed. "How in the world are you supposed to use mushrooms as weapons?" It seemed absurd, and so it might have to her too, before throwing them, hitting me in my eyes. Now, one wouldn't think that did so much damage, but these mushrooms weren't the ones you'd usually think of when hearing mushrooms.

They both dispersed in a cloud of spores, momentarily messing up my entire eyesight. I yelled at her and vigorously rubbed my eyes. Ok, effecive weapons or not, I couldn't fight her blindly. I had to go with using my finishing move, a Flame Wave, before aiming properly at her. A forest fire would have to suffice.

I did the movements, I spoke the incantation, and, without me seeing it, a radiant ring of fire formed around me, before spreading out, letting everything it passed on fire. She screamed, but not as if one was on fire, but as if one's friends were. Really? Did she really keep this forest this close? It was of no matter, without leaving, she would once get caught by the fires or a falling tree anyways. Still furiously trying to clear my eyes of spores, I ran. Out of the jungle, away from my crying, and eventually silent target.

When a tree falls in the forest, what sound does it make?

Kill concept: OC, couldn't think of an established hero where this would work, because plot twist!

So much had been built for this moment. A people, forced into slavery by the hand who called himself blood-red justice. A nation, brought to heel by the fear instilled by a name. A world turned dim and colorless under a brooding, darkly burning star. My father before me had wielded this power with ease, and I had fled before his might. I had fled to the frozen reaches, and I had gathered my strength to oppose him.

The resistance had been crushed under his heel on distant yellowed fields, and I had been reigned in, forgiven. I was to be a proper heir. Groomed and indoctrinated to follow my father's wishes, into proud and tall princehood. My tutors said it was fate. I must be, can only be, his heir. There was no other. I was My Father's Son. And I followed his footsteps, up the tallest flight of stairs, to the royal balcony, and I delivered him his just reward.

Standing above his cooling body, I felt that ancient power begin to course through mine. I looked into the sky, to the blue stretching horizon, to the fields and cities below the great citadel, a single long breath escaping me as I saw the sullied beauty of my homeland unfolding below a freshly freed sun. That red power smouldering its way through my veins, I took my father's knife, and ended his legacy.

The wind blew softly as if it was humming a nameless tune, and the moon hung perfectly just above me as I stood on the rooftop of some derelict building in this sorry excuse of a city. I heaved out a heavy sigh when another brilliantly executed plan failed to eliminate the prime target. Yes, he demanded the death of that one single man, and unfortunately I would probably end up dead or locked up in a certain jail in this city guarded by the annoying bats. There was once I admired this young man... He showed me what one could achieve by pure persistence and endurance. He showed us all what any simple man could do if we would just swallow all of our tears and keep going.

Well, look where the lesson had brought us all.

I extended my hands into the air, as if I was preparing to speak to an audience as I watched out into the night sky. Despite not seeing anything but the moon and the perpetual darkness, I knew that they were watching. They would be expecting a show of the highest caliber, when a devotee would drive a knife into the heart of his god. This was not the first game that I played, and if I wouldn't, then they would simply repeat the same scene again and again until I did. The spectators demanded it, and I shall deliver.

"Honey, I'm home!" I hear a woman's sing-sang voice from the back, and I quickly turned with my hands once again by my sides. And I saw a young woman dressed in a skin-tight red outfit with the most ridiculous make-up he had ever seen approaching, and dragged behind her was a battered young man in a red and black clothing. The cape that he usually wore was no where to be seen, and his mask was also no longer concealing his face. Perhaps he was feigning unconsciousness and finding for a way to escape, but it mattered little as this time, he made sure that the Joker's men had him tied up properly with fine metal chains and his utility belt discarded. His little tricks wouldn't matter as well since he also had them made sure that his arms were dislocated and even his fingers bound before bringing him to me. And soon, it would all end. As I examined the young crusader, the woman gave me a huge grin and playfully posed in front of me as yanked the chains that kept him our prisoner. "Mistah J wants to give you this present as a big thank you! Your smarty-ass plans worked perfectly and now Mistah J is now happily playing with good ol' bats!"

"All I did was convincing a few of you to work together," I shrugged slightly as I walked towards her. "Now that our business is mostly concluded, I'm hoping that you can leave the boy and me alone for a while."

"Sure thing! He's all yours! I better get back to Mistah J before he's all mad about me not serving tea to little batsie. See ya later!" With a cheerful giggle, Harlequin skipped back into the shadows of the darkness that covered her arrival. I reached down, and gently placed the moaning young man in my arms as I sat on the cracked floor tiles. He was bruised all over, and I could only imagine what kind of damage he had suffered under the hands of the villains that I had coordinated in order to reach this conclusion. It wasn't easy, convincing every single villain in Gotham to work towards a single goal just for a few nights. I even had to use myself as a bait to lure out Ra's Al Ghul and to get his assistance in this. And now, I had indeed reached the ending of this story. And perhaps this time, the merciful sorcerers and witches would truly let me die?

