Bloodlines of the Damned

The Thorne Legacy

Lucian Thorne's Perspective

Lucian Thorne stood still, letting the buzz of the crowd wash over him, but his focus was nowhere near the people who mingled in the courtyard. His sharp, calculating eyes never left Vane, who had become a more formidable opponent than Lucian had anticipated. But this was good. He needed someone like Vane—a challenge.

For too long, his family had bided its time, waiting for the right moment to strike. The Erebus family's arrogance, their sense of invincibility, had kept them blind to the storm that was slowly brewing under their feet. Now that storm was ready to rise.

But before he could let the energy of the moment carry him away, Lucian took a slow breath, grounding himself. The Thorne family had always been patient. That was their strength—waiting for the perfect moment to strike, to overthrow, to destroy. And this moment was coming. He could feel it.

The History of the Thorne Family

Lucian's mind drifted to his past—the bitter history that had forged him into the man he was today. The story of his family was not one that many knew in full, for the Thorne family had long been cloaked in shadows. Not many knew that they were once the ruling family of the Kingdom of Ashvale, a kingdom that was rivaled only by Erebus's dominion.

Lucian's great-grandfather, Aldric Thorne, was a warlord of unmatched power, whose mastery over the void magic—the manipulation of darkness and shadows—had once made him feared across the land. Aldric's reign had lasted centuries, and during that time, the Thorne family had ruled not just through strength, but through cunning and fear. Their power wasn't just in their magic, but in their ability to manipulate those around them, twisting alliances to their advantage.

But everything changed when Erebus, the patriarch of the family who now stood at the top, rose to prominence.

The Fall of Ashvale

Erebus, a ruthless tactician in his own right, saw the Thorne family as a direct threat to his own power. The two families clashed in an all-out war that lasted for decades, a battle for control of the Kingdom of Ashvale. Lucian's father, Marcus Thorne, had led the charge in the final battle, but Erebus's cunning had overwhelmed them. By the time the dust settled, the Thorne family had been cast down, their lands taken, their titles stripped away.

Aldric Thorne, Lucian's great-grandfather, had died in that war, as had many of his family's most powerful warriors. Lucian's father, Marcus, had been forced to retreat, bringing his family to the shadows and into hiding.

For years, they were considered nothing more than a broken family, hiding in the dark corners of the world, waiting for the day they could reclaim what was rightfully theirs.

The Return of the Thorne Family

It had been a long time since those dark days. But Lucian had never forgotten the power the Thorne family once held. And with every ounce of strength in him, he had made sure his family had never stopped training, never stopped building their influence. They had spent years rebuilding their forces in secret, preparing for the day when they would rise again.

And now, that time had come.

Lucian's Family

Lucian wasn't the only powerful Thorne left. He was the youngest of the Thorne family's line, but not the least significant. There were others—his father, Marcus, a man with a presence that could bend people's wills with a single glance; his mother, Seraphina, a master of blood magic whose healing and destructive powers were feared by those who knew her name; his older sister, Elara, a formidable sorceress whose command over elemental forces had once burned entire villages to the ground. And then there were his grandparents—Lucian's paternal grandfather, Aldric's only surviving son, and his grandmother, who was the source of the family's immortal bloodline.

Each member of the Thorne family was a powerhouse in their own right, and together, they had the potential to dismantle the very foundation of Erebus's empire.

Marcus Thorne – The Patriarch

Lucian's father, Marcus, was a man of few words but immense power. Where Erebus ruled with strategy, Marcus ruled with strength. His ability to manipulate shadows and bend them into solid forms had been the Thorne family's greatest weapon. He had always been a man of action, rarely pausing to consider the long-term effects of his choices. But his defeat in the war with Erebus had humbled him. He was no longer the aggressive force he had once been.

Instead, he had focused on rebuilding. On waiting. Lucian had learned patience from his father. There was no rush in vengeance. Every move needed to be calculated. Every pawn moved with precision.

Seraphina Thorne – The Healer and Destroyer

Lucian's mother, Seraphina, was the true heart of the Thorne family. She had been the one who had kept the family alive after their downfall, the one who had nurtured their bloodline and taught Lucian the darker arts of magic.

Her magic was dual-natured. While she was known for her ability to heal the most devastating wounds—both physical and emotional—her blood magic also had a destructive edge. She could manipulate blood with deadly precision, controlling it as if it were a tangible weapon. Her healing hands could soothe a dying man, and moments later, those same hands could tear his life away.

Seraphina's devotion to her family was unquestioned. She had sacrificed everything to ensure that her children, and the Thorne family as a whole, would be able to rise again.

Elara Thorne – The Elemental Sorceress

Elara was Lucian's older sister, a firebrand who had always been a bit reckless. Her powers were fearsome—her connection to the elemental forces was unparalleled in the Thorne family. Fire, earth, wind, water—she controlled them all, often at the same time. The destruction she could cause with a flick of her wrist was legendary. There were whispers of villages that had burned to the ground after Elara's temper had been roused. And yet, her heart was as fierce as her powers. She would do anything to see her family restored to its rightful place.

Aldric Thorne – The Ancestor

Finally, there was Lucian's grandfather, Aldric Thorne, who had been a god in his own time. Although his magic was now a shadow of its former self, Aldric's blood ran through Lucian's veins. He was the source of their family's power, and even in his old age, his mere presence exuded a strange kind of dominance.

Lucian had inherited Aldric's affinity for the void—the ability to manipulate the space between light and dark, bending shadows to his will. But where Aldric had been reckless, Lucian had learned caution. Where Aldric had ruled with terror, Lucian would rule with precision.

Lucian's Thoughts

Lucian's mind returned to the present as he observed Vane from across the courtyard. The Erebus boy was more than he had been before. Stronger, more aware. But Lucian wasn't worried. He had been waiting for this.

Let them think they are in control, Lucian thought, his lips curling into a smile. Soon enough, they will realize that the Thorne family has always been the true power in this world.

And as he glanced at the others gathered in the courtyard—Vane's family, the Erebus allies—he knew that their time was coming to an end. Erebus, for all his power, had made one fatal mistake: he had underestimated the Thorne family.

Lucian's time had come. And he would not be denied.