Act 1; Scene 3

Sword Master’s Hall and the Catacombs

Lilith stands at her vanity; she looks sullen for a moment but then resumes her normal demeanor. There is a swift wind and all of the lights in the room go out. But it is not totally dark. A light from behind her vanity mirror is apparent. She goes to it, sitting at the vanity. The Voice comes to her again, this time it is close it causes Lilith to shudder.

Voice beckoning: Come to me my child… come to your master.

Lilith obedient: Dear master, where must I go? I hear your voice closer than ever!

Voice: Look into your vanity, look past that for which it is named and see…

Lilith looks into the vanity and falls off her seat. The visage of her master is there. She can see his eyes through a pasty mask that covers his right cheek and the face above and below it. His hair is wild, it covers the mask’s eyehole slightly, but his fiery eye from behind the mask cannot be hidden. His face is calm, his hand morphs through the mirror, or what had appeared to be a mirror.

Lilith hesitant: Master…is that…you?

Voice: Yes, it is I, now stand, and take my hand; you will soon be with me, in my sanctum, where we can mold you, into my champion. I am your master, come to me Lilith.

Lilith: You are my master…you are my master…

Lilith’s hand extends and takes hold of her master’s. He pulls hard and easily she slips past the mirror to his side. Suddenly, music from nowhere and everywhere at once comes to her ears. She is entranced, as she always is, in her master’s presence.

Lilith: Master, I will be with you for some time, it seems. Pray, please give me a name to call you…

Voice ominous: Some would call me….the Phantom.

Lilith’s eyes become glassy; she has fallen under his spell seemingly entirely. There is a banging at the door of Lilith’s room, but she cannot hear it, and the Phantom ignores it blatantly. The Phantom leads Lilith down a long tunnel

Lilith:

My sword was dull

My hands were scared

You came to me

You were the one who cared…

And yet you seemed to me

To feel left behind

I couldn’t keep

You out of my mind

I felt no way out

But loved the time

You taught my body

You kindled my mind

Phantom:

Don’t let your guard

Fall down just yet

I won’t let you slip

And don’t you fret

The days of swords

And cuts and nicks

Are not yet gone

Down the river Styx

The two of them have reached a gigantic lake, far, far under academy. It’s so vast and misty that it is clear only the person who lived here all their life would know where they were going once sailing on it. The Phantom helps Lilith into a small raft. He removes a sword from his belt and points it at the water. Immediately the water begins to wake and the raft shifts forward, almost taking the both of them by surprise.

Lilith:

The world above rejects you dear

All they talk is of darkness and fear

They know not what I do hear

I see your spirit and what they could find

And regret not letting you have this mind

Phantom:

At last you’re ready

Now is the time

No more denial

The next long trial

Begin we shall

To make you great

A champion to be

That is your fate

Take the plunge with me

Deep down tonight

And soon I’ll divine

The final plans of my design

And we are hear, at last, and this is it…

The boat hits a rocky platform, raised up from the incredible lake behind them. Ahead a giant wrought iron gate with bars as thick as men stands in front of an even more garish door, wrought in brass and steel, shining darkly in the pale ethereal light that seems to manifest itself from absolutely nowhere. The Phantom takes Lilith’s hand. He pulls her up from the raft where it moors itself without command. His feet shuffle with hers up the rocky stairs and with just a flick of his fingers, the phantom opens the giant doors and then the gate.

Phantom imperiously: We are here! My home, my laboratory, my study, and my lair. This is my sanctum, where all is devoted to you, and our grand destiny!

Lilith all but stunned: To me? To our destiny…. I obey, my master.

Phantom: Then you are ready….

The Phantom stands upon a higher platform and draws his sword swiftly. His voice rings in Lilith’s head even when it seems like his lips are not moving.

Phantom:

Your mind needs to unlearn

If for my knowledge you yearn

Turn your eyes away from the lies of everyday

Raise your face to me and very soon you’ll see

That the light to which you pray

Is as dark as river clay

Your apprehensions and fears

You will not need them here

Only I do reign in this dismal dark domain

So take your blade in hand and journey from this land

And in the tireless flame

You will lose all but your name

Crafted but anew

The greatest of the few

And this world

Will be brighter than before

The Phantom walks from the higher platform down to Lilith's side. He takes her hand and puts it over the hilt of her sword. With her hand in his she draws it, and he stands directly behind her, their swords glimmering side by side in the sparkling light of the glistening walled cavern.

Soon you will understand

Cast aside and take my hand

Look into my heart

Let your transformation start

If you wish to win

Then to the darkness you must give in

Only you can wield my soul

And only you can fulfill my goal

Lilith follows the Phantom blindly up the steps and to another room of the cavern where a enormous relief of Lilith is carved in the bare rock. Adorning it is a fantastic sword master’s wedding robes of splendor Lilith had never seen in any garment, ever. She choked up, and fainted, falling into the arms of her host, dropping her sword. The Phantom, while holding her, returns his own blade to his sheath and then replaces hers in her own. He holds her in his arms gently and brings her to a large cushion in the far corner of his rocky home. The Phantom sets Lilith down upon the cushion and covers her with a black embroidered crimson blanket. He turns from her; his visible eye is actually tearing.