"I'm sorry that it has come to this," I whispered to him as I stared into his half-opened blue eyes. I wasn't sure if he was still listening at this point, but it mattered little already. I reached out the combat knife that I had borrowed from a new friend of mine, and placed the sharp blade by his neck. "Good bye, and may you be reborn in a more peaceful world," I whispered as softly as I could for one last time, and I dragged the sharp edge of the blade across his neck, and oh the dark red liquid of life gushing out from the narrowing opening and from his mouth. He began to twitch as he drowned, but I held him tightly in my arms, never once letting go.

I wasn't sure how long I had been staying on the rooftop, but when I came to, dawn had come. The wind still continue to play an unfamiliar tune, but the sun had begun to rise. As its ray hit my face, I realized I had been in the same position for God knew how long. In my arms, was the cold lifeless body of a young man that had been my guiding light for so many years. And now, I killed him. I snuffed my guiding light. Timothy Drake. "Oh witches and sorcerers of theater-going, spectators from the corners of the world, voyagers that set sail within the sea of fragments... Are you happy with my performance today? If you are, please bestow upon this performer with your clapping," I asked out with a trembling voice, and seemingly from no where, I could heard the thunderous applause from between the ether as if there was truly a theater filled with spectators watching this pitiful show with sneers on their faces.

Indeed, the curtain began to drop as the performance ended. But when would the show end? As I finally let the young man rest on the tiles stained with his half solidified blood, I rose up and turned. Only to meet the angry gaze of another man that I did not expect to see.

It was Batman himself.

And then the world seemed to have turned upside down.

And there was darkness.

Target: Link

I watched from a distance as the man, if you could call him that, stepped out of the temple. He was looking over some new toy he lifted from the place, I didn't really care enough to see what it was.

People called him a hero, but I didn't see much. Just some kid who trespasses on holy ground, steals the money and treasures inside, and kills anything in his way. Well that ends today.

I steadied the crossbow against my shoulder and held my breath. It would be really easy to screw up at this distance, and if I did, I wouldn't live very long to regret it. I swallowed any hesitations I had, and pulled the trigger.

The bolt flew straight through that ridiculous cap, and into the back of his skull. Then, he just fell down, like any man would. Kid may be hero, but he wasn't that special. He had the same weaknesses as anyone else, he was just stupid enough to not care. Well, look where that got him: Dead at the hands of some kid with a crossbow.

Kill subject: Frank Castle/The Punisher

"How long has been? a week? two, three?" , ask myself as I wake up. I brush off some of the dirty, stinky straw thats stick to me. As always the iron bars of my cage greet me, I dont have a bed, have to sleep on the straw covered floor, no sheet either, my captors dont want that I try to hang myself.
My captors treat me worse than an animal, dont have a plate, glass or anything to eat or drink, only when they bring me the food, if I could call that food, they wait until Im done and then take the plate and glass. When was the last time that I had a good dinner?, my birthday, yes, that was the day when they took me.
My fourteen birthday, dad wasnt there as usual, mom was, but it was like if she wasnt there, she was drunk as usual, chatting with her friends, as drunk as she was. Four more years, thats all I needed, four more years of this shit and I could be free, free to do whatever I want, free from them.
Then it happened, screams, howls, shots, an assault team stormed the place. Burly men, all clad in black, masks, gloves and guns, so many guns. They disposed of my mom bodyguards, one of them grabbed her from the hair and asked her where was dad.

