Quick one shot for you, of our troublesome pair. This time of their moments in Persia and how they truly escaped. Reviews are greatly appreciated! All rights go to Gaston Leroux etc and I don't own any of the characters.
"Erik?"
"What?" Erik snapped, fixing his furious golden stare on Nadir. He shuddered.
"Are you... alright?" A droll laugh, followed by silence. The air seemed to vibrate, like the aftershock of a tuning fork being twanged against a hard surface. It suffocated Nadir but his friend wallowed in it, for it was his despair.
"I didn't think it would end up as badly as this." Erik suddenly said, shifting from his hunched position on the floor. The shirt on his back had been reduced to scraps of fabric, thick with matted blood.
"I warned you." Nadir hissed, stepping forward so he could crouch down next to his friend, "I told you that you were being stupid." Erik swatted him away before groaning in pain at the movement.
"Shut up."
"No, listen to me," Nadir whispered urgently, placing the oil lamp on the ground between them, "we need to get out of here. You are in incredible danger, the Shah isn't finished with you yet." Erik rolled his eyes, dropping further forward as the pain in his back became unbearable. Soon, he lay flat on his stomach breathing in the musty dirt of the floor.
"Let him end me. I have nothing to live for." He murmured. It only infuriated Nadir more. He dropped down to the floor as well so that his eyes met Erik's and glared at him. It would have looked funny to a passer by, to see two men lying on the stomachs having a heated discussion but it would also mean certain death to them both if they were caught together. Nadir had to be quick and sneak his friend out of this hell hole.
"Now you listen to me. I will not let you succumb to your fate like this. This is not how you die, you are far too dramatic too succumb to a quiet death such as this."
"Hey-" Erik muttered indignantly but Nadir was quick to interject.
"Now I know you've lost faith in yourself but I haven't. I know you are destined for greatness, you've still got the rest of your life to live Erik!"
"And do what? Wallow in the darkness?"
"Become the great man that you're destined to be!" Nadir almost cried before clamping a hand over his mouth and stared at the cell door. The guard should still be knocked out but he'd still have to be quiet. He quietly thanked Allah for the skeleton key that sat in his breast pocket like a dead weight and returned his attention back to Erik, surprised to see that he was staring at him in astonishment.
"What do you mean, become a great man?"
"Erik, your affliction should not stop you from hiding from the world. You're far too gifted for that. You've shown me that in your creations, and the love you showed to my dear boy. Without you Erik, I wouldn't have been to be able to cope with Reza's death. You showed me it was ok to let the ones you love go, so they can escape the pain and I thank you so much for that. Let me repay you that gratification and show you what you can become!" Erik swallowed thickly, not sure if it was the pain that had brought tears to his eyes or the thought of poor little Reza.
"And what do you propose we do? I can't exactly move well." Nadir cast a quick glance at Erik's back, grimacing.
"Grin and bare it?" Erik gave a groan of despair.
"As ever, Daroga, you've not thought everything through." Nadir scowled, scrambling up from his position to check the hallway. The guard was still unconscious.
"Listen, you built this place, where are the secret tunnels? Are there any that lead to the street?" Erik was silent for a moment before nodding against the dirt.
"There is actually a secret door at the end of this hallway in the last cell. I had hoped I'd be dumped in there but alas I was unfortunate." Nadir grinned and withdrew the skeleton key from his pocket.
"Good thing I have this then." Erik raised his eyebrow.
"You're not as unprepared as I thought. Alright, help me get up." Nadir slowly and painfully helped him to his feet, withstanding many withering glares and curses from his friend before they hobbled out of the cell and down the hallway. The unoccupied cell awaited them, where they quickly let themselves in and Nadir propped up Erik as he probed around for the secret switch. He found it and the door groaned open, revealing a dark, cold tunnel ahead of them.
"How did you even manage to make these?" Nadir asked in astonishment, shining the light ahead of them.
"The promise of money and riches." Erik winced and slumped further against the solid form of Nadir. "Let us hurry. I fear I don't have much time left." Nadir rolled his eyes, helping his friend into the tunnel, jumping as the door closed behind them.
"Onwards my friend, to a new future." Nadir said.
"We live in hope yet might die in despair. But yes, to a new future... My friend." Nadir smiled and the two of them fumbled down the hallway to what would be their most interesting adventure yet.
