Once upon a time, in years long past, in the lands fertile and abundant with magic souring amongst the clouds was the Kingdom of Babylon. A prosperous nation blessed by the gods and ruled by mortals bearing their blood. These royals were made to bring a long-lasting rein of peace and power to the kingdom.
The kingdom prospered under the semi-divine ruling; however, peace is a fickle thing. It's fragile, temporary, and often difficult to maintain. As is power.
The fall of Babylon started when fates most foul befell the royals. Usually, old age was the one that introduced the royals to Death, that all changed when a sudden series of unfortunate events and unwanted accidents took most of the royal family out to meet Death, thus leaving the young Aurelia as the 17th and final Queen of the floating nation.
Queen Aurelia and her loyal advisors tried their best to keep the kingdom stable, it became quite the challenge when she and even a few citizens of Babylon contracted a deadly, new disease.
Whilst she was quarantined in to her room, there was no choice but to put her highly unprepared, young teenage brother Alexios in charge and under the watchful eyes of Aurelia's advisors and her two closest friends; the guard captain, Iliana, and the medic, Jaques.
Although the kingdom's Council of Medicine deployed their greatest healers, alchemists and doctors were gathered, drastic measures were taken as Aurelia's condition worsened. Jaques and Iliana decided that outside help would be needed and set out to find anyone within or outside their kingdom's borders to find anyone or thing willing to help them save their Queen.
Despite their best efforts, everyone working to find a cure for Aurelia slowly lost hope. The hopelessness soon spread throughout the kingdom. These negative emotions festered through the walls and drew in the attention of those with no true intentions of helping the suffering kingdom.
Ubel found Iliana first. Using her despair and desperation against her, she led them into the Babylonian kingdom. Once behind the castle walls and with the help of Iliana, they soon persuaded the equally desperate council of healers and the viziers to allow them to use their expertise to aid the Queen.
So, within the privacy of the royal alchemy room the stranger concocted a potion and to the shock of all, it worked.
For a while all seemed well; Aurelia was back on the throne, Ubel was welcomed as an esteemed alchemist but left shortly after Aurelia fully recovered. Everything seemed to return to normal for all except Alexios.
The prince didn't know exactly what it was about the cryptic Ubel miraculously curing his sister and the sickly citizens but something was off. That feeling only growing stronger when people slowly started to disappear. His scepticism and fear caused him to write down his concerns and send them to Jaques, who still hadn't returned from his expedition.
The disappearances started with the one latest batches of recruits for the royal guard. No one batted an eye seeing as some recruits tended to soon realise the job was not for them. Concern began to rise when high ranking members of the Council of Medicine vanished, causing Aurelia, Alexios and other important staff to have guards around them regularly.
When Alexios' two of personal guards and advisor disappeared, causing Iliana put herself in charge of the prince's security.
One night, after deciding to investigate, he snuck out of his room, avoiding the guards but alas was caught by a patrolling Iliana, who chased him until he reached the corridor leading towards his late parents' and Aurelia's room. When she caught up with the 13-year-old, she soon laid eyes on what stopped him in his tracks. A heart.
A freshly discarded, mutilated, Babylonian heart was left on the palace floor with a trail of blood leading to Alexios' late parents' quarters.
Before the prince could attempt to reach the door, a guttural growl echoed through the hall, there was no sight of whatever made it, but Iliana still took the precaution to grab the prince and use her powers of intangible invisibility on them both, seeing only a large skeletal hand before stepping through the room's door.
Deciding not to take the chance Iliana kept Alexios close as they examined the gruesome scene in front of them.
The curtains and sheets were left in shreds, all the glassware was cracked, anything wooden was either broken or covered in scratches and the whole room, balcony included, was covered in pools of blood and fragmented bones. The once pristine crystalline room was left in barbaric ruin.
Illiana let go of Alexios, to start gathering broken furniture, splintered wood, anything, that could barricade them if the creature came back, leaving Alexios to investigate the rest of the room.
The guard captain rushed to the young prince's side when he called out her name when he saw Aurelia's silver wardrobe move.
As they neared the wardrobe, they could hear a series of thumps and grunts could be heard from the wardrobe. Alexios hugged Iliana's leg tightly as she hid him behind her cape. They slowly walked closer to the giant, undamaged wardrobe and opened it to reveal another surprise. It was Jacques; bruised, bloodied, red eyed and gagged.
Relieved tears fell from his sunken eyes. Iliana removed the gag, allowing her friend to breathe a sigh of relief. Before anything could be said a loud growl emerged and a black, skeletal finger burst through the door.
The realisation of the beast's return forced Iliana to toss Jacques on her shoulder and for Alexios to hold on tightly as she rushed towards the open balcony, and a large, skeletal hand pierced through the door. And without a second thought, Iliana jumped into the rushing river below.