Hey folks I really hope you are all satisfied with this chapter! It took me longer to write than I planned but I hope the wait is worth it!
Phantomluvr- Thanks for the offer but I already have an editor and I appreciate your sudden interest in my fic…and actually the first man-made plastic was unveiled by Alexander Parkes at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in London and I didn't really go with the date that the movie took place I was referring to the year the book was published in 1910. (Nice observation of detail though…)
Luthien- Sorry I was too impatient to wait for you. I suppose I just have the attention span of a child. Ha ha. That and the need to update was eating me alive! (well….not really but you get the idea)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but my desperate need for reviews! (hint, hint)
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"Christine! Christine!" Called out the Viscount as he entered the vacant room. He rushed to the chair she had been sitting in just a short time ago and fingered the ropes that now lye on the ground. In a fit of fury he threw the glass of water across the room with a yell. The glass shattered into a dozen pieces and the unexpected action left the Viscount somewhat heaving for air.
"Now, now, now Viscount that's not very gentlemen like of you now is it?"
The Viscount turned around viciously to witness Erik as he stood sternly in the doorway his arms crossed arrogantly over his chest as he remained calm in demeanor.
"You!" The Viscount approached him with a pointed finger. "You! You did this," He raged with seething anger. "Where is she!"
"I fail to see how that's any concern of yours." He uncrossed his arms and stood defensively against his opponent as he withdrew his sword.
"Her whereabouts are my concern! I love her! Although I can't expect something like you to understand that." He said with a scuff also withdrawing his weapon.
Erik merely nodded in an annoyed manner at the boy's definition of love. "It matters not, for you will not be disrupting our lives again fop!"
"I should say the same to you!"
With that the Viscount charged forward and he and the Phantom's blades crossed once more. While they both were rather skilled in the arts of swordsmanship each man was filled with a violent rage that fueled each motive enough to insure a swift death.
The men continued to fight; their blades meeting again and again as they trailed along the room knocking over tables and wall decorations and as the duel led into the hall neither man noticed the oil lamp that had also been knocked over in the process…
Christine hadn't ridden a horse bareback in quite some time. Therefore it was rather painful as she rode across the large estate's courtyard. She excused the ache from her mind however as she dug her heels deeper into the horse's side in an effort to get to Erik faster. For despite his ego and pride she knew that he might perhaps he would need some help. And at any rate a part of her wanted to prevent the death of her childhood friend. For although he was no doubt unstable, she still pitied his desperate nature. In a way it reminded her of her poor Erik who also at a time or two had been known to be impulsive. She just hoped she got there before it was too late.
The horse stopped suddenly as the skies opened up and a heavy rain began to fall making it difficult to make out anything in front of her. Christine did her best to calm the animal and to keep him going forward but clearly the creature had a fear of the thunder that crashed all around them so at long last she gave up on the being and dismounted as she began running towards the estate. She nearly broke out into a scream as she finally got within eye distance of the large home, for it was now covered in smoke and a deadly fire burned from nearly every upper story window.
Erik and the Viscount traveled down the main staircase: one in front of the other, blades maliciously making contact as their owners growled words of hates back and forth.
"She belongs to me! I won't let you drag you down into that hell of yours Phantom!"
"My hell is nothing compared to the hell she would suffer with you! You sir, are nothing more than pompous fool!"
The Viscount made a slightly surprising move at that time by adjusting the angle of his elbow to slash at the Phantom's knees. Erik however, anticipated this movement and contradicted it by up jumping over the blade and using the moment to stab the Viscount successfully in his chest.
Unfortunately the puncture wound wasn't very deep but it forced the Viscount to drop to his side, giving Erik a moment to recollect his wits.
It was then he smelled the smoke, and it was then that he realized the home was smothered in it. He removed his cloak quickly and placed part of it over his face to prevent inhaling anymore than he already had.
All thought focused on avoiding the blaze now. He made sure the Viscount was still on the ground before putting his blade away and exploring the lobby they were now in for a way out. He paced slightly and thought of using the front door but it too had quickly become ablaze from some encouragement from the nearby curtains. And before he could back away from the flames all the windows within the adjoining rooms shattered with an explosion simultaneously forcing him to jump back unaware that the Viscount was beginning to recover from his injury.
Raoul gritted his teeth into a sadistic smile before reaching for his rapier and sinking it firmly into the Phantom's Achilles tendon.
Erik cried out in agony dropping the protective cloak from his face and using his uninjured foot to kick the Viscount sternly in the face. He too cried out in pain as he reached out for his nose that was now erupting blood.
Erik felt no pity for the offended boy as he reached for his sword once again to finish the goal he set himself out for but the distinct cry of his beloved filled his ears and caused him to stop with the activity.
Christine was pounding ferociously against the front door of the house screaming Erik's name desperately.
"Erik! Erik are you in there! Erik!"
Erik looked up in the direction of her voice only to find a line of unforgiving fire burning away at its hinges. He knew that if she was capable of beating against the door from the outside and the fire had not yet collided with the exterior through this entrance it soon would. Panic rose deep within him and he called out:
"Christine! Christine get away from the door!" His words were slightly cut off however as the fire at long last busted though the door and exploded in a vision of gold and distortion heat yet the vicious noise was torn by the scream of Christine.
"Christine! Christine!" Erik called into the burning hall. He was unable to see anything as the smoke was now seeping in the way of his sight. He called out once more only to be greeted by silence. Her stillness was like a knife ripping though his heart. And fearing the worst Erik immediately went after her. He leaped over the remains of the flaming mess to the outside where he coughed viciously but continued to call out Christine's name. Little did he know the Viscount was traveling behind him and did not hesitate to bounce on the Phantom as soon as they were both outside the house.
