WARNING: This chapter includes violence towards an animal! If this sort of thing upsets you, please don't read! You have been warned. I tried to keep it as brief as possible, but I felt I'd leave a disclaimer nonetheless.

Raymond (Gladius) POV

"POLNAREFF, IGGY, RAYMOND LOOK OUT!"

I barely had time to react before I was abruptly shoved by Avdol! Me, Polnareff and Iggy were all knocked back just as there was a sudden flash. I didn't get a clear look at what had just happened.

As I began to recover, I heard Polnareff asking in clear shock "H-hey Avdol, where are you? W-what was that just now?" Looking up, I could see no sign of the fortune teller or whatever had caused that flash, however what I did notice made my eyes widen in terror.

A pair of arms lay a short distance away, steaming at where they'd once been connected to a body. The familiar bracelets gave away who they belonged to. Even so, simply seeing this left me in disbelief. 

I stammered "I-impossible. I-it can't be." Polnareff was in just as much shock as me, as he still began asking around. "H-hey Avdol! Where are you?! Avdol?! WHERE ARE YOU AVDOL?!" 

I was left in shock, Muhammad Avdol was DEAD! 

That much was certain. I'd seen his fake-out death back in Calcutta, yet this time, I knew there would be no surprising return. I honestly didn't know how to react, instead my focus snapped to something else.

Something materialised in front of us, it appeared to be a figure within some kind of large orb. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that the figure was a Stand, and I knew just who this Stand likely belonged to.

Polnareff asked "W-what the hell is that?! Why didn't Avdol's flames sense it?! Oi Iggy, you couldn't smell him with your nose?!" The dog was in just as much shock as the two of us, panting aggressively as it stared wide-eyed. The Stand reached out, finally speaking in a deep voice. 

"Avdol, has been disintegrated. He's DEAD. Beyond my jaws lies an endless void. A dark dimension unto which my own understanding reaches not. Your ally is already gone. You three are next."

Turning to face us, he suddenly consumed both of Avdol's arms replacing my fear with anger as I scowled at the ghostly figure. The Stand's mouth remained open and it was now I noticed the figure emerging from it.

The familiar face of VANILLA ICE!

I'd only seen him twice, neither time I had heard him talk. Yet now, he spoke clear as day as he declared. "One by one, each in his place, I shall strew your atomic fragments across the void." 

Polnareff muttered "I-I don't believe you... Avdol..." I however snapped "You dare show your face! DIE!" In an instant, I had Ace of Swords appear and throw a knife in Ice's location. His reaction however, shocked me.

He did nothing! Instead, as soon as the knife was close enough, it VANISHED. Vanilla Eyes glared directly at me, his eyes piercing my soul as he said "Your weapons are useless Gladius, the knife you just threw has also been erased, banished to the void along with your friend."

Polnareff screamed "YOU LIE!" As he said this, Silver Chariot manifested and lashed out. Swinging and stabbing frantically at Ice's Stand. With Ace of Swords, I summoned a matching rapier and had it join in.

Even so, we each only scored small slashes on it before it seemingly vanished. The room in question was cut to ribbons, slashes in the wall and nearby items were sliced up. 

Looking around, there was no sign of him. I roared "Show yourself, you filthy coward!" Polnareff snapped "He cannibalised himself into the abyss!" For a moment, we both stopped, it was clear he'd disappeared.

I muttered "I-I don't know what just happened. H-his Stand, it's unlike anything I've seen before." I turned to Polnareff to just as he slouched down just in time to avoid a giant hole appearing in the pillar behind him!

He'd narrowly avoided meeting the same fate as Avdol. This action though cased the severity of the situation to return. I threw another knife where the hole had formed however it hit nothing.

Not only could he seemingly erase anything with a touch, but given how he was invisible, I had no way to even see an incoming attack. 

Straight after this, we saw a trail forming in the floor, a trail being erased by the oncoming opponent! Iggy tried lashing out with the Fool, however the Stand was demolished in a single hit!

