Bloodlines of the Damned

The Forgotten Memory

The evening of the Full Moon Ceremony at Valerian Academy. The grand hall is abuzz with anticipation, the scent of rich incense mixing with the air of power and tradition. The purebloods are gathered in their finest, preparing to swear fealty to their bloodlines. Lyra, as always, is on the outside looking in, but Vane is not far from her thoughts-his words from yesterday lingering in her mind.

POV: Lyra's perspective

The grand hall of Noctis Academy gleamed under the silver light of the full moon, casting long shadows as the vampire students assembled in their finest ceremonial attire. The purebloods were the center of attention, standing tall with the weight of their legacy, while Lyra stood off to the side, watching the procession from a distance.

It was strange, watching them all-him-from afar. Vane's silhouette among the purebloods was unmistakable. His back straight, his expression carefully neutral, as if he'd mastered the art of hiding everything that made him... human.

She had no reason to care about him. Really, she didn't. But something about the way he'd opened up to her the day before, in that quiet moment behind the library, had stuck with her. And when he'd walked away, back to his family, his world, she couldn't shake the thought that she might've glimpsed a side of him no one else saw.

The ceremony was about to begin, and Lyra felt a tightness in her chest. She didn't belong here-she wasn't supposed to be anywhere near the purebloods.

But she couldn't shake the sense that her past with Vane went deeper than she understood. It was like there was something hidden, some part of her own history that she couldn't recall. It gnawed at her, though the memories felt just out of reach.

POV: Vane's perspective

Vane stood at the edge of the circle, his eyes scanning the room. His heart beat in sync with the slow, rhythmic chanting of the ceremony. He felt the power of his bloodline surrounding him, pressing down on him. The others, the purebloods, would soon swear their loyalty to their families, reaffirm their strength, and all the while, Vane's mind was elsewhere.

His thoughts kept drifting back to that moment yesterday, when he'd spoken to Lyra. The way she'd looked at him, as if she were seeing him for the first time-really seeing him. It had shaken him, more than he cared to admit.

But it wasn't just her. It was the strange feeling that something about her seemed... familiar. The way she'd been the one to speak the truth, the way she didn't back down, even when everyone else treated her like an invisible shadow.

As the ceremony began, Vane's mind wandered further. His gaze wandered to the far side of the hall, where Lyra stood. She looked so out of place in this glittering world of power and prestige-yet, in her own way, she belonged more than he did.

Suddenly, something shifted in his chest, something deeper than obligation or duty.

He'd promised himself he would remain detached, that he would follow the family's traditions, even if he despised them. But what if he didn't have to? What if there was a way to escape-if only for a moment-from the weight of his name, his legacy?

Stop thinking about her, Vane told himself, the cool mask of the heir of House Erebus slipping back into place. He turned his gaze forward, ready to make his oath, but his mind remained on Lyra, and on the vague memory that seemed to haunt him-of something else, something more personal.

POV: Lyra's perspective (Flashback)

The cold winter wind whipped through the trees, sending a chill through the small courtyard. Lyra stood alone by the edge of the garden, staring at the distant horizon. Her family had just moved to Noctis Academy a few months ago, and though she was part vampire, she felt more out of place than ever.

It was strange to be in a new place, surrounded by people who saw her as less than them. Less than human. Less than pureblood.

But then, as she sat alone by the stone fountain, she noticed a figure in the distance. A boy, alone like her. He was standing by the fountain, his back to her, staring out at the dark trees beyond the academy's walls. He was about her age, with dark hair that looked like it belonged to a royal lineage.

She couldn't help herself. She walked up to him slowly, not wanting to startle him. "Hey," she said softly, and he turned, his piercing eyes locking onto hers.

His gaze softened just slightly, though it was clear he was struggling to hide his discomfort.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice cold but not unkind.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied with a small smile, trying to lighten the air. She didn't expect him to laugh, but he did-a short, startled sound.

"I'm just thinking," he said, his voice flat. "About how everything here is a reminder of what we're not."

Lyra frowned, stepping closer. "You're not like the others?"

He looked at her, a little surprised. "They think I am. They think I'm perfect. But I don't feel perfect. Not like they expect me to." His expression hardened for a moment before he sighed. "But I'm not like you, either. Half-bloods don't belong here."

Lyra tilted her head, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Vane didn't answer. Instead, he turned back toward the fountain, looking lost again. His shoulders seemed heavy, like he was carrying a weight that wasn't his own.

Without thinking, Lyra reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, you don't have to do this alone," she said softly. "You don't have to carry everything on your own."

Vane froze for a moment, his back stiffening. But then, almost imperceptibly, he nodded. "Maybe you're right," he whispered, though he wasn't looking at her. "But it's hard to trust anyone. Especially someone like me."

Before she could respond, there was a rustling sound from the trees-someone was coming, and Vane immediately pulled away, stepping back.

"I'll see you around," he muttered, disappearing into the shadows.

Lyra watched him go, her chest tight. What was that?

POV: Lyra's perspective (Present day)

Lyra shook her head, feeling a strange heaviness in her chest. The memory came back to her so suddenly, as if it had been waiting for the right moment to surface. She remembered comforting Vane when they were younger-she had comforted him, hadn't she? But the details were hazy, lost like sand slipping through her fingers.

Why couldn't she remember more?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden wave of dizziness. She gripped the stone railing of the balcony to steady herself, the world spinning for a moment before it cleared. She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of the fragments of memories she'd just unlocked.

That boy... He was Vane, wasn't he?

But then why was it so hard to remember? Why couldn't she recall more of that moment, or the times she'd spent with him?

A distant part of her mind-something instinctual, deep within her-whispered a terrifying truth: someone had erased it. Her memories. And it wasn't just a vague thing. No, it felt too deliberate, too... forced.

And that someone... had to be connected to the power of House Erebus.

POV: Vane's perspective

Vane stood on the balcony overlooking the courtyard, his eyes narrowing as he watched Lyra, sensing her unease from across the room. He knew the truth-he remembered everything.

The comfort she had given him all those years ago, when she had seen through the cold shell he'd built around himself, when she'd been the only one to ever care without expecting something in return.

But Lyra didn't remember it. Not anymore. The Erebus family had erased it.

And yet, he still remembered the touch of her hand on his shoulder, the soft words she had whispered to him, when he'd been just a scared boy in a world that didn't care.

He hadn't been able to forget.

And now, he couldn't let her go, either.