Fighting against all odd for the greater good, to improve the world and to make those who cry smile again, that is what a hero strives to be – The Green Saint

The raindrops hammered down upon the bus Justin Bell drove home from school. It had been raining for the last few days and there was no sign of it stopping as the weather turned more and more harsh as winter approached. It has been this way since the awakening a few years before.Villains and Heros emerged overnight.
Noone knew why and in the end, it did not matter.
Even with politicians trying to contain it, trying to garner favors from everybody with a calling.Humanity as it was known, ceased simply ceased to exist.

The Superheros and Megavillians out of the cinema became real.
People who could control lightning or bend water.
People who could heal wounds and turn invinsible.

Everything a human desires is a physical possibility. There is nothing thats just fantasy. It is just fantasy, for now! - The Masked Man

The young boy that sat on the bus home looked outside of the window, looking at the raindrops racing downwards. Or rather he looked through them, his gaze was blanked out and his mind somewhere else.

He did not want to go home, but he must.He did not want to go to school anymore, but he must.He did not want anymore at all.

Too deep had been the scars he collected over the years and hope for a better life had vanished long ago, when his parents died in the awakening. And it is there where his mind goes whenever he was alone. To that faithful evening.

Our duty and pleasure is to serve the people, to make their lifes better, to make earth a better place. - Krazy Kyle

Justin remembered it as if it was yesterday. Clear sky, bright moon. The cars running behind them on the street, honking and speeding around. The city buzzing. Nothing was wrong in this world.
The Bells were out to enjoy the long promised trip to the cinema. A late birthday present to Justin as the movie was not released when he turned ten. He was dressed up in his favorite superhero costume to watch the adventures of him. The white Duckling. Looking back at his former self he could only scuff.
Heros and Villains, for Justin they all had become garbage. They took his parents away.
On this day, this seemingly normal day, the three of them stood in line outside of the cinema as it happened.

And it happened so fast.

The strong are there for the weak, and the weak are there to remind us of our shortcomings. - Dreamgirl

An explosion erupted on the street the bus was driving on and shook through the windows shattering them in the process. As the driver slammed the breaks the young brownhaired boy jumped out of his seat.
This explosion, this sound. He would have recognized it no matter where he was. He hear it in his dreams. It haunted him, day and night.

He rushed to the front of the bus and saw him.
The one person responsible for everything.
Explosion
He did not need another name. Even the press staid with just a simple explanation of what he did as his name.

There he stood in a crater just a few meters away.
Laughing at the carnage he caused. His wild mane of bright red hair waveing in the hot cinderes caused by his power.
And anger began to flare up in his mind turning his vision into a jumbled mess of past and present.

His parents laying in front of him, bleeding out.The smoke coming off the cars surrounding him.

Sounds of sirens everywhere.

Justin climbed out of the front of the bus. Not feeling how the sharp glass cut deep into his flesh. Walking, ever so slowly, forward burning with hatred. Hearing his parents scream resonating in his head. Hearing his own voice in his head, begging him to kill this Human.
This Guy.
This BEING.
The Laughing of Explosion began to stop and he kneeled down. Justin could not see what or who it was, but he could hear Explosion, loud and clear.
“I finally got you. This game of hide and seek is over. I WILL RULE THIS TIME!”
“You will never rule, not as long as we-”
But the laying there would not be able to continue, as explosion rammed his foot into him and loud, agonizing screams began to resonate in the streets.
“I do not care what you think, you will die here. And I will live. Have a good end to your life. Monkey King!”, the Villain exclaimed as he slowly strode away.
As the all consuming anger of Justin drove him towards the crater he saw the Hero known as Monkey King. His legs torn off by the explosion and bleeding beyond help.
What Justin saw as well was that Monkey King saved a young child by shielding it with his own body.
Seeing Justin arrive at the crater the Heros face lit up.

“Young boy! Please, take this child. It needs medical attention!”

“How? Why?”, was all that Justin managed to say

“Because I am a Hero.” the hero who used to be known as Monkey King said.
His eyes clued to the child, crying , hurt and bloodied, but alive, as he slowly took his last breaths.
Monkey King, formerly Viktor Clark, did not anymore see how Justin Bells body began to glow. How Justin Bell turned into the next Monkey King.

