Chapter 33: Broken promises, broken hearts

Christine was pacing around her dressing room like a madwoman. It was few hours to her final performance as Marguerite in Faust and after that she must return to Erik with an answer. Raoul should be here any minute now. Good God, how much she needed someone to advice her, she felt like she was again a little girl waiting for her father to come up with a solution. Still, Christine knew that she had to consider the possibility that talking with Raoul wouldn't help her at all. If it would come to that, what would she choose?

It was obvious enough to say that she and Erik couldn't go on like they had anymore. Christine was afraid of saying that she would stay with him. That would mean she would be his and he would never let her go. Not after years of living in solitude would he ever allow her to leave. This kind of commitment to someone was rather terrifying. And yet the idea of leaving Erik forever was also terrifying. Could she truly live with the Phantom of the Opera? Could she live without Angel of Music?

Knock, knock.

"Christine, it is Raoul" young viscount's voice said behind her door. Christine hurried to open but didn't let Raoul inside. Instead she took his hand a guided him outside her room. "Where are we going?" Raoul asked.

"Somewhere we can speak without anyone hearing us" she said, pulling him with her.

They didn't know that a shadow with two glowing eyes was following them. Where is she taking him? Why is she taking him anywhere at all? Erik followed them from the darkness making sure they or any other wouldn't notice him. Through long corridors and silent halls and stairs up. Finally Erik realised where they were going. No, oh no, not in there! That is my place, my place! The only one that gives me peace here, don't take him there!

But it was too late; for Christine and Raoul had reached the rooftop of the opera house and where standing now close to Apollo's lyre. Erik could only look helpless as she, his angel, had brought another man to this special place for him. Erik moved himself quickly on the top of the statue in order to hear more clearly what they were saying.

"Are we alone here, Raoul? Is there no-one to hear what we say?" she asked from the man beside her.

"I'm positive we are alone, Christine. Now please tell me, what on Earth has made you so frightened?" young man asked.

She took a deep breath. "Raoul, what I'm about to tell you may sound like a story of an insane person. I pray for you to stay quiet till I've finished, no matter how absurd my story sounds like" she pleaded from him. Raoul could only nod his head, ready to receive any kind of an explanation.

And then she told him. Not the entire story, no, for she thought that some things were too personal to be revealed to Raoul. But she gave him to basic picture of what was going. That a man named Erik, horribly deformed and working with supernatural powers, wanted to have her as his wife.

"…and I'm supposed to give him my answer after Faust tonight and I don't know what to do" she said in the end, her voice shaking.

Raoul sat there for a moment thinking of all information she had given to him for the last, he looked at his clock, hour and fifteen minutes. He stood up. "Tell me where he lives, Christine. Show me how to get there. I'll free you from the monster forever" he said while pulling a small gun out of his pocket. He had kept it there ever since last night.

Christine gasped. She hadn't expected a reaction like this nor did she want any harm come to either Erik or Raoul. "No, Raoul, haven't you heard a word I've said. You'd be dead before you had time to blink. He has powers that are beyond our comprehension. He told me that even he didn't always understand them. And don't think he has tricked me. I've lived few past years in the Opera house. I know a theatre trick when I see one and he is no joker" she said.

Raoul sighed and put the gun away. "Well, whatever he is I know one thing. He is dangerous. Do his eyes glow in the dark?" Raoul asked.

"Y-yes" Christine said shakily, she had only told that Erik was deformed but not given any detailed description.

Raoul removed his collar showing an angry red mark around his throat. "Someone attacked me last night. I didn't see his face but I saw his eyes…they were glowing like cats eyes".

Christine almost had tears coming out of her eyes. Erik had tried to kill Raoul…

But I didn't kill the boy, Erik thought above them. I allowed him to live because of you, Christine! Because I knew how it would upset you! Because I want to be good, please Christine. I want to be good for you and only for you…

"Do you honestly think he would let you go if you say no to him?" Raoul asked. "He would just say: 'Oh darn, at least I tried'. No matter what you would say to him, Christine, if you go back to him you won't come back".

"WH-what am I suppose to do then?" her voice was trembling now.

