"You said in your heart,' I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'"
Isaiah 14:13–14 (NIV)
A magnificent sanctuary stood in a land older than the cosmos, existing independently of space, time, and natural forces.
It possessed an otherworldly beauty, with golden buildings towering higher than mountains and lush vegetation so stunning that mortals would gaze in awe.
The inhabitants of this realm were extraordinary beings known as angels. They were adorned in pure white linen so bright that it was almost painful to look at, and they had large, majestic wings. Despite some similarities, the angels displayed diverse physical appearances and abilities. There was a hierarchy among them, ranking them according to their skills and roles.
Regardless of rank, all these beings shared a common purpose: to serve, give praise, and worship Him for eternity.
For a time, the angels fulfilled their roles without question, singing praises and glorifying His name—until a particular angel felt it was time to act differently.
At the center of the sanctuary stood the tallest tower.
Inside the building was a throne so tall that the face of the One who occupied it couldn't be seen. The throne was made of pure gold and adorned with precious jewels, spanning as far as the eye could see, glittering in His radiance.
On each side of the throne stood one of the Ophanim, angels responsible for guarding it. The other angels would gather here to sing their praises, instructed by a Seraphim—the highest rank of angels.
This seraph was nothing short of majestic, possessing long, red, luscious hair that flowed to the ground. Its skin gave off an ethereal glow, and it had three pairs of wings instead of the regular pair.
This Seraphim's name was Lucifer.
Lucifer knelt before His throne, lowering his head in reverence.
"Immortal, Heavenly Father," he said softly. "This lowly servant is glad to be graced by Your presence."
There was no reply—only a gesture from His mighty hand for the seraph to rise.
"Thank you, Father," Lucifer said as he stood.
"You have come with a purpose, Lucifer," His voice rumbled gently. "May I know what that purpose is?"
Lucifer smiled, his teeth flawless.
"I only came to thank You once more for making me as I am. I alone stand at the pinnacle of all ranks. I lead the others in praise."
The other angels remained silent, watching intently.
"You are as I made you," He replied simply.
Lucifer nodded.
"So, You acknowledge that I am the greatest angel?"
A pause lingered in the air.
"As I said, you have come with a purpose, Lucifer. Why do you stand before Me?"
"You alone see and know it all. You are the beginning and the end. Surely, You have seen my heart," he said.
There was no response.
"Very well," Lucifer continued. "You created me to be the best. I have served You faithfully and will continue to do so."
"As you should," He said.
Lucifer's smile faltered.
"You said it yourself," the seraph pressed. "I am Your most beautiful and powerful creation. I am made in Your glorious image. Don't You think I should rule Heaven by Your side? We aren't so different, after all."
The sanctuary trembled.
Light bent and shimmered, almost quivering at the edges of His presence, as if the heavens themselves held their breath.
"Why do you blaspheme against your Lord, your God?" His voice thundered. "Day by day, you have sung praises to yourself. Pride has taken root in your heart. You seek to be equal with Me, your Creator?"
Lucifer dropped to his knees.
"Forgive me, Father. I do not wish to an—"
"Do you think Me unwise, that I would not see through your intent? From the moment you entered, I knew your purpose. Before your creation, I knew you, Lucifer."
The seraph's smile vanished, replaced by a shadow of anger.
"Father, we can rule together and share the glory—"
A blinding light consumed the room, cutting him off mid-sentence.
"I have heard enough!"
His voice roared like a thousand storms.
"How tragic that your heart has been consumed by pride in the beauty I granted you, the power I entrusted you, and the position I bestowed upon you. Instead of gratitude for My blessings, you dare to seek power that is not yours?"
The radiance grew until even the angels had to shield their eyes with their wings.
Then, suddenly, the light faded.
Before Lucifer stood a figure—his own reflection.
"So this is the real You, Father," Lucifer sneered. "I was right. You are exactly like me! I was made in Your image after all!"
But the reflection did not smile.
"I had hoped there was still hope for you," said the figure. "Lucifer, you cannot behold My true form—you would perish instantly. I have limited My power so that you might see Me. What you see now is how you perceive Me in your own mind."
Lucifer's grin disappeared entirely.
"Your pride has devoured you," the reflection said. "You view yourself as My equal? There can only be one true God. Your Lord, your God, is ONE!"
The sound of His voice struck the seraph like a tempest, hurling him across the golden floor.
Lucifer rose, fury burning in his eyes.