Erik was evidently surprised by this attack as he tolerated the Viscount's brutal punches and blows to his face. He could have easily overpowered this boy, and the urge to kill was strong…but the need to find Christine was stronger. So he fervently pushed the Viscount from him and kicked him angrily in his side before returning to the search for Christine.
He blinked several times as he began to wander through the rain and smoke. It was doing damage to his senses for it took him what seemed like an eternity to at long last discovered Christine lying near what appeared to be a sea of rosebushes.
He rushed to her side with hesitation and knelt despite the pain in his body. Gently he examined her, luckily she didn't appear to have any burns but she was covered in smut and a large cut bled profusely from the right side of her temple. Erik attempted to wake her from her forced slumber but it was useless. She was knocked out cold. He felt as though he had breathed for the first time when he felt her pulse and confirmed her remaining existence. The sheer relief made him want to weep for joy yet the fire was climbing the grounds still catching to the outdoor sheds and trees. Erik looked around frantically before placing his arms around her: one under her neck another around her torso before picking her up and heading for the exits of the front gate when a hoarse voice rang to his ears.
"Hey Phantom we aren't finished!" He screamed. Erik stopped dead in his tracks hesitant to do any violence around Christine but knowing the need to rid him of their lives was there.
"Put her down and face me like the monster you are!" He bellowed as the lightening stuck behind him coming with it a strong rumble of thunder that seemed to shake the ground as he paused in the distance.
Erik glanced down briefly at his angel and noticed her paling as each moment passed by. He knew she could be injured more than she appeared to be but he wouldn't know for sure until she received medical assistance…and he wouldn't be able to do that without getting out of here safely himself. He hesitated but put Christine down gently on a grassy patch and placed a small kiss on her cheek then proceed to whisper something in her ear that only she and the falling rain were capable of hearing.
Erik then turned swiftly to face the Viscount, his brow wrinkled in anger as he glared his eyes dangerously at his adversary.
The Viscount was a sight indeed, for he was still bleeding from the wound in his chest and still blood gushed from his nostrils. Sweat dripped from his brow as his wide eyes devoured every detail of his rival. He smirked grossly and kicked a sword in Erik direction. Where it had come from Erik was unsure but the Viscount soon pulled out a similar one from his belt and pointed it swiftly in Erik's direction.
At the same second both men charged at one another slashing and defending each blow that the other attempted to make. Erik's movements were slow as he limped to avoid the graze of the sword. Several moments later Erik noticed the plummeting rain was falling into the Viscount's eyes distracting him enough for Erik to remove the Viscount's sword by puncturing his wrist and forcing him to drop the blade.
Raoul staggered backwards and cried out in agony as he used his other hand to apply pressure to the fresh wound. Erik used this as an opportunity and ran after the boy as he backed towards the house. The Viscount didn't realize the mistake in this as he was now trapped against the side of the home where the closeness of the fire made both men sweat. Erik held the tip of the sword at the Viscount's throat and nearly laughed at the fear in his rival's eye.
"She advised you to leave her be!" He shouted against the wind and rain. The inhalation of the smoke and the harshness of the weather forced a painful burning sensation to coil in his throat. As such he continued in a rough voice. "You should have listened to her."
Erik retracted his sword to at long last take the life of the fop but the Viscount reacted and ducked from the blow and used the moment to kick Erik directly in his left kneecap forcing him to the ground where the Viscount stood and grabbed the sword Erik held.
He smiled savagely as he pressed the blade against Erik's neck and yelled into the night:
"You need not fear Phantom! For Christine and I will be very, very happy together." The tone and emphasis he had put on the phrase implied something other than honorable behavior and the comment sent an indescribable rage flowing through Erik's veins that caused his blood to boil. Before he could respond however the sound of clatter echoed into the night and forced both men to look up in the direction of the racket.
Several bricks and flaming debris creaked and whined as it began to fall. Erik moved swiftly away from the rubble but the Viscount who still stood near the wall was not so fortunate or so quick.
Erik turned his head away as the boy let out a blood-curdling cry as several dozen pounds of brick, stone, and burning foundation planks fell on top of him. Erik was tempted to check for a pulse but the boy's screaming soon died and the hand that still held the sword went limp and lifeless.
The Viscount was no more.
Erik would have been more than pleased to further maim the body but his brutal thoughts quickly melted into concern for his love as he eagerly limped over to Christine. He was frustrated with his sluggish movements for it only meant he would get to her slower. At last he did fall to the ground by her side and almost immediately the once beautiful home had exploded from it's side and was collapsed completely from the roof downward. The smoke and rain still violated his mind but that still didn't prevent him from tending to Christine who was now just beginning to stir from her unconscious oblivion.
"Christine? Christine are you there? Can you here me? Please my love say something! Anything!" He pleaded to know that she was indeed out of harm's way.
He stroked her pale cheek with his shaking hand and continued to beg for her to regain consciousness. At long last a feeling of hopelessness creped into his soul and he began to sob as he buried his face in her soaked hair.
"I'm sorry Christine I'm so sorry! I have failed you! I should have been there to protect you…please come back. Return to me please Christine…I need you."
The words seemed to reach the young soprano from her nothingness as she began to stir once more. Erik didn't notice as she opened her eyes. He did however lift his face hopefully as she reached over to stroke his hair.
"Erik? Erik, what-what happened?" She asked in-between coughs as the smoke trespassed her lungs.
Erik smiled what was possibly the more sincere grin of his life as he heard the sound of Christine's voice. He simply took her hand in his as he lifted her up once more and began to transport them in the direction of their dreading horse.
"Don't worry about that now." He whispered as he attempted to cover her from the rain pelting her.
"I've got you now…your safe."
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So…? What do we think? Love it? Hate it? Do you just want to smack me because it's so bad or hug me because you like it?
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