Zorro tried out many doors. Each of these doors were... weird, to say the least. They weren't ordinary doors, they looked more like webs, where Zorro could stick his head through take a look inside, but find nothing useful. It took a long time before he found something that actually looked like a door. He pressed his hand against the door at its seams, but it didn't budge. He had already started to look for another way in, when the door suddenly opened on its own. Taking this as an invitation, he ran inside, and I followed him as fast as I could, because the door had already started closing behind me.
"Welcome." a familiar voice sounded.
"Senior Kyrano?" Zorro said.
"Kyrano is the name I use when I'm among people." was the reply, "In here, I am called the Hood."
"Really? You could use one to cover that marble of yours." Zorro joked.
"You must be the legendary Zorro, I heard so much about." Kyrano said.
"The one and only." I could hear the smile through his voice.
"Even knowing you are but a legend, I am still surprised you made it this far in here."
"How did you know I was here?" Zorro asked, though he sounded like he was challenging Kyrano... or the Hood, or whatever he liked to be called.
"Because I sensed the death of a few Wraiths." he replied, "And lost control over some of the Autons."
"You sensed all of this?" Zorro was definitely trying to hide his surprise."
"Does that puzzle you?" the Hood questioned, "Of course it would. This world has not had much contact with the East. And even if they did, they lack the patience to want to understand their wisdoms."
"What are you talking about?" Zorro asked.
"As I tried to tell that Japanese girl..." the Hood explained, "I had a little accident, many years ago. I almost cost me my life. But while my body had weakened, my mind became so much stronger."
"You gained the power to control people's minds?" Zorro couldn't believe it.
"That is only one of my many abilities." the Hood replied, "An ability that these Wraith share. Unfortunately for them, they have very few thoughts for themselves. They need a stronger mind to control them."
"And that's where you come in." Zorro understood.
"Along with their combined telepathic strength, I have control over something called Nestine plastic, which can take every form we want them to. And so, I can gather volunteers for the one that calls himself Smith."
"Volunteers? You mean these people joined willingly?"
The Hood snickered: "With some persuasion."
Wait, if he was doing this FOR Smith, does that mean he's not one of them?
"And you are all right with taking away people's own will?" Zorro had drawn the same conclusion as I had.
"As long as he lets me keep my own individual thoughts, yes."
I could be mistaken, but it looked like Zorro shivered: "Monastario, the Eagle... I thought they were monsters, but you?!"
"It is easy to judge others, isn't it?" the Hood said, "There is this rescue organization in my home world, that my younger brother works for, who put themselves on such high pedestal, just because they save people's lives. But they are just trying to elevate themselves to godhood. They want the planet to worship them as gods. They..."
"Hold on, is that what this is all about?" Zorro interrupted him.
"I beg your pardon?" the Hood didn't understand.
"You nearly died in an accident, but your brother's organization did not save you." Zorro spoke, "They left you to die, and it changed how you view them. It changed you."
"Like I said, my body became weaker..."
"But your mind didn't come out all intact." Zorro interrupted him again, "You are suffering from brain damage. You think you can be a god, and want everyone to see you as such."
"Is that wrong?" the Hood questioned.
"But in becoming a god, you became a devil." Zorro continued, "You have your power, you have control over an army, but instead of using it to change the world, you use it for your own selfish needs."
"Selfish?"
"You want to be a god, because you don't want people to see how weak you really are." Zorro continued.
"That'll be all." the Hood replied.
"You can't stand the thought of being weak." Zorro didn't listen, "You are still traumatized from what happened to you."
"Shut up!"
I could feel my heart palpitate. Zorro dared to oppose a man who can destroy him with a single thought?
"If Sergeant Garcia were here, he would laugh at you." Zorro continued.
"Enough!" I could hear the Hood getting up, and taking a sword out of a sheath.
Zorro ran toward the Hood, his blade drawn. Once they were close enough to each other, their swords clashed. The two backed away from each other, started to walk around in a circle, so I could finally see Kyrano, or the man who called himself the Hood. After a few seconds, the Hood stroke down his sword, and Zorro defended himself. Swords were clashing, sparks started flying, fog clouds shifted, swords cut cloths, possibly even their skins... it was a long battle. Eventually, Zorro's sword hit the Hood's, he twirled it around, until he could push the sword out of the Hood's hand, disarming him. The Hood was about to run for his sword, but Zorro stopped him, by carving three lines on the front of the Hood's dress. As I looked, those three lines had formed what looked like a "Z". Add to that the swishing sound that came with each cut, and I was instantly reminded of what Bernardo showed me. So this was what he meant. If he makes a "Z" in the air, along with that whistle, he was talking about Zorro.
"Yield?" Zorro asked the Hood.
"Would you?" he replied, as his eyes suddenly turned yellow.
It looked scary enough on its own, but what didn't help was the fact that Zorro seemed to back up, hands on his head, as if he was suddenly attacked by a headache.
"Did I not say that I can do more?" the Hood laughed.
Realizing the trouble, I took my dagger out of my pocket, and jumped at the Hood. Unfortunately, I wasn't fast of quiet enough. He spotted me before I could surprise him, and stepped away, so I missed my attack.
"Amateurs." the Hood said, "No matter."
From somewhere underneath his dress, the Hood took out a device. At first glance it looked like a remote control for television, but as soon as he pressed a button, it opened a circle on his left.
"As soon as I step through this portal, there won't be anybody controlling the Wraith anymore." he said, "They will just be savages, looking for something to feast upon. Goodbye."
He stepped through the portal, which disappeared soon after.

With the Hood gone, I got up and ran to Zorro. I placed my hands on his shoulders, hoping I could wake him from whatever was weakening him.
"I'm all right, thank you." he said, "What did he say? The Wraith are now out of control?"
I nodded.
"We better let your friends know."
"I've already tried to tell them, but they've been preoccupied." Murphy let us know.
"They must be in trouble." Zorro concluded, "Let's go help them."
I nodded, and together we set out to search for them.