[ WP ] The death of a hero- due to their Sidekick 's mistake .

His eyes were bloodshot, almost a crimson red. His cape was tattered on his back and the scars from previous battles remained, as present as ever, on his broad, black and grey back. He looked as if he had n't shaved in weeks. 
 
 Dick had his eyes fixed on his mentor, but the latter had his eyes fixated on the city. The old man had always seemed unflinchingly serious, but there was more than that now. The familiar, yet frightening, anger that was held in check by vigorous discipline had long since been let loose. 
 
 Finally, after what seemed like ages, the shadow turned to Dick and spoke. 
 
 `` Why did you call me here, Dick? I have work to do.'' 
 
 Dick slowly shook his head. 
 
 `` Nobody wanted him dead more than me, Bruce. But this has gone way to far.'' 
 
 Bruce, shrouded in the Gotham night, scowled. 
 `` There is only one way to end the suffering of this city, Dick. The clown, the bird, the criminals in this city... They had what was coming to them. 
 
 I was foolish to believe I could change them.'' 
 
 Dick took a step towards the hunched man, though wisely keeping a good distance between them. The building beneath them was filled with innocent civilians. A confrontation would not be wise. 
 `` Bruce... You need to stop while you still can. You need Barbara, you need Gordon... And you definitely smell like you could use Alfred.'' 
 
 Something twinkled in Bruce's eyes, but vanished as soon as it came. He sighed deeply, and fixated on the city below once again. 
 
 `` Death comes to us all, there is no need to fear it, Jason.'' 
 
 `` You called me Jason again, bats.'' 
 
 `` No,'' he grumbled, `` I did n't.'' 
 
 Dick took another step forward, bravely entering into the dark knight's punching range. 
 
 `` Jason made a mistake going in alone. That was on him. But this vendetta... You killed people, Bruce. That's on you.'' 
 
 `` They were n't people. And I wo n't stop. Not until these stained streets are cleaner than Metropolis.'' 
 
 `` Bruce...'' 
 
 Before Dick could finish, a message came blaring through his earpiece: `` Requesting backup at the Gotham bridge. A... a giant man is attempting to rip down the wires... With his hands!'' 
 
 Dick turned to the tortured man. 
 
 `` Do n't do it, Bruce.'' 
 
 `` I know what has to be done,'' whispered Bruce. He then turned to Dick. 
 `` If you get in my way. I wo n't hesitate to kill you either.'' 
 
 With that, the dark figure jumped down into the ethos of the night. Dick stood for a minute, stunned. He was probably just throwing out his usual bluffs, he thought. But now, in this most confusing of times, no one could really be sure. As Nightwing prepared to jump down after his former Hero, there was only one certainty that crossed his mind: 
 
 Bruce Wayne was a shattered shell of himself, and the Batman was long dead.
