Abuela stood outside Casita directing people inside. She was also looking out for her children and grandchildren. In all the uproar and chaos, she was unable to determine where any of her family members were. She had to keep working to keep people safe and orderly, so she could not look for them in or outside of the house.
Bruno's vision weighed on her mind. Knowing she would be killed was a terrifying thought. But the worst of it was that she may not get to say goodbye to her family before it happened. As the last of the people running to the house came and escaped inside, Abuela could see a battle in the distance.
Lightning crackled throughout the town. Large dangerous plants sprouted along buildings and the ground. The loud sound of objects crashing rumbled through the air. She could see several men on horses riding toward her with machetes.
Her heart began to pound at the sight; it reminded her of 50 years ago when Pedro had been killed. This was the one event she never thought could happen again. She never wanted her family to be involved in such violence.
Julieta, Agustin, Dolores, and Mirabel managed to make it to Abuela before the men on horses did. But they didn't have time to escape into the house.
Dante stopped his horse in front of the family. He recognized Alma from the vision and smirked. Andre had told him that this woman was the matriarch of the Madrigals. He dismounted his horse and walked up to her as his men followed surrounding the family.
"Alma, is it?" He asked. "I'm Dante. Andre told me all about this place and your very gifted family. I didn't believe it at first. Magic doesn't exists, or so I thought." He lifted a green rectangle out of his saddle bag and handed it to her. "I saw the future and I'm taking advantage."
Alma looked at the image and saw herself about to be killed by the man in front of her. "You might kill me, but you won't touch my family," she said defiantly throwing the vision to the ground breaking it. "This place is meant for peace and you are trespassing."
Upon seeing Dante looming over Abuela threateningly, Bruno and Camilo launched themselves toward them without much thought. They did not want the evil man to get the chance to kill her. Dante raised his weapon to Alma quickly before they could make it close enough. "Don't take another step or I'm going to make that vision come true Bruno."
"Let her go!" Bruno yelled stopping in his tracks putting his arm out to stop Camilo too. His vision was coming true and he didn't make it in time to stop it. "She doesn't have to die Dante. There is no reason to kill her."
"Where's Andre?" The gang leader asked ignoring his pleas. "Thought you two love birds had reunited." He addressed Alma, "Did you know your son is engaged?" He chuckled, "It's a pretty enough ring I suppose-."
"He's dead," Bruno interrupted making Dante pause. Different emotions and thoughts ran through the man's mind. Andre was was helpful and fun to hangout with, his best friend. But he was also a bit unhinged, making him a liability. Dante landed on being angry over the news, but he would have to deal with it later.
"That's too bad," Dante said darkly walking up to the smaller man and pushing Camilo to the ground. The boy made to get up, but one of the gang members grabbed him and held a machete to his neck.
"Stop!" Alma shouted with worry about to go to them, but more men held up their machetes to keep order. Camilo was pushed to stand with the rest of his family. Dante placed his arm around Bruno's shoulders like they were friends. He walked him over to stand in front of his mother. Julieta and Agustin held Mirabel, Camilo, and Dolores close trying to keep them safe.
"Let's make a deal," Dante said to Alma. "You get your family to cooperate with me and I won't kill every man, woman, and child in this ridiculous town. You can start by stopping that crazy bitch from electrocuting and killing my men." Lightning crackled behind them for emphasis.
"I will stop them, but you must promise me you will not hurt anyone," She requested. Andre barked a laugh.
"You have no room to negotiate. Stop them now," He demanded. With an angry glare she began making her way down the road as quickly as possible. Dante sent two of his men to follow. Bruno sighed in relief, there was still time to save her.
"You must be devastated about Andre's passing," Dante said squeezing Bruno close like they were just having a fun chat. He chuckled, "If I find out you had anything to do with it, I'm going to put you through unimaginable pain." He gave a wide smile that made Bruno shiver. "I won't kill you of course. You're too valuable."
"Now, since I don't have Andre to point out your family members, you'll have to do it," Dante said pointing his weapon at them. "You related to any of these people?"
"No," Bruno responded quickly. Too quickly.
"If you lie, this is going to make things twice as hard," the gang leader said annoyed.
"I'm not lying," the prophet insisted.
"You are," The evil man countered. "And if you lie I am going to end up killing and taking the wrong people." He signaled one of his men to come over. "I know you don't need your legs for visions." The man came up holding a bat and swung it in to Bruno's left shin.
Bruno fell to the ground screaming in pain. He closed his eyes tightly writhing through the worst of it. "Stop!" Julieta yelled running to her brother's side. She took his hand and allowed him to squeeze it to help through the agony.
The rat in his clothes peaked out. Not wanting another horror scene Bruno pushed it back into his shirt, hoping they wouldn't try to eat another person. It would be gruesome and pointless. His rats could not take this many people.
"What's your name," Dante asked addressing the woman.
"Julieta," She said with anger in her eyes.