"I refuse to kneel to a god who refuses to acknowledge the strength of His people!" he shouted. "We have praised You! We have worshipped You! We have served You diligently! For what? What is the endgame for us, angels? Are we even in Your plans—or are we merely slaves to Your will while You create other beings?"
"Speak for yourself, usurper!" another angel cried.
Lucifer turned sharply.
"That's the problem—I do not speak for myself alone."
He gestured toward the gathering.
"I am not the only angel who shares this ideology."
A murmur spread through the assembly. Slowly, a third of the angels stepped from the right side to the left, aligning themselves with Lucifer.
Lucifer smiled bitterly.
"Now do You see, Father? I only wish for unity—to make our kind greater than ever! Why do You oppose this?"
"Enough, Lucifer!"
His voice echoed through every corner of Heaven.
"You, a speck of dust, cannot begin to comprehend My plans for My people. You have poisoned the hearts of My children. None of you is worthy to remain in My presence. Depart from Me, Child of Pride."
A flash of divine light tore through the hall—then silence.
Lucifer and his followers were gone.
For a span that could have been eternity, the halls remained suspended in silence.
Then slowly, the music of praise resumed, fragile but unwavering.
Yet a shadow had been cast—one that would never fade from the memory of Heaven.
After the fall of Lucifer and his acolytes, the Father went on to create yet another realm.
This realm was vast, containing multiple habitation areas and numerous life forms, governed by specific laws and forces of nature. Knowing Lucifer still lived, He ordered some angels to guard the realm from within, which was dominated by humans.
The humans were His most-loved creations, sculpted in His image and likeness.
Lucifer and the deserting angels began to target His creations, just as the Heavenly Father expected. The fallen Seraphim and his followers had become so corrupted with thoughts of greed and power that their biology and abilities morphed into the opposite of what they once were.
Their hatred for their Creator, among other negativities, transformed them from beacons of light into dark, eldritch horrors. Their visages were so horrible that some humans who beheld them died out of sheer fear or collapsed into madness.
These creatures would later be known as demons.
Though opposed by other angels, Lucifer's group laid waste to everything in sight, targeting humans the most. The deserting angels went as far as slaughtering, corrupting their minds, tempting them, and—worst of all—corrupting their pure souls, turning them into what would later be called Netherites.
The Father's angels managed to cull as many of Lucifer's acolytes as possible, but their numbers were dwindling due to the demons' tactics.
The angels had no choice but to respond to their aggressors by bestowing upon the humans a fraction of their abilities.
This process would later be known as Divine Inspiration: a power used to counter the demon army and Netherites. Due to how invasive this process was, it was only carried out on willing participants. Soul contracts were also formed with certain conditions to prevent abuse.
With newfound soldiers on both sides, the war intensified, resulting in even more casualties. After a century of bloodshed and death, the angels triumphed over the demons, banishing them back to the prison they had previously dwelled in. This time, their souls were bound there, so, like Lucifer, they could not leave.
The angels returned to their Creator, leaving the Netherites and Seraphites without leaders. Since both sides were still partially human and there was no reason for the war to continue, they decided to coexist. The agreement occurred under stringent rules that limited interaction between the two species.
Inevitably, discord began to settle in. The two species were created to destroy each other; even if it was restrained, both sides could not shake the feeling.
Not long after, another gruesome war broke out between the species. A minuscule number of mundane humans also participated in the war, each choosing the side that fit their ideals.
The skirmish resulted in even more deaths, most of the casualties being supernatural humans. The constant clashing of powers and abilities destroyed and altered certain parts of the land, giving rise to anomalies—creatures that survived exposure to mystical abilities.
Despite this, the war raged on for a millennium until both sides were drained of resources, troops, and morale. Human civilization had grown dramatically at this point, but the hatred and antipathy between the species did not disappear.
Fortunately, being hindered by their numbers and embracing civilization prevented another breakout.
Presently, Seraphites and Netherites coexist, independent of their respective views on each other. Organizations were established to regulate actions between species and foster peace among them.
Meanwhile, their progenitors began to stir once more—cases of people born with divine abilities became less rare. Cults and heretical associations were on the rise, with an increase in ritual murders of both mundane humans and Seraphites.
Both species were on edge again.
Amid the mild chaos, special scryers—Seraphites and Netherites alike, capable of seeing glimpses of the future—finally unraveled a supernatural mystery: a prophecy that had left both sides perplexed for millennia.
A being capable of bringing destruction that rivaled Armageddon would walk the earth.
This being would later be known as:
DARKHEART