"Don't go to him. Let's leave now, both of us. I can take care of you, I have friends in England. They can arrange us to America or where ever you want to go. Let me take care of you. I…I love you, Christine".

Christine raised her eyes to meet Raoul's and saw honesty in them. "I can't leave without saying goodbye to him. Not after everything he has done. I must sing tonight, to him for final time. Then we can leave, after performance".

Raoul looked at her. "You mean that?" She nodded. "Why won't we leave now…?"

"It would be too cruel from me. I must sing for my angel, one last time" she said and Raoul knew there wouldn't be any way to make her change her mind. Christine seemed to suddenly realise how long they had been here. "I must get ready. You must go to prepare your carriage or car if you can get one by then, Raoul" she said and both of them left the roof and darkening sky. She didn't notice how, caused by her betrayal, the simple golden ring slipped quietly from her finger.

When they had leaved, Erik came down and collected the ring. He was trembling and had tears in his sunken eyes. He rapidly blinked them back. He hadn't cried since he left the circus and he wasn't about to cry. He had to stay strong now. And with each second passing his heart abounded every thought of love and joy it had contained and filled itself with darkness.

Erik snapped his head up to the skies and shrieked with a venomous voice: "I always knew Lucifer is the wisest of your angels! It is better to reign in hell than serve in heaven!" and with that he let out a cry and disappeared.

Chapter 34: In which Christine decides something, but is it too late?

Christine could hear the footsteps of many peoples entering the auditorium of the opera house. Faust would begin in 15 minutes. Raoul is supposed to come see Christine to her dressing room before opera would begin, to tell her if everything was in order. Christine sighed. She felt tired for some reason. Even when she had already made her decision she felt like she hadn't made her mind yet. But that was ridiculous for she had made it…right?

Feeling restless she put her face to her hands and then for the first time realised something: her ring wasn't in her finger. The simple yet mesmerising gold ring Erik had given to her was gone. Where and when? She didn't know. But it was that moment when she finally realised what had been bothering her: that after all the things Erik had told her and done, she still had this powerful connection to him. Christine sighed again as she realised she was still afraid to say her feelings aloud even in her thoughts.

But the lack of gold ring from her finger symbolised the lack of Erik from her life. After all that had happened between them: him saving her from almost death in a rainy day from gutter, him becoming her Angel of Music, him giving her his music and trust and love, things a man like Erik wouldn't give lightly to anyone. He had trusted her enough with his past and now she was going to run away.

Christine almost felt like marching to the cellars in order to find Erik's home. She couldn't believe the thing she was about to do. Run away while he was down below waiting for her to come and give her final answer. And then he would finally emerge and discover that she had taken off with Raoul. Christine shuddered as she realised that by doing something as simple as going away and not looking back, she would kill Erik. She would kill the man who the world called monster and yet had never done any harm to her, and he had had his opportunities to do so. That proved that Erik was not a monster, or at least he was willing to try not to be if granted a second chance.

Suddenly Christine felt determination she had never felt before. When Raoul would come she would tell him plans have changed. He would object of course, but if he loved her he would respect her solution. Then she would go back to Erik, though she didn't quite know how, and she would say that…what exactly would she say?

She would say that they were going to be there for each others. Just as he had helped her with her stage fright and lack of self confidence, she would help him. They had to do something to that temper yes, but other than that they could be happy together. And maybe one day Christine would call him her husband and he would call her his wife.

Christine knew that when compared between Erik and Raoul the latter would lose. They had both confessed their love to her in less than a week. But her heart hadn't beaten as fast with Raoul as it had with Erik. And she hadn't felt the same tingling sensation in her stomach when Raoul had hold her on the roof while she told her story as she had felt it when she and Erik danced during the new years masquerade ball.

"I'm going to come to you, Erik" Christine whispered.

"I didn't quite catch that" said the voice of her angel.

Christine turned around and saw Erik standing there in her room, in front of her mirror. Christine was about to tell him immediately everything when she noticed Erik's appearance. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and a black cape and hat. White porcelain mask covered his face and his yellow eyes were shinning with anger and rage. This was not Erik. This was Phantom of the Opera.

