Child of the Wilderness

Prologue

The Phantom of the Opera stood alone, his disfigured face revealed, watching his only love sailing away with another man. Finally, he turned away, unable to watch anymore. Taking up a golden candlestick in his hand, he smashed the three mirrors that stood in his silent prison. Staring at the ruined mirrors, Erik sighed and walked away, never return to the Opera Populaire . . .

Chapter One Their Beloved

Many years later, Erik was still alone, reviled by all who beheld him, and still forced to move from place to place. However, recent events compelled him to return to Paris, his former home. Once again masked, Erik slowly walked through all the old places that held so many memories for him, some of which were wonderful, and some were ones he only wanted to forget. His wanderings led him to a graveyard; as he passed the stationary monuments of angels and other statues, he went back in his mind. He remembered Christine Daae, the only one he had ever loved, and her beautiful voice. He remembered, with a brief surge of anger, how she had betrayed him and chosen Raoul de Chagny, who was then a young vicomte. Shaking his head, Erik looked up at the huge monolith before him. Engraved upon it was the name Christine Daae. She had recently passed, leaving her husband Raoul and two daughters, Nicole and Marie, behind. He sighed heavily, his mind filled with remembrances of the beautiful Christine. He pulled out a rose tied with a black ribbon out of his coat pocket, along with an elaborately decorated ring, which was the engagement ring that Raoul had given her. Sliding it onto the rose's stem, he placed it beside her tombstone. "Christine, I still love you." whispered Erik sadly.

"She thought of you often, always wondering where and how you were. She never forgot you." said a voice suddenly.

Turning slowly, Erik saw an old man standing beside him. For a moment, he did not recognize him, then he realized who he was. "Raoul de Chagny?". Then he saw what he held in his hands. It was the music box with the monkey on top of it. "Where did you find that?"

"It was found in the opera house, and put up for an auction. I purchased it for Christine." replied Raoul. Placing it gently in front of the grave marker, he said, "You shall never be forgotten, Christine." He then turned to Erik. "So, where have you been?"

"Everywhere but here. I have never returned here until now."

"Most of them are dead or gone. You could return."

"Has the story been forgotten, then? Does no one remember it?"

Raoul realized then that Erik was right. The story of what had taken place inside the ruined opera house had not been lost. He shook his head, and replied, "No, people still do recall it."

"Then I cannot return." said Erik.

"But why? Surely no one would recognize you."

"As long as people still know the story, they would know me. I can never live here again."

"Are you sure? Is it because of the people, or because of Christine?"

"Both."said Erik, as he turned away, to glance sadly at the stark landscape.

"I am leaving soon." announced Raoul suddenly.

"What? Where are you going?", asked Erik in surprise.

"I promised Christine that I would go to Germany and start a university in her name."

"Why in Germany?"

"It was her wish. She wanted me to ask you to come, as well. There is a surgeon there who could remove your disfigurement."

"Would you really want me to accompany you? After all, I nearly killed you."

"This was Christine's last request." replied Raoul, simply.

Erik then closed his eyes, fighting back the urge to scream out with misery. Stinging tears came, and he covered his face with his hands, unwilling to let Raoul see what had come to his eyes.

Raoul watched Erik, knowing what he was doing, and how he felt. He then realized why Christine had pitied him. He, Erik, was like a lost child, wandering aimlessly, always searching for a place to call home. As he watched him, he wondered what it felt like to be loathed and feared regardless of where one went. He knew he had to stay true to the promise e had made to Christine, no matter what misgivings he had. "Come to Germany with me, Erik. You could work at the university and teach students to sing, just as you did with Christine."

Erik looked at Raoul suspiciously. "Do you really want to help me, or are you doing this only for Christine?"

"I want to help you, Erik. Don't you want to go somewhere where you can be loved?"

Suddenly, Erik pulled off his mask and shouted, "Do you really think that anyone could ever love this? Not even Christine could!"

"Erik, she cared for you and owrried about you so much, always wondering how you were surviving. Not oncedid she express hatred towards you. She loved you, Erik!"

This time, Erik actually gave way to his pain. Screaming aloud, he tore away from Raoul, through the trees and statues, lost in his grief.

As Raoul watched him leave, his screams fading in the air, he looked up at the sky, and thoughts of the promise he had made came to his mind. He saw himself standing beside his beloved as she lay dying. Through the mists of time, he heard his past self say, "Christine, please don't leave me."

In his memory, Christine looked up at him and whispered faintly, "Raoul, it is now my time to go. But before I do, please promise me something."

"Name it, and you may be sure that I will do it."

"Build a university for me."

Despite the agonizing sorrow he felt, Raoul managed to smile at her. "Where would you like it to be?"

"In Germany, like we planned so long ago. But Raoul, I must ask you something else."

"Go on, my love."

"When you go to Germany, take Erik with you. Bring him to that surgeon there, and have him fix his face."

"Why do you ask this of me? Christine, he nearly ruined our chance at happiness!"

"I wnat to help him. I want to make sure that he is never alone again. Once his face is fixed, let him be a teacher at the university."

Raoul looked doubtfully at Christine, unsure if he should agree to her wishes. "Christine-"

"Please, Raoul! Please do this for me!" she begged, as she drew a shaky breath, looking up at him with a pleading expression in her eyes.

Knowing he could not deny her last request, he nodded. "Very well, Christine. I'll do it for you."

The Raoul from the present time shook his head, clearing away the images of that darked room from his mind. He spoke aloud, saying, "Christine, I do not think that I can fulfill my promise to you. Believe me, I tried to, but Erik will not let anyone help him. Forgive me, Christine, I do not see a way for me to do it." He turned, and walked away through the cemetery, regretting that he made a vow he could not keep.