The school alarm rang loudly.
"Attention, students! Everyone must proceed to their next class immediately. I repeat: everyone to their respective classrooms now."
"Good thing we finished eating on time," Beatrice said. "Let's get to class before the teacher starts complaining!"
Everyone returned to the classroom.
As soon as they arrived, the teacher slammed his hand against the desk.
"Students! Take your seats! I am Professor Nando. Everyone, introduce yourselves in order."
After everyone had introduced themselves, he continued.
"Today's lesson will be about controlling your emotions in relation to your powers. Before we begin, I'll give you a brief explanation."
"Depending on the nature of your power, it can be influenced by your emotions. Even a seemingly small ability can become dangerous if it isn't properly controlled. Until you learn to control your emotions, they may affect your powers."
He paused.
"But for that... let's go to the courtyard."
Everyone headed outside.
"Sit down," Professor Nando said.
The students sat down.
Lauren closed his eyes and began to concentrate, trying to activate Temporal Freeze again.
However, memories suddenly surfaced.
The destruction of the war.
His sick parents.
The fear.
His emotions began slipping out of control.
"Lauren, are you okay?" Beatrice asked.
Lauren didn't answer.
His head began to spin—not physically, but mentally—and he staggered.
The wind around him began to grow stronger.
Dark clouds gathered overhead.
A storm began to form.
Around Lauren, violent currents of wind spiraled faster and faster, eventually forming a massive hurricane.
What's happening?! Lauren thought.
"What's going on?" Professor Nando wondered aloud.
He stared at the growing storm.
"It must be related to his time-control ability... but he has no control over it."
Lauren tried to suppress the wind.
Instead, it responded.
You have no control over me.
"What?!" Lauren thought.
The wind intensified.
The students began being pulled toward the hurricane.
"Hold on!" Professor Nando shouted.
Suddenly—
The hurricane stopped.
Everything became silent.
"What?!" the professor gasped.
Someone was floating where Lauren had been standing.
He looked exactly like Lauren.
But he was different.