"Erik, I-"

"I came to return this to you" Erik said, showing her the gold ring.

Oh my God, Christine thought. He knows!

Without warning Erik got Christine by her wrist and hissed to her ear. "Did you think you and your lover could betray me; the Phantom! Did you feel safe up there, near the angels? Haven't you learned that I'm the only Angel here and it was your decision whether I'd be Angel of Music of Darkness!" he angered.

Christine went to a panic. "No, Erik, please listen to me! I was going to come to you-"she pleaded but was interrupted.

"Don't insult me with your lies, my dear! You broke your promise and now you must live with consequences. From this day forward only Erik will hear your singing!" the Phantom shouted and hissed at the same time, if that is even possible.

Just then the door burst open and Viscount Raoul de Chagny appeared. He was momentarily startled by the sight that greeted him. Just then Erik dragged Christine with him towards the full sight mirror and his gold voice hissed to Raoul.

"You are too late, monsieur le viscount. She comes with me!" his voice filled the room.

This woke Raoul and he made attempt to run towards Erik and Christine, but just then Erik touched the surface of the mirror's glass and a bright flash of light filled the room causing Raoul to raise his hands to cover his eyes.

The light disappeared as soon as it had appeared. When colours finally settled and Raoul was able to look again he only discovered that he was alone in Christine's dressing room. Both Christine and Erik had disappeared but Raoul could still hear the Phantom's diabolical laugh echoing in the room.

Chapter 35: To the Lair

The moment Raoul realised that the two figures of Christine and Erik had disappeared he started to look them everywhere from the room. He figured that Erik might have used the light effect to distract Raoul enough for them to slip away from room. When Raoul was certain that no-one was with him in the room or in the hall outside, he moved to the mirror. He touched the glass and sides of the mirror to find out if it was a door to a secret passageway. Again he found nothing.

"Ahem".

Raoul turned around to the voice only to find a man in the tuxedo.

"I was send to call Miss Daae, her turn is in fifteen minutes" the man said.

Raoul jumped towards the man. "He has taken her! Kidnapped her! We must call the police! We must-"

"Wait, monsieur, who is kidnapped?" confused man asked.

"Christine Daae is kidnapped!" Raoul practically shouted to the man's face. "That-that Phantom kidnapped her!"

Man turned to pale and visibly shivered. "T-the Phantom you say, monsieur? You should not speak of things like that so lightly. Not since Buquet and Alexander-"what man was about to say, Raoul never found out. The third man entered the room. This man was also dressed in tuxedo but he had a dark skin; the Persian.

Nadir Kahn put his hand to the man's shoulder and relaxed him. "No word about ghosts anymore. Miss Daae is unavailable to sing, prepare the understudy" Persian said. Man only nodded and left. Nadir closed the door behind them and turned to Raoul who was red with anger.

"I am not crazy! The fiend has kidnapped Christine and the police must be-"he rambled but was interrupted.

"Monsieur le viscount" Nadir said calmly. "I don't think of you as a madman and I believe you. But you must understand that the entire police force is no match to Erik".

Raoul blinked his eyes and watch the man. "You know Erik?" he asked.

Nadir nodded his head. "I can take you to him and Miss Daae if monsieur le viscount will do exactly as I say" he said. Nadir walked to the mirror. Raoul didn't say a word. He just watched as the Persian examined the mirror closely, carefully touching it.

For a moment neither said anything and then Nadir huffed. "Should have seen this one coming: typical of Erik to arrange something like this to people rooms" he muttered. Persian turned to explain to Raoul. "This mirror is a kind of a port, a shortcut if you like" he said.

"Where does it lead?" Raoul asked.

"To Erik's lair I think. I saw some of these in Persia. There are always to two like these. If you go in to one you come out of the other. Where the other is, well…your guess is as good as mine. Still I don't believe Erik would have abounded his home".

"Can you open this port?" young man asked hopefully.

"Not me, I'm not even half of an expert of occult as Erik. And he has probably already closed to other entrance so nobody can follow him". Nadir saw depression in young man's eyes. "But I know another way to there".

