Chapter 13 The Birth of the Nine Levels of Hell
The gods' successful expedition to the abyss earned the angels of Paradise Mountain the respect and praise of the gods.
Shortly after the war, Suren extended a formal invitation to the Archangels, hoping to lead a delegation of gods to visit Mount Paradise to express his gratitude.
The ancestral angel gladly accepted. A pure bridge of light stretched from Heavenly Mountain to the realm of the gods, inviting the honored guest to set foot on this sacred land.
Suren led the delegation across the Bridge of Light, setting foot on Paradise Mountain for the first time. Among them were Misriel, Corylon, Moradin, and even Gwush, who curiously joined the visit.
The moment they stepped into Paradise Mountain, the gods were all awestruck by the sight before them.
Heavenly Mountain is divided into seven levels, each level being purer and brighter than the one below.
The lowest level of the bronze gate is a vast plain, where shimmering vegetation grows and the air is filled with a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
Celestial creatures roam freely here, including gentle unicorns, elegant griffins, and singing birds of light.
The silver gate on the second level is a magnificent library, recording all the knowledge and history of the universe. Wise angels organize the books here, maintaining the memory of the universe.
The golden gate on the third level is a training ground where angels hone their combat skills in preparation for maintaining order.
The Pearl Gate on the fourth floor is a city of music and art, where celestial artists create the most exquisite works of art.
The Gem Gate on the fifth floor is a healing sanctuary where wounded angels and souls find healing and comfort.
The diamond gate on the sixth floor is the Hall of Judgment, where justice in the universe is served.
The highest level, the Rainbow Gate, is the abode of the Ancestral Angels and the core of the Heavenly Mountain Order.
"A stunning place," Corellion commented. "Such order and harmony is the ideal state that elves strive for."
Moradin nodded: "Although dwarves prefer underground castles, the craftsmanship and structure here are impeccable."
Even Gruush rarely expressed his appreciation: "The training ground is good; it's a great place to hone combat skills."
The ancestral angels personally greeted the gods and led them on a tour of the various levels of Heaven. The celestial beings showed great respect and enthusiasm for the divine visit.
Some weak but kind-hearted deities, after seeing the environment of Paradise Mountain, decided to stay and not leave.
The goddess of agriculture, Chati, chose to settle on the plains of the Bronze Gate to help manage the luminous crops there; the goddess of poetry and art, Miriel, remained at the Pearl Gate to exchange ideas with the angelic artists; and the goddess of healing, Ishan, chose to assist in healing work at the Jewel Gate.
The ancestral angels welcomed the presence of these gods and even created a new species called "celestial servants" to serve them.
These attendants are composed of light and ordered energy, and are able to perfectly understand and serve the needs of the gods.
After the visit, the gods established a formal alliance with Heavenly Mountain. The angels not only assisted in resisting the invasion of the Abyss, but also began to help maintain cosmic order.
Angelic patrols began to roam the astral planes, protecting travelers; judgment angels assisted in mediating dimensional disputes; and wisdom angels helped organize cosmic knowledge. This work saved the gods a great deal of time and energy.
Ling Hao observed all of this unfolding, feeling both gratified and worried. He knew that this scene of order and harmony wouldn't last long.
Sure enough, as time went by, the Abyss once again revealed its threat. Although the Abyss's will kept its promise and ceased large-scale invasions, it continued to expand quietly.
Each time the gods and angels joined forces to repel the abyss's attack, they found that the abyss had become stronger and had more layers. The number of demons seemed to be growing infinitely, and they could quickly recover their losses after each battle.
Moreover, the abyss is gradually becoming a true "bottomless abyss." The number of its layers is constantly increasing, and it now exceeds one hundred layers.
The gods and angels were finding it increasingly difficult. Each repelling of the abyss's attacks required more power and more time, and the losses were growing ever greater.
Of all the angels who fought against the Abyss, Lucifer was the most active. This ten-winged archangel participated in almost every battle against the Abyss, and his understanding of it surpassed that of many gods.
Lucifer often studied the characteristics of the Abyss alone, contemplating ways to completely eliminate its threat. The other angels noticed that Lucifer was becoming increasingly silent and serious.
"The Abyss is not simply chaos," Lucifer stated at a council meeting. "It has its own rules and patterns. We need new methods to deal with it."
However, most gods and angels still adhere to the traditional approach, believing that as long as order and the power of light are strengthened, the abyss can ultimately be defeated.
Ling Hao closely monitored Lucifer's changes. He knew that in the game's history, Lucifer would eventually fall and create the Nine Hells. And now, he was witnessing the beginning of that process.
In a particularly fierce battle in the abyss, Lucifer and his elite angelic legion were trapped on the twenty-third level of the abyss. Facing an endless siege of demons, they suffered heavy losses.