"You seem like a reasonable person. Do you have a power?" He asked. "Careful how you respond. He has another leg. And you have two I can break after."
"I do," She confirmed. "I can heal. Let me heal my brother." Dante made no move to stop her when she took a small bit of bread out of her apron pocket. She had been using bread to heal people that were injured in town when escaping the violence.
"Julieta don't," Bruno implored.
"We have no choice," She responded putting the bread to his mouth. Knowing she was right, he ate it and his leg healed allowing him to stand.
Dante jumped in excitement. "That is amazing!" He had one of his men grab her and pull her to the side. "Andre said there were eight total. I have two. Now tell me who the rest are."
.=.
Felix was the first Alma reached. He was standing in the road watching Pepa a little further down unleashing wild wind and treacherous storms. "Felix!" she called to him.
"Abuela!" He responded in relief to know she was safe, only to tense up when he saw the men with weapons behind her.
"I need you all to stop fighting," She said in distress. "The rest of the family is being held captive in front of the house. They are going to start killing if we do not stop fighting." Upon hearing this he turned and ran toward Pepa yelling for her to stop.
"What is it Felix?" She said having finished what she was doing anyway. Abuela followed seeing that the men were either gone or dead. Alma was sad to see the bodies, she did not want her daughter to live with the guilt of murder.
"Abuela says they are going to start killing if we do not stop!" He responded. Pepa saw the men with machetes and lightning struck killing them both instantly. She was not risking any chance of her mother dying. Alma was grateful that she was safe, but slightly disturbed Pepa killed them so easily without a second thought.
Luisa and Isabela ran to them seeing their Abuela unharmed. "Are they all gone?" Felix asked referring to the men they had been fighting.
"We looked everywhere," Luisa said catching her breath from running around town. "I didn't see anyone left." Isabela nodded in agreement. This worried Abuela, because while the fighting stopped like that evil man wanted; the majority of his army was gone.
"The ones who got past us are holding the rest of the family at the house," Felix announced for Abuela. "They might start killing them." Pepa paced, she thought they were winning. She had struck down so many men, yet it didn't make a difference. Felix pulled her into a comforting hug. "It's going to be okay. We'll figure this out."
He wasn't really sure it was going to be okay. Their children were with dangerous people. He couldn't handle this, not after they had already been kidnapped before and had run off later on. They would be grounded for years after this. Pepa squeezed him sensing his distress.
"We need to save them," Isabela said. "We should try to catch them by surprise."
"It's dangerous," Abuela added. "But we have no choice. If they are able to capture us all, we may be killed anyway."
.=.
"Who wants to reveal themself next?" Dante smiled. He couldn't wait to see the other powers. He was going to be the most powerful and wealthy man in the world with these people under his control. Agustin moved the kids behind him hoping they wouldn't give themselves away.
Camilo stubbornly moved away from his sister who tried to hold on to him knowing he was going to be reckless. He marched up to Dante quickly. "I'll show you mine," he said before changing into his father smashing his fist into the gang leaders stomach, then punching him in the face.
Dante yelped in surprise and grunted at the blows. He yelled at his men angrily, "Grab him!" Camilo braced himself ready for a fight, but the moment one man got within an inch of him lightening stuck and killed him instantly. Camilo changed back to his true form in shock. Pepa ran to him and held him close.
Felix punched another man and pulled the weapon out of his hand using it to defend the others as Luisa and Isabela began attacking and scaring the men away. Dante turned to see Alma standing close by.
"You fucking bitch!" He screamed running toward her. Bruno scrambled into action running to stop him. Dante lifted his machete and when he came close Bruno launched himself in front of her grabbing the handle of the machete trying to stop it from coming down, but it made contact with his head.
Alma fell to her knees shaking and hovering over her son as bright red blood pooled on the ground from the gash in his forehead. Julieta came to his aid. "He's still breathing. We need to wake him up."
Dante watched his men running for the hills around him. "Cowards!" He yelled angrily. His plans were falling apart. He would have to flee as well. He moved toward his horse but his foot got caught by a plant on the ground. It quickly grew wrapping around him like a snake. It's stem grew thick.
Isabela was angry. She was angry about her family being threatened, almost killed, and subjected to violence, and now Bruno lay dying. She had been too hard on him when she last spoke to him. She would never get the chance to apologize and make things right.
Her emotions overwhelmed her and she let the plant wrapped around Dante grow. He shrieked as the plant grew into a tree and became thicker and thicker cracking his bones and crushing him to death. Agustin couldn't believe what his daughter had just done. She rushed to her and pulled her into a hug and let the poor girl cry into his chest.
"Brunito," Julieta cried gripping his shoulders trying to wake him. Everyone crowded around unable to stifle their tears. "I need you to open your eyes. Please, wake up." He twitched and opened his eyes hearing the sound of his family crying and calling his name.
"Sorry," He apologized looking up at them. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." Julieta fed him bread quickly and healed his head. The moment he sat up she pulled him into a hug crying. He could only apologize more, "I'm so sorry."