Nadir motioned Raoul to follow him and the two men left the room. Persian lead Raoul through halls and corridors, stairs down, always down.

"Where are we going?" Raoul asked.

"To the third cellar, I've seen Erik going there couple of times and I was able to once see where he keeps the door".

"The door?" viscount asked.

"To his lair, Erik is not only a magician but also master of all architects. The fact that he has secretly built secret passageways to this theatre shows how proud he is of his skills".

Both men continued their journey to the cellars. When they finally reached the third one they had to take lamp with them, for there was no light there. As Nadir raised one of the lamps and started to look for the door from one the walls, Raoul dared to question him.

"How do you know this Erik, monsieur?" he asked.

Nadir didn't turn to answer him. "He saved my life once. I was poor, hungry and without home in a land far from my native country. Erik helped me to get back and in returned I closed my eyes from the things he did. I regret it now. But then he become seriously ill and he needed my help. I hoped that if he survived he would use his skills for good. He had so much to give for the world, but his appearance and his own hatred towards rest of the world wouldn't allow him. I hoped he…it doesn't matter now, old man's dreams".

Raoul didn't say anything, but he could hear from Persian's voice that the man felt pity towards Erik.

"Ah, here it is" Nadir exclaimed. "Before we go, monsieur, I must warn you. I have no idea where this will lead, and I wouldn't worry about Miss Daae I wouldn't dare to go further. A workman of this opera house, named Buquet, once also found this door and he never lived to tell the tale. I advice you to keep that gun near" Nadir said, pointing to a pocket where Raoul had put his gun. "Shoot only to kill, do you understand? Hell halts no fury like wounded Erik's".

"What about you?" Raoul asked concerned.

"I have this" Nadir said and held his walking cane. He pulled the head of the cane and revealed the blade it had hided. "And monsieur, what ever happens now, keep your hand at the level of your eyes. The Punjab lasso might strike suddenly".

Raoul held his right hand high, with his gun, and touched his throat with his other, still feeling the marks of the rope.

Nadir pulled the lever on the wall he had founded and a secret door opened. With only one lamp they entered to the darkness. They didn't enter far when suddenly ground disappeared and they fell. Falling felt like an eternity to them both but it didn't take but few second for them to reach the bottom, where ever that was.

Lamp was broken. "Are you alright?" Persian asked.

"I think so" Raoul answered. "Where do you think we-"his question was never finished for suddenly light was coming from everywhere, and both men could see that they were in a small room. Room's walls were covered with mirrors.

Persian eyes winded. "Oh no…not here!" he cried.

"So nice to know you haven't forgotten this room, daroga" said cold voice that seemed to come outside of the room.

Chapter 36 Bride of the Phantom

Christine stirred her eyes, trying to see and understand what had happened. She remembered Erik dragging her with him, Raoul appearing and a flash of light. Then everything went black. Now that she blinked her eyes, trying to focus them she saw a fireplace in front of her. She was in Erik's lair. Christine thought that she must have passed out for a moment or Erik must have brought her here some other way.

"Ah, I see you are awake, my dear" Erik's voice suddenly said and Christine turned her head to voice's direction. She saw Erik just like in her dressing room; as the Phantom of the Opera. Erik's shinning eyes were making a hole through her. She saw the pain and hurt she had she had caused to him.

"There is a wedding dress in your room. I want you to go and put it on" Erik said patently, though it was obvious he was starting to run out of it.

"Erik, I-"she tried but he snapped to her.

"Wedding dress! In your room! Put it on! Now!" he cried.

Christine stood up from the chair she had been and walked to "her" room as soon as she could. The moment she was there she closed the door and allowed tears to run free. Christine couldn't think coherently. All she could think was that Erik was angry, she had ruined any chances they had and that there was a terrible pain in her chest where heart should be.

Christine was about to flung herself to her bed when she noticed something there. The most beautiful wedding dress she had ever seen was laid on the bed. Erik had no doubt made it for her precisely. It was beautiful white dress, with some golden ribbons in it. Yet it was not over the top nor did it have any fancy things to much. It was beautiful yet simple just as she preferred. With trembling hands she picked it up, afraid she might ruin it. She brought it close to her body and immediately guessed that it fit perfectly.

