Disclaimer: The Phantom of the Opera does not belong to me (though I think if it were up to him, he wouldn't belong to anyone), only my own characters do.
Author's Note: Finally the long awaited re-match of the 19th century is here; Erik versus Raoul for dominance of the Opera Populaire. On the left we have the reigning champion, Vicomte Raoul DeChagny who taken over and abandoned church and has over 50 mercenaries working for him. On the right we have our challenger the Phantom of the Opera, Erik Destler who is accompanied by a Pixie, two Brownies and two Elves. Which will prevail? Read and find out.
To phantommistress: Cyd's the man? I always thought he was the dragon. I'm glad the scene with him and Christine made you think a bit, that's what I was going for with it. Anyway, hope you're ready for another side of our dragon coming up soon. Also on behalf of Erik and S'ray I apologize for no love scene in this chapter, but they're kind of busy for that right now.
To LittleMargarita: Yeah, Christine tends to infuriate me as well. It's all well and good to be innocent, but sometimes she's more stupid than innocent and naive. You want to kill Raoul too? Well, get in line and get ready for the long awaited re-match between Erik and Raoul.
To foxgodess07: And another vote for Raoul needs to die. If this was a democratically decided outcome to the re-match, then Raoul is gonna die. However, you will just have to read and find out what happens. I also hope this is soon enough for you for the update.
I've got an urge to do more artwork. Let me know in a review what scene from the story you'd like to see. It can be a fight, something humorous, or something steamy. I will not do Christine kissing Erik, that won't happen in case there are any E/C shippers reading this (there are already enough pictures of that). I'll tally the list and have my guy pick (So be creative so says the guy) the winner.
Thanks to all who have read and reviewed; the more you review, the faster I write the next chapter. Now, on to the next chapter.
Phantom of the Glen
Chapter 26
Re-Match
S'ray grimaced and opened her eyes. Her head still pounded from the sound of the iron bells the men had rung to disable her.
"Maman, I think she's awake," a young voice said from her right.
The Alve pushed herself to a sitting position and found herself face-to-face with Madame Giry.
"You must be S'ray," she said.
"And you're Madame Giry," the Alve replied and discovered the iron manacles on her wrists. "Oh no," she gasped and pulled her gloves off.
"What is it?" Madame Giry asked as she knelt next to the other woman.
"Son of a bitch," S'ray cursed, looking with horror as the black stain of iron poisoning crept down her fingers and up her arms. "He's bound me with iron."
"Of course," Raoul sneered as he approached the cell. "How else would I be able to control and Elf bitch?"
"He's going to kill you," she snarled back with daggers in her eyes.
"I'm afraid you have that backward," he smirked standing before them. "I'm going to kill him."
"You got it wrong Blondie!" Brandji yelled as he threw the sack off himself. "He's gonna string your guts on barbed wire to make a necklace for a Harpy!"
"What is that thing?" Raoul asked the Elf.
"You're smart enough to bind me in iron, figure it out rich man," S'ray spat.
"You blonde haired baboon, you don't know what you've gotten your stupid ass into," Brandji continued.
"Really?" he asked. "Then tell me."
"You think you can beat him you empty-headed wiper of other people's bottoms?" Brandji demanded gripping the bars of the cage. "Well think again moron. He ain't afraid of you and he's got better friends than you. You don't have a snowball's chance in hell."
"He's on his own, we're in a church – hallowed ground – goblins can't enter here," the Vicomte sneered at the little Brownie.
"Goblins should be the least of your worries," S'ray said with a short laugh. "There are creatures that he can call who will have no issues with pulling this church down around you and killing every man here should any harm come to me or anyone else he holds dear."
"What creatures do you speak of?" he demanded coming close to the cage again.
"Fuck you," she snarled.
"Tell me," he demanded, reaching through the bars and grabbing her by the hair.
"Again, fuck you," the Alve snarled.
"Tell me you bitch," he snarled back.
"You kiss your wife with that mouth, you donkey biting son of a whore?" Brandji yelled from his cage.
"Shut up!" Raoul screamed at the Brownie and yanked hard on S'ray's hair. "Now tell me you Elven bitch."
"He's going to kill you and I'll make sure it lasts a long time so he can take his time and make it as painful as possible," she snapped and spit in his face.
"You may be tough now, but we'll see how you feel when your iron prison starts to drive you mad," the Vicomte hissed and threw her to the floor of the cell before wiping off his face.
"You stupid French fop, your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of Elderberries!" Brandji yelled at the mortal.
"If that thing gives you any trouble, throw cage and all in a barrel of water and drown it," Raoul snarled as he left.
