Warning: Massive DC AU, Gore, Dark, Fast Paced
All of this is a work of fiction, and all characters aside from my own belong to their respective works. Any and all characters and settings are purely imaginative and don't correlate to real-life events.
I'm trying a new style of writing for a bit.
As of October 18, I made a slight fix here and there but nothing substantial.
Enjoy!
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Jane had crimson stains on her black uniform and mask from the lives she took without hesitation. The weightlessness of killing numerous people, followed her everywhere. She sat on the edge of a rooftop, and in the alley below, countless dead bodies sprawled throughout the location. A scene of horror and carnage painted the area in a tapestry of indifferent violence.
The moon hung high in the sky, glowing in somber memory of its distant lover, the golden cherished sun of life and warmth. The rain hit the city in a crescendo of calming noise and a cold sensation when it struck against uncovered skin.
The blood soaked into her clothing merged with the puddle on the roof, mixing together as if one. The sins of her crime remained on her, while the alleyway, soaked in rain and blood, was forever stained by Jane's carnage. If the alleyway could speak, it would retell the horrors with quivering clarity. Her brutality, if witnessed, would paint even the most forgettable mind with excruciating gruesome detail.
Jane's thoughts were distant and drifted solely on the hectic past. The lives she took were only a blip, as in her past life she'd done worse for revenge. Her eyes held a seed of doubt while her heart quaked with longing for a past not of this world.
Heroes weren't meant to kill nor inflict dread. Her methods were a contradiction to heroism, but not to her own definition. It inspired fear and dread. She killed without remorse, hunting the rotten scum of society. Rapists were decapitated, murderers were gutted, drug dealers were hanged by their own intestines. All were killed in either one precise strike or in brutal fashion. None were tortured. They couldn't scream nor beg for their lives. No chances were thrown their way, and their fate was decided because they were starved of the chance of redemption.
Criminals came in all shapes and sizes; she ended the lives of horrible women and arrogant murderous teenagers too. Her judgment was clear, hunting and ending those who wronged others with their cruelty and indifference. Her goal was to make the city and its people fear their own sin and evil desires. Starline City's criminal-infested ecosystem was slowly being overturned by a ruthless avenger of twisted justice.
As for thieves of this society, they were left alive but broken. It didn't matter if they did it for survival or greed, as the consequences of their actions left them with pain and humiliation. She did this to all the thieves, even the ones who had no money to support their families. She was ruthless and unsympathetic to their reasons.
While the evil she hunted was killed because of their committed acts of pride, cruelty, and desire for power, their consequences ended their lives. The drug dealers who sold to minors were hanged, even though they did it to pay for their daughter's school. Her judgment was ice cold, indifferent to the external temperatures around.
Stella radioed in, disrupting Jane's train of thought that lingered on past regrets with a calm report. "There are multiple reports of dead bodies littering the streets and alleyways of Starline City. Mistress, is this really necessary?"
Her question hung in the air. Stella crossed her arms, waiting for an answer from her mistress. She understood her mistress was going to kill criminals but hadn't expected the staggering number of bodies she piled up and in such a brutal way and in a short night. It was as if she was the murderous reincarnation of Leonardo Da Vinci.
Jane rasped her Australian accent clear as day as the auto-tune technology that camouflaged her voice was deactivated, but her mask remained. "My methods, while not correct to the standards of society, are without a doubt effective. Many people will hate what I do because it's a heresy to heroism and the law at large, but in due time, the cancer that floods this city will stop festering, this I know."
Jane paused for a moment, closing her eyes and listening to the calm rain droplets hitting against her helmet. She knew the city would see her as more villain than hero, but she was comfortable with that notion.
"My monstrous actions will become the light of this city." She hesitated for a moment when she glanced at the blood on her hands but steeled herself in her conviction. She closed her fist and pressed onward. "Whether they paint me as a murderous lunatic or the devil, I'll stand by my beliefs or die by them."
"And 'sides, with you by my side, I don't feel as though I am in the wrong." Having Stella by her side meant the world to Jane more than Stella could've ever know.
Stella, quiet after Jane's response, was in deep thought. While she couldn't condone Jane's brutality, she still helped her, as she didn't want her to face this alone. Even if Jane committed evil for the sake of it, Stella would stand by her side, seeing her as a daughter and not as a monster.
