December 31, 7:49 a.m., near St. Catherine church.

Rafael and Jay silently walked away from the police cars. The officers had closed the church and placed police tape around the entrance to the sacristy. From the conversations Rafael had overheard, the forensics team would be here soon. He wondered if they could detect the spiritual energy he and the priest had used, or the effects of their powers... that light attack had probably affected the objects around them in some way.

Rafael reminded himself not to underestimate law enforcement. This police detective had spotted the weaknesses in his story in half a second. He was still angry that he had allowed himself to be destabilized like that, fortunately Jay had done better. He should have thought of this before calling the police. At least he had hidden his bag with all the equipment, including the hazel key. It would have been a disaster if the officers had found it, and he would surely be on his way to the police station by now rather than walking free.

"I'm going straight to the hospital to see how Leonard is doing," Rafael said as he approached his motorcycle. "You want a ride?"

Jay shook his head. "No, I'll meet you later. I have to take care of some things at home, my mom sent me several messages in regards to the money I left lying around."

Rafael raised his eyebrows without understanding, but he had too much on his mind to be really interested in the subject. Making sure he wasn't seen, he jumped over the low wall of the nearby house to retrieve his bag. He then returned to the street and got on his motorcycle. Leonard hadn't regained consciousness before leaving for the hospital, and Rafael wanted to be there when his uncle woke up.

"I'm going," Jay said with a yawn. "I'll see you later."

Rafael nodded without looking up from his phone. He was texting Paulina and his parents to let them know that Leonard was in the hospital. He left out the explanation of what had happened to his uncle, and how he had been found. He still didn't know what to say. He couldn't tell them he could do shamanic magic after all, nor that the priest who had kidnapped Leonard also had powers!

He had almost confessed to everything when the police inspector had accused him of being the culprit in the kidnapping, but he was glad he hadn't done so, that would have only complicated things further. He kind of regretted calling the police, and was still angry at being treated like a suspect, even though he knew deep down the officers were just doing their job. He hoped they would find the priest and be just as ruthless with him.

I didn't have a choice anyway, he thought to himself as a consolation. Leonard needed that ambulance.

The motorcycle sped off in the direction of the hospital. The building was on the other side of downtown, near the university. He would be there in no time, and as soon as Leonard woke up, he would be able to know what the story was all about. Rafael had said that the priest had confused his uncle with his grandfather, but the truth was that he had no clue. It was just a guess...

When he was almost at his destination, Rafael started to feel bad. The skin on his face and hands was burning more and more, and every movement he made was accompanied by a sharp pain. What was going on? Was it the aftermath of the priest's attack? He had believed that the power of the plant spirit had allowed him to counter it.

He parked, entered the hospital, and went directly to the toilet. There, he discovered to his horror that he had a huge sunburn to the point that his skin was already starting to peel. He foolishly tried to put cold water on it, but it only made the pain worse and did nothing to help.

Damn, that's one hell of a burn!

At least he was in a hospital. He asked for the emergency room and went there as fast as he could. He couldn't stay like that. Luckily there wasn't much of a wait at that time of the morning and it didn't take more than an hour for someone to take him in. He told his story about the UV machine again, but the doctor didn't believe it any more than the police inspector. Surely being burned only on his face and hands didn't help his credibility.

"I don't know what you've been playing at, young man,” said the doctor, “but I suggest you don't do it again. That's a second degree burn and you're going to get blisters."

It certainly wasn't his intention to do it again. This priest had disappeared into thin air and he hoped never to see him again. With the police on his tail, he had probably gone as far away as possible. That's what Rafael would have done anyway.

The doctor advised him to hydrate abundantly and then left the room. A nurse took over to wash his sunburns with delicacy, which however did not prevent him from suffering martyrdom. She then applied a silver sulfadiazine cream to avoid infection. Rafael had all the difficulty of the world to maintain the circulation of his spiritual energy during this time.

With the police it had gone well because his reserves had been depleted by the battle, but now that they had been replenished he had to make sure the energy was flowing properly all the time. This was extremely difficult, and, as if the fatigue and pain weren't enough of a challenge, he felt that the meridians in his face and hands were damaged. No matter how hard he tried, there was always some energy dissipating in those areas. Fortunately, the nurse did not seem to be affected, and she remained very professional.