Polnareff grabbed the dog, exclaiming "We've gotta get out of here you two!" I agreed "Quickly! Or we'll be dead in an instant!" With that, we both took off running. 

Vanilla Ice pursued us relentlessly, erasing everything that got in his way. We tried barricading a door however he just burst through it in an instant! We kept running until we caught sight of the mansion's entrance which we'd come through previously. 

We were about to head through it when Polnareff stopped us. "We can't leave. Avdol sacrificed himself to save us. Because he believed in us that we could defeat DIO. I won't let him down! I'm not running away, I'm running to get closer to DIO!" 

I thought about what he was saying, before nodding and saying "Very well." With those words, we turned, instead of running out of the door, we turned and ran up some nearby stairs. We reached a second floor only to find an erased hole directly in front of us.

He'd cut us off!

All three of us instantly manifested our Stands. Polnareff spoke "Iggy, Raymond, watch my back and I'll watch yours!" I agreed, "Right!" Before we all formed a triangle motion, I had Ace of Swords conjure two scimitars to defend itself.

There was no way he'd be able to break our wall. No matter what he'd try, we remained on guard. Waiting for him to attack. Polnareff exclaimed "Come at us, you bastard! I'll slice you in two! You've got me pissed, which makes my Chariot all the faster!" 

What I wasn't expecting was for Polnareff to suddenly let out a scream of pain! Spinning around, I was left surprised as I saw that Ice had emerged from the crack under Polnareff's FOOT! His toes had been erased!

I wasted no time, lashing out with the scimitars, forming a criss-cross motion with them however I didn't land a lethal blow. His voice spoke up "That is so, you can't run away!" At this, all three of us went head-on.

We lashed out, slicing at everything surrounding us. Ice vanished into the void and we used this chance to hide amidst the chaos, using Iggy's sand to actually disappear into the nearby stairs. We watched from above as Vanilla Ice's Stand appeared once more, with him speaking.

"You are helpless against me, you shall all die by my hand." I was honestly anxious as to what we were going to do. Vanilla Ice seemed relentless, there had to be some way to lure him away. And it seems Iggy found it.

I noticed some of the Fool's sand taking shape, not just any shape either. The sand's features filled out to reveal DIO standing there. He approached, speaking in a perfect mimic of DIO's actual voice.

"That's quite the ruckus, Vanilla Ice." Upon noticing the doppelganger, Vanilla Ice's demeanour changed entirely he stammered out. "L-Lord DIO, take heed my Lord. Polnareff, that mongrel and the traitor Gladius are hiding nearby. Allow me to be of assistance. You must not trouble yourself."

Ice turned his back to the doppelganger, looking around the room. The false DIO raised his arm, attempting to catch our attacker off guard. We slowly peered out as the sand clone swung its arm down, causing me to brace with anticipation.

Whatever hope this caused though was instantly shattered as Vanilla Ice turned and struck the clone's arm, causing it to disappear in a puff of sand! 

Vanilla Ice glared at the doppelganger, explaining "The sun is entering the room, Lord DIO would never enter this room by day!" With his Stand, he effortlessly demolished what was left of the doppelganger.

Polnareff called out "Iggy!" As we both dived to the side, avoiding an attack. I expected him to follow either me or Polnareff, however I was left stunned when instead, his focus landed on IGGY!

I watched in horror as Vanilla Ice loomed over Iggy. His face contorted into one of rage as he snapped. "The real Lord DIO bestowed me with his trust. He entrusted me with the honour of killing you. THAT is why Lord DIO would never descend to the second floor! HOW DARE YOU FORCE ME TO DESTROY LORD DIO'S LIKENESS!"

He lashed out, punching the dog in the face! This in itself caught me off guard. Before I could even think of intervening, he'd stormed over to Iggy in a rage yelling.

"I don't care if it's a fake made of sand! You made me destroy it! I'll kick you to death you filthy MUTT!" And he did exactly that, it would have taken only an instant for him to absorb Iggy into the void like he did Avdol, but as he said himself, "That won't satisfy my anger."

