Bless Me, Ultima: Chapter 22 (Veintidos) Summary & Analysis

That night Antonio dreams of three people. At first he thinks that they are his brothers, but actually they turn out to be Lupito, Narciso, and Florence, the three people he has watched die and said Acts of Contrition for "in his innocence," even though they were outcasts. Antonio begs to know why he has to see so much violence, and a voice answers that creation is born from violence. Antonio watches as a priest defiles an altar by pouring pigeon blood on it, Cico defiles the river by spearing the golden carp, and Tenorio murders Ultima by killing her "night-spirit." Antonio cries out "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!" The three dead figures tell him that they live only in his dreams.

Antonio wakes from the nightmare and Ultima gives him a potion. She says he has seen too much death for his age and perhaps he should go stay with his uncles, the Lunas. His parents agree, and they all decide that he will go to El Puerto for the month. He is sad to leave Ultima, but she says sadness is part of becoming a man, and he must gather strength from his experiences. He must also expect things to be changed when he returns, as he is growing up fast. María and Ultima both bless Antonio and he leaves with Gabriel. He realizes he will never see his home the same way again.

Gabriel and Antonio talk on the drive to El Puerto. Gabriel says it is good for Antonio to be on his own, and that Gabriel left at that age to live alone in the llano. He tells Antonio that he must choose from all the old dreams or make something new. Gabriel admits that the old llano and vaqueros are dying out, so perhaps Antonio should follow the Lunas, or at least give up the conflict between wind and earth, sea and moon – but Antonio wants to be both Luna and Márez. He wonders if a new religion could be made from the old ones. Gabriel says the first Luna priest had a family (forbidden for priests). This gives Antonio hope that religion could change.

Antonio asks Gabriel about evil, to which Gabriel responds that most evil is just things people don't understand. God does not give understanding – only experience does. He adds that much of Ultima's magic is just great empathy with other people and the earth. Antonio is not sure he understands, but he will never forget that conversation with Gabriel.

Antonio has a good month working with his uncles and his nightmares do not bother him during this time. He enjoys learning the Lunas way of life, how they are silent and loving towards the earth. As the month passes, Antonio gets a letter that his parents will come and get him soon. His uncle Pedro, meanwhile, is pleased with Antonio's work and also with his learning. He says Antonio will have a place among the Lunas if he should so choose.

As Pedro is speaking to Antonio, Juan approaches with the news that Tenorio's second daughter has died, and that Tenorio is again drunk and after Ultima's blood. The Luna brothers decide to help Ultima this time, despite their father's wishes, as they owe her for Lucas's life. They decide to drive with Antonio back to Guadalupe after dinner. Antonio feels less anxious and starts off to Prudencio's house to pack his things.

Antonio is walking Tenorio suddenly rides up, cursing, and tries to run him over with his horse. Antonio grabs the reins and the horse throws Tenorio, and Antonio flees and hides. Tenorio looks for him in vain, but curses him aloud and hopes Antonio is dead. He vows to avenge his daughters, and says he has discovered Ultima's secret – the owl is Ultima's spirit, so it is the owl he must kill. Antonio hears this and it suddenly makes sense. The owl is the spirit of the night, the llano, and the moon – it is Ultima's soul. He is terrified for her.

Antonio starts to run the ten miles to Guadalupe, and he thinks of Narciso's last rush to save Ultima. Antonio knows he must defend her because she is a symbol of good overcoming evil. After a few miles it gets dark and he is exhausted. He thinks more about the owl, and remembers how it had protected and watched over them.

Antonio runs and thinks about the moments of beauty and grief he has experienced, and wonders if he is becoming a man, and what dream his life will follow. He reaches his home and everything seems calm, but then Tenorio appears with a rifle. He points the gun at Antonio, but Ultima commands the owl to attack him and Tenorio shoots it. The gunshot seems to shatter Antonio's childhood.

Tenorio finds the owl's body and holds it up triumphantly, howling that he has had his revenge. Then he aims his gun at Antonio again, but Pedro shoots him in the stomach and he falls, dead.

Antonio sees the owl is dead and looks frantically for Ultima. The others don't understand what the owl means, so they think the danger has passed. Antonio orders his mother and sisters inside, like a man.

Antonio enters Ultima's room and sees she is dying. He pleads with her to live, but she accepts her fate. She tells how the flying man gave her the owl as her spirit. She has done good in the world, but also meddled with destiny just like Tenorio. Now that they are both dead it will bring balance. She asks Antonio to burn her medicines and bury the owl under a forked juniper tree.

Antonio kneels and requests a blessing. Ultima asks that he have "the strength to live," and she says she will be there in the hills when he is in despair. Antonio runs out and buries the owl beneath a juniper, crying.

As he buries the owl, Antonio looks at the moonlit town and thinks about building his own, new dream out of the dreams of his past. Later they will bury Ultima with a Catholic mass, but Antonio knows he is really burying her here and now.