I don't own POTO. Check out RedDeathPhanatic on YouTube! You know you're a hardcore POTO fan if you type "Piangi" on Google images and weep because you see pictures of people crying. BTW, this is the last chapter.

Chapter 10: The Torture Chamber

By PittsBurghFuzz

Raoul went to Christine's dressing room to search for the young soprano. Raoul did not know how she and her masked captor escaped. Then, the police came into the room, carrying a man wearing a turban.

"Vicomte, we found this man doing some queer things around here." the police officer said to the vicomte.

Raoul turned around. "Oh, why if it isn't the old daroga? Leave him." Raoul barked at the guards.

The soldiers dropped the man and walked away like nothing happened.

"Alright daroga, tell me, how did he escape?" Raoul asked the old Persian.

"I don't believe in ghosts Mr. de Chagny, I am a very rational man." Nadir replied.

Raoul kicked Nadir in the gut. "Where is he?"

The old daroga laughed. "Oh vicomte, I don't know what you are talking about."

"You old fool, where is this 'Erik'?" Raoul asked Nadir. He kicked the Persian repeatedly.

"My life is at its twilight, so threatening me with death is useless. In fact with the things I've seen, I would much rather die."

"You worthless dog, what does Phantom hold over you that makes you respect him?" Raoul roared at the daroga.

"He had earned my respect."

"A deranged drug addict that stalks potential singers had earned your respect how?"

"You do not know him vicomte. Ironically, you seem more the monster than he does, and he despises humanity."

Raoul took out his sword and nearly decapitated the Persian, when all of a sudden he heard Madame Giry. Instead, Raoul knocked the daroga out.

"Monsieur, what is going on here?" the old woman asked. "Is he?"

"He is fine," Raoul reassured her, " not need to worry. I need to ask you something."

"Anything."

"Lead me to him." Raoul stated boldly.

Madame Giry sighed. "Follow me monsieur."

Nadir Pov

I woke up with a sore pain in my head. The young vicomte had knocked me out, apparently. I got up, rubbing my head, and noticed that the vicomte was gone. Not long before I got up I heard the elderly Madame Giry talking to someone. I then realized that Erik was trapped and so was the girl! Madame Giry knew a way to Erik's domain, however, I was his closest friend. I knew that the mirror in the Daae girl's dressing room was a portal to Erik's lair. Not only that, it was also the best way of not getting myself into his torture chamber.

Raoul POV

I was running as fast as my legs could carry me so I could get to that monster's lair. Madame Giry was a fast person, considering her age. I do not know why she is betraying him now, but I am eternally grateful that she is offering her services. We reached a room with a winding staircase. Madame Giry placed her hand on my shoulder.

"This is as far as I will go. Now keep your hand at the level of your eyes." she told me.

"Thank you."

She ran off into the darkness, where I was left to conquer this beast. There was no way Christine could love this thing. I do not dare call it a man, for it cowers from the light of day. I felt that I deserved Christine more. I have more to offer the girl, such as a happy lifestyle, leisure, and we knew each other long before he ever did. I was carefully walking when all of a sudden, a hanging corpse came into my view. I screamed in terror at the sight of the decaying corpse. I caught my breath and walked away from the hanging victim. I then found myself falling through a trap door.

Regular Narration- the lair

Christine and Erik were sitting at his organ bench, as he played a few musical tunes. She was leaning on him, caring about nothing else in the world. Erik then stopped his music only find Christine laying on him with a smile on her face. Erik carefully lifted Christine, and took her to the bedroom. Erik used his pointer finger to make little curls in her hair, playfully. However, he was interrupted by the loud chanting of the angry mob. Something in Erik's mind caused him to go deranged. He started to talk to himself.

"You dare enter the lair of Erik? Damn you! God damn you all to hell, I shall send you all from whence you came! Yes, you will sleeping in that dreamless sleep known as death! I hope the vicomte is coming along as well. Yes, that would be marvelous, I shall decapitate him and mount his head on my wall!"

Erik went into his control room, filled with levers and switches, and for him, the fun began.

While the angry mob was running, a few of them noticed that some of their party was missing. A victim of Erik's genius traps.

Christine woke up, hearing Erik laugh, but not like someone tells a joke. No, more like a sick twisted man torturing another. She walked into Erik's control room to stop him.

