Erik holds Christine's hand forcefully as he hurries down to his home. He appears to be dragging her against her will. She holds on to the wall to keep her balance and he pulls her away from it furious.

"Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair! Down we plunge to the prison of my mind! Down that path into darkness deep as hell!" he screams stopping and turning to face her. "Now that you've seen my face do you wish you had not?"

"Why?" Christine asks sobbing.

"Why!" Erik asks bitterly. "Why, you ask, was I bound and chained in this cold and dismal place? Not for any mortal sin, but the wickedness of my abhorrent face!"

He then resumes their trail, and due to his increasing pace they are at the cave in no time. Erik uncaringly frees Christine's arm and storms to one of the rooms yelling back at her.

"I've been hounded out by everyone! Met with hatred everywhere! No kind words from
anyone! No compassion anywhere! Christine, Christine . . . Why, why . . .?" he finishes quietly sobbing.

In another part of the underground labyrinth Raoul makes his way through the dark hoping to find Christine while she races behind Erik.

She finds him sitting by the bed contemplating a wedding dress that lays spread on the bed. Christine looks at the dress and gasps.

Coldly Erik gives her an explanation for the dress.

"You see young Christine, this face which condemns me to hatred and shame has also
denied me the one I adore. This face, the infection, which poisons our love . . ." he stands, takes the bridal veil from the bed, and moves slowly towards her. "This face,
which earned a father's fear and loathing . . . A mask, my first unfeeling scrap of clothing"

He brutally places the veil on her head and she lets her tears flow.

"I have tried to stay away, in my mind this is your fate: an eternity of this before your eyes!" He says pointing to his deformed face.

She wipes her tears and looks calmly and coldly into his face as she speaks.

"This haunted face holds no horror for me at all. But in your soul, is where the true distortion lies."

Just then, the splash of the water announces that an intruder has arrived. Erik hurriedly walks to the entrance of the cave and sees Raoul grasping the bars of the gate.

"Wait! I think, my dear, we have a guest!" he screams jokingly to Christine who appears behind him. Looking at Raoul Erik speaks again. "Sir, this is indeed an unparalleled delight! I had rather hoped that you would come. And now my wish comes true, you have truly made my night!"

"Free her! Do what you like only free her! Have you no pity?" Raoul screams back.

Erik turns to an emotionless Christine and dryly says.

"Your lover makes a passionate plea!"

"Raoul, it's useless." She says to him.

Erik is intrigued by Christine's response. He pulls a lever, and the fence rises allowing Raoul to enter.

"Monsieur, I bid you welcome! Did you think that I would harm her?" Erik asks.

Far from this trio, Meg Giry struggles to find her way around the underground maze.

"Christine, start a new life with me!" Raoul summons.

"Refuse me, and you send your lover to his death!" Erik counters.

Christine is overwhelmed and disgusted by their actions.

"The tears I might have shed for both of you grow cold, and turn to tears of hate!" she shouts at them walking into the room.

"Christine, forgive me please forgive me. I did it all for you, and all for nothing." Raoul desperately calls to her.

Inside the room Christine speaks to herself.

"One by one I've watched illusions shattered."

Erik has heard this and answers her.

"I see, either way you choose, you cannot win. So, do you end your days with me, or do wish to go with him?"

"You are turning her insane! Can't you see that?" Raoul says behind them.

Erik reflects for a moment and knowing that Raoul is right, and that a life by his side will be miserable one, he decides to let Christine go.

"Take her, forget me, and forget all of this." He says calmly but visibly in pain. "Leave me behind, forget all you've seen. Take the boat but swear to me," he says to Christine looking directly at her. "never to tell the secrets you know, of the angel in hell."

Erik had been a fool to fathom the idea of her love. She belonged to another world, to another man. Gustave had asked him to watch over her. She was not his gift to him.

Raoul saw his opportunity for escape.

"Let's go Christine!" he said to her.

She was looking at the Phantom with both fear and amazement as she walked by him to get to Raoul. When she got to him Raoul put an arm over her shoulders to soothe and protect her. They had not taken two steps when unexpectedly the Phantom voice called behind them.

"Wait!"

Meg Giry finally found the trace of a light before her. She followed in and came to a gate that contained in the other side a made to live in cave. She could hear voices in heated argument, and the cries of a woman. Christine!

The voices were indistinguishable, from Meg's location. She tried to open the gate but it would not budge. She called to Christine but it was clear that she could not hear her. Worried she gripped the bars of the gate and listened in to what she could make out of the conversation.

"No! Please don't! It was me! I deceived you, he had nothing to do with that, he is innocent to all this!" the woman exclaimed.

"It is too late now! Nothing you can say will save him!" a man's voice responded.

"Kill me if you wish, but she will always love me!" another male voice retorted.

"Please! I will do anything, anything! I will stay with you, but please don't hurt him!" the female voice said.

"No, Christine. Don't give your life to him to save me."

"It really wouldn't be such a bad life." The first male voice said sarcastically.

"I love him! I beg you, I love him!"

"Indeed you do." He responded.

A distraught voice of a man moaned.

"I rather die here with you than live a long life without you." The woman said.

"Christine, I love you."

The room grew quiet, and then the weeps of a man echoed within the earth. He cried as if his heart had just been ripped from his body. Like if a revelation had just been granted to him.

Meg abruptly lets go of the bars and runs to seek help. She needed to rescue Christine and Raoul from the fury of the Phantom.