20) Who is he?

One hand held up like he was bracing for something, and the other wrapped around his head. His eyes remained tied shut, in desperation for a solution. In moments like these, times of life and death, he had heard that people broke past their mortal limits and power oozed from within them. He believed, some part of him sincerely believed in that. In response to his faith, a deafening sound accompanied by a blinding light exploded at the point of impact.

.

.

.

"There's no way...." He exclaimed in shock as he looked around. A pure white overwhelmed his vision as he tried his best to make sense of the surroundings.

"Remember…" a familiar voice crept up on him, the hair on his neck shooting up the instant he heard it. 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. He was alone with nobody 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, he found himself seated on a throne. In front of him was a huge screen with an image of his reality. He could see Jin looking lifeless, a tiny clear bead formed on his forehead. John was frightened, unable to even move a single muscle, but his eyes were open. The professors and senior students there frantically ran towards the stage.

It was shameful. The truth was that every professor there was more than capable of dispersing this spell, or even stopping it from ever being cast. Primarily, the fact that it was a lightning element spell used rendered it harder for them to intercept it. Next was more of a psychological issue. The Professors recognized Jin and revered the Godfreys. They were by no means afraid, but rather, they were complacent. They had assumed Jin, being from such a prestigious and esteemed family, would never commit such an act. 

The time in the vision remained frozen as Dio stared 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. 'At least he's looking at what killed him...' he tried his best to give some solace or meaning to all this.

"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 were 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. Clearly, his worries were wrong. 

"...." Dio slowly turned his head around and found his favorite 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 with a cunning smirk.

"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? I can take you on any day,"

"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-"

Why was he so agitated? Who was this other person, it certainly wasn't himself, it was hard to understand anything. Why was he arguing with someone that looked like him? Why did he agree with what was being said, and most importantly, why was he afraid to hear it?

"Silence fool!" 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. Moreover, there was something off-putting about this version of him, his appearance almost felt forced.

"Ignorant runt..." 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. Regaining his composure, his temper slowly fell.

"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….shatter everything that restricts you and become unbound..."

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 had just done. The past day had been a rollercoaster in terms of mystery. Too many elements from the unknown seemed to be leaking into the known. An explosion sent a wave of dust over everyone.