-24 years earlier-

Resting amongst puffs of grays and various shades of purple, stands the holy kingdom. Embedded north of the diamond studded horizon, surrounded by columns of goldenrods - their glow of righteousness shining upon all who stand before them, cascading around each other in a protective embrace forbidding the entry of the unworthy and the damned. But, on this day, the tide of the winds ripple with change. Corruption within the sanctuary has risen from the deeps and begun its revolt.

Cackles of fire burst beyond the border, like fireworks launching into a rich night sky. An army of determination and despair, led by a figure in smoke, seeks a means to a conclusion: A conclusion of darkness and silence.

Tucked away within the center of the kingdom, held in the throne of the almighty — Michael and Adina — rulers of the heavens up high, stand before the passing altar. Saying their final goodbyes to their two children, Stasia and Blaine, preparing to crossover to the valley of cessation before it’s too late. With tears in her eyes, Adina tries to remove her eldest child from her side. Grasping her daughter’s tight grip and prying the closed fingers from their hold on her silk robes. “Stasia? Stasia my darling. Let go”

Tears filling her eyes, no end of the flood in sight, the 17 year old girl pleads to her mother. “No! No you can’t leave me! Please, mom! Please! I’m not ready! Not yet!”

“They are passing the first gate your majesties!” One of the watchers yells out, blowing his horn to signal the army of wings. “Gate two won’t hold for much longer!”

“Adina!” Michael calls over to his wife, sadness clouding his irises, tears falling as he hears the next horn signaling the fall of the second gate. “Adina we have to go!”

“No!” Stasia screams as she clutches her mother harder. Her beloved Tobias attempting to pull her back in order to let the Elder pair pass on. “I won’t let you go!”

“Mommy?” A toddler Blaine asks, his wild curls bouncing on his head as he waddles over to his mother. Reaching out his hands, wanting to be picked up. Tilting his head to the side in question, “Mommy go bye-bye?”

Picking up her youngest, Adina holds him tight as she kisses his chubby cheeks. “Oh my love. Oh my Blaine. I am so sorry. I am so sorry, Blaine.”

“Don’t cry, mommy. It ok.” Blaine coos as he pats his mom’s face. Oblivious to the situation at hand. “I go with?”

“THEY ARE APPROACHING THE THIRD GATE! SHIELDS READY! MY CALL ON THREE!”

Now tugging on his wife’s arm, Michael pleads with his wife. “My love, it’s time.” Bending forward and kissing his son’s curly head, trying his hardest to choke back the sob that is building in his throat. “It’s time.”

Nodding her head with sadness and guilt, Adina passes her son over to one of the royal maids. “I love you, Blaine. I will always love you.”

Getting scared now, not understanding what’s happening. The loud booms and clashes of lighting startling him, making him start to cry as he reaches his arms out for his mom to take him back. “Mommy! Mommy I’m scared!”

Taking her husband’s hand, Adina looks back to her children as she steps in front of the portal. Preparing herself to pass on to the life after this, she blows a kiss to her children, declaring her undying love to them both. “I love you both. Always remember that. Please always remember that.”

Falling to the ground with trembles of tears, Stasia tries her best to break out of her partner’s embrace. “Mom!”

Blaine kicking and scratching to get free as well, “Mommy!”

With one final look at her kids, Adina mouths, “I love you.” as her and Michael step through the portal and pass on. Leaving no trace of their being anywhere to be found. Taking their death right of passage — joining centuries of kings and queens from the past and before — leaving their thrown behind to the next.

“Stasia, breathe. Please breathe.” Tobias begs as he cuddles his lover tight. Tears falling down his own face.

“CHARGE!” The watcher hollers as the army of thousands stomp out to protect their home.

Turning her head to search for her brother, Stasia reaches for Blaine. “Blaine!”

Letting the sobbing child down gently, the maid backs away and prepares to find safety.

“Asia!” Blaine screams over the loud clashes of metal on metal, running as fast as his little legs will allow him to his sister. Clutching his chubby arms tight around his sister’s neck, “Asia I’m scared! Where’s mommy and daddy?!”

Rocking the little one back and forth, trying her best to stay strong for them both, Stasia tilts Blaine’s head up to face her. “Blainey Bear?”

Rubbing his eyes with his little fists, Blaine let’s out a soft sob. “Asia I’m scared.”

Suddenly a group of men run in, decked out in royal armor and chain. “Your highness?“one of the guards asks as he takes a step towards the siblings, addressing Stasia, the now reigning queen of paradise. “Your highness, they have made it to the grounds. What are our orders?”

Looking over everyone with a brewing rush of adrenaline, Stasia stands up, placing Blaine on the floor to stand beside her. “We fight.”

Hearing and absorbing the order, the guards rush out blowing their horns, alerting their comrades of the demand.

Tugging on his sister’s robes, new tears flowing down his red face, Blaine yells. “No Asia! No!”

Bending down to look her brother in the eye, Stasia asks, “You need to be strong. Ok? Be strong for mommy and daddy.“Bringing him close into a hug, she talks into his ear, “can you do that for me?”

Nodding, Blaine sniffles. “Yes, Asia. I will try.”

