Chapter 28: The Name in the Shadows

The mansion’s halls stretched endlessly, each corridor branching into infinite possibilities, as though the structure itself was alive, reconfiguring to mirror Caelum’s uncertainty. The air was heavy with an unnatural weight, each breath tasting faintly of metal and ash. In the distance, indistinct whispers melded with the creaks of the shifting floors, creating a soundscape that felt uncomfortably intimate—like a conversation Caelum wasn’t invited to join but couldn’t escape.

Caelum stumbled upon a room he hadn’t encountered before. Its door was unmarked, a stark black slab devoid of ornamentation, unlike the elaborate carvings adorning the other entrances. Hesitating, he traced his fingers along its surface. It felt warm, pulsing faintly, as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

“What waits behind this one?” he murmured, half to himself, half to the omnipresent mansion that seemed to listen to his every thought.

The door creaked open, and Caelum stepped inside.

The room was circular, its walls lined entirely with mirrors of varying sizes and shapes. Some were gilded, others cracked and jagged, while a few were smudged and opaque, obscuring their reflections. In the center stood two figures—both of them Dante.

One Dante, dressed in a sharp, tailored suit, radiated an aura of calculated confidence. His smile was disarming but sharp, like the edge of a blade. His voice, smooth as velvet, cut through the tension.
“Welcome, Caelum. It seems you’ve finally arrived at the heart of it.”

The other Dante, clad in disheveled attire that bore signs of wear and struggle, was a stark contrast. His eyes carried a weariness, an almost pleading look, as though he were a man desperate to convey a truth no one wanted to hear.
“You don’t need to listen to him,” this Dante said, his voice trembling but resolute. “He’s not who you think he is. I’m the one you’ve been seeking.”

Caelum froze. The symmetry of the two Dantes was unnerving. He stared between them, his own reflection fractured across the countless mirrors. Each version of himself appeared different—some younger, some older, some unrecognizable altogether.

“You’re both Dante?” Caelum asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The suited Dante chuckled. “Naturally. Two sides of the same name. But only one of us is real.”

The disheveled Dante stepped forward. “Don’t fall for his games. He’s trying to manipulate you, to twist your perception. I’ve been guiding you this entire time—helping you see the truth hidden within these walls.”

“Helping him?” The suited Dante raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’ve done nothing but confuse him. I’ve provided clarity, haven’t I, Caelum? I’ve shown you the path forward, the steps you need to take to escape this nightmare.”

Caelum’s mind churned. Both versions of Dante had, at different times, offered him guidance. Yet their advice had often contradicted, leaving him in deeper doubt. Now, confronted with both simultaneously, he couldn’t discern who was lying—or if either of them was telling the truth.

“Why do you share the same name?” Caelum demanded, his tone sharper. “What does it mean?”

The suited Dante smirked. “A name is just a mask, Caelum. Surely you of all people understand that by now. A way to conceal, to manipulate, to control the narrative. Or…” He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “…to reveal.”

“Don’t listen to him!” the disheveled Dante shouted, his voice echoing against the mirrors. “You know who I am, Caelum. Deep down, you know. I’ve been here since the beginning. I’m—”

“Enough!” Caelum shouted, silencing them both. His voice ricocheted through the chamber, shattering the fragile equilibrium of the room.

Suddenly, the mirrors began to shift. The reflections twisted, warping into grotesque caricatures of Caelum, each one embodying a different aspect of his psyche. One reflection grinned maniacally, its teeth unnaturally sharp. Another wept silently, its eyes hollow and endless. Yet another stared back at him with an unsettling stillness, as if it knew something he didn’t.

The two Dantes seemed unaffected by the chaos. Instead, they moved in unison, circling Caelum like wolves around prey.

“Tell me, Caelum,” the suited Dante began, “if you had to choose between us, which one would you trust? The answer should be obvious, shouldn’t it?”

The disheveled Dante interrupted. “It’s not about trust! It’s about understanding! He’s feeding you lies, Caelum, to keep you trapped here. Don’t you see? This mansion, this labyrinth, it’s not what you think it is!”

“Then what is it?” Caelum snapped, his patience fraying.

“It’s you,” the disheveled Dante said, his voice barely audible. “Every room, every corridor, every shadow—it’s all pieces of you. This mansion is your mind, Caelum. And he”—he pointed an accusatory finger at the suited Dante—“is the part of you that doesn’t want you to leave.”

Caelum’s breath caught. The idea was absurd, yet it resonated with an uncomfortable truth he couldn’t ignore. The mansion had always felt too intimate, too tailored to his fears and doubts.

The suited Dante laughed, a sound both charming and menacing. “Oh, don’t listen to him, Caelum. He’s desperate, clutching at straws. This mansion isn’t your prison—it’s your sanctuary. A place where you can finally be free of the burdens of the outside world.”

“Sanctuary?” the disheveled Dante spat. “It’s a cage! A gilded, intricate cage, but a cage nonetheless. And he’s the warden.”

The mirrors began to crack, fissures spidering across their surfaces. The fractures reflected the turmoil within Caelum, the impossible decision he faced.

“Choose, Caelum,” the suited Dante said, his tone imperious. “Choose me, and I’ll lead you to power, to clarity, to purpose.”

“No,” the disheveled Dante countered, stepping closer. “Choose me, and I’ll help you find the truth—even if it’s painful.”

Caelum closed his eyes, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. He could feel the mansion holding its breath, the very walls waiting for his choice.

When he opened his eyes, he spoke a single word.

The room erupted in chaos. The mirrors shattered completely, shards flying in every direction. The two Dantes dissolved into light and shadow, their forms indistinguishable as the chamber collapsed inward.