The Phantom of Nightopia Chapter 13

Opera Populaire during Crisis

NiGHTS dashed through the backstage area of the Opera Populaire in desperate search to find Madame Emily. As he waded himself through the huge crowds of evacuating people, NiGHTS heard-

"No! You can't come back here! You are not permitted to come back stage unless you are a performer! Stay back! HELP!" Madame Emily screamed at a large group of police and men with pitchforks who were trying to force their way into the backstage. Will run all around the mob, yelling the same orders as his mother so that the back of the crowd would hear too.

"Madame! You must let us through! The Phantom is a felon! He must be stopped!" The Police Chief yelled back at Emily. At sight of the scene, NiGHTS bolted over her defense, helping her hold off the mob.

"GET OUT OF HERE!" NiGHTS ruthlessly yelled, scaring away most of the crowd except a few stage crew workers and policeman. Turning towards Emily, NiGHTS quickly asked, "Where did he take her?"

Emily grabbed NiGHTS's arm and answered, "I will take you to him, but we have to hurry! Helen is in danger!" NiGHTS nodded with a look of determination on his face as Emily commanded to Will, "Will, hold them off! I'll be right back!"

"Yes mum!" Will replied politely. Seeing that Emily and NiGHTS walked away, and the only thing keeping them from backstage was a small, innocent boy, the men tried to push their way past him, "No! You can't come back here!" Will screamed, pushing the crowd back so hard, that it caused a few men to fall over. 'Wow... guess I don't know my own strength! But mum better get back here quick because I don't know how much longer I can hold them off...' he thought.

Meanwhile...

Phantom:

Down one more to the dungeon of my black despair!

Down we plunge to the prison of my mind!

Down that path into darkness deep as HELL!

The Phantom sang (more like screamed) as he carried Helen down the tunnels leading to his home. Helen struggle and clung to anything on the walls that was within her reach, trying to escape Reala's grasp. The Phantom's strength was far greater than hers, so he easily shook her off of whatever she decided to grab onto. Angry, Reala held Helen head with both hands so that she would listen to him as he screamed/sing:

Why, you ask,

Was I bound and chained

In this cold and dismal place?

Not for any mortal sin

But the wickedness of my abhorrent face!

After the short boat ride, they finally approached his home. Reala yanked Helen out of the boat, holding tightly around the shoulders and pushed her in front of one of his velvet red curtains as he forcefully sang:

Hounded out by everyone

Met with hatred everywhere

No kind words from anyone

No compassion anywhere

Helen, Helen,

Why? Why?

Helen just gave him a blank stare, still in disbelief that this was happening. The Phantom pulled out a small diamond ring out of his clothes and smirked, " Helen Cartwright... will you be my wife?"

"I'll never marry you!" Helen hissed through her teeth, glaring at Reala with fire in her eyes.

"He, he" he chuckled to himself with an evil grin on his face. "That was a rhetorical question... you WILL marry me if you care about your beloved NiGHTS..."

Helen gasped, "YOU WOULD' T!" she cried.

"Oh, but I would! Miss Cartwright... you are past the point of no return!" he slyly said, lifting the red curtain that they stood in front of, revealing the Helen mannequin wearing the wedding dress. Tears formed in her eyes as Reala pried one of her fisted hands open, putting the ring in, and lightly closing it. The Phantom cackled maniacally as he pushed Helen into the mannequin, causing it to fall over. "I'll give you plenty of time to change my love..." he told her in an evil tone, as he lowered the curtain, trapping her in the room.

Helen softly cried as she thought 'Oh NiGHTS! Where are you? He'll come... he WILL save me! I know he will! Until then, maybe I should listen to Reala... I don' t want anything to happen to NiGHTS...' She picked the mannequin up from the cold ground and took the wedding dress off it. 'You better get here fast NiGHTS!'

Madame Emily led NiGHTS through many corridors, hallways, and secret tunnels around the Opera Populaire. Finally, she stopped about halfway down the large spiral staircase that leads to the Phantom's 'lake'.

"This is as far as I dare go..." Emily sighed.

"Thank you Madame Emily!" NiGHTS thanked her, giving her a grin and thumbs up.

"Anytime NiGHTS. Wow... you really would do anything to keep Helen safe. You must really love her..." she commented as NiGHTS blushed.

"Yeah I really do. She means the world to me" He admitted blushing a little more.

"That's wonderful NiGHTS. I'm really happy for you two! Now you must go save her!" She encouraged, as NiGHTS nodded as he ran off. "Keep your hands at the level of your eyes!" Emily yelled to him, hoping NiGHTS heard her.

'Keep your hands at the level of your eyes...? What is that supposed to mean?' NiGHTS thought.

As NiGHTS dashed down the stairs, he didn't even think about the dangers that the Phantom had in store for intruders. Suddenly, as NiGHTS touched the next step on the staircase, his foot fell through what he didn't realize was a trap door, and he fell into the darkness of the Phantom's trap.