"Erik, stop!" Christine asked him. "Why are you doing this?"

"I don't want the damn de Chagny boy to have you." Erik said to Christine.

"But Erik, you must know how I feel."

"I do, Christine. Oh God knows I do. You wish you were away from here, far away from your poor, unhappy Erik!"

"I want to help Erik, just stop murdering these people." Christine begged him.

Erik breathed heavily and looked into Christine's eyes. Erik felt and smelled her brown hair.

"Oh Christine, if you only knew what hell truly was, then you would be able to help me." Erik went on his knees crying. To Christine, it seemed like Erik had a dual personality. He couldn't control it, and it was bringing him to despair. Erik held part of Christine's dress, and cried into it.

"Oh Christine, I just can't. Please, I don't want to go. Not now, I don't want to hurt anyone. I, I...

Erik was about to finish his sentence until her saw Raoul in an almost empty tank. There also lay the corpse of Joseph Buquet.

"de Chagny! It is so good to see you!" Erik said to Raoul.

"Erik, please don't hurt him." Christine begged Erik.

"Erik!" a familiar voice called out.

"Daroga?" Erik questioned.

The old man came up to Erik to give him some unfortunate news.

"Erik, they are after you. You need to get out of here. Let the de Chagny boy out of the tank now!" Nadir yelled.

"Why should I?" Erik asked.

"Erik, doesn't our friendship matter? Release the boy Erik."

"He has made her the laughing stock of Paris for falling for this thing!" Erik pointed out.

"Erik, he has made mistakes, like any man could. You made several yourself."

"Silence daroga."

"You allowing that girl the shah sent for you to die."

"Look, my dear friend, as most who have seen my face will tell you, they would rather die than see my face, let alone touch me."

"But Erik, its not your face."

"What daroga, what is it then? Is it because I am not a fat little stuck-up French prick who killed his bastard child while he chases after women? Or is it that I am too damn stubborn. Yeah, I'm sure that's it, because it definitely cannot be the death's head of Rouen!" Erik said at the daroga, causing the latter to move backwards."

"No Erik, its not entirely your fault. It is the ignorance of others for not accepting differences, and over the years, your sadness has made you angry."

Erik only stood there for a moment looking at the daroga. Erik then cried again.

"Oh please, won't this freak just quit it. He hasn't won my sympathy.

Erik's eyes went from sadness, and total despair, to revenge, and anger. He walked up to the tank.

The tank cast a slight reflection of Erik's face. Christine saw that his eyes were so angry, and filled with hurt. It truly wasn't his fault. He had been beaten down until they made him go beyond the point of no return. No one would listen, no one but Christine.

Christine went up behind Erik and tapped him on the shoulder. Erik turned around and saw Christine and her tears falling. Christine then passionately kissed him. They tasted each others tears, each others fears, their loneliness. Erik then broke the glass on the tank and allowed Raoul to go free. When Raoul came out, Christine slapped him. Raoul walked away from the scene, looking back at the scene, then leaving. Erik took Christine's hand and looked into her eyes.

"Wait a moment, I have something for you." Erik told her.

Erik went to his drawer and collected a purse, and gave it to Christine.

"Christine, take this money, you should be able to live off of it for a long time."

"Erik, no you don't understand..." Christine begged.

"I also want you to take my music box, the one in the form of a monkey."

"But Erik, I don't understand."

"You don't need to. Believe me, it will be better for you. Now I also want you to take this ring."

Erik put the ring on Christine's finger. "It is the only thing I have of my father. Nadir, is it possible if you can take Christine up to the surface and come back down?"

"Of course my friend, whatever you say." Nadir said as he placed his hand on Erik's shoulder.

Erik turned around and went to his organ and played music. It was "Think of Me". Christine came up behind him and sang.

"Think of all the things we shared and seen. Don't think about the way, things might have been." Christine sang.

Erik turned around and kissed Christine, one last time.

"Christine, I love you." Erik sang to her.

As Christine and the daroga were leaving, Erik waved goodbye.

As Nadir and Christine returned to the other side, they saw Raoul sitting.

"Raoul, what are you doing?" Christine asked.

"I told the mob to go home." he replied.

"But how?" Nadir asked.

"I told them I killed the Phantom." Raoul said, revealing the head of Joseph Buquet.