Many, many years ago, before the rise of man, there existed a realm that would later come to be known as heaven. This plane was ruled over by a single god, with extreme standards, who governed the realm with an iron fist. Under his dominion were innumerable immortal angels. This god was petty, and sheltered his realm from all others, teaching the belief that he was the one and only, and that his power was absolute.
Lucifer was one of this god's closest advisors, and she was very beautiful. She followed her lord's orders and performed all duties with diligence and grace. He wanted her, and seduced her into allowing him to lay claim to her, taking her in secret every night. Lucifer said nothing for many days, until her body began to change. She had grown large with the god's child, and the god refused to touch or look upon her. When the child was born, Lucifer brought it before her lord, but the god denied parentage, and denounced Lucifer as a blesphemer. Lucifer had many friends and followers, and a great conflict split heaven in two. The child grew, and the conflict escalated until Damien, as he came to be called, lead a battle in the capitol city of Bliss. This enraged the petty god, who banished Lucifer and all of those who opposed him, even those who refused to take sides.
Lucifer and her supporters wandered in Purgatory, until they found an unclaimed realm, which they took refuge in. This realm, which came to be known as hell, became Lucifer's new home, and she the queen of it, but she did not want to be queen. She retreated into the depths of the realm, leaving her son, Damien, to rule in her place. Damien was vengeful, and hated his father, and his hate twisted himself and his realm.
That is how hell came to be. Damien shaped the realm into a den of evil, and took in damned souls to torture for his own amusement. Hell became a place where those of exceptional sin were sent, and among the damned, those of truly outstanding evil were selected to become generals. Hell raised an army, to once again wage war on heaven, and heaven responded in kind.
No one has seen or heard from Lucifer since Damien came to power.

Zemashis frowned, looking around the decaying, blood-soaked city that was hell's capital. Things had certainly changed since last he had visited, and not for the better. Rust covered the massive walls that surrounded the city, and cruel blades jutted forth into the red-black sky, darkened flames spurting from towers of black steel and iron, and the entire city seemed to reek of decay. Damien's will, his sick perversion, every demented thought to pass through his head changed the landscape of this place, and it became his ultimate paradise, which is to say that it was a bottomless trap of tortured spirits and evil souls. The angels that had once been loyal to Lady Lucifer had transformed int gross mockeries of their former selves; daemons, one could call them. Daemons of all kinds roamed this plane, but Dis, in particular, housed more cubi preying on forgotten souls than any other circle. It was disgusting, yet somehow erotic to watch the well-endowed daemons torture and drain human souls of their very essence. These demons bore the closest resemblance to the angels they once had been: beautiful, ideal figures with flawless muscle structures and jaw-dropping features. But their wings had become blackened, like their souls, and these once proud angels had become as animals, luring prey with sexual promises and displays of skin before stripping them of their very souls.
The general layout of the city was familiar enough: the old city was stil laid out exactly as it had been a thousand years ago, though the buildings looked significantly more worn. Each building was either constructed in hell by its tenants, or appeared in Dis as it became linked with the mortal realm. The city itself was expanding at random intervals as buildings filled with negative energies were demolished or fell into disrepair. These links actually served to let the damned enter the mortal world, so angels frequently erected barriers to seal the bridge. Still, demons and cursed souls occasionally slipped through. It was something Zemashis had seen firsthand on Earth. A city had once become so filled with demonic influence that hell itself began to surface. That was a long time ago, however; nothing that big had ever happened since. To say that it came as a relief would be an understatement. A visit to this place was bad enough without it being brought to your doorstep.
Zemashis walked slowly down the city's main street, dilapidated churches and apartment buildings lining the walk on either side. He could hear an organ as he passed by one of the cathedrals, and he hurried his pace. He couldn't help but notice that the streets were largely empty, save for a few slouched souls. Ruined cars that had long since ceased their function stood by the curb every so often, and once Zemashis even saw a carriage pass by, drawn by two rotting horse cadavers. He has to stop as they passed, holding his breath for fear of inhaling their foetid musk.
As he came closer to the center of the old city, he stopped, something caught his attention. He backed up several paces as he realized that he was in the presence of one of Damien's SINs, the highest ranking generals in hell's army. An enormous beast strode through the center of the city, bulging muscle exposed under decaying flesh, bone spikes protruding at random angles from all over its body, its head a massive lump of tissue mounted on its shoulders with a gigantic maw in its center. It had no eyes, but was guided by its rider, someone that Zemashis recognized.
"Rafael?" He questioned, straining to see the man sitting atop this hulking beast.
The beast came to a halt, its muscular body quivering as it visibly yearned to break free. The rider dismounted, the hem of his low-cut red coat brushing the ground. He was not unattractive, like so many of the demons and the damned that Zemashis had seen before. He more closely resembled one of the cubi that roamed the city, only he lacked the wings, and the sexual disposition. To say that he was ungodly beautiful would not be the least bit inaccurate. "It's been a very long time, Zemashis. You're the last person I would expect to find here, but then, knowing the way you flirt with the mortals I suppose I shouldn't find it so surprising."
"Oh, please, I go where I wish and there hasn't been anyone yet who has been able to deny me. Who can resist a face like mine?" He flashed a brilliant smile to emphasize his point, before hardening his face into a serious gaze. "What's surprising is finding an angel of your standing in hell's very capital, and riding one of those monsters no less."
Rafael returned Zemashis' gaze, looking him directly in the eye. "Things have changed since the last time we met, my friend. The situation in heaven has grown more tense than it has been since the first great conflict. I haven't seen my home in a long time..."
Zemashis glanced at the impatient beast in the street, its limbs twitching as it gnashed its jaws. "Then it's true what I've heard, about one of the Virtues being cast to hell."
Rafael lowered his gaze, his long golden hair falling over his face. "I was cut down by another in my choir. You'll find him here as well."
Zemashis scowled, baring his teeth at his old friend. "You were the the Voice of Heaven, Rafael! The great Virtue of Truth! You mean to tell me that you chose to serve hell in your death?"
The instant the words left his mouth, Zemashis could feel his breath come to an abrupt stop, the razor edge of a scythe pressed against his bare throat, held tight from behind.
"I had little choice in the matter, Zemashis, it was serve or cease to exist. I would rather serve my mortal enemy for one last chance to see my wife again than to simply disappear. I've little doubt that you would make the same decision."
Zemashis swallowed hard, stretching his neck to its fullest to allow him enough air to speak. "Damien will never let you see her."
The scythe lowered, Zemashis gasping for breath. "Damien is not my master."
The beast quivered as it finally became fed up with waiting. It lunged at Rafael, it's enormous jaws open wide, claws outstretched. With a brief flash, the scythe flew through the air, a silver crescent image left for an instant in its wake as the beast fell to the ground at Zemashis' feet, its belly sliced up the middle. One arm landed on the sidewalk a few feet behind Rafael.
Zemashis blinked, not quite believing what he had just heard, and still uncertain as to what he had just witnessed. Rafael stepped forward, towards the center of the old city. His scythe rested on his back, its crescent blade hanging below his rump, which drew Zemashis' eye for a moment. "Come with me. Damien already knows you're here. We'll take shelter in Lucifer's sanctuary."
Zemashis took one step, before quickly halting. "Lady Lucifer still lives?"
"Of course," Rafael said as he began walking, his soft footsteps echoing through the empty streets. "Who did you think sent me to find you?"