I wanted to intervene, but a part of me was left shaken by fear. The display of brute power combined with how deadly his Stand was. I found myself physically unable to move as he mercilessly beat the poor animal.

This fear didn't hold me back for long though, I soon found myself unable to take anymore. I got to my feet and muttered "You vile, heartless, cruel, ruthless BASTARD!" The last part was yelled as I summoned Ace of Swords.

I could hear Polnareff calling out "Raymond!" However I didn't listen! I had my Stand summon an axe which I swung down, right into Vanilla Ice's HEAD!

The axe hit its target, any other person would have died. However I was left shocked as Vanilla Ice seemed unphased! He stopped his beating of Iggy and stood upright once again before slowly turning to me.

My eyes widened in utter horror as the axe vanished. The only clue it had been there was a narrow trickle of blood running from his hair down his face. His demeanour had also shifted as well.

For a moment he just looked at me before beginning to walk towards me. I roared "Don't come any closer!" Before having my Stand throw a knife at him. The knife landed in his lower abdomen, again, not gaining a reaction.

As the knife vanished, he finally spoke.

"Lord DIO showed you mercy on multiple occasions Gladius. When you returned after your numerous failures across Asia, he taught you how to better yourself and gave you a chance to loyally serve him. And what did you do?"

I cut him off, snapping "He mind-controlled me! Made me into a puppet!" Vanilla Ice's face twitched, the calm façade was slipping, showing the rage that had been present moments earlier.

I threw pair of hatchets, however Vanilla Ice simply entered Cream, my projectiles vanished upon colliding with the void. For a moment, it seemed Vanilla Ice had vanished yet again.

Stepping back, I got on my guard, preparing for him to strike. I looked to the injured Iggy, as well as Polnareff. I was expecting him to show up anywhere. 

What I wasn't expecting was for him to appear right in front of me!

I had Ace of Swords conjure a rapier in one hand and a one-handed axe in the other. Readying myself for battle. Polnareff cried out "Raymond, get out of there!"

Still, I stood my ground. Ice's expression finally broke, taking on a deranged look as he repeated "What did you DO?!" I snapped "Stay away!" Before having both my Stand's weapons lash out!

What I didn't expect was for Vanilla Ice to once again summon his Stand. He didn't enter the void though, no, instead both its arms caught those of my own Stand, holding them in place. 

Vanilla Ice leaned forward, until he was right in my face before he suddenly roared "YOU BETRAYED MY LORD! FOR THAT YOU WILL SUFFER!" Before I could react, he thrust his actual knee up into my stomach!

It felt like being hit with a sledgehammer! I doubled over, gagging as I lurched back. I fell onto my back, looking up at Vanilla Ice. I just about managed to ask "W-what the hell are you?!"

Vanilla Ice answered "Can't you tell? In my veins now flows my Lord's blood. A reward to my loyalty. Watch." I proceeded to use his thumb to slice his palm. Blood trickled from the wound. However I was surprised to see it heal almost instantly.

I stammered "Y-you're a Vampire?" Vanilla Ice didn't answer but I knew I was right. Instead the psychotic look in his eyes returned as he lashed out with his hand, grabbing me by the throat!

I let out a choked gasp as Vanilla Ice leered down at me. Even as I was struggling to breathe, I manifested my Stand and had it lash out with a blade. I was able to force Ice to let go and used this moment to get to my feet.

As I caught my breathe, Ice turned me, a malicious look present in his eyes as he snapped. 

"I will make you suffer Gladius, your treachery against Lord DIO will be PUNISHED!"

Author's Note: And that's it for this chapter, kind of a dark one but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless. Next up we will be concluding the Vanilla Ice arc, however I should mention that if I won't be writing or uploading on Christmas, so I'll try and get this done before then, I'm not sure yet though. I hope you liked the chapter and as always, thank you for reading.