The Past Always Comes Back to Haunt You

DIO's World Part 1

Eleanor and Polnareff decided it would be fine to leave Iggy in the mansion, tucked in a corner incase the fight with Dio brought them back down here. If it did, they would keep him away from their friend. Using curtains, they made bandages and bindings for their wounds. Polnareff had a lot of cuts, and Eleanor had a lot of broken bones. She was just glad nothing had pierced her lungs yet.

"Should we wait for Jotaro and the others?" Eleanor asked.

"No, we don't know if they're even alive," Polnareff stated. "Besides, if they are, maybe we can find the secret to Dio's Stand and give them a heads up." 

"Alright, let's go." 

The two found a pair of steps and started to climb them, suddenly stopped by a menacing presence. Polnareff looked up to see Dio, staring down at them with a smirk from the top of the steps. 

"Is he there?" Eleanor asked. 

"Yes," Polnareff affirmed. 

Because he was standing so still, and due to having no breathing or heartbeat, it was hard for Eleanor to tell if he was even there. But, she could feel his cold, dark presence. 

"So we finally meet, Dio!" Polnareff greeted the vampire, who started slow clapping. 

"Congratulations, Polnareff," Dio said. "You've avenged your sister, and managed to travel from the Far East to make it here."

"If you want to give me a prize for that, how about you give me your life?" 

Polnareff grabbed a curtain and spat blood onto it, Dio's eyes narrowing before he chuckled. 

"I shall give you a chance," Dio said. "Both of you. Go down two steps, and I'll let you join my side again. But if you'd rather die, then climb up those stairs." 

"When I first met you," Polnareff said. "I succumbed from the bottom of my heart to your spell of fear and immense evil. That was when I became a loser. It's much scarier than death, living with no desire but to do your bidding. But right now, I don't feel any fear at all. I feel only my will to fight. Since I met Mr. Joestar and the others, this journey of forty-five days and the death of my friends have completely blown away my fear of you."

Dio looked to Eleanor, the girl feeling his eyes upon her. 

"I begged you not to do this," Eleanor reminded him. "Begged you not to go any further. Now, you've lost your chance at redemption. When I woke up from the ice, I was conflicted. You, or the Joestars? But now, there is no confliction or fear in my heart. I'm ready to kill you."

"Is that so?" Dio asked. "Then climb those stairs." 

Eleanor didn't hesitate, she started climbing the stairs. But, suddenly, she was still. She couldn't even frown, couldn't twitch her finger. She saw a white outline move in her vision, descending the steps and moving her down the steps she had climbed, before going back up. The moment ended and everything went black again, Eleanor's eyes widening. 

"What the hell was that?" She thought. 

"I see, Polnareff," Dio said with a chuckle. "You've gone down the stairs, which means you wish to join me, Dio."

Polnareff looked down to see he was two steps down instead of up, his eyes widening. He walked up a step, but was suddenly back in the place he was before. 

"Wh-What?!" Polnareff exclaimed. "I know I just took a step up..."

"What's the matter?" Dio asked with a smirk. "You're losing your composure, Polnareff. Doesn't one lose his composure when he's afraid? Or is it that in your heart, you know you must climb up, but you're so terrified that your body subconsciously did the opposite and went down?"