Although they eventually broke through, Lucifer and his angels were corrupted by the abyss. This corruption was a profound shift in consciousness.
After breaking through, Lucifer pondered alone for a long time. He came to a conclusion: pure order and light could not defeat the abyss; on the contrary, they might become another form of bondage.
"We need new methods," Lucifer told his lieutenants. "Only by combining order with some form of evil can we create a true weapon against chaos."
The lieutenants were shocked by the idea, but the long fighting had made them skeptical of traditional methods. Several of Lucifer's most trusted angels began to agree with his views.
Just then, the Abyss launched its largest attack in history. The demon army attacked more than a dozen planes simultaneously, forcing the gods and angels to divert their forces to deal with it.
Lucifer saw this opportunity and led his most loyal angelic legions in a sudden attack. Instead of supporting the attacked plane, they rushed straight to a specific area of the abyss.
"What are we to do, Lord Lucifer?" an angel asked.
A resolute light gleamed in Lucifer's eyes: "We will create a new realm."
Lucifer mobilized his pure divine power of order and goodness, along with the power of the entire legion, to merge into the Abyss and sever the connection between the Abyss's will and these layers. They successfully tore apart the nine layers.
The Abyss's will was enraged at losing control of nine planes. The gods were also shocked by this scene, but quickly recovered and intensified their attack on the Abyss.
This prevented the Abyss Lord from immediately stopping Lucifer's actions.
Lucifer reshaped the nine abyssal layers into a completely new realm—the Nine Hells. Each hell represents a specific punishment and suffering, but all are governed by strict order and rules.
The first layer, Avernus, is a land of war and conquest;
The second level, Dis, is a city of lies and deception;
The third level, Minaros, is a prison of greed and desire;
The fourth layer, Phrygsos, is the fire of anger and hatred;
The fifth layer of Stygia is the River of Coldness and Oblivion;
The sixth level, Marboqi, is a swamp of disease and suffering;
The seventh level, Ferraris, is a mountain of fire and torture;
The eighth level of Kania is an abyss of ice and betrayal;
The ninth layer is the bottom of despair and enslavement.
Lucifer proclaimed himself Lord of Hell, residing in the ninth circle, Ness. His angelic legions fell into darkness, becoming the earliest infernal demons or fallen angels, while he himself became the king and prototype of all demons.
The gods were amazed by Lucifer's power. Suren tried to communicate with Lucifer, but received only a cold response.
"I no longer serve the rigid order," Lucifer declared. "I have created a new realm. Hell will become the true weapon against the abyss."
The will of the abyss was enraged. Unable to accept being torn apart, it immediately mobilized a large number of demonic forces, attempting to reclaim the lost dimension.
But Lucifer and his demon lords have firmly taken control of the nine levels of Hell.
The creatures born from hell differ from the chaotic demons; though they scheme against each other, they possess strict discipline and organization. These are the evil representatives of the cosmic order—the devils.
Thus, the largest conflict in the universe erupted—the Abyssal War. Abyssal demons and hellish devils waged an eternal war at the boundary, a war that would become the universe's greatest meat grinder.
Ling Hao watched this earth-shattering change unfold. He knew this was the origin of the famous "Blood Battle" in the game, but witnessing it firsthand was still awe-inspiring.
The gods face a new dilemma. They must not only contend with the abyss, but now also contend with the threat of Hell. Moreover, Lucifer's transformation has plunged Mount Paradise into an internal crisis.
Michael succeeded Lucifer as the new leader of the archangels, but the power of the Heavenly Mountain was greatly weakened by this incident.
Surprisingly, the bloodbath did indeed alleviate the pressure on the gods to a great extent. Demons and devils attacked each other, depleting each other's power and reducing their invasions of other worlds.
"Perhaps Lucifer is right," Gewush said with rare approval. "Let evil fight evil, that's a good idea."
But Suren shook his head worriedly: "The price is too high. Lucifer's actions are a dangerous precedent."
Even more worrying is that some weak gods and mortals have begun to worship hellish demons. They believe that although demons are evil, at least they abide by contracts and rules, making them more predictable than chaotic monsters.
Ling Hao noticed that the balance of the universe had been completely altered. There were now three main forces: the Alliance of the Gods of Heaven Mountain, representing order and light; the Abyss, representing chaos and evil; and the Nine Hells, representing order and evil.
Moreover, the bloody battle has only just begun, and as time goes on, this war will become increasingly intense and brutal.
Deep within the ninth circle of Hell, Lucifer sat on his throne, watching the bloody battle unfold. His eyes no longer held the angelic light, but the cold glint of hellfire.
"Let the war continue," Lucifer whispered. "Only through the test of blood and fire will true order be born