Hora of Moldova (Volume 1)

Chapter 6

Sofia entered her mother's boutique, the familiar scent of fresh fabric and floral perfume greeting her as she stepped inside. Laura, her mother, was already waiting anxiously by the counter, her eyes filled with worry and curiosity.

"Mom," Sofia began, her voice tinged with exhaustion.

Laura quickly closed the distance between them, enveloping Sofia in a tight hug.

"Sofia! I was so worried. I heard about everything on the news."

Sofia pulled back slightly, looking into her mother's eyes.

"You know?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Laura led Sofia to a small seating area in the boutique, gently urging her to sit.

"The news said five superheroes saved the day, but their identities remained unknown. I had a pretty good feeling who at least one of them was." She looked at Sofia with a mixture of concern and curiosity. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Sofia's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't realized the news crew had been there. She glanced around the boutique, taking comfort in its cozy, familiar surroundings before meeting her mother's gaze again.

"Mom, I... I need to tell you everything."

Laura took Sofia's hands in hers, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm listening."

Sofia took a deep breath, her thoughts racing.

Mira attacked the school. She used dark magic to control our classmates, and I... I had accidentally given my friends powers."

Laura's eyes widened in surprise. "Gave them powers? How?"

Sofia sighed.

"It wasn't intentional. My emotions were all over the place, and somehow, my magic transferred to them. Glacial, Blossom, Breeze, and Crispshade - they all have abilities now. And Mira, she turned some of our friends into knights under her control. It was chaos, and we were trying to save everyone without hurting them."

Laura listened intently, her expression a mixture of concern and pride. But as Sofia continued, a deep worry began to settle in her eyes.

"And you managed to stop Mira?"

Tears welled up in Sofia's eyes as she recalled the moment she had faced Mira's dark lightning bolt.

"Mira's magic was so strong. She tried to turn me into one of her knights, and I almost lost myself. But then, something inside me... something deep and powerful... helped me break free. And my friends, they stood by me. They trusted me, even after everything."

Laura's grip tightened on Sofia's hands, her face paling slightly as the gravity of the situation sank in.

"You were almost turned into... one of her knights?" Her voice trembled, and she took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Sofia, I... I almost lost you."

Laura's eyes filled with tears, and she pulled Sofia into another hug, tighter this time. She took a deep breath, her voice shaking slightly.

"You're stronger than you think, Sofia. And your friends are a testament to that strength. They believe in you because they see the good in you, just like I do."

Sofia wiped away her tears, feeling a sense of relief and gratitude.

"Thanks, Mom. I just hope I can figure out how to control these powers and keep everyone safe."