Chapter three: Through the Mirror
"And now, we have come to the dressing-room of the prima donna," our tour guide announced.
Aayla and I stood in the middle of a gorgeous dressing-room, enjoying our tour very much. We were intrigued by the unsolved mystery of the Opera ghost, which the guide was explaining to us.
"It was discovered, not long after the chandelier incident, that the large mirror on the far wall of this room was really a door, leading to a vast system of subterranean tunnels. It is rumored that the Opera ghost, whoever the person in question was, used that door to enter this dressing-room…"
I put my hand up against the glass. Indeed, through the Force, I could sense the dark passageway beyond. A swirl of dark energy passed over Aayla and I as the guide pushed the mirror aside, revealing a dimly lit passage.
Seventy years earlier...
Coristine Daae sat in her dressing-room, staring at a rose. Madame Giry, who seemed to know much more about the rumored "Opera ghost" than anyone else, had placed the dark red rose on Coristine's table with the words, "He is pleased with you".
Coristine had never believed in the ghost, and wondered what had caused Madame Giry to believe all that superstitious nonsense. Nevertheless, the sight of the rose, tied with a black silk ribbon, sent chills up her spine.
She tried to push the thoughts of a ghost from her head, and instead considered Rahl, the young Jedi Knight who had visited her shortly after her performance. She remembered him from her childhood, when they had briefly become friends. She didn't think that she would ever see him again…but he was at the Opera, handsome as ever. She smiled, thinking of the light in his eyes when he saw her, and the adoration apparent in his words. Silly Jedi.
She turned to leave her dressing-room, when a cold draft swept in, and all the lighting in the room winked out. She turned around frightfully, looking into the shadows of the room for any sort of intruder…
Angel of Music…
She heard a voice, a wonderful voice, singing to her. She did not know where it came from, or who it was. Slowly, her mind slipped into a trance, lulled into a dreamlike state by the powerful and hypnotic voice. Slowly she walked towards her mirror, her expression awed and serene (and looking as if she had had an overdose of prescription medicine).
The voice was so powerful that she hardly even seemed surprised when her mirror turned aside…revealing a handsome young man dressed in thick black robes. A hood hid most of his face, and a mask covered half of it. He put out a gloved hand…and Coristine took it.
The man led her down a dark passageway, through winding cellars, and finally to an underground river. Coristine recognized the man's voice as the voice of the Angel of Music, the voice she knew so well from her dreams. She did not know what to think of him, but perhaps she couldn't think.
"Sing, my Angel!" The dark figure commanded, and Coristine was unable to do anything else.
Slowly he took her down the river in a small boat. The dim light shone on the shallow green water, and it rippled away from the boat smoothly as the phantom and Coristine passed over.
Finally the river tunnel ended in a deep cave, five stories underground. The cave was dazzling, partially covered by the shallow green river, and partially a tiny island of sorts. The dark man helped Coristine out of the boat, and led her onto the shore, where all sorts of strange treasures were kept. Instruments, statues, desks and sheets of music cluttered every corner, and the figure stood proudly amongst it all, a living shadow in a shadowy underground world.
The shadow broke into a new song, a slow, smooth, deep song that echoed through the silent cave. Coristine was drawn into the shadow's darkness, letting every note resonate in her heart.
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination…
Silently the senses…abandon the defenses…
Turn your face away, from the garish light of day…
Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light…
And listen to, the Music of the Night…
His voice rose, becoming a glorious call from his soul. Coristine watched as his eyes seemed to ignite, and he looked past her, feeling the dark power rushing from his voice…
Close your eyes, and surrender to your darkest dreams!…
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!…
Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar…
And you'll live, as you've never lived before…
Coristine hardly knew where she was anymore. She could feel the darkness, calling to her, pulling her in. Part of her was frightened, but she couldn't resist it. The music was powerful, and was sending her deeper into the dark side of her soul.
Let your mind start a journey to a strange new world!...
Leave all thoughts of the life you knew before!...
Let your soul take you where you long to be!...
Only then, can you belong…
To me…
Coristine continued to listen to the irresistible voice. She retained consciousness, but only until she saw, as clear as if she were standing in front of a mirror, a vision of herself dressed as the phantom's bride. Then she lost consciousness and fainted away.
Gently, the shadow lifted her up, and laid her down comfortably. He gazed lovingly at her angel's face, her eyes closed in peaceful sleep, and he continued to sing.
Author's note: So, that chapter was seriously dark!! But I love the "Music of the Night" song, even though it creeps me out. I hope you liked it.