Phantom quietly; to himself: So the dream begins, and here she is. I will mold her into the finest warrior any hand could. She will embrace me forever more.

Hours pass, but time seems to stand still in the lonely cavern. The Phantom sits upon a high rock his hand rests upon the hilt of his blade. He watches out over a high ledge on the lake, covered in mist. His smile has not faded. Lilith stirs in the area far behind him. She is still hazy-headed and a bit confused. Her mind is wandering through her journey into this place. She dizzily approaches the Phantom, he can hear her, but does not turn his head.

Lilith in her own world: And I remember a face, bathed in half white and half the color of smooth and very milky caramel, not so dark not so light. His hair was wild, not dirty but with a mind of its own for all its silk and shine. And here he is…

Phantom: You’ve awoke, good this is the best time for us to begin.

The Phantom turns himself around to face her at last. He rights his mask though it does not need to be. His hair still falls in front of the eye hole of the mask, but the flaming red eye behind it has dulled slightly, a bit placid but still vibrant. He smiles and raises his hand to her face, rubbing her cheek. Lilith lowers her hand to touch his, moving the length of his face. He closes his eye where she touches, almost unable to believe she is touching him. But she continues anyway. However, Lilith’s curiosity mounts in her dreamy haze. Her hand moves the length of the Phantom’s face. She reaches the mask and rubs a finger down the edge to her master’s nose before moving her hand in one ill-thought out motion and pulling the white piece, of what she now found to be a heavy metal, from the Phantom’s face.

Phantom in a rage: Wretched curiosity! Wretched thoughts of a female!? Of traitorous and unforgiving brood that hath scorned this twisted visage! He pushes Lilith hard in the stomach, throwing her back a few feet, his hair hides his face as it sinks to look at the floor. How can you expect to understand to know this horror that is shrouded behind steel and iron? That which keeps me safe and that which binds me here and you should think with prudence if you ever wish that soul of yours to be free! Could you ever understand the lonesome hellion trapped in rotting human flesh; that which reeks like foulest trash but yearns to sparkle and to glimmer like the finest diamonds? You will learn obedience, as you will learn subservience and you will learn to love me, as I have desired frequently. You will be servant and obey immediately. And then at last you’ll see and become worthy of me!Immediately he feels remorse for his outburst and stands. Forgive me… I could not see my madness raging uncontrollably. Forgive me Lilith, the one who dwells in light, but in darkness has seen this terror behind the façade I put up as my true self.

Lilith finally lucid: No…no, forgive me, my master… I was weakened by curiosity and my emotions. I will not fail you again… Here…

Lilith offers him the mask which the Phantom immediately takes and replaces on his visage.

Phantom consoling: You could never fail me, do I think. Please, shed those foolish fears and let us begin. We shall start with something simple tonight, for it is still late and there is much for you to learn.

Lilith: Give me your knowledge my master, dear Phantom. Do guide my weak soul into strength.

Phantom ethereally; all consuming: Innocent spirit, you are stronger than you know, but you do have much to know. So will you learn, by this blade of mine and by the spirit of the night and all its power. Look into my eyes, Lilith, look deep into the portals of power, and accept me and my teachings…

Lilith entranced: Yes, dear phantom, my quiet and powerful master. I am yours.

The Phantom’s lips open but naught audible escapes them, instead a deep dark mist exits, it swirls around them, entangling everything, until there is nothing that can be seen except the two of them, and this darkness covering all. Lilith’s eyes open from where they had been closed, and in this tunnel vision she can see only the Phantom. Instinctually she draws her blade, seeing his is at the ready. He smiles, the masked eye glows brighter than she had ever seen it before. It burned into her deeply, into her own eyes. And when she looked away for just a moment she fell backwards. Superimposed in the figure of her master was a giant demon, a manifestation of his power. The Phantom reacts with approval and expectance of this.

Phantom calmly: Fear not, close your eyes Lilith, and forget all that in which you have been taught about evil and darkness. Forget it all, and open your eyes once more.

Lilith shut her eyes tight. For what seemed to her as lifetimes she unlearned all that she had been taught about the darkness and about malignancy and evil. Her eyes took a bit to open, she was afraid to see that soul-consuming demon once more. But when they opened, it was no longer their. Instead was a glow around her master that swirled and ebbed magnificently. The Phantom noted this change in her demeanor, the only thing he reacted with was pleasure.

Phantom happily: You have taken another momentous leap, but there is still much for you to comprehend…

End Act 1