Kissing his head one last time, Stasia smiles with sadness. “Always our brave one. I love you, Blaine.”

Clutching his sister tighter, Blaine replies. “I love you too.”

Softly pushing her brother out, tears soaking her eyelashes, Stasia gives Blaine an order. “Hide. Hide and don’t come out. No matter who calls, stay hidden. I will come for you. I promise. Stay hidden.”

Nodding his head with sobs, Blaine agrees. “I will, Asia. I will.”

A thunderous boom shakes the walls and crumbles the floor beneath their feet. Screams and calls of pain and wrath echo throughout the kingdom. Bangs on the doors beating through heads like a repetitive song.

Squeezing Blaine’s shoulders tight, Stasia yells over the sound of Castle doors breaking in two. “RUN!”

Without even a second thought, Blaine turns and runs. Dodging under legs and tables, trying his best to not look back and block out the screams.

Taking a right, he stops in the center of the staffs kitchen. Looking around quickly, he spots his hidey hole. A place he found three months ago when he was playing hide and seek with mama.

Sniffling at the thought, Blaine shakes his head and climbs into the hole in the wall beside the furnace. Snuggling in tight, he reaches back and closes the loose drywall back. Completely blocking him from view.

Scared and shaky, Blaine reaches around in the dark space, looking for his stuffed bird. Finding it to his left, Blaine clutches it to his chest and tries his best to not cry. “Oh, pav.” he whispers to the toy, a toy his dad gave him when he was born, “we’ll be ok. Asia will come for us. Don’t be scared.” Leaning down to kiss his beloved toy, “I’ll protect you.”

“Blaine…”

Shooting his head up, Blaine stares ahead in the dark. Gripping the toy harder to his chest, trying with all his might to stay quiet.

“Blaine, baby. Where are you?”

Recognizing the voice, Blaine trembles out a soft whisper, “mommy?”

The voice fading in movement, though still making its presence known, “where are you, baby? Don’t you love your mommy?”

His bottom lip trembling with restrained emotion, Blaine whimpers out to the voice. “I always love you mommy.”

“Come to me, Blaine. Come hug mommy.” The voice coaches. It’s soft lullaby tugging on Blaine’s heart. “Come on, little one. It’s ok.”

Still holding pav tight to his body, Blaine slowly moves back the dry wall.

“That’s my good boy. Come on, now. Don’t you want to be with mama?”

Crawling out of his hiding space, Blaine blinks around. “Where are you, mommy? I don’t see you.”

“I’m outside, Blaine. I’m on the balcony.”

Taking small steps towards the door that stands across the kitchen, Blaine wines. “But I’m not allowed out there. It’s too close to the edge. I might fall.”

“Oh, Blainey Bear. It’s ok. Your mommy says you can.” The voice getting softer with every step Blaine takes, “don’t you trust mommy?”

Reaching the door, the youngest of the royal family stops and softly cries. “I’m too little. I can’t reach, mommy.”

“Stand back” the voice whispers as the door opens wide for Blaine.

Peaking out, Blaine sees a figure draped in purple cloak. Their back facing the child, with their front leaning on the railing of gold and stone.

“Mommy?” He ask the figure. Taking a small step towards the cloak. “Mommy is that you?”

“Come here, Blaine.”

Walking faster now, Blaine starts to smile. “MOMMY!”

“BLAINE, NO!” His sister yells as she runs in with Tobias and a guard. Their hands gripping their swords tight, blood of the fallen splattered on their robes.

“What?” Blaine asks as he turns around. Screaming when he feels himself being lifted into the air, his toy bird falling to the stone with a thud.

“Release him!” Stasia demands with her sword pointed at the cloaked figure. Their face completely blocked out with shadows, “Release him or die!”

Crying hard now, Blaine looks up to the figure and tries to reach for the hood of the cloak, “mommy?”

A deep laugh rumbles from within the figure, an eerie feeling of darkness clouds the balcony as the cloaked intruder speaks. “Foolish child.” Gripping Blaine by a leg, the figure dangles the sobbing child off the side of the balcony, threatening to drop him from heaven.

“Don’t” Stasia pleads to the being.“Hurt me, but not him.” Taking a step forward, “ Please”

Laughing again at the queen before him, the intruder spits out, “and why would I do that?” With a release of his fingers, the being forces Blaine to fall from grace. Dooming him to mortality and loss of a right.

“No!” Stasia screams as rushes to the side, reaching out with sob. Tobias holding her back, refusing to allow her to fall too. “BLAINE!”

Gliding to the center of the balcony, the hooded figure takes their last bow. “See you in a few years, sweetheart.”

With a hiss and a cackle, the figure banishes from sight. The only thing left behind is the purple cloak.

“Blaine!” Stasia screams as she fights off Tobias to get back to the edge,“ LET GO OF ME!”

Pulling her back, Tobias pleads, “Stop. Stasia. Stop. You can’t follow. Heaven has to have an air!

Turning around in her kings arms as they fall to the ground, Stasia cries,” Tobias. What do we do? He’s gone. He can’t come back, Tob. How is he going to come back!“

Rocking his love back and forth, tears coating his own cheeks, Tobias holds Stasia close as he looks down at Blaine’s abandoned toy bird. “It’s up to the fates now.”