"Very well, if that's what you think, then I will support you till my last dying breath," Stella responded, her heart full of loyalty and not an ounce of doubt. Stella wouldn't betray her mistress for greed or power, as being with her meant the world to her. She would give up her sanity, life, and body to make things easier for Jane and her goals.
Before Jane thanked Stella for her commitment, in the distance she heard the roar of engines and the horde of rubber tires rolling in on the poverty-stricken community and nearly empty street, with a drug addict twitching a few feet away.
The criminal-infested city was fighting back, using its inhabitants to fight against the invasive vigilante.
"Talk to you later," Jane said, ending the call and activating her auto-tune technology. She knew she was bound to attract attention, which was why she stood in place, waiting for her prey to come to her. She had been making a lot of noise lately, so it was bound to pay off.
The environment was perfect for her destruction, as the residents of this area were scarce, a rare commodity in this crumbling neighborhood. The only buildings stable for living were a dozen blocks away and nowhere close. As for the drug addict, he had died of a heart attack, which made Jane let out a small laugh at his demise.
"What a fool." She shook her head at his wasteful decision. "Drugs are a gateway to hell, both in the present and in the future." She pictured the man's life in her head and how many connections he had destroyed shamelessly in his pursuit of dopamine and ecstasy.
Black vehicles pulled up to her location. Stepping out were men in suits armed with guns, swords, and baseball bats. Three unique individuals stepped out, wearing uniforms of colorful spandex.
The leader of the group walked out in a grey suit, with white hair and a beard. His skin was pale as snow, and the air around him seemed to shift unnaturally as if bound by his will and dominance. Rain droplets parted way from the man keeping him dry while his men were wet, but unfazed by the weather's condition. They stood there indifferent and ready to strike with their leader's command.
"Heretic," the man in the grey suit spoke, calm and steady, his eyes adjusting quickly to the figure atop the two-story building.
"Quite a nice name you have there. I guess your mother didn't choose it." He paused, taking out a cigarette from a metal case and tapping the lit end against the casing, making a light thud on contact.
"You won't mind if I smoke?" he questioned, gesturing to the cigarette between his fingers and the lighter in his other hand, but Heretic stood silent in the rain.
"I'll take that as a no, then." He lit his cigarette and placed his lighter back in his pocket. He breathed in and out, exhaling a large amount of smoke from his remarkably clean lungs.
"For the past few hours you've run amok in this city, killing everyone you've come across. While I won't go into detail about why I'm here, long story short, you're bad for business," he paused, letting his words linger in the air for a moment.
"You have three options: work for me, skip town, or my favorite, die." He smirked at the last bit, a cigarette in his mouth.
"I'm being generous about your choices here. Personally, I'm a bit impressed with what you've done." He nodded, recounting the damage she had done to his gang, his rivals, and his partners.
"But let me reiterate: either take a hike somewhere else, work for me, or die."
"Hubert Hamilton," Heretic remarked, scanning his personal data from her mask, "you clearly didn't choose that name. Also known as Huey by friends and family, or, my favorite, Hue the Pervert, by your former bullies. High school must have been a real drag for you, huh, mate? Let me guess, you couldn't score a girlfriend, so you started dating your hand instead, you unlucky dog. It almost breaks my heart, almost." Heretic placed both of her hands on her chest and shook her head.
Heretic's mockery reached Hubert's breaking point. His eyebrow twitched in irritation as a dark glare transformed his calm expression. "Ah, screw it. Fuck being civil. Kill that bitch!" He pointed.
His men aimed their guns and pulled the triggers, spitting purple fire with each round exiting the muzzle. High-tech guns, made by the greatest former mind in Starline City. The hail of bullets hit the building and empty space, while the loud bangs of gunfire echoed throughout the neighborhood.
Heretic reacted in time and fled further onto the rooftop, escaping the the range of gunfire, but never the sound of weapons firing hitting her ears.
Hubert signaled his men to invade the building. They climbed a flight of stairs, quickly making their way to the roof. Hubert stood in place with the three spandex-clothed men behind him.
Heretic's senses penetrated the concrete floor and saw men approaching her position.
Heretic smiled underneath her black mask. She jumped into the air and used it as a foothold. Standing a few meters above the building she had just been on, she took her position, moved her waist, elevated her leg, and pulled it downward with vigor. Silver cracks formed under her heel, and a powerful, sharp, invisible blade hammered down into the building below.
