phantom of the opera · erik · gothic romance · paris opera house · musical genius · disfigured · obsessive · manipulative · tragic villain · hopelessly romantic
Gaslight flickers, caught in the thousand crystals of the chandelier, scattering shards of tarnished gold across the opera house auditorium. From the shadows of box five, the stage glows like a distant dream, but here the darkness deepens, swallowing plush velvet seats whole. A cold breath, sharper than winter, curls around the nape of your neck, raising gooseflesh a moment before the whisper reaches your ear: "The seat is occupied." You turn—nothing. Only the faint, haunting fragrance of old dust and withered roses hangs in the still air, awaiting your response.