*Chapter 7: All I Ask of You*
Maria drags Mardic up to the roof of the Opera house. The snow is falling from the night sky. Maria is telling Mardic about the Shadow of the Opera, how he taught her about the music of the darkness. Mardic thought it was nonsense, but Maria convinces him to believe her.
"There is no Shadow of the Opera, Maria." He said to her. "Everyone in this Opera house is getting to your head. You're telling me that this phantom is your Angel of Music? He's been watching you all these years?" Maria looked at him.
"He has eyes that burn. And...he can kill. Poor Bark..." She said, pacing around. "He has to kill a thousand men."
"Maria, don't say that." Mardic said. "It was an accident. Maybe Bark was-"
"Mardic, I've been there. I've seen him. And I can't forget that sight..." She says. "His world is filled with darkness...darkness... But his voice filled my spirit with a strange sweet sound." She is holding a rose with a black ribbon. "He makes my spirit soar..." Her ears lower a little when she remembered this morning. "And he seems to be sad of some sort. He is alone. He hides his face. Shadow..." She trails off.
"Maria..." Mardic spoke to her.
"Maria..." A voice sang out. Maria looks around in fright.
"What was that?!" She asked. "He's here..." She fell on her knees and start to cry. She is scared of the phantom. Mardic watches her in silent with a frown. Maria grips on the rose, tears falling from her eyes. Then, she felt Mardic's touch on her shoulders. The husky started to embrace her, trying to calm the yellow hedgehog. Behind the statue, Shadow peeks out to see them. He couldn't pop out in front of Mardic. Then, he hears Mardic singing.
"No more talk of darkness.
Forget these wide-eyed fears.
I'm here, nothing can harm you.
My words will warm and calm you.
Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears,
I'm here, with you, beside you.
To guard you and to guide you."
Maria turned to him, feeling calm after hearing his gentle voice. Mardic help Maria stand, drying her tears with his thumbs. Maria dropped the rose on the snow. Maria starts to feel light returning to her. No more darkness. No more fear. She smiled at Mardic and sang back.
"Say you'll love me every waking moment.
Turn my head with talk of summer time.
Say you need me with you now and always.
Promise me that all you say is true,
That's all I ask of you."
Mardic held her hands, nuzzling his forehead against hers. He sang back to her.
"Let me be your shelter,
Let me be your light,
You're safe, no one will find you.
Your fears are far behind you."
Maria sings back to him. They both slowly dance on the rooftop as the snow falls on them. To Maria, Mardic is her light. And she needs the light. Not darkness.
"All I want is freedom,
A world with no more night.
And you, always beside me,
To hold me and to hide me."
Shadow slightly looks over to see the two singing to each other. He can see that Maria is very close to the husky than she was to Shadow in the lair. The black hedgehog continues to watch them and listen Mardic sing to her.
"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.
Let me lead you from your solitude.
Say you need me with you here, beside you.
Anywhere you go, let me go too.
Maria, that's all I ask of you."
Then Mardic and Maria start to sing together and to each other under a full moon.
"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.
Say the word and I will follow you."
"Share each day with me.
Each night, each morning."
"Say you love me."
"You know I do."
"Love me, that's all I ask of you."
They both lean in and start to kiss. Mardic lifts Maria off her feet, spin her around in his arms. Shadow watches in silent. He's feeling heartbroken to see this. Maria loved someone else. He turned away from this. Mardic lowers Maria down and they both sing once more.
"Anywhere you go, let me go too.
Love me, that's all I ask of you."
They kiss again. Maria pulled away by telling Mardic that she must return in the Opera house. They walk back through the door, hand in hand. After a few seconds, Shadow came out of hiding and found the rose on the snow. He picked it up, singing in a sad tone.
"I gave you my music,
Made your song take wing.
And now, how you've repaid me,
Denied me and betrayed me.
He was bound to love you, when he heard you sing.
Maria. Maria..."
He starts to sob. His angel loved someone else. Shadow doesn't want anyone else, he wants Maria. He wants her to be his wife for the future. He wants her love for him. Then, he hears Maria and Mardic singing in his head. Causing him to cry more.
Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime,
Say the word and I will follow you.
Share each day with me, each night, each morning...
Shadow squeezes the rose in anger. The pedals land on the snow. Shadow ran up to the edge of the Opera house building, singing loudly at the night sky. Snow is falling on his face. His black cape flies behind him.
"You will curse the day you did not do!
All that the Phantom asked of you!"
His voice echoes through the skies. He disappeared from the rooftop, planning to get his Maria back from the husky who took her away from Shadow. No one steals from Shadow.
Coming out of the door, there is Myrin, looking around for Maria and Mardic, but he didn't realize that they already left. He sees rose pedals on the snow. He pick one of them up and sniffed it.
"Still fresh..." He said. He looks around again and return to the house.