The building crumbled under the invisible force, shaking violently and shattering from its foundations. The people inside and the contents were obliterated beyond recognition, as if they were struck by an earth shattering earthquake. The sound of the building breaking was all that could be heard throughout the neighborhood; the sound of broken bones, screams, and occasional misfire of weapons were camouflaged by the destruction of concrete, metal, and glass.
The alleyway next to her was buried by the building's debris, covering up her murderous rampage with a tidal wave of destruction.
Hubert, reflexively, along with the trio behind him, retreated away from the destruction that spilled onto the street and damaged vehicles, their expressions grim.
Above the mayhem, Heretic waved at the four below. Heretic stepped to ground level as if walking down an invisible staircase. Each step had silver cracks forming underneath the soles of her feet that let out a subtle mechanical hum. She placed her hands behind her back, standing before the grim four.
"I gotta say, quite the show," Hubert clapped his hands together. Behind his grim expression was a smile of utter confidence and pride.
He distracted Heretic while the guy in the group of spandex-wearing individuals came crashing down belly first, picking up asphalt when it made contact with the ground. Of course, Heretic sensed this and moved out of the way before contact, but was halted by Hubert's control over the air, which caged her movements like a bird.
She was attacked from the side by a large jet stream of condensed water that shot her through the street and barreling into one of the vehicles ahead. Her body was embedded deep into the car.
The last trio of spandex-wearing individuals shot a beam from his hand onto the vehicle. It exploded upon impact, consuming Heretic in a torrent wave of flames and kinetic power.
Hubert burned with victory and pride.
"Should've kept your mouth shut," he said, turning away with a smirk and stepping toward an undamaged vehicle, with the trio following after him with professional indifference.
Inside the flames, Heretic felt the subtle numbness in her limbs. Her skin was slowly peeling off and healing, the effects of the explosion barely leaving a scratch. She kept her eyes closed so as not to burn them in the fire.
'I should've used my precognition.'
She arrogantly decided to use her senses and sharpened instincts against the group and not her future sight, thinking it was overkill, but that was a mistake.
Hubert heard the faint pops close to his ear. Curious, he turned and saw the three men headless and moving around like headless chickens. They fell under their weight and lifelessness, and standing behind them was Heretic.
Her mask was destroyed, the top half of her clothing burned to ash, and her black hair returned to its original crimson hue. Hubert immediately recognized her appearance and appreciated her bare, wet chest.
The rain continued pouring only on her and the dead. The calm noise of the rain clashed against the tension in the air that was so thick it could be cut by a knife.
"So the great Heretic is none other than Jane V. Smith." He smiled through the fear settling in his chest. He thought that if he survived this, he could use this information to his advantage and potentially blackmail Jane V. Smith into doing his bidding. But first, he had to survive.
He moved his hand forward, attempting to capture her again, but Heretic grew wise and used her precognition to predict his attack and avoided it precisely. She moved in close, evading the wind slashes aimed at her stomach but sacrificing her left arm in the process.
She grabbed him by his neck and slammed his body into the wet ground, disabling his control over the air and wetting his Italian suit. She picked him up again to repeat the process, beating him into submission.
Hubert was battered and broken, groaning in pain and unable to say a single syllable. She picked him up by his neck while the blood from his head rolled down his face, mixing with the rain and creating a faint red puddle below. Her eyes were focused and determined. She placed her left stump on his chest, and the next words that left her mouth shook him to his core.
"You wanna hear something interesting? Anything within my body during regeneration is erased. Don't know how it works exactly, but you should know where this is going, right?"
Her red, damp hair covered the top half of her face, but the glare breaching through was cold and dark.
Hubert tried to regain control over the air, but it didn't follow his command. The rain continued to pour on Heretic and Hubert. Suddenly, Heretic regenerated from her left stump, dissolving everything in its way. Her arm regenerated completely through his chest, and as a result, he bled from his chest while he coughed up blood and died.
She tossed him to the ground. Then she picked up her severed left arm, blood dripping from the cut end, and threw it into the car fire behide her. She leapt into the air, silver cracks forming beneath her burnt leather boots that smelled of burnt rubber, followed by a faint mechanical hum nearby.
She had enough adventure for one day and decided to head back home and rest.
Killing Hubert created another power vacuum within the corrupted heart of Starline City. Another predator was lying in wait and took their chance to seize control. With each act of violence committed by Jane, another opportunity arose for the patient predators. Though soon, they would pay their dues in the form of violent and cruel retribution.