Into the Night

Prologue When I was a child, I enjoyed listening to my mother's stories. Portraying the never-ending struggle between darkness and light. I would always look forward to her stories, which would be very entertaining. She always told me darkness represents malevolence, while light represents positivity and virtue. Her belief was that the power of light was the sole means by which darkness could be defeated. The resounding message she would consistently convey in her stories is that light will perpetually prevail over the darkness."Don't worry, Alassandra, light always wins," she would tell me, kissing my forehead and wrapping me in blankets.Now that she's gone, I miss those stories.As I reflect on my upbringing, one of the most prominent memories I have is observing my father, who had a career as a lawyer. Dedicating countless hours to his work, often working late into the night. In all of Moro County, my father worked for one of the most well-respected law firms. Given the widespre

As we sat down for dinner, I couldn't help but feel a wave of sadness wash over me at the thought that this would be one of the last dinners I would have with Yadhira and Lillian. I knew this would be the last time we would be together for a while.In the aftermath of the death of my parents, Yadhira and Lillian became my family; blood could not unite us. My relationship with them had grown so close that I couldn't imagine life without them. They were my rock, source of strength, and unconditional love. Leaving them felt like losing a part of myself."Alassandra, dear, is something wrong?" Yadhira asked."Uh, no," I replied, wiping away a tear."You haven't touched your food, dear," she said, glancing at my plate and then at me.Initially, I glanced at Lillian, who shook her head and mouthed, "No," before returning my attention to Yadhira."Actually, I want to tell you something," I replied."Go on," Yadhira said as she put her fork down on the table and crossed her hands together. I

The moment I heard his voice, it stirred something inside me. I felt a rush of emotion. A feeling I had never felt before. I couldn't explain it, but my body tingled as I sat there listening to the sound of his voice as he gave his lecture. It was a sensation unlike any other."In his highest potential, man is the noblest of all animals; without law and justice, he is the most terrible. Aristotle once said those exact words," he said as he walked around the stage."Every one of you has the highest potential to perfect the justice system, which is why you are here. To study it, perfect it, and make a difference in our unjust world. The question is, which of you will achieve that?" he said as he stopped and paused for a moment; a smile graced his face as he began to speak again. "The next four years are crucial to your career. If you thought this would be a walk in the park, I am here to tell you. You won't find sympathy here." He said with a slight smirk that reached his honey-brown ey

I had yet to learn who the text came from, and since I never made it a point to respond to a number, I was unfamiliar with. I brushed it off, deleted the message, and proceeded back to my car to grab the rest of my things.After five rounds of back and forth, I finally got the last box and headed back to my room. Once again, I felt I was being watched as I walked into the dorm lobby and headed upstairs. I looked around but saw no one. I felt a chill run down my spine as I knew something strange was happening to me. I decided to keep walking and not look back.The moment I rounded the corner of my dorm floor, a mesmerizing scent of ambergris and cedarwood hit me. I had never experienced a fragrance like it, causing me to halt and inhale profoundly. As I searched for the source of the smell, a shiver ran down my spine, and my hair stood on end. In an instant, my foot went astray, causing me to stumble and lose grip of the box. I closed my eyes, waiting to hit the cold marble floor, when

From Ikaris's POVFor as long as I can remember, being a Valerious has always been among the most respected names. I was groomed from an early age to be the perfect leader of our kind. I was expected to uphold the highest standards of morality, honor, and strength. My responsibility was to ensure that the Valerious name was always held in high esteem.The name itself held so much power that many feared my family. You can credit my great-grandfather for that. He was not one to mess with. When I was a child, my parents taught my brother Argos and me that we were destined for something greater than we could have imagined. This prophecy was of great importance to the family, and we were to uphold its name and reputation. We were to be an example of strength and courage. We were born to be great.Once Argos and I were old enough to attend school, we got the best education our family name could provide. Our parents ensured that we participated in every class and had the best tutors our famil