Algernon Black

(Chapter 61) The Tourney of Fall

Lucy felt a tingle in her hand and her hair lifted off her shoulders as the light of the transportation stone burst out. The next time her eyes opened she was in the middle of the forests behind Attwood with no one in sight. Though that peace wouldn't last long for the girl considered the easiest target of the games.

Algernon found himself near one of the streams that cut through the forest, with a newly formed headache. He was vastly susceptible to the side effects of transportation stones and it made him extremely groggy in a situation he was already not thrilled with in the first place. 

He crouched at the stream and splashed cold water on his face hoping it would elevate his headache. He stood up as he brushed back the wet hair from his eyes, and calmly stepped to the left as a blast of light magic seared the ground he had just been standing on.

"Now's not the best time," Algernon grunted, as he rubbed at his temple.

The fifth-year girl didn't hesitate to radiate another attach at Algernon.

The girl smiled as her magic landed and there wasn't even a trace of dark magic to show it had been repelled.

"Let me clarify. What I meant to say is now's not the best time for you," Algernon glared, standing tall with his scythe that had barely controlled magic crackling and circulating the blades. "Because when I'm in a bad mood I'm not inclined to mercy."

"I don't need any." The girl raged as she shot out more magic.

Algernon narrowed his eyes and retaliated. Attwood did a spectacular job in making the people one step above ordinary believe they were exceptional. It was often enough what got them killed. In this girl's case, it made her the first one disqualified from the games as she was knocked unconscious with her face stuck in a stunned expression. Algernon looked down at the dragon pendant and didn't think to bother to pick it up. These games weren't something he had any interest in winning, but his passed out opponent had a light shade of hair that reminded him of another player's that was just as likely to be shown so little mercy if not out right hostility. Algernon cursed himself for caring as he started away with the necklace in search of Lucy.

Pecilia happened to transport close to Wilham and the two friends joined forces against a fourth-year attacker. A boy named Leroy she knew because his family oversaw a prominent district in the borders of Emora and their Northern neighbors.

"Pecilia," Wilham announced, "Stay behind me and I'll protect you." As soon as he made his grand proclamation a beam of dark magic hit his chest and he fell to the ground.

Pecilia barely reacted as she watched her friend get knocked out. "Did you really need to do that?" She asked, looking down at her cuticles. "He's just a harmless idiot."

"Surrender now and I won't hurt you more than I need to," Leroy demanded, his hands prepping with magic though he was hesitant to attack a Row. Right away he recognized Pecilia's striking similarities to her beautiful, infamous, power-craved older sisters.

Pecilia smirked. "If what I've heard is true, aren't you the one that likes to be hurt more than you need to?"

Leroy's cheeks blushed as he attacked with dark magic, trying to destroy her smirk as much as he was trying to take her necklace.

Pecilia protected herself easily enough. Her older sisters used her as target practice when she was younger and because of it, she had incredible defensive abilities. Especially against only one attacker.

"No need to be shy about it." Pecilia purred, as their magic streams faded into the air. "And you should know," She called upon rocks around her and molded them into a small boulder. "I'm very good at causing pain."