HEROES III

The First Connection

The party hall was no longer a party.

It was a disaster zone.

The music had stopped.

The lights were broken.

Smoke filled the air.

The once beautiful hall was now covered in cracks and destruction.

People had already escaped or were being helped away.

But in the middle of all the chaos...

T.L sat quietly on a chair.

Alone.

Across from her, Nonke, Gabriel, Bianca, and Guen were gathered around Sophie.

Sophie was still unconscious.

Her body bruised from the blast.

T.L watched them.

Her heart felt heavy.

Every second she looked at Sophie, the same thought came back.

"I did this."

"My power did this."

She lowered her head.

She was already preparing herself.

Preparing for the words she expected.

The anger.

The accusations.

The rejection.

Then...

Footsteps.

Guen walked toward her.

T.L slowly looked up.

"Okay..."

"Here it comes."

But Guen stopped in front of her.

She didn't look angry.

She didn't look afraid.

She just looked concerned.

Guen gently tapped her shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

T.L blinked.

She wasn't expecting that.

"Yeah..."

She quickly nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Then her eyes moved toward Sophie.

"How is she?"

Guen followed her gaze.

She looked at Sophie lying unconscious.

Then she looked back at T.L.

"She'll be fine."

T.L's eyes widened.

"She will?"

Guen nodded.

"She's in a coma."

The moment T.L heard that...

Her face changed.

"Coma?"

Her voice cracked.

"What have I done?"

She stood up.

"I'm a monster."

Guen immediately shook her head.

"No."

T.L looked at her.

"No?"

Guen stepped closer.

"No, T.L."

"You are not a monster."

T.L looked away.

"Then what am I?"

Guen sat beside her.

"You didn't have powers before."

"You were just a normal girl trying to find where you belonged."

She smiled slightly.

"And now you have powers."

"Powerful ones."

"That's a good thing, right?"

T.L's eyes became sad.

"Powers that hurt people..."

She looked at her hands.

"Is that really a good thing?"

"Or is it a curse?"

Guen stayed quiet for a moment.

Then she answered.

"Sophie will be fine."

T.L looked at her.

"And if that's what you're worried about..."

"Then listen to me."

Guen pointed around the destroyed hall.

"Your power..."

"It is the greatest power I've ever seen."

She looked toward the others.

"It's the greatest power any of us have ever seen."

T.L didn't respond.

Guen continued.

"Don't let one accident decide who you are."

"Don't live in the past."

"Live in the future."

"Learn."

"Control it."

T.L gave a weak laugh.

"How?"

Before Guen could answer—

"T.L?"

A familiar voice echoed.

Everyone turned.

Standing at the entrance were:

Kaiden.

Schizzel.

William.

Mirabel.

T.L froze.

Her eyes widened.

"Mrs. Schizzel?"

Schizzel walked toward her.

A small smile appeared on her face.

"We've been looking for you for weeks."

T.L stood slowly.

Guen looked between them.

"Who are they?"

T.L looked at them.

"They're from Heroes Academy."

Guen's expression changed slightly.

"Oh..."

Because she remembered.

She remembered the stories.

The nights T.L cried.

The way she repeated what happened.

How she explained being rejected.

How she said she felt like she didn't belong.

And now...

Those same people were standing in front of her.

Looking for her.

Kaiden stepped forward.

"T.L."

"We have to leave."

T.L frowned.

"Leave?"

Kaiden nodded.

"We're going back to Heroes Academy."

The words hit her.

Her expression changed instantly.

"Wait."

"Stop for a second."

She stood up.

"You want me to go back there?"

"The place where I was rejected?"

Kaiden remained silent.

T.L shook her head.

"What do you want?"

"For me to walk back into another circle of rejection?"

Schizzel stepped forward.

"T.L..."

"We know you were hurt."

"We know what happened."

She looked down.

"And I'm sorry."

"I'm saying that on behalf of Merson and everyone else."

"But right now..."

"Things are bigger than you know."

T.L crossed her arms.

"I'm not going."

Guen immediately stepped beside her.

"Yeah."

"She's not going anywhere."

T.L looked at Guen.

Then she slowly shook her head.

"And I'm not staying here either."

Guen looked surprised.

"What?"

"Why?"

T.L looked away.

"I'm better off alone."

"So I don't put anyone else in a coma."

Schizzel frowned.

"Who is in a coma?"

T.L's eyes filled with tears.

"Sophie."

She pointed toward her.

"My best friend here."

Her voice broke.

"I don't know what happened."

"Two books came to me..."

"And then..."

She looked at her hands.

"It was like something took over."

"I released an energy blast."

"That's what happened to Sophie."

Guen grabbed her hand.

"T.L..."

"It wasn't your fault."

"You didn't know it would happen."

T.L looked down.

Kaiden quietly leaned toward Mirabel.

"She touched all seven books."

Mirabel's face became serious.

"The power is already activated."

Kaiden whispered.

"What now?"

Mirabel didn't answer.

She simply walked toward T.L.

Then she bent down.

She gently wiped the tears from T.L's face.

"Don't cry."

T.L looked at her.

"We are here for you."

Mirabel smiled softly.

"I'm here for you."

T.L stared.

"Who are you?"

Mirabel looked at her.

"I'm your aunt."

Everything stopped.

T.L blinked.

"My..."

She looked at Kaiden.

Then Schizzel.

Then William.

All of them nodded.

It was true.

T.L's mouth slowly opened.

"I..."

"Have an aunt?"

For the first time in a long time...

A small smile appeared on her face.

She had found a connection.

One piece of her missing life.

Mirabel smiled.

"There you go."

T.L wiped her tears.

"Uh..."

"What should I call you?"

Mirabel laughed softly.

"I'm Mirabel."

"But you can call me Aunt Mira."

T.L repeated quietly.

"Aunt Mira..."

Then her expression changed.

"You are my..."

Mirabel nodded.

"Your mother's sister."

Silence.

Then T.L asked the question she had carried her whole life.

"Where is my mum?"

Mirabel looked at her.

"Is she dead?"

A pause.

"Did she abandon me?"

Mirabel's expression became serious.

"All those questions..."

"Will be answered when we get to Heroes Academy."

T.L frowned.

"Why there?"

"Why can't you tell me now?"

Mirabel looked around.

"Because you are not safe here."

T.L looked confused.

"Why not?"

Mirabel shook her head.

"Those answers will come."

"But first..."

"We need to move."

Guen looked at T.L.

Then smiled sadly.

"Go."

T.L looked at her.

"We'll be fine."

T.L stared at Sophie.

Then at Guen.

She hesitated.

"No."

Everyone looked at her.

"I'll come with you."

"But only after I know Sophie is okay."

William sighed.

"Come on..."

Mirabel looked at Sophie.

Then nodded.

"Fine."

"I'll heal her."

T.L looked surprised.

"You're a healer?"

Mirabel smiled.

"Yes."

Then she looked at T.L.

"You are too."

T.L froze.

"But you will need to learn how to use that part of yourself."

Mirabel turned.

"Where is your friend?"

Guen and T.L pointed.

Mirabel walked toward Sophie.

"Alright."

"Let's heal her."

And for the first time...

T.L didn't feel completely alone.