Heaven

"*That's the happy ending, see?! Everyone smiling and happy in Heaven...*"
— Charlie about Heaven.

**Heaven** is a sacred and ethereal realm serving as the abode for celestial beings referred to as angels. Analogous to its opposite, Hell, Heaven serves as the destination for the souls of the recently deceased who have passed from Earth, though, unlike its infernal inverse, Heaven is the haven for souls considered to be virtuous and "redeemed".

## History

Heaven was created by God while the Light Beyond the Stars were tasked by the Almighty to lay the foundations of the Universe. Shortly after the creation of Heaven, God created seven archangels who would act as the deity's sons and the princes of the sacred domain. One of the Light Beyond the Stars would use the role of Heaven's Light. The mythical object, that is capable of turning into a sun, and is potentially capable of saving those with damned or corrupted souls. God would then knight Archangel Forti as Heaven's greatest protector shortly after the Excalibur chose him as its wielder, tasking him with training Heaven's warrior angels to defend the realm from external threats. Over the years, Heaven would become heavily populated by both natural-born angels, and Winners, former humans who ascended to Heaven after death.

After humanity was created, God commanded all angels in Heaven to bow down to humanity and present more compassion toward them than to Himself. While most angels followed God's command without question and swore to protect His creations, one prince of Heaven, Lucifer Morningstar disobeyed God's order as he saw humans as unworthy in comparison to his own perfection, and questioned why God would order His angels to worship humanity, rather than Lucifer himself. Scorned by God's decision and believing that he was more worthy of ruling all creation than God Himself, Lucifer decided to do whatever it took to overthrow his Father and claim the title of God for himself. The prince would then ally himself with a fallen member of the Light Beyond the Stars, Satan, and go on to corrupt thousands of angels and spiritual entities into joining his eventual war against God.

After months of building his army, Lucifer finally launched his assault on Heaven, opening a gateway for Satan and its malevolent creations to attack both Heaven and the Universe. Millions of humans and angels were killed in the destructive conflict, and Heaven was thrown into a state of war, with not even innocent bystanders being spared. Heaven's military, consisting of warrior angels and an army of archangels led by Forti rose to stop Lucifer's army and Satan, but all archangels were massacred by the Devil. Their deaths led Forti to open a gateway to Purgatory that dragged everything within its vicinity, including Satan and Forti himself, into the realm. Forti then closed the gateway to prevent the Devil and its followers from escaping, imprisoning himself along with them. Archangel Michael, at the behest of God, then rose up to personally stop Lucifer and his amassed army of fallen angels, banishing the fallen prince and all who followed him into rebellion to Hell, stripping Lucifer's followers of their angelic forms and power in the process and transforming them into demons.

The War in Heaven led a profound impact on the realm and the Universe at large. Millions of angels were killed in the conflict, and thousands of angels, notably Adina and the seven angel children, became lost in the conflict for various reasons, whether they fled out of fear or were dragged into Purgatory when Forti opened the gateway, with most never returning. Heaven strengthened its security by installing large, magical, golden gates around its perimeters, and Michael was appointed to replace Forti as commander of Heaven's military. However Michael eventually forced his younger brother Azrael into leading Heaven's military while he and his siblings went off to serve directly under God. The then-young and inexperienced Azrael was previously meant to go with his siblings while Michael stayed behind guarded Heaven, but Michael desired the prestige of serving under God rather than Heaven.

## Description

Positioned above Hell itself, Heaven can be seen in the Pride Ring's crimson sky, adjacent to the city's infernal star-shaped moon. Its external appearance resembles an immense white orb or moon-like entity, crowned with a halo, yet its inner expanse presents an unending vista of clear skies illuminated by radiant beams of light and iridescent rainbows. The landscape within consists of an expansive realm of enchanted clouds.

Architecturally, most of Heaven's structures possess a dreamlike design that defies the laws of reality, often featuring asymmetrical elements. The more opulent structures in locales such as Halo City exhibit a resplendent quality, evoking the impression of crystal or diamond composition. Streets throughout Heaven are paved with gold or adorned with diamonds, while some buildings seemingly levitate upon clouds, defying gravity itself.

Beyond its divine civilizations, Heaven boasts an array of expansive landscapes and features, including boundless meadows adorned with exquisite flowers and teeming with diverse wildlife. Rainbow-hued waterfalls cascade gracefully, accompanied by geysers that playfully eject confectionery treats. Every tree within this realm bears plump, perpetually fresh fruit, assuring that even in the event of becoming disoriented, sustenance and hydration are inexhaustibly available, eliminating the specter of starvation or thirst.

