After training individually with Master Ren, I found training with the other Knights lacked the challenge that the commander provided. I had no issues with any of the activities, and Ren made no movements that would indicate he was going to toy with my mind with such an audience.
I noticed, however, that the other Knights' thoughts were quite loud. I supposed the abilities I had gained from Ren's training had made me more sensitive to the Force, but there were plenty of thoughts I did not want to hear. What Umbre thought of me when I knocked him off his feet, for example. Or what Lestros' evening plans with a female officer entailed, as another example.
Kylo Ren made Shono spar with Umbre, and not a moment after Shono formed a thought about Ren, I watched Ren's wrist make an almost unnoticeable flick and Shono stumble. He looked confused for a moment, but stepped up to Umbre nonetheless. Master Ren looked at up from the mats for a moment and focused on me. He nodded once and I flushed beneath my mask, realizing immediately that he would notice regardless and averted my thoughts to something cold.
...
I sat in a meditative stance, mirroring the dark figure seated across from me. His equally dark eyes were on mine, and something inside his deep stare drew enough courage inside my chest to speak.
"Do you always hear the thoughts of the Knights?" I asked. His lips pursed, and he nodded.
"It is quite difficult not to. They make no effort to quiet themselves. They practically scream each and every thing that runs through their mind."
"Do you listen to everything?"
"I try not to. Some things slip through every now and then."
"Do you hear things about you?"
"Yes. Most thoughts during training are about me. It often becomes hard to...practice restraint." He said and shut his eyes.
The terror that Kylo Ren instilled upon the general public was one part from his abilities and one part from how he used them. He was notorious for being short tempered and often exercised that lack of control. I had never seen him in heat, only the remains of one of his tantrums, but the magnificent rips across the steel walls and the spark of electricity from broken equipment was information enough. It is said he once got so angry that he sliced a TIE fighter in half, man inside and all.
"I've started hearing their thoughts." I told him.
"The other Knights, I mean."
"This doesn't surprise me. Your Force abilities have been growing. Use them to practice entering a mind. Theirs aren't very difficult to dissect." He replied.
Looking at him with his eyes closed was a different experience. So much of his emotion was expressed starting from his eyes, which made his reasons for using a mask very clear. With his eyes shut his face looked smoother and without anger. It looked almost warm.
His eyes suddenly flicked open.
"summon your staff." He said. As it made contact with my hand he whipped out his lightsaber and I barely had time to lift up my staff before the blade was out and was flying towards my face.
"Always be prepared to defend yourself." He said softly, as if his weapon weren't only inches above my head. I nodded and he shut it off, returning it to its hiding place at his belt. He was crouched above me now, the tip of his nose close enough to brush mine. His eyes gazing upon me made me shiver.
"You need to focus. If you were focusing you would have seen that coming. " He whispered.