After what seemed like an eternity, Rafael finally made his way to his uncle's room, his face and hands still full of cream. It wasn't a pretty sight, and he wondered for a moment if his aura would work by making others ignoring the medicated mask or finding it attractive. Despite the treatment, the pain had sadly remained. His skin was completely raw and just the drafts on his skin were enough to accentuate his suffering.

He had been lucky, very lucky. The seriousness of his injury made him realize more than ever how close he had come to death at the church. If he hadn't had the plant spirit... he shivered. Thankfully, it was all over now. Leonard was safe and the police would take care of the priest. What a relief!

A part of his brain told him that it wouldn't be that easy, that the police wouldn't know how to handle the priest's powers and that any attempt to arrest him would fail. He repressed these thoughts. He wanted to forget about it, if only for a moment. God, these corridors were endless...

Rafael finally arrived at Leonard's room, and he was overjoyed to see that his uncle was awake. His condition had visibly improved, his wounds were bandaged and his face had regained color. Probably the beneficial effect of the G5% polyionic solution that was administered to him in an infusion, his uncle had been completely dehydrated the day before. Rafael entered the room and Leonard greeted him with a hesitant smile.

"Hi Rafe, I'm sorry. You're probably wondering what I got you into..."

"I know the spirits are real," Rafael said as he sat down by the bed. "I met Alek Dimavski at the nursing home, he explained everything to me."

Leonard nodded. "Gregory, the priest who kidnapped me, happened to bond with a light spirit during Christmas mass. It caused him to lose his mind."

"I saw it firsthand," Rafael replied bitterly.

"Did he do that to you?" asked Leonard, pointing to his nephew's half-white, half-scarlet face.

"It was him," Rafael confirmed. "He was talking about demons, that we were bringing corruption upon the world. Did he mean spirits?"

"Yes, I made the mistake of telling him everything I knew," Leonard admitted, "but his sick mind made him reinterpret it in an irrational way and... that's why he kidnapped me. He's convinced that The Last Judgement is coming, and that it's his duty to eliminate as many demons as possible before the doomsday happens."

"What spirit did you bind," Rafael asked curiously.

Leonard shook his head. "None, why should we bind them? We'd be better off leaving them free, and not exploiting them like we did with the other living beings."

Rafael was stunned. Let them free? He had the impression that his plant spirit was rather happy to be bound to him, it allowed it to move around, to connect with plants outside the park... then he remembered how he had imposed his will on it during the night to form the hazel key, and he was taken by shame. He had done it to free his uncle, but hell was paved with good intentions. Was this a form of slavery?

"Why did the priest come after you if you have no spirit?" asked Rafael, "I don't understand..."

Leonard made a disgusted face. "Because of my thesis. In it, I reveal my discoveries about spirits and the shamanic techniques that allow one to connect with them. He wanted to keep the information from getting out... so that no other shamans would appear. He said it was heretical knowledge."

"I bound a plant spirit," Rafael confessed after a moment of silence, a little embarrassed. "It was through it that I found you and was able to confront the priest."

Leonard nodded gravely. "I see, you're aware of the responsibilities this places on you, aren't you?"

"Which means?" asked Rafael still uncomfortable.

"You are a shaman now. As such you have a duty to make sure the spirits are not exploited, and that their rights are respected. You must also watch out that other shamans do not misuse their powers. Magic will be more and more present in the times to come, promise me that you will do your best to protect the innocent and keep the world a beautiful place."

The enormity of the request made Rafael groan. "I'm not sure that... that's too much. I mean, who can predict the consequences that the appearance of the spirits will have on the world? I don't know if I can do that uncle."

"You don't have to do this alone Rafael," Leonard said wearily. "I'm here, others will help, and, all together, we'll make a difference. Just promise me you'll do your best."

Rafael knew himself, the importance of his word was of paramount importance to him. If he went on this mission with his uncle, it would affect the trajectory of his entire life, and he wasn't sure he was ready for that. However, Leonard's insistent look made him realize that it was already too late. He had become a shaman, he had used his magical powers to fight the priest... this promise would ultimately be just a confirmation of what already was.

"I promise you, uncle," Rafael whispered, "I promise to do my best to make the transition to a magical society go smoothly. I don't know how that can be possible, but I'll try."

Leonard gave him a big smile. "I knew I could count on you Rafael, you can't imagine how proud I am! You and I will be at the forefront. Both of us, to build a new world."

