Chapter 1: Three Stories
I haven't slept for nearly a decade now.
After I took over the position as the supreme leader of our clan, I did nothing but work and proved myself. I couldn't say I successfully did it, but I managed. I managed to save the clan from crumbling down.
Ever since my father founded the Nightfall Clan, it has always been at the top of the hierarchy. However, when he unfortunately passed away, or should I say was killed, he left the clan in shambles. Those were the dark days when I thought there was no longer any hope of salvation.
I have committed countless failures and tragic mistakes. Hindi ko alam kung nasaan na ako ngayon kung maging ang nag-iisang sandalan ko ay hindi ko nagawang isalba.
I don't have anything left with me except this place.
Maybe I somehow did it. I did save the clan after all. Kahit na walang naniwala sa akin na kaya ko. Kahit na sinabihan nila akong ipagkatiwala na ito sa ibang mas may karanasan ay hindi ko ginawa. Kahit na maging ako ay nagduda sa sariling kakayahan.
This clan is my father's pride and most important legacy, and I will fight for it until my last breath. I swore that as long as I was still here, no one would be able to stand in our way.
My family was long gone.
I am the last Cardinal of the Nightfall Clan.
I am here to stay.
Just like my every night routine— I poured myself some wine, lit up my favorite candle scent, and sat down to read piles of books and documents.
It was at 3 a.m when I suddenly had the urge to open the brown box just underneath the table. Yumuko ako para kunin 'yon at pinatong sa ibabaw ng lamesa ko. Sa tagal kong hindi ito nabuksan ay halos balutin na ng alikabok.
When was even the last time I dared to open this?
Hinipan ko ng hangin ang alikabok bago binuksan 'yon. There were three piled books inside of it. Nilabas ko ang mga 'yon. The book on top was the thickest, followed by the middle one. The book at the bottom was the thinnest of all and has yet to be filled with words.
Ito ang mga librong naisulat ko sa mga nakalipas na panahon. I wouldn't say that my words accurately described the situation I was barely part of, but I made sure that I conveyed only what actually took place.
I bled a lot in the first book. I had fun on the second one. Maybe because the first one had the most defining moments of the entirety of the vampire world— from when he ignited something until he disappeared all of a sudden.
In a world where vampires would rather believe in rumors than books based on facts, I would never let my brother's legacy be tainted by malicious lies and make up stories. This is the least thing I can do for him and his family.
Malinaw pa rin sa isipan ko kung paano ako nalinawan dahil lang sa isang gabing pangyayari. Everyone was looking for him and since I was his brother, everyone bothered me as well. Wala akong maisagot dahil maging ako ay walang alam sa nangyari.
Until that one night, I was writing the first book when I saw a silhouette on the balcony. Pagkalingon ko ay nakita ko si Brixton na nakatayo sa labas ng balkonahe.
I walked over to the balcony where he was standing. Nakatalikod siya at nakatingin sa malayo. Lumapit ako at tumabi sa kanya. I didn't dare to look at him. Katulad niya ay bumaling lang ako sa malayo.
"Where have you been all this time?" I asked, still not looking at him.
"You need to free yourself, Oscar."
