Phantom of Remnant (Phantom of The Opera Reader x RWBY)

Chapter 8: Lost and Found

Five Years Later...

??? POV

There was a strange smell in the air. The last thing I remember before being here I was at a club. Now here I am in someone's basement. I tried to stand, but it was nearly impossible with the restraints.

"Help! Help me!" I shouted through a window, but that was when I noticed the smell of the ocean and the crashing waves. It was hopeless shouting above the sounds of the ocean.

I suddenly heard footsteps coming down and found a man with a mess of hair and a mask covering part of his face coming down the stairs. He seemed to disappear and reappear frequently also moving through objects.

He didn't say a word, instead motioning with his finger and humming as he led me out of the basement. The body of my captor lay on the ground struggling to breathe, he reached for me before finally collapsing.

The thing stood feet away beckoning me to follow him out before disappearing entirely. I looked around not sure what to make of this experience. Unsure if who or what I saw was even real. The only piece of evidence left behind was my captor. I took the moment to run for my life. I don't want to be around for when the hunters come.

I made my way through the thick forest until coming across a small town pub. This overwhelming sense of familiarity washed over me. I must have seen this place while the drug was starting to wear off. Now that I made some distance the reality of the situation began to hit me. I'm alive, and not only that someone or something saved me from that man.

I entered the pub, a ceiling fan spun above the empty seats. A single person stood behind the bar cleaning out glasses. He looked normal enough, though he did have a scar on the right side of his face. He didn't notice the door opening or closing even though the door practically slammed shut. He just kept scrubbing that glass.

I cleared my throat getting his attention, he glanced over in my direction and set the glass down. "What do you want?" he asked making it obvious that he doesn't want to conversate for long. His shift must be ending soon, I thought.

Nevertheless, I sat down at the bar and ordered a margarita. He gave a nod and got to mixing it. Yet, I couldn't seem to stop tapping my fingers against my neck as a memory of my captor played in my subconscious. I zoned out as my breathing quickened as the memories played. I was shaken from my thoughts as my glass hit the table.

"Take it easy, kid," the bartender said before going back to his spot and scrubbing it further. He waited for me to finish my drink but I never did. I passed out because of the exhaustion of my captivity. Once he noticed this, he stood up and walked over to the sign flipped it closed, and grabbed his coat. Though, he didn't leave, instead, placing the coat over me. He placed a hand on my sleeping back. "Sweet dreams," he said gently before opening the cellar door and entering a secret tunnel beneath the town.

Y/n POV

"Right, I think it's down the path to my right," I said to myself still getting used to old tunnels that run beneath the town constructed back when the land once belonged to a secret society. This continent is still a large mystery considering people moved back here just recently. Though, since I'm one of the first arrivals I've gotten the opportunity to uncover much more about its hidden past.

Six Hours Later...

I stumbled my way through years of debris flushed down here during storms and following the mossy cobblestone walls until finding a radiant light at the end. Outside of this exit was the forest on the Eastern coast. This is where my home lies, desolate and peaceful. I usually bring the wool from my sheep through the relatively clean sewer drain to trade in the town. Though I don't stay any longer than necessary. I'd like to remain in self-isolation.