"And if you thought that was a nasty taunting, you ain't heard nothing yet," the Brownie crowed at his back.
"She's getting weaker," Meg said to the strange little man in the parrot cage. "Is there anything we can do to help her?"
"We need to get the iron off her and get her outside," Brandji answered. "Is that stupid guard asleep yet?"
"Yes," the blonde nodded.
"Good," he said and took off his rat skull. "I think I can squeeze through the bars."
Brandji slid the skull between the bars and then stuck his head through. His arms and shoulders followed and he began pulling himself through. "Ahh dammit," he cursed.
"What is it?" Meg asked, glancing worriedly at the guard again.
"I'm stuck," he squawked.
"Well, wiggle a bit and see if you can get through," Madame Giry suggested.
The Brownie wriggled himself back and forth and up and down. It was no use, he was still stuck. "Didn't work," he frowned.
"Try taking a deep breath and then pushing out as much air as you can," Meg suggested.
Brandji took a deep breath and then forced out as much air as he could. "Ohh, now I feel dizzy," he wheezed.
"Suck it in Brandji," S'ray said quietly from where she lay in Madame Giry's arms.
"Got it," he nodded and pulled his stomach in as far as possible. Just as he was making progress, he farted. "Opps, 'scuse me ladies."
Meg clapped her hand to her mouth to stifle a sudden giggle.
"Wait a minute," he said and wriggled again. "I'm thinner!"
"Hurry," Madame Giry urged.
"Umm, you may want to cover your ears and noses then," Brandji cautioned and grimaced as he forced himself to fart. "Ohh, I think its working." Another whistling Brownie fart split the pregnant silence. "Now we're getting somewhere, I'm almost through." He broke wind once more and popped through the bars. "I'm free!" he crowed.
"Get the keys from the guard," Madame Giry ordered.
"Never fear, fair ladies, you're rescue is near," he said scampering over to the guard after grabbing a stout stick from the clutter on the floor.
"Uh, wha…what's that smell?" the guard sleepily asked.
"Have at you," Brandji cried and struck him in the crotch with his improvised spear. "The first blow is mine!"
The man doubled over with a pained groan. The Brownie heaved back and struck him again with all his might. The human drew in a sharp breath and his eyes rolled back in his head. Then he promptly fell over backward, unconscious. "The battle is mine!" Brandji crowed as he stood on his prone form.
"The keys," Meg reminded him.
"You should have worn a cod piece," he scolded the man as he searched his pockets. "Uh-oh, no keys."
Cyd looked around the park, there wasn't a human he could see or hear. He lumbered out of his place of concealment for even the mightiest of battle dragons cannot deny the call of nature indefinitely. The great dragon crept cautiously through the park, looking for the perfect place. He hissed in relief as he found the right spot for taking care of his business.
Jacques opened his bleary eyes and blinked twice. "Mus' shtill be drunk," he mumbled to himself.
He rubbed his eyes and looked again. "Thas the biggest damn dog I've ever sheen," he said and stood on wobbly knees.
"Do you mind sir?" the great dragon rumbled.
"Ohhhh pardon me and good day to you shir," he finished with a hiccup and tipped his dusty top hat. "And it talksh too, whatever next?" Jacques slurred and began to stumble off through the park.
"Eww, it smells in here," Luniana twittered as she flew in ahead of the Phantom.
"That is the smell of victory," Brandji replied.
"Is not," she countered.
"Is too," he shot back.
"Keys for what Brandji?" Erik asked as he stepped into the light and interrupting the brewing argument.
"Hurry, we need to get her outside," he said quickly as he ran over to the Phantom. "He bound her in iron and threw her in an iron cage."
The Phantom rushed up the cell that held the Giry's and S'ray. "S'ray," he said and fell to his knees when he saw she was unconscious.
"She's been like this for only a short time, we need to get out of here," Madame Giry said. "The guard doesn't have the keys, so Raoul must have them."
Erik reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out several lock picks. "Luniana, find Tavlyn and bring him here," he said as he started on the lock of the cell.
The Pixie only nodded and flew out a broken basement window.
The lock popped open easily; the Phantom stood again and opened the door. He stepped inside and knelt beside his lover, once more going to work with his lock picks. The iron manacles that bound her came off and he threw them in a corner of the cell with a barely contained snarl of contempt. Erik picked S'ray up and the Giry's followed him out of the cell.
"And just where do you think you are taking those women?" Raoul demanded as he opened the door they were about to exit.
"Away from you," the Phantom growled.
"I think not," he said coming farther into the room.