Unlike Hell, Heaven is constantly expanding, so its wonders are essentially endless.

Heaven's enchanted forests are home to a diverse array of sentient wildlife, encompassing lions, butterflies, birds, insects, sheep, dogs, horses, monkeys, and elephants. These creatures possess an inherent wisdom and hospitality akin to the angels of Heaven. Remarkably, they possess the ability to communicate through speech and song.

Heaven's atmosphere stands in stark contrast to its infernal counterpart, Hell. While Hell remains in perpetual chaos and disorder, Heaven exudes an aura of serenity, enchantment, and whimsy. The majority of its inhabitants embody a joyful and warm-hearted nature, characterized by their welcoming demeanor and playfully lighthearted disposition. They readily break into song and offer assistance whenever the opportunity arises, presenting a striking juxtaposition to the aggressive and coarse inhabitants of Hell.

In Heaven, children can freely explore without concern, as both predators and threats are nonexistent. Objects and animals come to life with the ability to communicate eloquently through speech and song. At every turn, one encounters rainbow-kissed ponds and flower-strewn fields, and the streets resonate with the harmonious melodies of exuberant angels, who eagerly join in each other's musical revelries.

In direct contrast to Hell's tumultuous nature, Heaven stands as a realm of profound tranquility, marked by meticulous bureaucracy and meticulous orderliness. Consequently, its inhabitants tend to respond swiftly with a sense of alarm whenever chaos or impending danger looms. This rapid reaction arises from their accustomed existence of serene living, which has fostered a heightened sensitivity to disruptions in their harmonious environment.

To say the relationship between Heaven and Hell is a mixed bag would be an understatement; the majority of Hell's society holds strong animosity and/or resentment toward Heaven and its inhabitants, with many sinners despising the realm for sending the Exterminators to massacre the Pride Ring's population, and demons expressing disdain towards angels for their purities and strong belief in humanity. Some angels, such as Azrael and Keenie are shown to despise demons, and the Exterminators expressed clear joy and excitement while butchering Pride's populace. Most of Heaven's denizens are rightfully afraid of Hell's inhabitants while not necessarily believing they are helpless or irredeemable. There were almost as many angels who supported the annual Extermination than those who opposed it; many supported the extermination out of bigoted hatred, extremist views or loyalty to Azrael while most oppose it on a moral ground. Other angels, such as Adina and Forti, expressed sympathy for sinners and do not hate them, as they are still humans in a way, and have encouraged Charlie's mission to reform sinners so that they can ascend to Heaven.

Heaven was somewhat infamous for being extremely difficult to get into; a solitary sin or transgression committed during one's lifetime is sufficient for condemnation to Hell, effectively barring access to Heaven. This policy remained steadfast, irrespective of the individual's overall benevolence throughout their existence. However, this stringent admission criteria was a relatively recent development. In contemporary times, Azrael, the formerly preeminent archangel-turned-disgraceful standard angel and the former overseer of Heaven in God's absence, had exerted his personal convictions upon the realm's statutes. During his authority, only those who were devoid of sin or fervently dedicated to God found acceptance within Heaven's confines.

Regrettably, the influence of Azrael had catalyzed a shift toward corruption and extremity in Heaven's practices. This encompassed the banishment of angels, even those born in Heaven, if they opposed Azrael's governing methods. Additionally, angels and winners who dared to dissent against the former archangel's autocracy faced the consequences of brainwashing or memory erasure. Such drastic measures underlined the profound transformation that has befallen Heaven under during Azrael's rule.

## Hierarchy

Similar to Hell, Heaven also functions within a hierarchical structure. However, in contrast to Hell's caste-based system, Heaven's hierarchy is predominantly bureaucratic in nature. It revolves around an individual's proximity to God rather than the dual emphasis on power and status characteristic of Hell's arrangement.