--- A year later---

“Being asked the question why risk their lives to save people the Hero Monkey King replied

“Because I am a Hero”

And the Young Boy with brown hair known as Monkey King rode his magic cloud into the sky, to safe yet other people in need, Oliva McCansy for HeroNewsOne!”

Titans fought overhead. Larger than life, stronger than mere mortals - they fought. Crashing into buildings. Punches sending their opponents barrelling through the street - into massive craters.

People ran in all directions - including me. You can’t run far enough fast enough to get away from a fight like this. They are just everywhere.

I ran to the park. At least I won’t get crushed by a building. I should be able to see them coming.

They tumbled into the park. A trail of destruction behind them. Red Justice had the upper hand. He was beating Dr. Mechano bloody with his fists. His hands were moving faster than I could even see.

It was over. Dr. Mechano was dead. His head crush flat by the beating. Red Justice fell over, exhausted.

“Hey kid! Kid! Come over here,” he panted. He leaned up against a tree trunk.

I walked over cautiously.

“I am done. I might have won but I am dying. Just too much damage. Take off my helmet, would you?”

I knelt beside him. His helmet covered his head and face. I couldn’t see a way to take it off.

“There is a button. On the left side…,” he said weakly.

I pushed the button and face mask opened up. I eased his helmet off as carefully as I could.

As soon as it was off he began to shrink. His massive muscles deflated. His shoulders got narrower. He transformed from a hulking adult to a wiry teenager - like me.

“Thanks,” he said quietly. “Take the helmet. Red Justice can’t die as long as someone is willing to put the helmet on.”

I looked at the helmet and then back to him.

“It will make you strong. You will be able to fly. And fast - so fast. You will be a super hero. But you can be defeated. You can die. cough but it is worth it. When your time comes - pass the helmet ooooon….”

His eyes closed. He looked like he was sleeping, slumped against the tree trunk.

I stood up and put on the helmet. I closed the face mask - it sealed with a loud click. I grew taller and wider. My muscles stretched and grew. My clothes transformed into Red Justice’s suit.

I am Red Justice!

He's just a boy.

There's no time to argue.

HE'S JUST A BOY! He'd burn up with that kind of power! I can't even handle it!

One boy or three million people, Kate! YOUR CHOICE!

This is so easy for you, isn't it? When he dies, you'll just go find another host-

It's NEVER easy. Reach out to him, Kate, please. Reach out to him while we still have the chance.

The godwoman laid dying. Her body still crackling with the embers of divinity. Before her stood a boy, Kyle Walters, no more than thirteen. Clothes torn and dirty, glasses fractured. The godwoman extended her hand, burned and broken, in it holding a silvery spark. "I'm sorry. Please, please take it. You're our last hope. I'm so sorry." The boy clasped her hand in his, "It's okay! Don't worry, I'll get help!" "Please forgive me." The light faded from her.

The world stopped for Kyle Walters, stopped, then spun. Faster, faster, faster. The boy saw everything. Gods, angels, people from the stars. Novas, nebulas, accretion disks. He saw the dawn of man, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Boxer Rebellion. The men that lived and died in the trenches, their wives crying, their caskets buried. He saw John on the ground in the snow, Kate's miscarriage from the radiation. He's sees the crawling nightmares preying on humankind. The amoral warmongers willing to fracture the planet. The cries of anguish from the vast multitudes.

"Mom! It won't stop! Help me! Help, please help me!" The boy is crying now, bleeding, his muscles ripping out of his skin. Bones breaking and growing and shifting over themselves. His skull splitting at the seams. The flashes are ceaseless. He could die, but it just won't let him! He's convulsing on the hot asphalt and

and

and it stops.

I'm sorry, Kyle, do you understand now?

I...I understand.

I'm sorry.

It's...okay.

He's flying now. Numb, his nerves coursing with a blinding light. His flesh burning with rage, power, and agony. The invaders, the nightmares. They stand little chance. He scorches the ground they cling to. Droves are ripped apart in an instant. He beats them back, further and further. He can't fail. Can't stop now. There's no time. The boy fights through the pain and the endless legions. He can't help but think of his life. His brothers. His mom, she works so hard.

The beacons crumble in his grip. The gate closes. The remaining nightmares converge on the boy in an act of desperation. Their slate bodies blocking out his vision. He shines, he thrums, the vibrations shake the earth beneath him. The heat burns them, burns him. The entire mass starts to glow from the inside.

