The Phantom of the Opera

Chapter 9 - Incurable

Hello, everyone! This is Pure, I am not dead. I know I've been gone for a very, very, VERY long time. I honestly didn't mean to be away for so long. A lot has happened that I just haven't had time to sit down and write anymore. But, I'm getting back into it. I've also started a YouTube channel so I've been really focused on that as I animate and make stories (Fanfics/Originals) on their. It's taken up most of my time, so this story was placed on the back-burner sadly. I still want to finish it and I do plan to, but my writing has changed, so I'm going to be re-writing each chapter. If you think I should make a new book for this story for a fresh new start, then please tell me. It would really help me to know what you guys think. (If I have any fans at their still 😅)

Anyways, I think I made you guys wait long enough for this chapter, so here's a sneak peek of it. Yes, I'm sorry, it's not finished yet, but I wanted to give you guys SOMETHING for me being away for so long. Hope you enjoy!

~SNEAK PEEK~

Darkness fell upon the room before him as he wildly looked about it. Spinning objects and sounds of metal clashing could be heard throughout the whole room as Kanan swung his sword aimlessly around in the air. His vision blurred as images of the Inquisitor flashed through his eyes. Illusions or not, he was not going to let the mysterious man escape. He could tell the darkness was teasing him as he swiftly swung his sword behind him to only be met with air. The sound of a rope tying in agony caught the man's ears as he silently waited for the other person to strike. Just moving around wildly in the dark was obviously getting him nowhere and a lot easier for him to get himself killed if he wasn't careful.

The sound of footsteps reached his ears as he waited patiently for the person to come closer. Thinking it was the Inquisitor, Kanan quickly turned on his heels to attack the unwelcome visitor, but to only stop when his eyes fell upon a Twi'lek instead of a Pau'an.

Hera grew stiff as she saw that the man before her was about to chop her head off if she hadn't stopped in her tracks. Kanan stared at the woman dumbfounded as he retracted his weapon. How did she get down here? He could have sworn he was the only person who followed after the Inquisitor before the doors above closed. So why was she down here? Kanan remained speechless as he watched the Twi'lek in confusion. It wasn't until the woman started to drag him out of the room that he started to snap out of his speechless state.

"You shouldn't have come here." The Twi'lek woman said as she rounded a corner in the hallway. Candles were lit up and down the sides as she led Kanan through the Opera House. Everyone was gone after the huge appearance of the opera ghost standing before them. Kanan was sure people were more afraid now than they were last time they came to the building.

Nothing was making sense anymore. Who was that man? Why did he scare Ezra to the point he couldn't mutter a single word? What was going on? As more and more questions filled his head the more he wanted to know.

The words of the Twi'lek stung him even more as he continued to follow her. "What do you mean?" he asked, curiously.

"If you hadn't come here and met Ezra none of this would be happening right now," Hera said as she turned yet through another corridor.

"Ezra and I already knew each other from way back. I didn't know that I would see him again if I came here." Kanan protested back. It wasn't his fault that the opera ghost decided to show his face to the whole world. The question is, why would he decided now, of all times, to show his face to the people? He could've had any chance to appear, but instead he hides in the shadows and lurks behind closed doors. And yet tonight, he chose to step out of the darkness and into the light for everyone to see him. Maybe to stop their mockery and taunts? No. It was a sign he was giving the people. A sign that made chills run down Kanan's spine.

Hera sighed. "It doesn't matter. All I know is that before you came here everything was fine and peaceful, but now it's broken."

"Peaceful? Ever since I came here this place has been nothing but peaceful! People keep to themselves, and keep secrets. I'm not a stupid man, I know when something isn't right." Kanan declared as he tried to get through to the woman. She was basically trying to ignore him as she quickened her steps, the flame of the candle flickering greatly as she hurried to her room. Kanan finally had enough of her coldness and stopped in his tracks. "And I know you know something about that man."

Hera stopped in her tracks. She stood still as her frame cast a shadow onto the wall, emerging together with Kanan's. "You know, nothing. I know, nothing."

"We both know that is a lie." Kanan said as he started to make his way closer to her. "I've thought about it, and I've put the pieces together. Whenever someone mentions his name, you never shiver in fear. When someone mocks him, you threaten them. Why else would you feel that way unless you knew him?" He stopped in his tracks, a few centimeters away from her. When she couldn't to be silent he continued, "I saw the look you gave him when he appeared in front of everyone. You weren't scared... but you were sad... and worried. For those feelings to erupt inside of you must mean he was someone important to you. Wasn't he?"

"Please, Messuera... for your sake and mine, keep your thoughts and conclusions to yourself. It would keep everyone here at peace." Hera whispered as she slowly turned her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "Just forget it. It's not worth your time." She quickly blinked the tears away from her eyes as she looked back to the front, walking again. "Besides, Ezra needs you now. You should go to him instead of questioning me about things you don't understand."

Kanan remanded quiet as he watched Hera walk away from him. The mention of Ezra's name brought images of what happened early to his precious love back into his mind. The pale, wide eyed, trembling look of his face as the Inquisitor vanished before him. His fists tightened as he remembered the struggle he had that he couldn't calm his love down. He couldn't help. I couldn't...

"I can't... go back to him..."

The quiet voice made Hera stop again. She turned around looking at the male confused. "Why not?"

"Because..." he started, slowly lifting his head, staring into the woman's eyes, "when that man appeared before him I couldn't help him. I couldn't calm him down. As his lover, it is my job to protect and fight for him. How can I do those things when I don't know what I'm up against?"

Hera remained silent as she took in what the man was saying. She lowered her eyes to the floor, her expression changing to one of concern.

"Please... Hera..." the man pleaded as he walked over to the woman. He placed a hand on her shoulder as he made her look up at him. "Tell me what's happened here. I need to know."

Hera continued to stay silent as she stared at the man. She could tell he was serious, and if she continued to stay silent the man was probably able to get himself in trouble, or worse, killed if he kept trying to find answers. Sighing, she finally surrendered to defeat. "Alright... follow me."