Imagine Dragons

Imagine 3: Monster

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze an abyss long enough, the abyss will gaze back into you."

-Fredrick Nietzsche

This can't be happening to me.

In the bathroom, just minutes after the brawl in the Cous Coussier, I look at the mirror and look at the changes on me. I lock myself in, afraid of others seeing this...this creature that I am transforming into. I don't want anyone hurt, I don't want to see them when I am this...this monster.

First, there are the gold eyes that replace my brown ones, showing that I have become some supernaturally empowered being instead of a normal human. Technically, I was already an empowered being when I became Kamen Rider Wizard, but the dragonic features make it more obvious.

Then there's the spiral horns on my head, sharp enough to poke someone's eye out. I reach out and poke a horn with a finger. I nearly prick myself.

There are the wings on my back, powerful enough to let me fly into the sky, or create a gale strong enough to knock my enemies off their feet. I always have dreams of flying, but those are for when I have the wings of a bird...not a dragon.

I look at the sharp dragon claw weapons that rest over my hands, recalling how they tore through those black-masked monsters...Masquerade Dopants, Akiko and Ryu told me when they crashed through the windows at the stroke of midnight. I shudder seeing the Dopants die by myands, and of the blood that covers measI take relish in slaughtering those that would hurt Yayoi.

There's also my dragonic tail that swishes back and forth. In comparison to the wings, horns and claws, they look more for decoration than something I could weaponize.

In this moment of clarity, I see that I am no longer a human. I'm a Phantom.

This can't be right, though. I have not fallen into despair, I survived with hope. If that's not the case, what's gong on? How is this happening?

"Surprised?" My reflection speaks back to me. I step back. That voice...it belongs to the Phantom that lives inside of me. Or rather, it's now the Phantom who is now bonded to my soul, those red eyes mocking me, showing me how much they reveled in this freakish metamorphosis that I succumbed to.

"WizarDragon?" I whisper, somewhat frightened and yet relieved to be speaking to someone I know personally. "How?"

"Your anger, your rage, your sorrow..." WizarDragon laughs, showing off a pair of sharp fangs. I poke my teeth with a finger, but they are not as sharp as the Phantom's own. "This empowers me! I brought forth my power to slice down our enemies and give you that which you cannot achieve. Absolute victory."

"For what price?" I ask. "To see Wajima look in horror? To see Koyomi in tears? To see Yayoi..." I pause, trying to find the right words. "T...to see Yayoi..."

"Oh, her?" WizarDragon chuckles. "She is so full of energy, am I right? I am so glad to have encountered that fire within her when she was pinned by that monstrous cockroach boy. Then there was the way she tried to hide the deep and dark secret she had within. Isn't that so hilarious?!" I snarl, my hands curl into fists and the claws digging deep into my palms so blood draws out. I resist the urge to punch the mirror.

"She has secrets," WizarDragon adds. "She hides them so well to the point that it seems she doesn't have troubles. Yet she open vocalizes everything that makes her worried. She's so interesting, don't you think?"

I growl once more, preparing to shatter the mirror. WizarDragon smiles.

"Be consumed by your anger, my precious Gate," he chuckles. "Let me take over and end your suffering. You can return to your parents in heaven if need be."

"Don't you dare talk about my parents so freely," I snarl. Memories of my parents in the hospital, wishing with their final breaths that I kept on living, briefly danced in my head. I would not let WizarDragon taint their memories with his taunting. "I will end you if you do something like that."

"You can't!" WizarDragon cacled. "We are now one in the same; if you kill me, you are technically killing yourself! Plus, if you kill me, how will you become the hope to the Gates that fall into despair? Ahahaha...this is such a dilemma—you lose either way!"

"No...NO!" I scream. WizarDragon steps back—or as best as he can if he's trapped in the mirror and all that—as I snarl. I feel the power inside me burning, like a blazing inferno has replaced my heart. "I will keep fighting, and you will aide me. We are Kamen Rider Wizard, we are the hope of the fallen! We will fight until the end! You hear me?!"

WizarDragon stares at me before a smile forms on his face. He laughs once more. It feels like I am being mocked by hundreds of voices. After some time, he calms down.

"That is what I want to see," he says. "I want to see that giant fire in you before it slowly fades away into a tiny spark. I love it. And to even the playing field, I shall reward you with something. Take this."

I watch the mirror ripple like water. WizarDragon raised a hand as an orb of fire materialized in his palm. I take the fire into my hand, the flames replaced by...by a ring. It looked similar to the one that would let me transform into Kamen Rider Wizard, unleashing the power of fire to my enemies. However, there was a minor difference—on the silver casing that tops the ruby ring is a small gold diamond with a tiny oval ruby inset, making it look like a crown. There were even small points over the 'eyes' to resemble horns. I take the ring into my hands as WizarDragon smiles.

"You will be able to unleash my powers in the real world, giving you the ability to transform into a 'Dragon State'," he explains. "However, the more you summon me, the more you will feel despair. Once you past that point of no return, I will permanently take over. Use it carefully, Haruto Sohma, and make sure you spend the last few days of your life well."

I look at the ring and slip it onto the chain of rings looped to my pants. I look at the mirror once more.

"I will not be afraid of you anymore," I say. "I am not afraid of the monsters—from now on, the monsters should be afraid of us."

"Yes, they should be," WizarDragon chuckles. There is some silence, and I anticipate his next move. I lean close to the mirror, and note that my reflection leans back. I jump a bit, and notice that WizarDragon is gone. For now.

"Haruto, are you in there?" says a voice. I unlock the door, and Yayoi stands in front of me, her short hair now to her waist. It curls and twists, protecting its master like a myriad of snakes. Yayoi now resembles a hair-like Medusa—except she doesn't petrify people as she does transform into different types of creatures with her long tresses. She stares into my eyes and notices how I am still trapped in my Phantom state. "Is everything all right?"

I don't feel WizarDragon's presence in me as I take a deep breath. I feel the tail, horns, and claws receding, shrinking down until there is nothing left. Once I am normal, I look at Yayoi, and smile.

"Yeah," I answer. "Everything's all right."