This story begins just after the last episode of the series, and is a continuation of The Missing Name. In case someone doesn't want to read the first story I'm going to include a summary, but if you're going to read it, I suggest you do it now and don't keep reading the introduction.

The Missing Name begins with Diego de la Vega as a child who can see ghosts and has premonitions. His mother supports him, but his father wants him to hide it, so she decides to take Diego to the Indian village where the child can learn from the shaman. He also learns to track, ride horses and fight, all behind his father's back. When his mother dies in childbirth, Diego realizes that his mother and the girl are still in the house, although he ignores the motive. Don Alejandro decides that Diego should receive the sacrament of Confirmation to prevent his gift from continuing to manifest itself.

Even though his abilities are blocked he is still able to see his guiding spirit, which of course is a fox.

As an adult, he travels to Spain, where he began his academic and fencing studies. He also meets a group of people interested in Esoterism, who have different gifts. One of them, Francisca, is medium. They rescue Diego when a man catches him and tries to use his abilities for his own benefit. Francisca in addition to helping him with his vision becomes his lover. The group disintegrates when two of them, including Francisca, flee Spain.

Through a ghost, a woman named Agueda, Diego learns that the man who captured him is going to perform a ritual sacrifice. He decides to intervene and with the help of the ghost and strengthened by the prayers of a large number of religious, manages to sabotage the invocation and rescue the girl. As a reward for his help, Agueda becomes an angel under St. Michael's command.

One of the things he learns is to use a gift he already had since he was born. It is a magic veil, a spell that properly used distracts the attention of those around him. Francisca warns him that the more he uses it with a person, the more powerful the spell becomes. She also tells him that amber-eyed creatures can see through that spell, setting an example to her cat, which is also her familiar, that is, an animal that helps her with her magic.

When Diego returns to California he decides to become Zorro and use his veil to protect himself, Felipe, and his horse Tornado, which also becomes his familiar. Over time both the boy and the horse learn to use some of Diego's magic in unexpected ways.

Diego contacts his mother and learns that his sister is unable to move on. He manages to find out her name, and finally helps their father to overcome his pain. He recognizes that he is not angry with her neither he blames her for his wife's death. The girl leaves, but Diego's mother knows there's still business to be resolved and stays.

Don Alejandro tells Diego that a woman tried to take him when he was just born, and that he believes she wanted to exchange him for another baby with a birthmark on his leg. The woman managed to flee with the other child.

Chapter 1. The secret that doesn't want to be revealed.

Don Alejandro said to Diego. "Do you remember when Gilberto was just about to shoot you? He said he was not only going to kill you, he was going to kill. . . Then he never finished. What do you suppose he was going to say?"

Diego turned to his father.

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about, Father. Gilberto discovered something I've been hiding since I got back from Spain." His father looked at him a strangely, but he didn't interrupt him. Diego felt his mouth dry. It always seemed to him that he had left too much courage to Zorro and too little to Diego. At last he spoke softly.

"Father, I am Zorro."

When he said it, for a moment all the five-pointed stars that he and Felipe had been engraving in different places around the square for years seemed to shine in his mind with silvery light.

"Excuse me Diego. What did you say? I didn't understand anything."

Diego felt a little confused. "I am Zorro!" he repeated a little higher. The stars shined again.

"Why do you talk like that, is it a joke?"

"Father. Don't you understand what I'm saying?"

"Now I do, when you speak clearly. What did you want to tell me?"

"Can you come with me for a moment?" They both approached Felipe and Victoria. Diego instructed his father to stand next to her, and looking at them he said clearly. "I am Zorro."

Felipe squealed, astonished, but the other two looked at him bewildered. The stars shone so brightly that for a moment Diego was stunned.

"Are you speaking French?" she asked.

His father touched his forehead with a preoccupied expression. "I think everything that's happened today is affecting you. We should go home so you can rest."

