On Earth, everything seemed normal. Cities bustled with life, people went about their daily routines, and the march of progress continued uninterrupted. But reality held a fragile veil, a thin layer separating the material world—the materium—from the chaotic, hellish immaterium. For those with the power to peer beyond, the truth was far darker.
High above the clouds, a massive black meteorite streaked through the sky, its descent heralded by a thunderous roar. The object bit into the Earth's crust with catastrophic force, creating a colossal pit at the impact site. The shockwave leveled the surrounding area, leaving a barren wasteland in its wake.
Over time, the pit took on a sinister identity. It became a magnet for the damned—the traitors and criminals of hell were pulled into its depths alongside the corrupted souls of sinners. What once was a simple impact site became a festering abyss, known by many names: Gehenna, Hell, or simply, The Black Skies.
The Year 2097, The world quaked as Heaven's balance was shattered. The Lord Almighty had vanished from His divine throne for reasons unknown. With His absence, chaos stirred in the realms beyond.
In Hell, the Council of the Seven-Headed Serpent—the seven princes of hell—assembled, their infernal armies ready to march. The silver gates of Heaven's fabled Silver City became their target, and the princes prepared for war.
Lucifer, the leader of the council, stepped forward. Her pale white hair glimmered in the dim light of hellfire as she began her transformation. Her body elongated and twisted, shifting into the form of a magnificent white dragon. Her greatsword, a weapon infused with unholy power, glinted as she launched herself skyward, leading her legions.
Beelzebub, the Lord of Gluttony, dissolved into a swarm of flies and locusts. From the writhing cloud emerged a grotesque, massive head adorned with a fly-shaped skull mask. His buzzing army of pests followed him toward the Silver City.
Asmodeus, the Demon King of Lust, became a fearsome beast with three heads: one a serpent, another a beautiful woman, and the third a snarling monstrosity. She and her seductive, bloodthirsty forces surged forward.
Mammon, the Demon King of Greed, transformed into an enormous wolf. His fur shimmered black, patched with gold that gleamed like molten metal. With predatory grace, he leaped toward the heavens, followed by his hordes of treasure-hoarding fiends.
Leviathan, the Envious One, shifted into an enormous sea beast. Her elongated neck and cavernous maw inspired terror as her aquatic forces surged behind her, a tide of destruction heading for the celestial gates.
Satan, the Lord of Wrath, emerged as a towering, red-skinned creature. His bat-like wings spread wide, his legs resembled those of a ram, and his curling horns scraped the skies as he launched himself forward with an army ablaze with fury.
Belphegor, the Demon King of Sloth, remained unmoved at first, lounging upon a throne with closed eyes. One of his advisors leaned in, warning him that if he did not join the battle, he risked losing his share of Heaven's spoils. Begrudgingly, Belphegor roused himself, his form changing into a gaunt, obscured figure seated upon a spectral throne, with pale, elongated limbs dangling loosely. His reluctant forces followed suit, heading to the battle.
The Seven Princes of Hell unleashed their full might upon Heaven's Silver City. The twelve seraphim met them in battle, their radiant forms clashing with demonic might in an apocalyptic spectacle. The clash was so fierce that the thin barrier separating the materium from the immaterium was torn asunder, allowing mortals to glimpse the celestial war.
The princes, driven by unyielding ambition, combined their essence to form the Seven-Headed Serpent—a gargantuan, godlike monstrosity. Each head bore the visage of a prince, their united power overwhelming even Heaven's strongest defenders. One by one, the seraphim fell.
Only Michael, the Archangel of Valor, stood against them. Bloodied but undeterred, he raised the Spear of Longinus, channeling the last vestiges of divine power. The serpentine monstrosity laughed, one of Lucifer's heads speaking with cruel familiarity.
"Michael, my eternal rival," she sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "I would face you in a duel, but as you can see, I have my hands tied."
The Seven-Headed Serpent struck Michael down, his final attack carving a deep wound into their form before he perished. The Spear of Longinus fell from his grasp, glowing faintly with divine energy.
The princes separated once more, their individual forms wreaking havoc upon the celestial realm. With the seraphim defeated, the remaining ranks of Heaven—cherubim, thrones, virtues, powers, and principalities—were massacred by the demonic hordes.
The war was over. Heaven lay in ruins, its core pillars shattered and stolen. The seven princes ascended from mere rulers of Hell to sovereigns of the cosmos.
Lucifer claimed the Spear of Longinus and the Divine Throne for herself, dismissing the other relics as beneath her interest. The demon kings returned to Hell, dragging Heaven's splendor down with them, and transformed Earth into a reflection of their domains.
The first circle, Limbo, spread across the Earth's surface, corrupting it with despair and eternal twilight. The planet fractured into layers of infernal dominion:
Lucifer ruled the seventh and eighth layers, Where violence and fraud reigned respectively.
Asmodeus claimed the second layer, Where people would get lost in debauchery and their deepest desires.
Beelzebub governed the third, where hunger and longing where twisted and warped into disgusting constructs.
Mammon presided over the fourth, where the lust for money was more important than life and family.
Satan took the fifth, where your rage and anger took precedent over your life.
Belphegor ruled the sixth, where whispers of lies and heresy against the divine truth went about freely.
Leviathan reigned over the ninth, the deepest layer which was covered in murky black water, spatial holes and diluted Blackstone. Treachery was the norm in such a place.
Lucifer appeared before humanity, her draconic form silhouetted against the blackened skies. She addressed the masses, her voice echoing with divine and infernal authority.
"Worship us as your new gods," she proclaimed, her pale hair billowing in the wind.
To solidify their rule, the princes wiped crucial pieces of human history from existence, leaving Earth's inhabitants lost and hopeless in their new reality.
Hell had come to Earth, and humanity's torment had only just begun.