Disclaimer: I don't own Phantom of the Opera. If I did, things would very different

When Christine opened her eyes, she found herself in a dark, albeit well-furnished cavern. For a minute of two, she couldn't see a thing, but eventually her eyes adjusted to the nearly non-existent light. What she did see almost scared her out of her skin. It was Erik, standing with his back to her. Christine could only see a silhouette of his movements as he, stripped off his clawed gloves and replaced the demon mask with a white half mask. Suddenly, out of the darkness came a low growl, almost a purr. Christine was nearly sacred to death again at the sound. Erik however laughed as whatever made the sound moved into his, and Christine's line of vision.

It was a huge, black wildcat with blazing red eyes, so tall that its head reached Erik's shoulder. This cat was one of the breed known as Wraith Panthers. Erik smiled slightly as the huge animal rubbed its head against his shoulder, obviously wanting attention. "Noche, you are a pain. I have a massive headache from the sheer number of idiots that were in that ball room" Erik informed the cat as he stroked its muzzle "Exactly how many people did you maim while I was gone?"

The question caused Christine to gasp out loud. Quickly she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound, but it was too late. Erik now knew that she was here. He extended a hand in Christine's direction. A second later, she felt the shadows that had hidden wind around her body so she couldn't move and propel her forward until she stood in front of Erik, and to her horror, Noche.

Erik looked at the Christine's expression, then at the Wraith Panther "Noche, leave. I can't interrogate anybody if you're in the way." Noche snarled at Christine and looked Erik with almost human intelligence. Noche wanted to stay, and see what her master would do this intruder. Erik smirked evilly "Behave and maybe I'll let you rip the Head Mage to pieces when the dead are done tormenting him." That seemed to placate Noche and the Wraith Panther literally melted into the shadows and took its leave.

"Well, well, it seems that a little sprite has wandered its way into a demon's lair." Erik said mockingly as paced around Christine "Tell me, what in the name of the seven hells are you doing here!" he demanded. Christine gulped and ventured a tiny, shaky smile

"I wanted to see where you were going. I was curios." When she wasn't killed on the spot, Christine grew a little braver "And I wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help the mages stop you" Erik tightened Christine's shadowy bonds with a flick of his wrist. Christine soon found herself gasping for breath.

"Oh, you were curios and wanted to help stop me" Erik sneered "And how do you propose to help the mages?" The masked necromancer loosened the bond just enough to allow an answer.

Christine held her head high and answered "Any way I can." Erik laughed cruelly

"The only thing you've done actually is help me. If every thinks that I'll do horrendously evil tings to you if they come too close, I'll have more time to finish what I've started." Erik bowed in a parody of gratefulness "So, thank you my lady, I'm in your debt" Christine squinted and knitted her eyebrows together in obvious confusion

"You mean you're not going to do terrible things to me?" she inquired. Erik raised an eyebrow

"It would be a waste of time and energy. Contrary to popular opinion, I don't have an endless supply of either. However, I can't guarantee that the dead souls here won't torment you or that Noche won't come back and rip you to shreds. I plan to completely ignore your existence. But, don't tempt me, or try to escape. This place is keyed to my life, so until I'm dead nobody can get in or out without my permission" Christine's normally strong sense of optimism faltered. Erik saw that and released her from bonds, his hope-crushing interrogation over.

Mean while, back at the ball room, an interrogation of a different was taking place. Raoul was ruthlessly pestering the Mages council about going to rescue Christine. "There has to be something you can do! I will not just sit here and let that... That freak torment my fiancée" he fumed for about that fiftieth time since Erik had left. The Head Mage rubbed his temples irately as turned to the fuming young noble 'Incredible' he thought 'We face a situation more delicate than a spider web, he still manages to think like a spoiled child'. However the Head Mage kept that particular comment to himself and made a more diplomatic reply

"I am afraid we can do nothing to help. There is no guarantee that going to rescue her now would not cause her death. From we know of the Phantom," The head Mage paused for breath and silently added to himself 'Which is next to nothing'. None the less he continued "He can not be put above any crimes that can possibly be committed"

Raoul shut his eyes tightly, ordering himself not to give up and cry "How can a person be that evil? Does he have no mercy? No pity? Not one scrap of compassion? How can this man be so cruel?"

The head Mage looked away for moment as if in shame. He turned back to look Raoul in the eye "Because this man's soul has become twisted beyond recognition, if it even exists still. Mercy, compassion, pity, empathy are all foreign concepts to him. His heart, if he has one is nothing more than a pale shadow." He said with conviction.

Erik had watching this exchange through his scrying glass the whole time. When the Head Mage had spoken his heartlessness and soullessness he knocked the scrying over viciously, causing the image to come to an abrupt halt. "A twisted soul and barely existent heart? Very well, I concede to that. But whose fault is it that things become like that? Mine? Or Yours? Tell me did you think I had forgotten?" he demeaned of the scrying glass, asking s question to one who could not hear it. For an instant memories swam across his vision.

A boy in a cage put on display. The murder of the one who displayed him, and his escape. His wandering alone and his spying on necromancers, and dark mages. The theft of their materials and their murder. The first time that he reveled himself to Mages Council as nothing more than a voice from the shadows. And the viscous, lies, the cruel propaganda that been spread by the Head Mage against him.

He stood for a moment with his eyes closed, breathing harshly. He laughed a hollow bitter laugh. "But soon, every thing you've done will be repaid ten fold. Erik twitched two fingers, in beckoning gesture and the Leader of the souls he summoned, the one with a deathly voice appeared.

"Yes? What is your will necromancer? What horrors shall we commit?" It hissed, sounding positively gleeful at the prospect of torturing people.

Erik fixed it with cold glare. "You are to find the Head of the Mages council. And you are to plague him nightmares, and haunt his very step. Torment him within an inch of his life."

"Yes, my master." The soul cackled evilly and it, with several more of the dead that had been summoned rushed off to carry out their malicious assignment. In the Corner where she sat, Christine whimpered a little in fright, and shivered with fear and because of the fact that the cavern was cold, and damp.

And above them all, a terrible shadow the color of old blood and voice like war watched. "Good. Soon the blood feud shall begin and I, the destroyer shall be free" it crowed triumphantly. Down below, every one from Erik to the Head Mage To lowliest serf went about their routine, unknowing of the horror that would come.

Another Cliffhanger! Okay, please, please, please, review, I'm desperate. Any feed back at all is appreciated at this point in time.