A New Start

Chapter 22: Past the point of no return

Lizzie walked about the vaults in total darkness , seeing as her candle had gone out. She had been wandering about for quite some time, desperatley wanting to find her way so that she could help the de Chagnys and Arthur. They all meant so much to her, Raoul and Christine were like another set of parents to her, Marie Claire was her best friend, and Arthur had become a good friend and was Marie's fiance. But as Lizzie was thinking, she bumped into someone, someone who cursed as they dropped a candle onto the floor.

"Dam and blast, its completely dark now." it was the voice of Firmin.

Lizzie was immensly relieved. "Monsieur Firmin?" she asked, stepping closer, the outlines of several people clear.

"Madmoiselle Elizabeth?" he questioned, sounding immensly relieved.

"Oh Lizzie we've been so worried. Are you alright?" asked the concerned and worried voice of Meg as she came over to hug her daughter.

"I'm fine, but I can't find my way around here at all." said Lizzie, her sad face confused.

"Neither can we." said Andre in an irritated voice. "It's a complete labyrinth in here. Who would have designed a plae like this?"

"Um Andre, we did." said Firmin. "When this opera house was built twenty years ago."

"Oh, right." said Andre. "Anyway, where do we go?"

"I believe its that way, Monsieur." said Madame Giry, pointing grimly down at a long winding staircase.

"Right." said Andre. "I didn't think it was quite that far."

"Well we'd better get going, or we won't get there until Christmas." said Firmin.

"I do hope that we're not to late." said Madame Giry worriedly.

"So do I." said Meg as the group made their way towards the dark, dank, unknown.
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Raoul and Erik glared at each other as their swords clanged together once more, moving as fast as lightning. Both hearts were tumult with emotion, as Raoul was fighting to protect that which he loved most, and Erik fighting for all that he desired to have. And as they fought, outside, the storm raged. Even from the vaults, you could hear the thunder between the furious clangs of the swords. Marie and Christine watched helplessly as the two men battled, neither being able to get and edge on the other, because both posessed very good skill with a sword. Marie Claire held the now awake Arthur in her arms as both stared in silent terror at the two men. Christine's blood had gone cold the minute the battle had begun, whishing, dying to be able to remember so that she could stop the two.

CLANG! CRASH! CLANG!

Raoul's hands were sweaty, his hair clinging to his face as he fought desperatley to look into his beloved's eyes. But everytime he attempted, Erik got in the way, smirking. Raoul looked over at Marie Claire, holding the injured Arthur, tears streaming down her pretty face. But seeing her face, suddenly brought a perfect image of the entire family into Raoul's mind. Christine, himself, Marie, and Felix all there smiling. As he thought this it gave him a powerful urge of strength, and he gave a particularly hard swing, knocking Erik into the water. Raoul turned to take the chance to look into Christine's eyes. But before she could look up, she was distracted by a shrill cry of complete and total dismay from Marie Claire. Erik had gotten up with great celerity, and his thin sword was heading straight for Raoul's back. Marie, Arthur, and Christine watched, as though in slow motion as the sword connected with Raoul's back. Raoul didn't even have time to think as he felt the sharp pain of the sword on his flesh. He fell, his sword falling from his hand and rolling over to where Arthur lay. Raoul stared at the dripping ceiling, his heart hammering and his mind spinning. But before he could even take in what had just happened, he felt a shadow as dark as the dead of night looming over him.

"Well, Vicomte what have we here? It looks likeI finally have your attention." he breathed as he moved the menacing sword closer towards Raoul. "Now let me explain to you one last time. Christine and Marie Claire belong to me, and there is nothing you can do about it."

Raoul looked up into his foe's eyes, the eyes that stared coldly down at him through the white half mask. But something had changed in those eyes, something was somehow different now than it had been before. Instead of the desperate longing and lonliness, there was complete insanity. Something had caused the Phantom to go completely over the edge, willing to do absoulutely anything to claim Christine and Marie Claire. Raoul looked steadily up into Erik's eyes, his voice shaking with emotion.

"You may deal with me as you like, go ahead and take my life, as I can see that you are desperate to. But if you insist on doing that, I beg of you, please, let Christine and Marie go." Raoul pleaded, his eyes shining with tears." If you insist on killing me, please I beg of you, let my girls go. And please, forgive Arthur, for he was only trying to help the girl he loves."

Erik looked down at the wounded man before him, not letting the desperate words get to him, for he was not a man of compassion, for the world had shone him none. He moved the gleaming blade ever closer to Raoul.

"I'm afraid not monsieur, for you see, I realized that I made a mistake by giving Christine a choice before. This time there is no choice, no hope for any of you to escape your fate. You and Arthur will be gone, and Christine and Marie Claire here with me forever. This is TRULY the point of no return!" he yelled, his eyes burning.

