Young Philip was still wandering around the town when he arrived at the hotel Alexia had talked about. In the entrance, he met town students with an age like his and started a conversation with one of them.

"Hi there! Is there any room available for foreigners? I was told that people from all places come here."

"I believe there is. Why don't you ask at the reception?"

"Thank you! I'll do that."

"It's a nice place here. You're a lucky to have found a room. It's not expensive either. I forgot to introduce myself properly. I'm Diego and he's Gabriel."

"I'm Philip."

Diego stretched his hand for a shake. Philip looked at him curious. He didn't know that that was the way people exchanged greetings in the modern era. Nevertheless, a few seconds later, he realized that he was supposed to reciprocate, so he stretched his hands and had a handshake with the Greek young man. The other one was African, and he also greeted Philip.

"Where are you from? Considering your accent, you must be from Germany."

"I'm from Germania."

"Germania? This country doesn't exist anymore," Gabriel said with a smile on his face.

"What are you saying? My country was destroyed?"

"No! You must be kidding. That region has become Germany, one of the greatest countries in the world. You speak like you belong to the 15th century."

"Maybe I should have never left my country. My boldness made me lose everything I had," Philip thought, with sadness.

The boys remained quiet, waiting an answer from Philip, who was looking at the emptiness as he recalled the past.

"My apologies if I look distracted. I believe I've hit my head somewhere," he tried to make up an excuse.

"Let me see it. Yes, it's looking like you're really hurt," said Diego.

"It's okay, I'm getting better."

"C'mon in! It's cold out there," a woman on the door called them.

The students lived on that lodge with many others that studied at the Central University of Florence, one of the oldest in the country. Gabriel was from Angola. He was getting his PhD. in Data Engineering, while Diego was getting his master in Computer Science.

Elina, the woman who invited them in, introduced Philip to the owners. They were happy to accommodate another young man from a foreign country, so they gave Philip a credit until he found a job that paid his expenses.

Philip said good-bye to Diego and Gabriel. He promised to meet them later to have another chat. But at that moment, all he wanted was to meet Alexia again; she resembled his past love so much!

Then he asked the owners if there were books where could learn more about the modern way of living. They promptly showed him a simple library furnished with nice books and magazines. Philip asked if he could borrow some, and then went up to his room; he took the shower that he needed so much, and then began to read. In the next day, he would go out and look for a job.

In the quietness of his room, he produced a spell that made him absorb all the information contained in the book, and so he learned everything about the past and the present; he began to understand the way that History had developed and what the world he was living in was like.

The phone beside his bed rang.

"What is this?" He asked himself, frightened.

The device didn't stop ringing, so he decided to keep on looking at it. He took up the receiver and looked at it, until he noticed that it was silent again.

The he heard a thin voice coming out of the receiver. He looked at it again, and, as he heard a sharp sound coming from it, he put the receiver on his right ear in order to listen better. However, he put the wrong side of the receiver on his ear. He heard nothing, but the sound was still there. He turned the receiver around, and then he could listen clearly.

"Hi Philip! Alexia, here. I'm happy that you found a room in the lodge. I've called the reception and they gave me your room number."

"When we'll meet again?"

"I have a full agenda for the next few days, but I'll be free in the weekend. I'll pick you up on Saturday at 7pm, is that okay?"

"Sure! I miss you..."

"Don't be silly. Sleep tight."

"You too."

Alexia was talking from her living room. Her grandfather was having dinner and heard all the conversation. He had white hair and a lightly wrinkled, well-shaved face.

"Are you dating someone, Alexia?"

"I've met a man the other day, grandpa. I like him, even though he's one of my clients. He seems to be so naive. He impresses for being so much different from the other guys I met before."

"It's not good to date clients, sweetie. But if he has your attention, it must be for a good reason, because you're a unique girl."

"He really captivated me. But I shall listen to my heart to know if he's the one."

"Take care, sweetie."

The defender didn't feel like telling her grandfather everything about Philip; she knew he would be consumed by doubts. Maybe she would reveal who Philip was in the future. She did not like to hide things from the old man, who was like a father to her. Jonathan was a patient man, but also very smart. She thought that if she really started a relationship with Philip, then Jonathan would naturally end up knowing about everything.

Back in the lodge, someone knocked on Philip's door.

"Aren't you coming down to dinner?" Asked a beautiful young lady with hazel eyes.

"Of course, I am. I'm starving!"

"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Elina."

"I'm Philip! The pleasure is mine."

The young man climbed down the stairs swiftly. During the dinner, he was introduced to the German couple, Franz and Anette, that owned the lodge.

He engaged in a long conversation with the couple and the other guests. He felt fine in their company. Anette was the one who managed the lodge. Philip soon noticed the strength and wisdom that woman had in dealing with the business.