This is it? I did good?

Yes.

I won't make it.

No, Kyle. I'm sorry.

Will you...tell my mom?

In a world where superhumans exist, some people are born with powers. Some superhumans choose to be superheroes and on the other hand some choose to be supervillains. Most of their choices are affected by their morals and/or their life histories. Unfortunately, there are people who never receive any sort of powers at all and they are categorically branded as citizens.

–

Blake is a 13 year old boy who never had a particularly bright life, he was depressed, neglected by his parents, bullied in school, and his academic performance was below expected. He is also a regular human which was considered an oddity given that his parents are superhumans. He always tries his best to please everyone he meets, but because of his powerless nature, he always falls short. Frustrated, his only way to cope is to watch the superheroes do their work in defeating the supervillains or helping the citizens.

His favorite superhero of all time is Chains, as Chains is always able to control the battlefield by summoning ironclad chains from his body to immobilize his targets - the control Blake wanted in his life. Blake never knew Chains’ history as he only recently reappeared again after years of hiatus and there are no other public records of his activities and prior history. He never showed himself in front of the camera, he always did his role in saving the citizens and leaving the area immediately, usually relying most of the work on the superheroes to subdue the supervillain or help if needed.

Despite his situation, Blake is still lucky that he lives on the highest level of the tallest apartment complex of the city. He can easily track the superhuman activities of the city below using his trusty binoculars and telescopes. He always cheered for the superheroes' strengths thinking that his cheers would be able to give them powers when he knows it's utterly pointless, yet he kept on doing it.

–

While riding the bus home from school, he saw a familiar supervillain who is the main archnemesis of Chains which is Blaze - the fire-manipulating superhuman. Both are fighting each other near the apartment complex where he lives 15 minutes away from his current location. Usually, since Blake is still a curious child with little to no concept of self-preservation, he goes to dangerous places where the conflict usually happens just to watch his idol fight with the enemy. After reaching the bus stop, Blake immediately ran to the apartment complex where he lives to climb to his residence at the top floor.

At this point, due to the dangers the two have been showing to the surrounding area, the city government quickly notified everyone to evacuate the area but due to Blake’s curious nature, he ignored the message and still went up the apartment. Upon reaching the top floor, saw the two fighting halfway the height of the building from his binoculars and took some photos of the battle to save it in storage somewhere.

Blake saw and felt the explosions and property damage the two dealt. He can see the neighboring building in flames while there are chains linking and wrapping it to prevent the building from collapsing from its weakened structure. He was hopeful that the apartment that he currently resides in will not be hit, until he felt a big jolt, a shake, then a series of explosions below him. Regretfully, he knew what he did was stupid and he’s going to die.

–

Nervous, Blake quickly ran away from his apartment to the nearest fire exit. He clearly knew that it takes approximately 80 floors before he reaches the ground floor. All he can hear is the series of explosions, creaks, the blaring alarm, and his phone ringing in the amount of notifications he’s receiving from his parents. He went down to the 70th floor, then to the 60th, 50th, and to the 40th where the stairs leading to the 39th floor were in flames and he needed to go to the opposite end of the 40th floor to access the secondary fire exit.

There is smoke and rubble everywhere blocking his vision, he has to navigate the floor carefully to avoid tripping and hurting himself. Reaching the window where the two are fighting, the saw the Chains is now exhausted and was covered in blood and burns. Blake remembered that Chains gets his powers from the amount of iron in his blood and he gradually loses it when he casts chains from his body. Knowing that Chains is bleeding, he loses his powers faster than anticipated. He panicked and ran to the other exit and saw it was blocked by the rubble and Blake had to make a decision - fast.

While Blake is slowly losing oxygen due to the amount of smoke on the 40th floor, he planned to grab the nearest fire extinguisher to crack open the glass window and call for help. Blake knows this is purely a bad idea since Chains has to prioritize his life over the enemy but he had no choice. He used the fire extinguisher to put out the flames in his path until he reached the large glass window where the two were visibly fighting. Blake smashed the panel using the fire extinguisher with some force until cracks appeared and it shattered, leaving glass shards falling down to the ground below. The two were alarmed and Chains immediately goes closer to Blake by casting chains that guide him towards his direction.

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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