Raoul stared at Erik, his heart breaking. He had to get Christine and Marie out of here. He didn't care what happened to him as long as they escaped. They could not be forced to stay here, living a life of darkness.

"Please, show some compassion! You must have learned some since our last encounter. You let us go after all." Raoul pleaded, his blue eyes full of pain. "Please let them live their lives, and be free, if you don't like living this way, then why would you force someone you claim to care for to live that way. I will gladly give my life for them. I love them with all of my being." Raoul said, his voice strong and angry now, because he badly wanted to get his point across.

"No Vicomte, for this time I will get what I want, I will be here alone no longer. You love them, but you shall be allowed to have them no longer, for they belong to me!" Erik said, his voice furious.

But while the Phantom had been so intent on Raoul, he had not noticed Marie Claire leading Christine silently, but ever closer to Raoul. Then as the Phantom raised his sword to strike a fatal blow to Raoul, Arthur stood up blindingly fast and threw Raoul's sword to it's surprised owner. Seeing that Christine was near, he took the chance. Blocking Erik's blow that was millimeters from his chest, he got Erik in the leg, causing him to fall. This gave Raoul the second that was necessary to make eye contact with Christine. As his blue eyes looked deeply into her brown ones, she gave a start as all the memories came rushing back into her mind.

"Raoul?' she questioned in a bewildered, shaky voice, relieved that she could now remember. She still wasn't completely sure of what has happened.

Raoul breathed a sigh of relief as he stood up as quickly as possible, the pain in his back becoming prominent. Marie and Christine gasped as the gash on his back became clear to their eyes.

"Marie Claire, Arthur?" Christine questioned once more, glancing at the young couple beside her.

"Yes my love, we are all here." said Raoul, wrapping his arms gently about his shaking wife, trying to warm her from the coldness that had enveloped her.

She wrapped her arms around him, not ever wanting to let go. She had never felt more fear in her entire life, her heart in her throat. She was so completely afraid that she was about to lose all that she loved most, that she was about to lose Raoul and that Marie was going to lose Arthur. She looked over at Marie Claire, feeling so despairing that her daughter had ever had to go through this, she had promised herself that she would never let this happen. Marie Claire was also terrified, for Erik had shown that he was willing to do anything to rid himself of her papa and Arthur. Marie had never seen such a lonely, desperate, yet such an insane man in her life.

"Papa?" she said, coming closer to him as she squeezed her beloved Arthur's hand.

Raoul didn't answer, but swept her up into the hug that he and Christine shared, so afraid that this was the last hug he would ever be able to give them. But he was determined to not let it be so. Soon Arthur was also enveloped in the hug. The pain in Raoul's back throbbed, but he ignored it as he felt the warmth of his loved ones hug. He thought fleetingly of Felix, hoping that for his sake, that they all made it out. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik lay in the water, looking angrily upon the scene before him with lonliness threatning to over come him. He placed a hand over the wound on his leg, his entire body shaking with a combination of rage and desperation. This was NOT the way it was supossed to be. But he did not panic, for he had another plan, because the Phantom of the Opera always had another plan. He had to have Christine and Marie here to sing his music, he simply had to. In his mind, it was his last chance at life. For once he was going to get what HE wanted. He pushed the lonliness and depression stabbing at his heart away, letting the fury and rage take him over completely, his eyes wild. He looked over at the four of them, their eyes meeting. The anger in his eyes feeling like electricity running through their veins. Christine grasped Raoul's hand tightly, not wanting Erik to come near him. Marie Claire's heart beat at a thousand miles a minute as Arthur had his arm tightly around her and Raoul grasped her arm. Erik stood up slowly, never taking his eyes off of the group as his voice erupted across the room, his words as fiery as the lava in a volcano.

"There is no choice this time, you cannot run! For you've passed the point of no return!" he yelled as he made his way towards them, his black cape swishing behind him.

They all stared, their hearts hammering and their blood as cold as ice. How had such a genius man become this?
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A/N: You like? I hope so. Promise to have the next chapter up very soon. Ya know, its always seemed to me that Raoul and Christine's experiences with Erik always made their love stronger, and that holds very true in this story. It also seems to me that the Phantom would have to go completely over the edge before he could ever change. Thankyou so much for your reviews and thankyou Asia1 for you last review. It is very cool to have another RC fan. And thankyou Samantha for your support on the sequal idea I had, I have decided to go through with it. And thankyou as always to angel718. Thankyou also, to all my other reviewers, it inspires me to keep writing, so until next time, read and Review!