"WAIT!" Raoul galloped into the cemetery, dismounting in a smooth leap and drawing his sword.

"Raoul!" Christine was startled, her attention had been riveted on the voice of her angel of music.

Raoul rushed up the steps towards Christine, putting himself between his love and danger. "Whatever you believe this man - this thing is not your father!"

The words had hardly left his lips when a dark shape came hurtling down from above. Erik had been hiding on top of Gustav Daaé's tomb, luring Christine closer with his hypnotic song. The sudden attack took Raoul by surprise and he was knocked to the ground. He was back on his feet on an instant, just in time to meet Erik's blade with his own. The ferocity of Erik's continuos attacks drove Raoul back, towards the edge of the low platform that Daaé's tomb was built on.

Erik swirled his cloak, trying to tangle Raoul's sword in its dark folds. Raoul dodged, then turned and jumped blindly to the ground. He almost made it, but his feet slipped in the snow and he fell. Raoul picked himself up, hurrying to get out of the confined space. Erik followed, his cloak billowing out like the wings of a giant bird of prey. He saw what Raoul was trying to do and ran around a gravestone, cutting off his escape. Seeing that his escape attempt was useless Raoul attacked, hacking desperately at the figure in front of him.

Erik barely batted an eye at the younger man's attacks. He answered with a more powerful salvo of his own, forcing his opponent to give ground. Raoul backed away blindly, seeing nothing but the flashing sword in his enemy's hand. Suddenly Raoul fell heavily to the ground, he had tripped over a branch that had fallen to the ground from a gnarled old tree that someone had planted over the grave of their loved one.

Raoul rolled away as Erik swung at him again. Luck was with him, the sword cut deeply into the tree branch above him and was stuck. Standing up, Raoul put his back to the tree, determined not to be defeated. Erik's next attack made him realize that he was trapping himself, so he started to edge back around the tree. Raoul continued backing away as Erik swung again and again.

Suddenly, Erik thrust. Raoul parried and dodged, the Phantom's sword slid into an iron railing around a gravestone. Letting his momentum carry him forward Erik let the full length of his sword slide into the railing. Raoul's sword was somehow trapped between Erik's hilt and the railing and he was forced to stand shoulder to shoulder with his enemy. Looking at the man beside him Raoul saw him grin, or maybe it was a grimace, of triumph. He didn't have time to work it as because he was suddenly falling to the side. Erik had slammed into him knocking him away and down.

Raoul's now sweaty hair fell across his eyes and he shook it out of the way as he regained his feet. Meanwhile, Erik had freed his sword and was bringing his arm back to chop at Raoul again. Thinking quickly, Raoul dodged behind a gravestone. Erik's sword struck the stone with a sharp clang and a shower of sparks. Erik's next attack connected with Raoul's sword and he fell back against an obelisk. The Phantom struck again and again, another blow coming right on the heels of the first.

Stunned by the rapid fire attacks Raoul could barely think enough to parry them. Hoping to catch his breath he ducked around a statue topped sarcophagus. Erik didn't follow. Raoul glanced back in confusion, he had been sure the other man would follow him. A sudden movement on the other side of the statue caught his eye. Erik was over there, watching Raoul intently. Raoul stared back until Erik ducked out of sight.

Raoul, stepped back and as he searched frantically for his enemy remembered when he would play peek-a-boo and hide 'n' seek as a child. Erik was no where to be seen, he had disappeared – like a ghost. Raoul's heart pounded, pumping adrenaline through his sweating body. A quick movement to his right caught his eye. Suddenly something connected with the side of Raoul's head – hard. As he crumpled to the ground Raoul could see Erik standing over him, sword raised. Then everything faded into a black tunnel.

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Erik snorted in derision, the boy hadn't been much of an opponent. He turned when he footsteps crunching softy through the snow. It was Christine, he'd forgotten al about her while he was trouncing the boy.

"What have you done?" Christine's face was white.

"Never fear, my dear. I haven't killed your precious viscomte, he's merely unconscious." Erik wished he had killed the boy, then Christine would have been his.

"Are you just going to leave him there?" She had crouched down next to her lover and was running her hands over him, checking for any wounds.

Erik pondered her question. He would have dearly loved to simply leave Raoul where he lay, at the mercy of the weather and any creatures that wandered by. But his blood was still singing with adrenaline from the duel and he wanted to have some fun with the boy.

"No, I won't leave him there." Erik reached into the folds of his cloak for his punjab lasso. He had tucked his favorite weapon in a hidden pocket and now he pulled it out. Moving Christine gently out of his way he picked up the unconscious nobleman.