"Take her Antoinette, a man with an eye patch will find you and he'll know how to help her," Erik said placing S'ray into the arms of his old friend. "Without her, I'm the monster again."
"We'll take good care of her," the older woman nodded.
"I'll be with her and you as soon as I'm able," he finished.
"Again, I think not," the Vicomte said blocking the way out.
"Let them go, your fight is with me," Erik growled. "Or have you fallen so low as to hide behind a woman's skirt?"
"They were merely the bait to draw you into my trap," the young noble sneered.
"Here I am," he said holding his arms open. "What are you waiting for?"
"Tavlyn! Tavlyn!" Luniana called as she flew around the church yard.
"Over here," he called standing up.
"Need help," she gasped. "S'ray bound with iron."
"That son of a whore," the Elf cursed. "Where is she?"
"Erik's friends are bringing her outside," the Pixie explained. "What should I do?"
"As quick as you can, fly to Cyd and bring him here. We need to empty this place of the Vicomte's hired thugs," he replied.
"Aye, aye," she saluted and flew off into the night.
"Come one Brule, we'll try to move closer in," he said and set the Brownie on his shoulder.
"She didn't say what happened to Brandji," the little Brownie said apprehensively.
"I'm sure he's fine, you'll be back with him in a bit," the Alve reassured him.
Cyd craned his neck around after the Pixie hit him square in the ribs on his left side. "Luniana?" he asked cocking his head to one side.
"Cyd?" she queried as she stood on wobbly legs.
"What's the matter little one?" he asked peering down at her.
"Hurry, hurry, quick," she squealed anxiously.
"What is it?"
"S'ray hurt, needyour helpto getridofhumansatchurch. . . bebigandscary. . . chasethemaway," she quickly said jumping up and down. "Hurryhurryhurry!"
"Very well, come here, I'll carry you back," he said holding out a taloned hand. The Pixie fearlessly climbed onto his hand and was safely tucked into a pouch on his riding harness.
The great dragon lumbered into the open and unfurling his wings, leaped into the starry sky.
"I thought I'd give you a few moments to make peace with any God that may decide to actually listen to a monster like you," Raoul said as he walked down the steps into the room beneath the church.
"More like you're hoping God will strike me dead for just stepping foot in His church," Erik replied.
"There's a thought," the younger man smiled.
"Too bad you defiled this church by the crimes you've already committed within its walls," he replied warily keeping his distance from the Vicomte.
"And what's that compared to what you've done," he taunted. "Do you even know how many lives you've taken?"
"Does that thought frighten you Vicomte?" the Phantom asked, covering his surprise with a confident taunt. "Would you like me to recount some of them for you?"
Madame Giry and Meg watched as the men circled each other like lions about to face off over their territory. She nodded to her daughter and they hurried up the stairs with the unconscious Elf.
Tavlyn looked up at the shadow that suddenly covered the sky. "Cyd's here," he breathed in relief from behind the tombstone.
Elf and Brownie both watched as the great dragon landed on roof of the church. They saw and heard the building protest the sudden weight on it. Men ran outside to see what shook the church and stared in horror at the beast on the roof.
Cyd unfurled his leathery wings to their full extent, raised his head and released a river of fire into the darkness that was closely followed by a roar of challenge. Brave men and well-paid mercenaries alike, screamed in terror and ran off in all directions.
"What was that?" Raoul asked after the building stopped shaking.
"That would be your men leaving," the Phantom smiled and whipped off his heavy cloak.
"En guarde," the Vicomte challenged, drawing his sword.
Without a word, Erik drew the long sword he now favored and waited for the Vicomte to attack.
He didn't have to wait long, Raoul leapt forward and slashed at him with his rapier. He backed up a step and blocked the blow with the flat of his blade.
"Nice sword," Raoul growled, "It'll look great on my wall next to your mask."
"You'll have to kill me first for that," he replied shoving the other man backward.
"That is my plan," Raoul replied and brought his sword around again.
"Is this all you've got?" Erik smirked after easily parrying the blow. "I would expect more than this from a ballet rat." The Vicomte's face reddened and he pressed his attack again. Erik's sword flashed upward again and caught the other blade. "This is really quite ungentlemanly of you Monsieur," he continued.
"How can defending my bride be ungentlemanly?" the younger man demanded as they traded blows.
"I let you both go and have not bothered either of you since that night, yet you pursue me till I almost drop from exhaustion and then you trespass upon my new home," Erik replied, easily dodging another blow.
"But only to keep you from Christine," Raoul asserted.
"I was away from her, I let you both go. I was ready to just fade away into obscurity as another legend of the theater," Erik explained. "But no, you had to kidnap one of my oldest friends and her daughter and now you've possibly killed the woman to whom I've given my heart. And mark me, if she dies, so shall you."