"Yes, I suppose it will be best." Diego agreed. They said goodbye to Victoria, who looked at them curiously, and rode their horses.

On the way Diego turned to Felipe to say, "I have decided to tell my father something and I would like you to join us." For every answer Felipe smiled.

As they returned home he decided to try to tell him a piece and leave the rest for later, when he could find out what was going on. "In Spain I did learn to fight, I was a pupil of Master Kendall. I've been practicing in the hacienda in secret and I'd like to show you the place I chose to exercise".

Don Alejandro seemed to understand it correctly. "Why did you hide something like that from me?"

"Because there's something else, and it has to do with the abilities I inherited from my mother."

Don Alejandro seemed dazed. "I don't understand what it has to do with you fighting with your dreams and visions."

"I can explain if you want, but you have to make the decision. Are you sure you want to know?"

Don Alejandro hesitated, and saw something in his son that he had not seen before. He seemed expectant, so he decided to put aside his doubts and talk to him. "I'm sure. I want to know."

When they arrived at the hacienda and after leaving the horses, Diego led his father to the library. They looked at each other for a moment and Don Alejandro wanted to cheer him up. "Go ahead, son. I'm ready."

Diego took a deep breath and began to speak. "In Spain I learned to fight, but not only with the sword. I also met several people who knew certain secrets and taught me how to use one of my gifts. When I arrived from Spain, the alcalde locked you and Victoria. I went to talk to him telling him the gentlemen wouldn't tolerate it. He replied that if they organized, he would know that I had been the cause and that he would lock me up too. Then I realized that if I acted, you and I would pay the consequences, and that I would have to face him without being able to identify me. I've been sneaking around ever since."

Don Alejandro looked at him, surprised. "You mean you've been helping Zorro?"

Diego sighed. "Not exactly father, I am Zorro."

Diego couldn't help but smile at seeing his father shook his head almost imperceptibly. His mind refused to assimilate it. Don Alejandro looked at him between fascinated and skeptical. "Not that I want to distrust you, but it's all very strange." After a break he added, "Son, you don't have to compare yourself to someone like him. You fight too in your own way."

Diego looked at Felipe. "It seems he´s having a hard time believing me. It was to be expected." Felipe shrugged his shoulders and pointed to the chimney.

"Did Felipe already know?" asked Don Alejandro surprised.

"He knew it from the beginning," Diego replied. "He has helped me many times."

Diego turned to Felipe. "If you're so kind."

Felipe pressed the chimney spring that activated the mechanism, exposing the entrance to the cave.

"Here's what I wanted to show you."

Don Alejandro's face reflected more astonished than ever before. "It's the secret exit my grandfather made. I thought the mechanism was broken."

"It was." Diego replied. "I discovered it years ago and managed to fix it, but I decided to keep it a secret."

Diego walked through the door, followed by Don Alejandro, but Felipe stayed in the library to let them talk alone. As he went down the stairs, Don Alejandro saw the table with the chemicals, the hanger with the clothes and the mask, and Tornado. For a few moments he ran out of words. Finally, he asked. "Is it Zorro Cave?"

Diego recalled what he was told about the magic veil and put the mask in his father´s hands, knowing that physical contact would help him understand it. He slowly told him again. "Father, I am Zorro."

Don Alejandro breathed with difficulty. Diego helped him sit down.

"Then that's why you know fencing, because you've been practicing with Zorro here?" insisted the old man.

Diego put the saber in his hands. "It's Sir Edmund's saber. I won it when I was able to beat him in combat."

Don Alejandro looked at the saber and Diego alternately. Trying to figure it out. "It can't be!" he murmured.

Diego was worried. Finally he put on the mask and stood in front of him. "Do you know who I am?"

"You are Zorro."

"Well," he untied his knot and carried Don Alejandro's hands to the mask. He withdrew it with trembling hands. "Then. It's true? Are you really Zorro?"

Diego laughed, unable to contain himself. "I don't know what else to do to convince you."