"He isnt here!" she cried as her tears made her make up run, the tears turned black leaving streaks on her cheeks. The man didnt believed her at first so he punched her with his gun a few times, her nose and lips broke as he punched her merciless. Her face was turned in a sobbing mass of blacks and red.
"Tell him that he owes us, we are taking his brat, if he want to see him again he must contact us in less than 24 hours, if he didnt, then we will begin to cut the brat in very little pieces that will be sent to you every fucking month!" he punched her one last time while I was dragged away.
My head was covered with a black hood, my hands and ankles locked with these plastic things that I used to tie my tv and computer cables. I dont even know if it was a car or a truck. They keep me down, his feets pushing me against the floor, what most scared me was that they were talking, so calm, like if nothing had happened, as if it was just another day, as if they havent murdered 6 or more men.
I was carried and moved from one car to another, I begged to be released, I assured them that I would give them any money they wanted. They just laughed at me.
At last they throw me here, this cell, other kids were here, some of my own age, others youngers yet. I tried to speak to them but nobody understood me. I understood some words, if I had put more attention at the school I could have spoke to them. Too late to regret not having been good at school.
One by one the kids where taken, most of them cried as the masked men dragged them out. Now Im the only one here. Early one of the guards come close to the cell. He was smiling under the dirty black mask, he showed me a long knife, he scraped it against the cell bars and then pointed it to me. "Hoy, hoy comenzamos" ("Today, today we begin") I didnt understood what he said but the way he spoke was enough to freeze my blood.
I went to sleep to try to forget his words. I wished I could die in my sleep. I prayed, I begged, I cursed but nothing happened and now Im awake again.
I grow more restless as the dinning time approach. The guard that threatened me will come?. I pray that he didnt come, "please, make them forget to feed me..." I pray silent as the sun goes and all around me turns dark.
My prayers have been heard, nobody comes to feed me, hours have passed and nobody comes. I close my eyes trying to sleep and that my wish to die will be granted too.
I wake up startled, a loud thunder?, a lightning?, "Whats that?" I asks still drowsy, then another thunder, no, its not a thunder, a explosion, then shoots, a whole barrage of gunfire, curses, cries for help, men running.
"They come for me?" I ask while I grip the cold bars. The whole place trembles with each explosion. Then it ends. No more cries, curses or shots. All the place turns silent. I swallow fearing what comes next. The door opens and a huge figure come in pointing his gun from left to right. I cant see his face, all I can see its a huge, ghostly skull in his chest.
"Are you ok?" he asks me, a voice like two stones grinding against each other.
"I... who you are?" Im so scared that cant even understand what he asked me.
"It didnt matter, I come to rescue you, stand back, stand back!" he barks at me, startling me even more, still I walk away from the cells door.
He kneels and put something that looks like putty and a long piece of cord to the cell lock.
"Cover your eyes!" he warns me just before a blinding light fill the darkness. I cough as my ears buzz painfully, the air stinks to smoke.
"Come, we must leave now, reinforcements are on the way, I set up some traps but wont be enough to stop them..." his huge hand takes my arm and pull me. I trip, slipping from his grip and falling to the ground, Im still dazed by the light and the sound.
"Come on, I dont have time for this shit..." he kneels to lift me up offering me his hand.
I turn around to take his arm, he didnt notice that I wasnt fumbling on the dirty straw floor.
No, I was looking for something. Something that was here since the first day.
I grab his hand, "easy, I got you..."
"No, I got you..." I say coldly as I press it against his chest.
"What? what are you...?" , too late he notice whats going on, I have heard of his legendary reflexes so I pull the trigger twice before he even finish.
The giant man fall backward.
"Hurts, isnt?, armor piercing rounds, I know you are used to being shot, but two of these? at such close range?, only if you were one of these mutie freaks, now you must be wondering why I did these? I went mad? brainwash?, none of these, I did this for my dad... remember the Manhattan hit, last year?"
"Manhattan?, last year?" the giant coughs more blood as he speaks "F...Fisk?"
"Yes, Wilson Fisk also know as The Kingpin, Im Jason, his bastard son, not because he didnt loved or wanted me, no, he didnt recognize me to keep me safe from his enemies, but your attack left him very wounded, he went to me, together we planned all this, the kidnapping, the oh so sad plead of my mom, I know you are quite good researching who you aid, but without your friend Micro?, It was easy to hide who I was, now my mission its over, dad will recognize me as his heir, we will be a family again, thank you very much..."
"F... fuck you... The Kingpin never will..."
I fire two more rounds, this time to the head before he finish what he was about to said, but still he twitchs trying to reach his sidegun, just to be sure I empty the magazine over him. I drop the gun as I walk out, the fresh, cool air welcome me, luckly its night, I would have stand the sunlight after these weeks in the dark.
All that left its wait for the reinforcements. We will be together, a family.
Dad must have told them who Im. What was Castle saying?, nonsense.
I know dad must have told them.
He must.

Hillan said:

I mean you writing a concept where 'you' as a character kill whoever it is that your hero is, and you turn it into a short story. You are allowed all the knowledge you currently possess, so, if you decide to kill Superman, you would know about his kryptonite weakness. But, you are not allowed to alter 'your' being. No super powers, no mega-tech, no random acts of god.

Click to expand...

((Leaving this here so that I don't lose focus of what I'm allowed to do in the writing. It happens.))

Kill Concept: Green Lantern-Hal Jordan

I'd plan this out for weeks, going over every little detail in my free time. Why? Because if I fail, there's a good chance that I would die. Then again, that was worse case scenario, best case scenario, I would end up in jail for whatever remained of my life. I was going after a big fish, trying something that I would have never thought possible before hand on any other day. Why? Why kill a superhero, a national icon...Well, maybe it was just to see if I could. I kept an eye on the patterns of Coast City's favorite golden- er, Emerald Knight for months, waiting for the perfect opportunity to make my move. He had flight patterns, certain areas to spot and crack down on crime if an opportunity didn't present itself to distract form his routine. You know, those rare, one-of-a-kind nights? With a little money, and a lot of persuading the community college drama club, I managed to orchestrate on of those nights.

