Vardy's mind raced as the new revelations flooded his mind. He did his best to still be composed and solid but the new information was game changing. Dragon's were known to have died but they were yet alive and Elves were known to have sailed to the edge of the earth and disappeared but yet here they were. The tales he had read in the books at the academy were now all of no value in his mind. Were there any other races that existed? Any others that were still around, the ones everyone thought had all died? He would find out. If it was the last thing he did, he would find them.
His parents had told him stories of these people as a little boy and he fantasized about meeting them as a young boy but now he could meet them not only that but he would train with them. Sly.....if he was following orders....who's orders was he following and what did they hold over his head? What made Sly do these things? Question after questions popped into his head. New ones where the old ones faded away and were slightly altered. Tracy! If he could get his hands on their material and any research type help they had, Tracy would be able to read through and put the information together. Luthor could help. He was good at this kind of stuff and Ferah was good at fight so if we could get training sessions in to strengthen everyone's magic and combat skills, they had a better chance. Vardy felt a sense of satisfaction and hope as new plans bloomed in his head. Jesse was good at support so they could use him in maps and outlines. Vardy looked up at Devon.
"Devon, what are you proposing we do now? Form an alliance?", Vardy asked. Devon nodded.
"Yes. We form an alliance and we figure this out together. We will share with you what we have, and you do the same with us. We go from there and figure this out and fast. You are graduating soon and that means we have no access to Sly or his minions". Devon said with a serious tone. Vardy agreed.
"I agree. I want Tracy and Jesse on the maps and books. Jesse, put the plans together and compare this new material with what we have. See what is new and how many secrets passages and all there are. Tracy, I want all the information you can get about the history of Dark Warlocks and Witches and anything else you can find useful. Ferah, you and Luthor will start by seeing what you can find out about the elves and the dragons. Whatever new information you can find that could be useful to us. Devon, I will bring you up to speed and I want everyone of us in training. I want to hear more about our history and what you know about Sly." Vardy was on a roll.
Things went into motion soon. Devon and Vardy stood to the side of the room as they spoke about tactics and game plans. Ferah and Luthor worked with the Elf and Dragon Leaders to find information of any kind while Tracy and Jesse helped themselves to the plethora of information and content they could get their hands on in the middle of the room. The five friends had an unspoken agreement that they would keep an eye on each other and anything that posed a threat, they would be prepared for.
Time went by and before they knew it, it was time for their classes and the five friends had to depart. With the intention of returning, Devon sent them off with a spell that was connected to the hideout which would bring them back whenever they wished. On the way back to the War Room, the friends threw their information together and found that they only had a little to go on. Dreading the day ahead, they snuck into the War Room and hurried to their dorm rooms to get their things. Dodging the bullies was something they were getting very tired of doing but they couldn't do much about it so they suffered through the day. Last period rolled around and they went outside to train but Vardy had the Vampire bloodline and the sun seemed to wear him down. He pushed through till the end of class and relief flooded his chest as they made their way inside. His renewed strength from the cold, dark corridors made him feel better.
Luthor and Jesse trained with him as the girls poured over old books. Vardy didn't know how he got the Vampire bloodline in his veins but it was something he desperately wanted to figure out. Remembering the power had been taken from Sly, he handed it to Tracy who set to work, trying to get into it. The day started drifting to a close but Vardy had far too much on his mind to rest. The others decided to take shifts so that at least two people were up and doing research. Getting into the phone felt impossible, and the books held no useful information. Doubt seeped into Vardy's thoughts as he stared out the window. Doubts of his own strength and ability, doubt that he would ever find his parent's killers and that he wouldn't be able to put an end to the madness Sly was leading.
What would possess people to do such things? How can they find pleasure in such carnage? Too much Dark Magic could do that to you. It clouded their mind and their thoughts became scattered and tainted. Vardy wondered what his parents would tell him if they were with him. What advice would they give him? His mind drifted to Luthor and Tracy who had been abandoned by their parents. They never experienced the love of their parents but yet their hearts were pure and good. They were inelegant and had wit. They were talented. He wanted to make it a safe place for his friends. He wanted to put an end to all this bullying and torture his friends had to go through cause they were Duds.
Fury and anger rolled through his mind and his whole body tensed up. He felt the anger swirl inside of him. He felt someone touch his shoulder and his reflexes kicked into gear as he whirled around and raised his weapon. His body relaxed when he registered that it was only Tracy.
"You're awake", Vardy observed. She nodded silently with a concerned look in her eyes, then walked to the desk and started working on the phone again.
"Are you alright? You seem tense and on edge", she said.
"I am fine."Vardy responded, taking a few deep breaths. He started pacing around the room and tried to loosen up.
"You should stop holding things inside. Luthor and I learned the hard way. It's easier and better to let go. Holding on to anger, fear and frustration could lead to your Dark Magic getting stronger. It could explain your lack of Light Magic." Tracy offered.
Vardy stood and thought about it then decided it was good advice to follow.
"I was thinking of my parents." He whispered. Tracy paused what she was doing, looked up and gave a sad smile.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and went back to tinkering.
"Tell me about them", she said. Vardy felt a small smile creep on his lips but it disappeared as fast it had appeared and he wasn't so sure if he should speak about them or not.
He knew she was just trying to distract his mind from everything so he decided he would give it a shot and nodded.
"My mom was beautiful. She would tell me stories of Dragons and Elves and Witches and Warlocks and how there was a time, everyone stayed together and were peaceful with one another. Witches and Warlocks used to ride Dragons and listen to the Elves play their harps and sing melodious tunes. My father was a hard working man. He always made sure we were looked after. He was always there before bed time and would tuck me in with my mum. I'm not sure what kind of job he had. My mother was a Light Witch and she could do amazing things with her magic. My father was a Dark Warlock. He wasn't evil though. He was kind and generous." Vardy said with a wistful smile on his face.
Tracy gave a sad one as her mind drifted to thoughts of her own parents.
"Mine weren't as nice as yours. I don't think I ever felt what it was like to have parents. Luthor was much the same. We met on mutual grounds and bonded through the same history. He had my back every time and in return I had his. He's like a brother to me. All of you are special to me. Ferah, I don't know her as well as I'd like but I will one day. Jesse is funny and kind. He always puts a smile on my face. You're strong. You're a strong leader. Someone I admire. You are not alone and you don't carry this burden alone. You have us. We all have a part to play in this. Not just you, she said.