Regus didn't exactly see it happen, not properly. In his mind, the distance was still negligible. But he certainly heard its effect.
Gasps, shouts, protests. A call from a stunned supervisor.
The entire group had just teleported over the finish line. And Regus had done it. With barely any energy used. Regus grit his teeth for the backlash.
And there it was. His entire body was spiked through with pain, as though nails were being pounded into every inch of him. With that pain, there came a massive drain on his power. He was stupid, so stupid. Why would he do something like that?
It was just so useless. All for what? Just to...
Regus's train of thought trailed off as something occurred to him. This was perfect. As long as people realized that it was him that did it...
Regus lifted his head and looked around at the crowd. Yes, they knew it was him. The way their restless murmurs fell silent whenever his gaze was directed at them confirmed that. After all, he was still holding out his hand in a fist.
He needed no words. He doubted he would even have to campaign for followers after this.
They had just seen him elevate some of the weakest people in Group Fourteen to among the highest average scores by sheer power, his own power. Regus dropped his hand, and then turned and walked off of the field in the direction of his dorm.
Not a word, not a sound dropped from his mouth.
No one stopped him, not even the supervisor. The students were free to go for the evening once they completed the second test, although most of them stuck around to watch the whole thing. Afterwards, it was customary to go out to a place in a nearby town that was called the Drip.
As its name suggested, it was a bar. They had gotten so used to celebrations by students that the owner could recognize when a big event had happened when the first few entered, and the staff could empty and prepare a room within ten minutes. It really was quite impressive to do, considering that none of them used abilities regularly.
But Regus had no intentions of participating in the celebration. That was just another thing to separate him from the other students, and it would also give him time.
To confront his nature.
Once he reached his room, Regus sat down on his bed and crossed his legs.
He breathed in, slowly.
He breathed out, slowly.
His mind slowly started to dissociate, until he was once again separate.
Hashim regained control, and he immediately flopped down on the bed. This new personality's antics had cost them a ridiculous amount of stamina, and he couldn't store energy like Regus did, so he was asleep within seconds. Although honestly, that was quite a nice change of pace from their usual hour or so they took to fall asleep, with everyone trying to get in one last word before they slept.
But tonight was no normal night. As he had suspected, they dreamed, and no ordinary dream.
Tonight, the council was called.
Hashim stood behind a desk.
All around him, the others were seated at tables, forming a half-ring facing him.
Jake, Xavier, Toon, Corpse, and two empty ones. One had been there for a while, the seat where Bunny had sat when they had used the power of the council to banish him to the Deep Consciousness. The other was new, assumedly Regus's place, but empty.
"We need to talk," Jake started. He was sitting up straight, the only one aside from Hashim who was, and his golden blonde hair shone in the firelight from the torches ringing the circular room that provided the light.
"Hold on now," Xavier interrupted before he could get in another sentence. He was lounging and leaning his chair back, with only two legs on the floor, his black jacket sloppy and his ebony hair looking as though he did little more than run a brush carelessly through it. "Since when do you get to be in charge? Just because you did some fancy thing with Hashim that partially repressed us doesn't mean that you're our ruler now."
"His name is Regus," Corpse said in his slow, heavy voice. Despite his dark nature, he seemed to be the mediator in the council both other times it was called, his dark eyes and perpetually half-shadowed face the only reminders of his uncouth tongue in their mind, a single dark brown strand all that was visible of his hair, mostly hidden under his hood. "And he is a problem, I agree. But not the first one."
"So who is the first problem, oh great and wise Corpse?" Toon asked sarcastically, rolling his eyes. His hair was pale blonde and wild, and he had a simple white robe thrown on over his messy clothing, the look of a distinguished scientist completed by the glasses resting on his nose, but ruined by his posture and sharp tongue. "Could perhaps it be the one who has been subverting us all and performing egregious acts without permission over the course of our stay at this establishment?"
"Xavier, you have some explaining to do," Hashim said firmly, trying to steer the conversation back on course and stop Toon and Corpse arguing, which he knew would only devolve into a battle of insults. "Why don't you start with how you were able to block us out?
"I don't have any more explaining than you do," Xavier shot back, the legs of his chair slamming to the ground as he stood up, mirroring the motions of his hands as they hit the desk. "What in Atrius-"
"A successful experiment, nothing more," Toon bit in. "Get on with the explanation."
"I don't have to explain anything," Xavier insisted. "But you and Jake certainly do."
"Xavier..." Hashim started with a sigh, but then Jake interrupted him with his quiet voice.
"I agree with him. We're unstable enough as it is. We don't need to add even more personalities."
Hashim turned to look at him, confused. What did he mean by unstable? This was going to be good for them. They finally had a master plan, an end goal. Regus would keep them on track.
"I have no problem with him, and he didn't block me," Toon said. "His worst crime was not acknowledging my existence, and that's quite easily reparable."
"So this just turned into everyone against me again?" Xavier asked bitterly.
"Yes!" Hashim said, exasperated. "It always has been! Don't you see? You're nothing but a nuisance, and you've overstepped your bounds!"
The others didn't like it, but Hashim didn't care. He was going to do this, whether or not they approved.
"I've always considered you a necessary evil," Hshim continued. "But necessary or not, nothing can excuse upsetting the balance of power. Blocking us out, forcing me to block you, making important decisions without everyone's consent, without even letting us all know!"
Hashim looked around. Toon was waving mockingly. He would vote with him. Jake was hesitant, but eventually nodded. And Corpse...
Corpse sighed deeply, and then he said, "This is the way it must be."
And he stood up, his chair creaking loudly, then spoke.
"All those in favor of banishment, raise your hands."
Hashim and Toon did immediately, and Jake followed after a quiet apology.
With one last...
Xavier only sighed.
Hashim frowned, his satisfaction fading slightly. That didn't seem right. Not even an insult, not a single mention of anything aligned with his interests. Where was his final quip, his last word?
"Enjoy it," Xavier said softly, and then he turned and walked towards the edge of the room. Outside was where the creatures that lived in the Deep Consciousness roamed. It was the place where Bunny had been thrown, and by doing it Xavier had a scar behind his right ear, visible now as he turned to walk away.
But the time that Hashim tolerated Xavier was over.
Besides, they were going to be adding another person anyway, so Jake didn't have to worry about balance.
They didn't even have to throw Xavier out. He was going on his own. Xavier placed his hand on the doorway, and it gave before his touch, blasting open and letting in a storm of powerful emotions, confused thoughts, cries of fear, hope, pain.
Hashim went rigid as he felt every mind within the Deep Consciousness shout as one, pushing against them, begging for freedom. But among them, there was one ringleader, one clear voice.
Corpse hissed, and Hashim scowled.
It must be Bunny. There he stood, in the storm of the Deep Consciousness, backlit by occasional flashes of lightning, his cloak whipping in the tempest. He extended a hand, waiting.
Hashim turned as he saw movement, eager to get his focus of of the figures in the doorway.
But what he saw was worse. Worse than two named minds in the Deep Consciousness together.
Corpse was running towards the door.
Hashim shouted, leaping over his desk as it melted beneath him.
The room became a swirling form of light against the darkness of the Deep Consciousness as the tables and chairs crumbled and melted to nothing, belying the urgency of the moment.
The distance closed as Hashim and Corpse both raced towards Xavier.
Xavier reached out.
Their hands brushed.
And Hashim jolted awake, gasping.