With difficult Christine undressed herself from her Marguerite dress and put the wedding dress on. Unfortunately she couldn't see what she looked like in that room for there was only one mirror, a small table mirror. She knew there was a full-length mirror in the room where she had come from. She opened the door and walked towards that room. She heard a quiet music been played by organs and Erik's voice singing a part of his masterpiece "Don Juan Triumphant". His voice always hypnotised her and she couldn't help but walk towards him and listen to his voice.

"While floating high above,
I hear, you speak my name.
Your voice, so sweetly calling me,
To come to you again.
I stole into your dreams,
I touched your soul to mine.
I gave you music, and soon,
You must rest here with me.
Eternally...

We'll share Paradise,
We'll share Paradise!"

Erik's voice was not loud but quiet and surprisingly soft. He had closed his eyes or at least Christine couldn't see the two yellow eyes beneath the white porcelain mask. Erik stopped playing and turned to see Christine. When he did Christine saw his body go stiff and his yellow eyes winded. The reaction oddly pleased Christine in some wicked way.

Erik rose from his chair and walked to Christine. He turned her around, he back against him, and hands on her shoulder guided her to the mirror. When Christine saw her reflection she gasped. Christine had never considered herself as a pretty girl. She had watched in girl's dormitories how other dancers and chorus girls put make up and dressed nicely and she had never felt that she could be as pretty as they are. But now as she looked at herself in the wedding dress, though her face was red from all the crying, she looked radiant.

"You are beautiful" Erik whispered. He was standing just behind her. His voice send shivers down her spine and his long bony fingers caressed her bare neck, making Christine blush. Christine felt euphoric all of a sudden and closed her eyes, raising her other hand to touch Erik's cold one. For a moment they both just stood there, with no idea of time and place.

The spell was broken by a sudden sound filling the room. Christine jumped a little.

"Don't worry, it's only the doorbell. Our guests have arrived" Erik said walking away from slightly confused Christine. Erik walked towards a wall which Christine remembered Erik had said to be left alone. He waved his hand in front of it and wall suddenly opened. Behind it was glass and behind glass was a room covered with mirrors. In the middle of the room stand the Persian who Christine had seen couple of times and…Raoul!

"Allow me to explain little, my dear. This glass that separates us from them is not normal. It's a window for us but a mirror for them. We can see them but they can't see us" Erik said, pulling Christine towards the glass.

"So nice to know you haven't forgotten this room, daroga" Erik said to the Persian man who was obviously in panic. "Maybe you also remember what it is used for?" he added.

"Erik, what are you talking about?" asked concerned Christine.

Erik turned to her and cruel chuckle was heard beneath the mask. "This, my dear, is a mirror chamber; the cruellest torture chamber known to man. I created it to the sultana in Persia. Allow me to explain how it works. You can probably see how light is reflected from the mirrors, eh? Very soon those two are going to be very thirsty, then tired, then they start to see hallucinations and ultimately they die as their brains literally boil in their heads. I'd say they have about 15 to 20 minutes time before any permanent damage is done".

Christine was as white as her dress. "Erik, please don't…"

"No use of praying or begging, Christine! I trusted you to treat me like a fellow human of trusting me enough to come to see me face to face and tell your decision. Instead you decided to run away. Well, rules have changed then" Erik raged now like a wild animal.

"I have told you I will not harm you, Christine" Erik continued. "Either you will watch as viscount there will die and then you don't have to ever see me again. Or…" there was a pause as he took a deep breath "…or you will save his life by marrying me and be my faithful wife till the end of our days".

Christine stared him in shock. She had to make him understand that this is useless. That she was going to come to him just before he entered her room. She had to…

Christine's thought were interrupted by a new sudden sound filling the room. It was a strange exotic singing coming from the lake outside. The siren, Christine thought.

"Hmm, seems like we have more guests" Erik muttered.

The song While Floating High Above is from Ken Hill's original musical production of Phantom of the Opera that came before Webber's version.