On the History of the Ancient Babylonian Race

This short story is presented as a research paper written in-universe.

## Story

*“On the History of the Ancient Babylonian Race”*
By Dillon Pickle, Professor of Ancient Literature, Historical Mythology and Archeology at Spagonia University.

What more can be said about the Babylonian race that has not already been said? These people have entertained my thoughts for many years, and although I dedicated my life to studying the Gaia manuscripts and legends, I found myself quite fond of the Babylonian myths.

I’m writing this paper in hopes that you’ll come to appreciate the dark history of this species and what it means for all of us living on Mobius today, as well as to bring to light some new information surrounding the Babylonians.

The legend is as follows: approximately three thousand years ago, an alien spacecraft crash-landed in the region now known as Shamar. The occupants of which were creatures resembling birds, they would come to be known as the Babylonians.

Soon, the Nomadic Mobian people of the region came into contact with the Babylonians. At first, they were terrified of the alien creatures, but once they learned they could communicate with them, the two species began to live in harmony.

The Babylonians were very gifted with technology, and were able to do many helpful things for the people of the desert. Because of this, the people began to call them “Genies” due to their power to grant the desert dweller’s wishes.

It wasn’t long before it was discovered that the Babylonians were compatible with Bird-type mobians for breeding, and thus began the “Children of Babylon” we know today. Although their ancient heritage is roughly ninety-nine percent Mobian, they still serve as living proof of the validity of these legends.

The peace between the Babylonians and the people of the desert would not last long. Although many people were grateful to the Babylonians, a few of the tribe leaders were afraid of the bird-people’s technology. They, being worshippers of Gaia, also feared their people would begin to worship the Babylonians.

In their fear, the tribes would band together and drive the Babylonians off the planet, claiming it as punishment from Gaia for their crimes against nature. The Babylonians left behind their original spacecraft, known today as Babylon Garden. A few Children of Babylon remained on the planet, but they were banished from their tribes and began to live as thieves, creating the order known as the Babylon Rogues.

For a long time, that was all we knew of the Babylonians. But that changed recently during the Eggman War. The “Battle of the Arid Sands” accidentally unearthed an ancient Babylonian pod. After the war, the Guardian Units of Nations investigated the mysterious pod and discovered a long lost message from a Babylonian ruler:

“To whoever dares listen to this message, I am Adonis, King of the Babylonians. Not long ago, the people of your planet repaid the kindness of my people with hatred….”

The message goes on to recount all the aforementioned events from Adonis’s own perspective. He tells how much he resents the people of Mobius and wishes horrid things upon all who cursed them. Then, curiously, he begins to speak about a child.

“My queen was great with child upon the time of our banishment, and as we began to make our long trek back to our home world, she gave birth to a son. Yet, something was very wrong. The child had several attributes of your kind, the deformities of a lesser species. I named him Nihil, as he was less than nothing to me…”

Adonis then explains how he wished to be rid of the “deformed” child, but the queen protested. And as a compromise they would send the child back to Mobius in cryogenic stasis aboard the ship on which the message was found. The rest of the recording is filled with curses upon the inhabitants of our planet.

Interestingly enough, the child was never found aboard the ship. The ever-elusive Dr. Elijah Starline reported on the findings, claiming it “Quite unfortunate” that they were not able to recover the supposed child.

This is the extent of our knowledge about the Babylonian race, a people wronged by the world. Perhaps we will never know what truly became of these legendary alien beings, but their technological and cultural influence can be seen in all corners of the planet.

## Characters

*In order of appearance:*

* Adonis the Phoenix (mentioned)
* Nihil the Phoenix (mentioned)
* Elijah Starline (mentioned)