A simple job, pretend to be mugged. The actors of Drama Club kindly told me not to associate their names with the incident either way any how. Honestly, I was surprised they decided to go along with my rather delusional plan anyway. Then again, as far as they knew, I wanted a fake mugging to bring out the GL. Even though they should have been concerned. With my request, with the wrapped up shard of glass in my back pocket that would act as a knife for some reason. Their innocence to the situation that they'd been cast into filled me with an odd sense of superiority, like I could get away with it. But that didn't last long.

The night was...more than usually festive in Coast City tonight, and the air was dry, so much so that a fire could've started with effort. I walked through a designated spot that I scoped out on the Emerald Knight's route, trying my best to act like the High School 17-year old that I was. Like I didn't belong there. When my paid actors stepped out of the darkness, their game faces on point, I followed suit. I screamed so loud that my head began to pound from the echo, pushing my "attackers" away roughly. This was supposed to look as real as possible. Everything was fine, I was calm, dead set in my role, until the alleyway lit up green. "Wonderful night, don't you think, fellas?" There he was, Captain Wise Crack himself, and suddenly my act felt less like an act. I did feel helpless, trying my hardest to not let my stammering voice, or wandering thoughts distract me. I'd come here to kill someone, not to get rescued. What on earth was I thinking?

I had been picked up by one of the club members, probably for effect mostly, when the Green Lantern began his assault. He conjured up an iconic green fist to pummel the guy holding me into the nearby wall. The other kid threatened to make a move for him, but GL rolled his eyes. This was a chore to him, child's play. It was as glamorous as I had seen in t.v. footage. I had fallen to the ground in the commotion, while GL roughed up the boys and sent them packing. I couldn't even look him in the eye, the coward that I was, shaking with an odd mixture of excitement, guilt, and fear. Green Lantern offered me a hand to lift myself up, but I refused. He would need to help me up, that was the plan. Complying like the perfect gentleman that he was, he took a slight bow, " I accept checks, cash, and the words 'thank you'." One last fleeting thought in my mind, maybe lasting around ten mili-seconds at most.

How could I do this? What in my right mind was making me do this? Was I insane? No, I've never felt more calm and anxious...at the same time. This was a hero! A member of the Justice League, protector of not only Coast City, but the whole freaking Earth!!

And then those seconds passed, and while one hand had taken the Green Lantern's, weak smile on my face as I accepted his offer to get me to the closest police station, the other...The other hand grabbed the makeshift knife. That ring of his was alerted immediately as I grabbed my weapon, blaring as loudly as possible in the same instant I thrusted the glass in the Green Lantern's chest. We'd been floating a good distance in the air, and both toppled o the ground when he was injured. I remember falling on what might have been either a small dumpster or a large trash can. My back , though not broken, had gotten extremely close in the span of ten seconds. The Green Lantern had collapsed some few feet away from me. The blood flowing from the open wound while the hero lay on his face got me thinking. He was human, what an odd thing to figure out at this moment. Groaning to stand up with maximum effort, I tottered over to the crumpled form. He was hurt, and stunned, but maybe more one than the other. And he still managed to look at me. It was there, confusion, hurt, betrayal, all wound up in those bright eyes of his. Strain to breath too, I might have punctured a lung. I turned away to find something to end it. Looking around, I found a large rock. Hobbling over, I grabbed it and made a U-turn back towards the GL. Unbeknownst to me, the hero had raised his ring, the source of his power to me. He would shoot me, I decided.

His arm shook, sure the blood loss, but something else too. Was he really that shocked? People wanted to kill him all the time, and now I was one of them. Was it my age, or the fact that he just saved me only mere moments ago? We stayed in that stare down for only a breath, before he dropped his arm. Surely he knew what I was going to do with that rock. But, I guess with ow far in that glass probably got, there wasn't much he could do about it. Continuing my hunt, I marched over on my wounded legs, and brought the rock over his head. A few good smashes and I could be pretty darn sure that he wasn't breathing. A 17-year old had killed the Green Lantern.

His ring, a few seconds after his last breath, seemed to take the glow of his suit back, sucking in all the ephemeral light. It left only a man, in a grey jumpsuit, still dead. When I rolled him over, the nameplate, Hal Jordan, had been ruptured by my "knife" and was bloody. I could only pat his head and sit defeated beside him, tears welling in my eyes. "You can't save 'em all...This was one of those times..."

Target: Raiden