Algernon Black

(Chapter 108) A Point of Failing

"Today we will work with energy enhancers," Brickwood announced to his class. "As many of you know, some weapons are infused with energy enhancers to accentuate a practitioner's energy. The downside is that these enhancers can rapidly burn out depending on the amount of magic you are pushing through them, especially modern made ones, which means it's not good to only rely on these as they go very fast in a battle, and you don't want to lose competence in your own channeling abilities." Brickwood held up a thick dusted metal ring, the same as the one he had put on every student's desk. "The enhancers work as funnels for magic, compressing it through a smaller channel for a more powerful output so long as your concentration is resolved and clear."

Lucy picked up her ring. It was dense and wide enough to fit around her pinky and ring finger and reminded her of the black one Algernon wore. She mentally reprimanded herself for even thinking his name after what he'd said to her last.

"Are there enhancers that don't break?" Wilham asked, tossing around his.

"Some," Brickwood said, looking at Algernon, who was the only one to not pick up the ring which he attributed to his cousin's, particularly foul state. "But very few."

"Now take your rings and line against the wall to practice," Brickwood ordered, gesturing to the feathers he had strong down from the ceiling. One for each of them to target.

Lucy made sure to stand safely between Jasper and Freya as well as a distance away from Algernon. Meaningless.  Was how he described her in such a disgusted tone. But what she hated most was how he finally broke her. She'd lowered herself to the level they tried to convince her she was, and nothing was more damaging to her self-esteem.

Lucy's coldness didn't go lost upon Algernon as every time she so much as glanced in his direction she immediately jerked away. It was punishment much deserved, but a suffering he didn't think he could take much longer. Especially now that she spent more time than ever with the silver-haired boy who sat much too close to the point their arms would casually brush whenever he whispered something secretly into her ear. 

"Now hold up your rings in front of you and concentrate on channeling the darkness through it," Brickwood told his students walking behind them, so they concentrated their energies at the brick walls where he had fixed a feather fifteen feet off the ground in front of each of them to knockdown. "For those of you going the military route, prepared weapons will be a staple in your field. These rings are just to get you started. Though some of us here are lucky enough to already be quite well acquainted with enhancers." Brickwood grinned at Algernon who, in a rare show, didn't glare back at his cousin in typical fashion but instead looked withdrawn, not even having the energy to brood. Brickwood knew something must be terribly wrong.

Lucy peered at all the other students to see them starting to create black swirling clouds of darkness from the rings like small twisters, while she stalled. She put the ring before her face and started to call dark magic to it. The ring concentrated the magic in a swirling vortex, looking like a small storm, that she tried to press forward, but using dark magic reminded her of the one who had taught her it, and thinking of Algernon offset all of her concentration.

"Lucy, are you having trouble?" Brickwood asked, seeing she was the only student who hadn't mange to even breeze the feather.

Lucy nodded while biting the inside of her cheeks, knowing the entire class was watching her failure.

"Let me help." The professor offered, wrapping his hand around her fingers holding up the ring. Lucy slightly blushed from the light grasping. "Sometimes we need a spark of someone else's energy to ignite our own."

From the ring, a small black current propelled forward, but Lucy felt it was much more of his energy than her own.

"Professor, I need some help as well," Minsley called out as jealously over Lucy's attention propelled her to.

"Of course," Brickwood replied, withdrawing his hand, and causing the dark energy to wane to a stop. "Algernon, could you help Lucy?" He added, before going on his way.

Algernon had already been glaring at the scene from a short distance away, but his cousin's words made his lungs constrict, while Lucy felt her stomach churn. Pecilia glared at Algernon, warning him not to go but with the entire class watching it would seem more suspicious to be so reluctant. Or so he justified to himself as he made his way to Lucy, her apprehension thickening the closer he came.

"Just hold up the ring and concentrate," Algernon said.

Lucy tried, but with Algernon so near, her magic flatlined to her uneasiness.

"You're doing it wrong." Algernon remarked, careful not to act too caring while others were in view, though most returned to their own practices, Pecilia and Jasper kept monitoring them with keen eyes.

"Then how do I do it?" Lucy shot back annoyed by his tone that bordered rudeness. 

"Hold it up and do it," Algernon responded, meaning to come off distant but sounding more combative.

"It's hard to do anything with you hovering."

Lucy's tone and comment embodied the rejection Algernon was already so done with dealing with and it boldened his response with anger. "I didn't realize my presence was such a burden on you." 

"Yes, you do," Lucy shot back. "You make sure it does."

Algernon glared at her back. "Just like how you make a point of failing in everything?" 

"I make a point of trying!" Lucy nearly screamed back.

"Not from anything I'm seeing."

Lucy's anger boiled to high pitched steaming. "You know if you're not going to be helpful then you should leave!"

"And if you aren't even able to keep up a minuscule stream of magic, you should leave."

Lucy swelled with anger so high she felt her chest lift with it as insult and deep-seated insecurity propelled emotions she didn't know she had. Or Algernon, did she could never separate the two.

Like the enhancers, the two seemed to create their own powerful field of energy when put together and the entire class turned to watch.

"Lucy," Jasper chimed in, angling himself between the two. "How about I try to help you?"

Algernon's jaw and muscles tightened so hard they burned upon Jasper butting in. "Help yourself."  He scathed like he was offering unwanted leftovers. "To what I'm sure you've already had."

Lucy turned red in rage and embarrassment as the ring in her hands started to simmer.

Jasper looked at the sparks flinging out of the ring. "Lucy," Jasper said anxiously, trying to get her attention, but the only thing Lucy could focus on was her hatred towards Algernon. "Lucy!" Jasper warned before throwing the ring from her hands just as it exploded.

It sounded like a bomb went off and the class ducked their heads with one long shrill scream breaking out of Wilham's mouth. 

After a few moments, everyone picked their heads back up. Brickwood walked over to the now shredded piece of scrap metal.

Lucy's eyes gaped open when she realized how shamefully she had just acted, and bile consumed her stomach.

"Miss, Lahue," Brickwood said, holding up the ring. "Did you do this?"

Lucy bowed her head as low as she could while still standing.  "Sorry professor." 

Brickwood observed the ring and then Lucy. The amount of energy needed to destroy such an enhancer as quickly as she had was almost incomprehensible for a person at her level, and demonstrated just how strongly she must have felt.

"Who knew Algernon had such an effect on her," Franchesca remarked with her hands crossed in front of her.

Algernon looked at Lucy and away. His jaw clenched.

"Hate is the most powerful motivator," Pecilia asserted, coming to add a second human shield between Algernon and Lucy.

Not in my experience, Brickwood thought to himself, glancing between Algernon and Lucy. But certainly, one of them.

"Meet me in my office after classes," Brickwood told Lucy as she shrank deeper into her embarrassment.

"Both of you," He added, looking at Algernon.