"It's a different time, when women are more respected and have equal, or even greater, power of decision than men." Philip was admired to notice something that he knew was right; it was a shame that things were not like this since the beginning of the world.

Next day, Philip went out to look for a job. He was pursuing an opportunity to teach German. He went to a school that belonged to a friend of Franz. The lodge owner had given him a letter of recommendation as soon as he noticed that Philip was fluent in the language. Philip was offered a good salary so, from that moment, he became capable of paying for his stay, and he didn't even have to use his magical powers.

Philip had settled on that city, although magic never stopped calling him back. He had a feeling of guiltiness for he had not been able to save those he loved. For this reason, he decided that, from that moment on, he would make his best to become a great wizard and to do good for the Humankind.

He would try not to call the attention of people, though. He had become aware of the power not only of the Internet and social media, but also of the radio broadcasting and newspapers. News spreads quickly. It would be better for him to go unnoticed. He learned from the History books that the Inquisition had been extinguished a long time ago. Also, Humankind had developed to a more evolved spiritual level. At the same time, he read news about the problems that the world had to face, like wars, famine, and the destruction of the nature, which he loved so much. Somehow, Philip had to use his powers to do the good to all Human beings.

During the nights, he would go downstairs to have dinner and to chat with the other guests. Then, he would go back to his room to read. He went over all the enchantments that the Book of Souls contained. He took the opportunity to acquire more knowledge. He locked himself up in the room to read and reread all the manuscripts. It was like he was in another world.

The guests didn't understand his behavior. It was like he did not exist at all when he was locked up in his room.

"I'm not sure that I understand that boy. He's so handsome and has no girlfriend. He locks himself up in his room every night and doesn't leave the place for nothing in this world," Anette said.

"It's true, honey! I find that young man quite strange... I like to chat with him, but he's very introspective."

Elina, the student that worked for the couple to pay for her stay, was listening to their conversation about Philip, and said, "Forgive me for my intrusion, but I couldn't help noticing that you were talking about the new guest. I would really love if he invited me on a date!"

The couple smiled.

"How about a toast for that? Anette, bring us come beer, will you?"

"A toast exactly to what, Franz?"

"To the future relationship between the new guest and our collaborator."

"Don't be silly, hon. You'll embarrass Elina."

"Let him toast, madam. I don't care. I'm enjoying it. Sometimes, it's good not to take things so seriously."

So, Anette served three mugs of beer with some German tidbits. They had fun all night.

Next day, Philip was walking down the streets when he passed by a sunglasses shop. Knowing that he could manifest his power of seeing spirits anytime, he thought it was a good idea to have his flaming eyes hidden. He was not sure he would be able to have control over that power like Juan had taught him. He immediately bought a pair of shades for himself. From that moment on, he would always have the glasses with him.

In the evening, he had dinner and, as he was going upstairs, the other guests watched him, thinking how odd he was, even more now that he was wearing a pair of shades to have dinner. Philip was being cautious, though.

He went to bed, but after a few hours he began to have an unquiet sleep. He was dreaming of a girl running in a dark desert street. He saw a man holding her, and then heard her crying incessantly for help.

"Let her go, I order you," Philip screamed.

"Listen to the boss. We can't take the girl," the man said, looking around.

At that moment, four shadows emerged from the ground and materialized into Doppelgängers that resembled the same one that had killed Verena. Enormous serpents crawled before them towards the man.

Philip's heart beat faster during the nightmare. At that moment, an enormous black wolf appeared on his left side. The beast's eyes shone when they were touched by a light that was unexpectedly turned on. And then another wolf appeared. This time, it was white, and it was at Philip's right side. The two animals howled at the same time.

The creatures of the dark, along with the serpents, were getting closer. Philip could hear the child's frightened cry near to those horrendous creatures. The white wolf turned into Juan, Philip's old friend. The wizard took out a sword that was sheathed on his back. It was Night's Fury.

"I've come to help you, Philip. You must always remember that this sword can cut any of those creatures of the shadow. And they shall fear you for that. Your name shall be worshiped in the most distant places on Earth, where Humankind's eyes never get to see."

Then Juan began to cut the snakes with clean hits. The creatures tried to escape, but they had no chance. They were all slaughtered by the power of the silver blade. The man holding the girl was Klaus, and he immediately let her go. He ran away, while the child ran towards Philip. He took her up and then gave the little one back to her parents, that disappeared in the still of the night.

Soaked, Philip was turning from one side to another on his bed. Conscious of the dream, he remembered the sword he had left in the museum. It seemed that something was about to happen, and he felt that he needed to get himself ready.   

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