Dio had one of his hands up with his eyes closed.
.
.
.
"Damn I for real died?" He asked himself as he looked around and found nothing but plain white surroundings. "Where am I?"
"Remember…" a familiar voice crept up on him. Every single cell in his body was sent into shock as soon as he heard the voice. It was terrifying, it felt like vines were slowly gripping his throat, not letting even a single squeak out.
He was alone. Once again. He was alone with no one but the creepy voice and the depressingly repetitive white background.
"Danger….."
"You're faced…with…"
It was weird and hard to differentiate. Was it his vision that turned blurry or was it the world around him that seemed to be sucked into a black hole. The drab white scenery was no more. He was now a spectator.
In a dull room with a single throne that he found himself seated on. In front of him was a huge screen with an image of his reality. He could see Jin looking lifeless, John frightened, unable to even move a single muscle. The professors and senior students there frantically running towards the stage.
In truth, for them it was child's play to stop the attack. However, considering the fact that space and time weren't on their side, it was difficult. Leaving Dio as the only one who could potentially save John's life.
The time in the vision showed, remained frozen as Dio looked at the faces of everyone present there, John's expression had glimpses of his usual anxious self. But Dio knew. He knew how chaotic he must've felt inside, if only the paralysis didn't stop him, he could at the least die with a fitting expression.
"Did I die? Is that why the vision only plays until this point?" Dio asked after calming down his breathing, if he was going to stay there for a while the best he could do was to make the most of the situation.
"..."
There was no response, almost as if the ghost like creature didn't even exist. It would be funny if it was all Dio. Everything that just happened, was all in his head. It was his attempt to understand and justify his failure, or was it because of his prideful nature? With the prideful nature comes the fear of losing, failing and falling, was it all his own unconscious changing him slowly?
"You're the strongest aren't you?" Another voice called out.
"...." Dio slowly turned his head around and found his favourite view.
It was himself. Very randomly, there was a mirror right in front of him, he didn't even have to get up, the reflector magically appeared there.
"Well? Aren't you?" The mirrored version of him had asked.
"I am…" Dio cleared his throat and answered. He was a bit shaken after seeing the mirrored version of himself talk.
"Well not stronger than me, but certainly quite strong," the mirrored Dio crossed his legs and sat with a lot of pride.
"Are we not the same? Besides, even if we weren't. I'm confident I can take you on. Even if you're me,"
"Hmmmm…" Mirrored Dio said nothing to that statement but simply thought about the situation for a second,"But can you stop that though?" He pointed to the screen, revealing the Dio in reality, more or less cowering in front of Jin's attack.
"Shameful don't you think?" He went on to add, "I know I can stop that. So that makes only one of us the strongest,"
"I…..I don't know why I rushed in….something in me flipped…I don't understand why i jumped in to save him…"
"So you're blaming it on the other guy?"
"What? No! That's not -"
"Disgraceful….truly….to think you would stoop so low…"
"That's not it! If you can just listen to-"
"Silence!" The mirrored Dio roared and got up from his seat. He was furious, which made it harder for Dio to look at him. He was a splitting image of himself, but the rage….the rage didn't seem to fit.
"You dare? You actually dare?" Mirrored Dio's fingers shivered as he pointed towards him. The veins on his forehead popped, and his temples were red. His lips trembled as they felt weak before the words that were to escape his mouth.
"Weakness. That is your fault. It was your fault to put yourself in such a situation. Furthermore, it is your fault to be weak. If you were strong enough, then stopping it wouldn't be an issue."
"Wasting your time on useless commentary and spells. Flaunting a power that you can barely even wield....fucking child. You've no right to hold the name Aethereus…you've no right to the gift of unlimited knowledge. You have….no. Fucking. Right. To exist…"
"The funny thing about power is…everyone talks about responsibility. You've got power Dio….but you can never own up to anything. Take responsibility for your losses,"
"I don't expect you to become strong overnight. I don't expect you to become the strongest mage to exist. But for the sake of those you love. Do it. Break them….break all of the barriers and limits,"
Mirrored Dio seemed to be getting closer and closer to the mirror, his body no longer contained rage. His tone reeked of it. Anger. The need to get stronger, the absolute and ultimate desire to overcome everything.
"Earn it…" Mirrored Dio said before turning around, he slowly took a few steps forward and continued talking. The vision that Dio was in was slowly losing its power. Parts of that reality were gradually turning into nothingness. Reality was waiting for him, it was time he got back. He looked into the mirror as everything around him disappeared.
"Earn the right to be called Aethereus…earn the right to be the one to wield infinite knowledge…. Do it, Dio, I know you can. After all…." Mirrored Dio stopped and slightly turned to the side, a smile broke out on his face,
"After all….You are Me…"
"Universal Aegis," the words escaped Dio's mouth just before Jin's lightning struck him. Forbidden words, characters that don't belong to reality. Unfortunately, Dio himself had no idea what he just did.