Cursed family

The soldiers pause, taken aback by Eli's joke. One of them snarled, "Shut up and fight!"

Eli chuckled. "Oh, I'm just getting started."

With a fierce cry, Eli launched himself at the soldiers. HIs fists flew, taking down soldier after soldier. His movements were swift and deadly, his emotions fueling his fighting skills.

Ava watched in awe as her brother took down the soldiers with ease. Rachel's eyes widened in concern, knowing that Eli's emotions could get the better of him.

Malcolm tried to intervene, this was what he was trying to avoid, that was the main reason he tried to take this soldier all by himself at first, without any further drama, but there were just too many.

Eli was too fast. He took down soldier after soldier, his fighting skills unmatched.

One of the soldiers begged for mercy, "Please, stop! We surrender!"

Eli's response was a swift kick, sending the soldier flying. Rachel rushed forward, grabbing Eli's arm. "Eli, stop! That's enough!" She cried, her voice firm but gentle.

Eli's chest heaved with exertion, his eyes blazing with fury. Slowly, he came back to himself, his emotions calming.

The soldiers lay scattered around them, some groaning in pain. Malcolm helped Rachel drag Eli away from the scene.

"We need to get out of here, now," Malcolm whispered urgently. 

Rachel nodded, her eyes locked on Eli's. "Let's go."

With the soldiers momentarily stunned, the family had a small window to escape not waiting for any more drama.

As they caught their breath, Ava gazed at Eli with a mix of admiration and envy. "I wish my powers were more like yours, Eli."

Malcolm placed a reassuring hand on Ava's shoulder. "Your powers would definitely be unique, Ava. Don't compare yourself to Eli."

Rachel smiled, her eyes warm with understanding. "It's not just about power or fighting, Ava. It's about responsibility, family, and protecting what's important."

Eli chimed in, "Yeah, and who knows, Ava? Your powers might be even stronger than mine!"

Ava raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical. "Easy for you to say, Eli. You have powers, but I, Mom and Dad don't."

Rachel and Malcolm exchanged a knowing glance. They had always been careful about sharing the truth about their past with their children.

"When we were teenagers," Rachel began, "an evil witch cursed us. She didn't want us to be happy together, so she placed a curse on us, leaving evil marks on our bodies."

Malcolm took over, his voice low and serious. "The curse affected not just us, but our future children as well. That's why Eli and Ava was given powers – to help counteract the curse."

Ava's eyes widened in understanding. "So, Mom and Dad, you didn't get powers, but we did?"

Rachel nodded. "That's right, sweetie. The powers were given to you and Eli to help you fight against the curse. But Malcolm and I... we're still affected by the curse, even though we don't have powers."

Eli's expression turned thoughtful. "I see. So, that's why Mom and Dad's marks are getting worse, but mine is getting better?"

Malcolm nodded. "Exactly, son. Your power is working to counteract the curse, but ours... ours is still a work in progress."

Ava's face clouded with concern. "But what about me? I'm eighteen now, and I still haven't gotten my powers."

Rachel's expression turned reassuring. "Don't worry, Ava. Your powers will come when the time is right. We just need to be patient and keep searching for a way to break the curse."

As they stood there, the sun beating down on them, the Blackwood family knew they still had a long way to go. But they were determined to face whatever challenges came their way together.

As they were about to continue their journey, Malcolm noticed the leather book they thought they left was still with Ava...