Cursed family

The eerie footsteps grew louder, echoing off the cavern walls. Malcolm's instincts kicked in, and he positioned himself between the sound and his family. Rachel's eyes locked onto the darkness, her senses heightened. Ava and Eli huddled together, their hearts racing.

Suddenly, the footsteps ceased. An unsettling silence fell over the cavern. Malcolm whispered, "Stay close, and stay quiet."

A figure emerged from the shadows, seeming to draw the air out of the space. Rachel's hand instinctively went to her pocket, where she kept a small knife. Ava and Eli held their breath, their eyes fixed on the stranger... 

As the family remained on high alert, a squad of soldiers suddenly marched into the cavern, their heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. Malcolm instinctively drew closer to his family, forming a protective barrier.

"Please, we didn't know this was a restricted area," Rachel said, her hands raised in a calming gesture. "We can leave immediately if you'd like."

"But before they could retreat, one of the soldiers spotted the book still clutched in Ava's hand. "That's the Book of Masters!" he shouted, his voice dripping with accusation.

The largest soldier, adorned with a thick leader's coat, sneered as he drew his weapon. "You claim you didn't know about this place, yet you're caught red-handed trying to steal the book."

Malcolm's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with a plan to defuse the situation. "We mean no harm. Let us explain..."

But before he could continue, the soldier's expression turned even more menacing...

The soldier's finger tightened on the trigger, and Malcolm knew they had to act fast. With a swift motion, he pushed his family behind him and brought out the axe, he had been keeping behind him for a while.

Malcolm fought valiantly, taking down soldier after soldier, but there were too many he struggled to keep his family safe, but soon found himself surrounded, by many of them, he couldn't keep up, and suddenly - BRRRRRKKKK! One of the soldiers hit Malcolm from behind, making him lose balance.

Just as Malcolm fell to the ground, overwhelmed, a group of soldiers closed in on Eli and Ava. One raised his weapon, ready to strike.

"Wait!!! You and I know you wouldn't hit a kid" Eli said with a smile.

The soldiers looked at him with a blank expression, trying to understand what he meant.

"Please Eli, do not try anything funny, we all know how it ends," Rachel said still struggling with one of the soldiers.

As soon as she could transcend the soldier she was fighting with her little knife, she quickly ran closer to her kids.

"Please we do not mean harm, we came here because we were desperate, and we didn't have any other place to go. We would leave immediately." Rachel said trying to stop Eli from fighting. 

She knew her son so well, Eli might be very comical, but in a time like this, she knew very well that Eli's power might kick in anytime, and she wouldn't be able to stop him, and of course the damage he might cause, can be so catastrophic.

"Who said you could leave!" One of the soldiers who was still very surprised and angry at the same time shouted, trying to digest the situation.

Before Rachel could utter any other word, the soldiers closed inn and Eli smirked. "You know, your uniforms are really... eye-catching. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to wear bright red in the middle of the desert?"