"So you've bewitched another just like you did to Christine, then this'll be a mercy to her when I kill you," Raoul replied.
"Speaking of your wife, do you know where she is right now?" he asked trapping the Vicomte's sword with his own.
"You monster, what have you done with her," the Vicomte demanded.
"Again, I've done nothing to her. She just walked into the kitchen 3 mornings ago while S'ray and I were in a very compromising position," he explained with a smile. "Poor girl fainted dead away when she saw what she gave up for you."
Raoul's eyes blazed in anger and with a roar, he rushed the Phantom. This was what Erik had been hoping for, an angry man would make foolish mistakes and be much easier to defeat. And in his thinking, the quicker he took care of his enemy, the quicker he would be back at S'ray's side. He pushed thoughts of his lover to the back of his mind and focused on the man in front of him instead.
Erik's sword came forward and slashed the Vicomte's arm, drawing blood. The younger man cried out in pain and jabbed at the Phantom, slashing open his waistcoat. Erik danced back and let the other regain his feet again. The Vicomte stood and brushed his hair from his eyes. He glared at the Opera Ghost across the space they'd chosen for their fight. Then he raised his sword and attacked the taller man again.
Erik coolly waited for the rushing man. His sword flashed upward and he parried the blade and spun to the side in the same motion. He watched Raoul stumble and almost fall forward after passing him. The Vicomte whirled around and walked back, slashing back and forth with his blade. "You son of a bitch, I'll make you pay for that insult," the noble snarled.
"Not before I make you pay for what you've done to S'ray," Erik replied.
"Why? Your Elf-whore had it coming," Raoul sneered. "Besides, she can't be a true Elf anyway. After all, she took a monster like you into her bed."
Erik saw red, but held his temper in anyway. He knew there would be time enough later to take it out on inanimate objects, preferably the Vicomte's cold corpse.
"No answer?" Raoul asked. "Apparently I was correct in my conclusions then. In fact, I'll bet she's just some delusional girl you have hypnotized and not a Faye at all."
"Then why did you have the need to bind her in iron?" Erik shot back. "If she's only human as you say. And why the need for a church? After all, I'm only a man or do my cousins still give you nightmares?"
Raoul paled and stuck out at the Phantom again. This time he connected and drew blood, a crimson stain spreading quickly on his shoulder. "You must be a man, you bleed," Raoul smirked.
"Would you like to know what happened to the last man that drew my blood boy?" Erik asked coldly and circled the Vicomte like a tiger.
Raoul didn't dare answer, he only watched the Phantom.
"His bones are bleaching in the sun in the desert outside of Tehran," he replied and attacked again.
Raoul was dumb-founded; his opponent wasn't anywhere this good when they fought in the cemetery before the grave of Christine's father. Or was he? Had he merely been toying with him before? Did he let him win, knowing that Christine would stop the coup de grace he'd been about to deliver? Or had he only lost his temper and made a stupid mistake in their last meeting. Answers would have to wait; he had to survive this fight first.
Erik watched the Vicomte closely; the man was starting to tire. He pressed his attack again and Raoul landed hard on his back, his sword flying from his hand. The Phantom's booted foot quickly trapped the blade against the stone floor. He watched the younger man scuttle backward as he advanced and picked up his blade.
"I . . . I suppose you'll kill me now," Raoul said, trying hard not to stammer as he was approached by the embodiment of death itself.
"And why would I do that and give you the easy way out?" Erik said softly and he stood over the Vicomte.
"It's what I would do in your place," Raoul replied.
"I am not you," Erik stated and crouched down before the prone man.
Raoul didn't reply, he knew it was useless to beg for mercy or a quick death. The Phantom had let him go once before, there would be no second chances for him and Christine this time. He closed his eyes and waited for the noose to land about his neck.
"Open your eyes and meet death like a man," Erik snarled.
Raoul's eyes flew open to meet the amber fire that blazed in the Phantom's angry gaze. The young noble saw him draw his sword arm across his chest and then flash backward, striking him in the jaw and rendering him unconscious.
"But not yet," Erik whispered at the unconscious man as he stood and sheathed his sword. "I have plans for you and before you die, I'll have you wishing your mother and father had never met."
Author's End Note: Whoo! What a ride eh loyal readers? And yes, I swiped some lines from Monty Python but they worked so well for Brandji.
Coming up in Chapter 27 – Down Once More
What does Erik have planned for Raoul? How is S'ray doing? Where did Brandji get off to? Will the drunk remember what he saw in the park?