The Quest - *Phantom of the Opera* (a fantasy romance)

Chapter I

This is a story sequel based on a deeper story I saw in the 2004 movie through symbolism there - To follow, imagine the opera house was an opera kingdom, Erik an actual ruler there and the incarnation of Music, Christine his intended queen, and the true "Phantom" an evil spirit out to destroy everyone, through Erik and including Erik.

To see how and why I came up with this, I'll include symbolism at end of some chapters. All of what they showed seemed to reveal a deeper story, a high fantasy, including Erik finding his dream with Christine. Not asking you to believe it- just showing where I got the idea to write my story as I did. :) If you don't like the idea- just think of this as an AU type of sequel.

My story is sometimes dark, sometimes angsty, sometimes fluff, sometimes light, having many facets to it. E/C pairing, based on characters in movie. All characters have both good and bad traits and have to grow and learn. Some sensuality and strong sexual situations. MA rated for those chapters. All usual disclaimers apply – I don't own the Phantom, the music, etc, though all original characters and songs are mine. Also, all pictures shown throughout this story, including the book cover, are E/C manips I made to go with this story. :)

And now...

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Haunted Memories

I

Chriiii-stiiiiine ...

Her heart pounding, Christine halted on the path. Stunned, she glanced over her shoulder then turned to look behind her.

The statuaries that crowned the cold graves returned her searching stare, their eyes gray, vacant. The tall iron gates remained closed, as she had left them. Once more the burgeoning flicker of hope died within her. Once more she'd only imagined her deepest desire.

Desolate, she continued along the winding path. Memories, once friends, had become her enemies, imprisoning her in bittersweet recollection.

Why had he not come to her? Why had he not answered her pleas?

Where was he...?

Sometimes, when all stood silent, she thought she heard him beckon to her mind in a whisper, like now. Yet he'd never come forward, and she felt that she must be going mad....

One month had passed, and a lonelier four weeks she never suffered, apart from those cheerless months without him when she lived at the opera house. Had he not understood her silent message? Did he not see?

But no, he must have known! She had seen him smile, his lip curled at one corner - not with sarcasm, not in contempt, but with awe. Disbelief had glimmered in his moist eyes when she laid her ring in his palm, wrapping his fingers around the band to which she still clung. Unable to speak, she'd held his hand with promise, wanting to stay forever but knowing she must leave. The mob had sought her capture as well, and though he had commanded her to go, she returned to beg him to follow, to stay with her each night and each morning.

It broke her heart to leave him there, so alone, but she thought that he understood her message when she'd sung to him, answering his earlier proposal on the Don Juan bridge, taking up the words where he had left off. Surely he also understood Raoul's pledge to serve and follow, if the king willed it. A king that reigned over music but no longer in possession of a kingdom, the opera house destroyed - but always he would remain her Angel. Not an angel of spirit, she knew better now ... a mortal, bearing the flesh of a man.