His father didn't say anything else. With tears in his eyes he hugged him. After a minute in silence, he was finally able to speak again: "You are my son, and I have always loved you despite my disappointment when I thought you were not able to fight with the sword. I made up my mind that your gift was to fight with words and laws, but now I don't think I could be prouder of you. I just hope you'll forgive me for the times I've berated you for not acting. I even called you a coward!"

"No father, don't apologize. It's my fault for keeping this secret from you. I wanted to keep you safe, I thought I could hide it until justice was done, but I never imagined this would last that long. The truth is, I don't know when I can stop being Zorro."

"I still don't understand what this has to do with spirits."

"I use some magic to hide me. It makes anyone realize who I am when I wear the mask. If it wasn't for that trick, someone would have recognized me years ago. It works better over time, so I have to be more careful with the people who see me for the first time. I'm afraid I've used it too long with you."

Diego began to notice the tiredness accumulated throughout the day. He needed to eat something and retire, but first he had to take care of the wound on his arm. "Father. Can you call Felipe? I need his help with this."

"Sure, but I'll help you too."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, I've been a soldier, I can do it."

While Don Alejandro went looking for Felipe, Diego took off his shirt and looked for a jar containing a clear liquid and clean cloths to wash the wound. They both went down the stairs and Diego sat down. Immediately Felipe stood by his side and began to remove the dried blood with a damp cloth.

Don Alejandro came to look and noticed something. "It's a gunshot wound. I thought Gilberto had wounded you with the sword."

"No, one of his men shot me."

"Couldn't your magic protect you?"

"As I told you, it works best with people who have long seen me as Zorro. It was the first time these men saw me, and the risk was greater."

"The wound is not deep. You'll be fine in a few days if it doesn't get infected, but it has to hurt quite a bit."

"Do you see that jar over there?" Diego said, pointing. "I need you to give me it. Also one of those bowls."

Diego poured some of the liquid and took it. He could not avoid a gesture of displeasure. In the questioning look of his father, he said "It's cactus tea. It dampens pain, but it also gives sleep. I'll have to go to bed early."

"Yes, it's been a long day."

Felipe was finishing cleaning the wound and wrapped his arm carefully.

"Father, before we go, I want to ask you something. I know it's hard for you, but I'd like you to consider it."

Diego spoke seriously, and Alejandro also responded with the same tone. "Tell me what you're up to."

"You mentioned a ritual my mother did, to find out if I was your son."

"You want to know if Gilberto was who that woman said he was."

Diego nodded.

"But your mother used two drops of blood." don Alejandro said.

"Felipe picked up a piece of bloodstained cloth. I can get a sample out of there, but it has to be now, before the blood degrades."

Don Alejandro looked the other way, without his eyes turning to any particular object.

"I think it's important to know," Diego said softly.

"I... I also need to find out." Don Alejandro said at last.

Diego got up from the chair and went to the shelf. He took a bowl of copper, a jar with a white substance and an incense rod. He then stretched out his left arm to reach one of the books, a thick tome with garnet-colored tops and yellowish leaves.

"Felipe, fill the bowl with water halfway."

Felipe did as he was asked. Meanwhile, Diego lit the incense with a match. When Felipe brought the water, Diego added the white grains, and after reciting a few words he read in the book he submerged a bloodstained cloth. The water was dyed red.

"I need a drop of your blood," he said, addressing Don Alejandro. He nodded and grabbed a small knife on the table, cutting his left ring finger. He dropped a drop of blood into the water, and they both saw it slowly dissolve.

Diego began to mutter a litany in a strange language, and staggered slightly, but before his father could reach him he had already regained his balance. When the volume of his voice increased the water in the bowl began to shake, and the reddish color concentrated on two tiny spheres, which were joined together and coagulated to deposit at the bottom of the bowl.

Don Alejandro knew what it meant, and closed his eyes, trying to control his pain.

"He was my brother." Diego confirmed.