The Dance was decorated just as it had been 10 years ago. Elegant flower arrangements crowded the room masking the scent of sweat as the bright colored dancers swirled around us. We had taken all of five steps before Erik pulled me into his arms and joined the parade of dance. His dancing was as graceful as possible. It was hard to imagine him knowing such moves considering he had lived below society for so long. But here he was prancing above his prison moving along with the rhythms of life rather than hissing at its disdainfulness. His hand held tight to my lower back pulling me deeper into his chest. For a few minutes I found myself lost in his steps. He could not hold back the chuckle as my clumsy body attempted to keep up with his expert skills.

Suddenly the crowd grew hushed and turned toward the grand staircase. Erik pulled me to the back of the crowd but it was too late for I had already seen the showstopper. La Carlotta pounced proudly down the staircase glaring down at her admirers. She stopped to check her reflection on the metal pitcher a server was holding, still so classy.

"Lovely people, thank you so much for coming here and dancing in my honor. It has been an honor enriching your lives with my melodic tone but I must move onto to better places." The crowd let out a displeased sigh but I could hear Erik beside me grunt. He had never been a fan of Carlotta. She had always disgusted him with her cruelty and vanity. I held his hand tight and he looked down at my face. He smiled and kissed me lightly on the forehead. I turned back to where Carlotta stood. I felt Erik's hand slip from mine and when I turned to face him he was gone. Suddenly there was a scream that escaped from Carlotta. I turned back to her and saw a young man fall to her feet. He spit blood onto her silver heels and his back arched itself as he heaved again. I ran forward. The man at her feet was none other than Raoul. A long silver sword had been slid right through the flesh of his back and escaped out of his chest. Blood was all over the floor now and everyone was screaming and rushing around in panic.

"Telephone the police! Now! He's dying!" I could feel the tears well up in my eyes.

"Christine help-" Raoul tried in vain to grasp the sword's handle but he was to weak.

"I can't."

"Please-" With all of my strength I ripped the blade from his body and threw it to the floor beside me. He fell onto his back letting little splashes of his blood escape from beneath him.

"Who did this?!" I could hear the horror rip through my voice cracking it and letting it flow up at least two octaves.

"I didn't- See-" I could see how painful it was for him to talk. I grabbed the edge of my skirt and placed it against his abdomen and applied pressure. I was not going to let him die. The entire hall was empty now except for us. Police rushed in with doctors. They pushed me out of the way and went to work trying to save Raoul.

"Now you see what you cause? Death! Is always death where you are!" I turned around to see Carlotta behind me. Her eyes were burning with fury but I could see her body was still shaking with fear. I pushed her aside and set my priorities. There was a murderer running through the halls of the Opera house again. And Erik was missing. I grabbed the hemline of my shirt and kicked off my shoes. I ran down the empty hallways, trying to find the stables. I hadn't realized how much the Opera house really had changed. When I reached the stables I found one of the old flats and pushed it away finding a small black hole. I pulled of my hoop skirt, gathered up my dresses fabric, and jumped. I hit the water quickly. It was still warm. I knew where I was going and tried my hardest to run through the current pushing me back. I knew where he would be. My heart was drawn to his and it was laying out the roadmap to my destination.

The tunnels were dark and dank. They smelled of mildew and mold. And then suddenly I heard voices and then I saw light hitting the water. The entrance to his underground cave was lit up. The light reflected off the water and filled the tunnel for about a foot. I walked towards the wall and felt its cold sharp surface. I felt my way forward until I was at the mouth. I leaned around the corner and peered inside. Erik was lying of the floor his mask was not on his face. He was shrunken in a ball with his hands tied behind his back. There was a cut across his forehead his eyes darted around looking for his attacker. Suddenly a man came out of the shadows.

"Pitiful don't you think? You think hiding your hideousness will hide the monster in you. Trying to be an ordinary man, Erik? Pathetic!" The man looked down once more before tossing the mask into the water. He walked towards Erik and kicked him hard in the stomach. Erik's body heaved as blood dribbled from his lips and hit the stone floor. I couldn't hold back the blood chilling scream that pushed against my lips. The man's heard jerked in my direction. He let out a vicious laugh as he began to walk towards me.

"I was wondering when you would be joining us Ms. Daae."

"No! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!"

"Oh but I do, Erik. But I do." When the man reached me I was backed up against the wall blackness engulfed us. I could just barely see Erik struggling against the ropes over his left shoulder. The man's hand grabbed my neck roughly and slammed my head against the wall. "I warned you little girl. You don't belong in this world."

"Who are you?"

Just before the darkness took over my body and let me pass out into this man's open arms, I heard him say, "Xenon, the brother of your beloved monster."