Santángel learns the next Torneo Secreto trial will unfold during a puppet play about Christ’s life, with competitors summoned to pray aloud while working their refranes. Luzia prepares refranes meant to bless the savior with holy light or to repeat the vine-and-bloom miracle, confident in her lifelong practice of performing Catholic devotion while holding a hidden faith.

The play begins with an enchanting Nativity scene, and Fray Diego calls on Fortún Donadei first. Fortún plays his vihuela solemnly and produces a small glowing lamb from the dark woods, drawing astonished cheers. Next, Gracia de Valera is prompted to protect the Christ Child and conjures a convincing snowfall that Teoda dismisses as planned stagecraft using a magic lantern and other devices.

When Fray Diego calls Luzia Calderón Cotado, Luzia kneels and prays the Ave Maria aloud while singing the refrán internally, and a flood of white roses cascades onto the stage. The roses turn toward the manger, but form a thorny barrier against the puppet Queen Elizabeth, her dragon, and John Dee—until the puppets’ shadows begin acting independently, crudely mocking the holy men and then warping into clawed, monstrous forms that attack the marionettes and terrify the audience.

Panic erupts as the vicar and his companions flee and the garden descends into fire and chaos. A small demon-shadow leaps off the stage and lunges at Gracia; Luzia, revolted by its unreal but disgusting presence, grabs it and hurls it away. As Luzia and Gracia try to reach the palace, Gracia admits she assumed the competitors were frauds and came only to find a husband, not to win.

Another shadow-creature crawls onto Luzia and pins her, crushing her into the muck until Santángel hauls her onto his horse and rides through the gardens. Santángel warns that the shadows will grow stronger and enter the palace unless Luzia stops them, prompting Luzia to realize shadows thrive on light. Forced to act, Luzia sings a refrán openly—“En lo eskuro, es todo uno”—and the fires, lanterns, and palace windows go dark as the night swallows the grounds.