It was a dark and stormy night in the year 548AD. Emperor Justinian of the Byzantine Empire lay on his deathbed, surrounded by his closest advisors. He had been a great ruler, but his time on this earth was coming to an end.
As his advisors looked on, Emperor Justinian began to speak. His voice was weak, but his words were strong. He cursed the empire, saying that if any of his successors were to forget him, then the empire would suffer a great misfortune.
The advisors were shocked by the Emperor's words, but they could not deny the power of his curse. They knew that the Emperor's words would come to pass, and that his successors would be wise to remember him.
The Emperor's curse was a dark omen for the future of the Byzantine Empire. Little did anyone know that this curse would bring about a great tragedy that would be remembered for centuries to come.