His uncle's optimism was infectious, and Rafael began to think that maybe things would turn out better than he thought. He was about to ask his uncle about his plans for the future when the sound of high heels hitting the floor rang out from the hallway.

It was Paulina who had just arrived, and she was surprisingly elegant for the occasion. In addition to her heels, she was wearing a long burgundy dress that must not have been very warm for the season, and her hair was gathered in a sophisticated braid that wrapped around the top of her head like a crown. Without paying Rafael the slightest attention, she immediately rushed to Leonard's bedside, and took him in her arms.

"Oh my God," she cried. "You're okay, if you only knew how worried I've been!"

Leonard was beaming. He seemed to have forgotten his worries as well as his injuries. He clung to Paulina's shoulders, savoring her touch with relish. For his part, Rafael felt a flash of pity for his uncle. Couldn't he see that it was all an act? An illusion that could collapse overnight? Apparently not, because his uncle couldn't bring himself to let go of Paulina. Finally, it was she who broke free from the embrace with a satisfied smile.

"What happened to you?" she asked eagerly. "I knew something was wrong right away when you didn't respond to my messages. You always answer my messages!"

"I've been kidnapped," Leonard replied. "A half-crazy priest who didn't want me to publish my thesis. He was afraid of the consequences my discoveries could have on the world..."

Paulina laughed out loud. "Half-crazy indeed, who could believe that your thesis could have any influence on the world. Apart from confirming the New Age milieu in its beliefs I don't see it. It's ridiculous!"

Rafael gritted his teeth. This woman had the gift of irritating him! Not only was she manipulating his uncle's emotions, but she was also belittling his work. She was his colleague, goodness, she had traveled with him. She should have been the first to realize the significance of his discoveries and to support him!

Leonard didn't seem to hear the sarcasm. He continued, "I'm sorry I worried you like that, Paulina. You know that wasn't my intention. I hope you didn't think I didn't want to talk to you or anything like that."

"Of course not my little Leonard, I know you would never do that to me. We are true friends after all."

"Yes, true friends," Leonard repeated absently.

Rafael wasn't fooled. He had seen the light in his uncle's eyes disappear with this last exchange. He was suffering for him, and wanted to kick Paulina out, but he had no idea how to do it without causing a scandal. Even Leonard would probably hold it against him. So he bit his tongue and prayed that something would stop this disaster.

Some supernatural entity must have heard him, because that's when the police arrived. It was Inspector Diego Martinez, who had been questioning Rafael earlier, accompanied by a uniformed officer. They looked like serious men who had a goal and would not give up until they had accomplished it.

Diego greeted them and then went straight to the heart of the matter: "I am glad to see that you have recovered from the ordeal you went through, Mr. Duprat. I have a few questions to ask you if you feel well enough. Can you first summarize what happened to you before we got to the church?"

"Of course Mr. Detective," Leonard nodded. "I had a big disagreement with the priest Cordier, and he locked me up to get me to change my mind. From there, it got out of hand, thankfully my nephew found out where I was locked up!"

Diego's gaze traveled for a moment in the direction of Rafael, then immediately returned to Leonard.

"Your nephew told us about an old dispute between the priest Cordier and your grandfather. Is this related?"

Rafael saw Leonard hesitate. His uncle had very rigid morals, and the prospect of lying to law enforcement must have bothered him deeply. That said, this was neither the time nor the place to get into an explanation of magic and shamanism. Leonard must have realized that this would only complicate things because he said:

"Probably inspector. To tell you the truth, I believe that the priest Cordier suffers from mental illness, he had a very incoherent speech, and what he did to me..."

"You don't need to go into detail," the inspector interrupted him empathetically. "I'm sure it was a very difficult experience, traumatic even."

Rafael felt a pang of gratitude toward the inspector, perhaps he wasn't so antipathetic after all. Rafael had heard the tremor in his uncle's voice just before he was cut off. The inspector's intervention had probably saved him from bursting into tears in front of Paulina.

Diego spoke again. "I wanted to warn you that we went to the priest Cordier's house but he was not there. We have also collected testimonies about his behavior, several faithful of the church have reported incoherent behavior on his part since the Christmas mass. As a result, we have issued a search notice on him."

The inspector straightened up and looked them all squarely in the eyes before adding:

"Rest assured, we will find him, and he will be held accountable for his actions. I promise you."