1. **God**: God stands as the Most High, having brought Heaven and Creation into existence. His eminence surpasses not only within the confines of Heaven but extends throughout Creation as a whole. However, He does not directly govern within the realms of Heaven; rather, His dominion reigns supreme over His celestial domain from above. Universally adored and venerated by all denizens of Heaven, His every decree and utterance hold sway as irrefutable law and the unwavering truth.
2. **The Seven Heavenly Virtues**: Seven archangels who each embody one of the Seven Heavenly Virtues and work alongside God to maintain and defend all life.
3. **The Speaker of God**: An ethereal being serving as God's chief steward and the ambassador of Heaven, tasked with conveying divine messages throughout the expanse of both Heaven and the Universe on behalf of the Divine Creator.
4. **Seraphim**: A royal family of divine angels who serve as God's choir and manage the records of every soul that has ever dwelled on Earth, Heaven and Hell, in addition to carrying out salvations, or performing God's divine will.
5. **Ophanim**: A choir of divine angels who guard Heaven and the throne of God. They are led by the supreme Ophanim angel of the same name.
6. **Principalities**: Angelic entities designated as political officers within the cities and sectors of Heaven, entrusted with governance and administration. Their responsibilities extend beyond heavenly domains to safeguarding churches and sanctified places on Earth.
7. **The Heavenly/Divine Court**: An assembly of esteemed angels forming a celestial choir that fulfills the role of Heaven's judiciary. Their primary function entails upholding the laws and maintaining order within Heaven's realm. They preside over the trials of those who transgress divine decrees, ensuring justice prevails. Furthermore, they attentively attend to the queries, worries, and viewpoints voiced by the inhabitants of Heaven, thereby contributing to the harmonious governance of the celestial domain.
8. **Winners**: Former humans who ascended to Heaven after death. As per God's decree, winners are treasured in Heaven as God had ordered His angels to love humanity even moreso than Himself. While winners generally reborn in Heaven following their deaths, it is believed by some that it is possible to become a saint by being absolved of one's sins and allowed entry into Heaven from Hell.

* + **Saints**: Human souls who were deemed to be virtually sinless and thus reside in one of the highest rings of Heaven. They are led by Saint Peter.
	+ **Lukewarm**: Lukewarm are Winners who were accepted into Heaven despite lacking commitment to Heaven and its ideals. They are considered to be neither sinful nor totally sinless. They reside in the middle ring of Heaven and were ruled by Azrael.

1. **Archangels**: God's champions, leading defenders of Heaven, and commanders of the Heavenly Host. They are responsible for leading their own forces, inspiring and guiding the souls of Heaven, and protecting the Universe from the greatest of threats and disasters.
2. **Heavenly Host**: Angelic warriors in Heaven's military. They are responsible for defending their home realm from external threats, dealing with immediate intruders, or going on expeditions outside of Heaven to capture or eliminate those who have threatened Heaven and its denizens.
3. **Heavenborn**: Natural-born angels of Heaven, this includes humanoid angels, Goetia angels, and Heaven's wildlife.
4. **Cherubim**: A subspecies of angels who essentially serve as guardian angels, protecting and keeping a watch over Earth and its populace.
5. **The Powers**: A choir of warrior angels that were trained under Archangel Azrael to annually massacre the Pride Ring's population.

## Known Locations

* Halo City
	+ Seraphim Square
		- Seraphim Center
	+ Divine Comfort
	+ Heavenly Fabrics
* Enchanted Forest
* Cherub Towne
	+ C.H.E.R.U.B Headquarters
* Golden Arches
* Virtue Ville
	+ Embassy of Hell
	+ Realm Travel Facility
* Azrael's Inner Sanctum
* Haven

## Gallery

Exterior view of HeavenThe Merry Old Land of HeavenCherub TowneC.H.E.R.U.B HeadquartersHalo City
## Trivia

* Unlike Hell, Heaven is virtually infinite and constantly adjusts its size depending on how many souls are in it at a time, despite always appearing to be a moon-sized planet from an outside perspective. This also means that Heaven never has to worry about overpopulation, unlike its infernal counterpart.
	+ As opposed to Hell's overpopulation problem, Heaven suffers from a *diversity* problem due to the realm's strict and borderline puritanical guidelines for saints, leading many to find Heaven's society samey or boring.
* Heaven's theme song would be "The Merry Old Land of Oz" from *The Wizard of Oz*.
* Heaven is described by the series' creators as being based on Oz from *The Wizard of Oz* in that it is an upbeat place full of wonder and magic, and the inhabitants are very cheerful, cartoony, and sing all the time.
* Heaven has at least one TV station that can be viewed in Hell.
* According to Serenity, Heaven does not have an economy as everything is provided for by God, thus everybody in Heaven lacks for nothing.
* Roo is allowed to enter Heaven every thousands of years for a one-day visit, though it is unknown what business she actually does while staying.
* According to Forti, Heaven has an extensive record of every single soul dwelling in Hell, especially its nobles and higher-ups.
* Heaven has an embassy in Hell that is located in the Pride Ring. Likewise, Hell is stated to have an embassy somewhere in Virtue Ville.