Exterminator

The **Exterminators**, or **Destroyers**, are an overarching antagonistic faction in the *Divine Comedy*.

They are an army of Heavenly soldiers who annually descend from Heaven every 31st of December to cull a portion of Hell's sinner population as a way to prevent the Nine Circles from overpopulating. They were hand-chosen by Metatron, trained by Raguel, and led by the archangel Michael.

## Appearance

Exterminators are said to fit the category and imagery of a Destroyer Angel. They are souls of humans that were taken by Metatron and placed inside mechanical suits designed by both Jophiel and Raziel.

They appear as monochrome-colored angels with blood red halos above their heads that look to be dripping 'blood' which gravitates upwards. They have pointed helms, wide circular ocularum where their blood red hate-filled eyes can be seen, ventails that resembles a louvered door of a furnace that gives off the appearance of a large toothy grin, and sharp crests on their heads.

They also sport two greyish black wings and have a wide array of angelic weaponry, including spears, swords, maces, axes, and knives, all of which they use with precise and deadly efficiency.

## History

### Background

The Exterminators stemmed from the ongoing spiritual arms race between Heaven and Hell. In the beginning the only individual among the fallen angels to know what will happen at the end of God's book is Lucifer. But Lucifer isn't aware of **how** it's going to happen much less end and just that it will. As a result, he starts to lay out the seeds that will put a dent in the system; the serpent, the apple, the fall of man, Cain, etc., all acting as both a way to give Hell time to strike back at Heaven while also giving God the finger. This will slow things down for a while and also pave the way for them to build up their kingdoms and power in order to be well equipped for the final battle against Heaven in the far future.

However, there was a time where Hell was actually dominating and its shadow encompassed the Earth hence the Dark Ages. Heaven (mainly Metatron) grew desperate, so they decided to 'stabilize' the power struggle by initiating the Extermination Event where Destroyer Angels are sent to Hell to cull the overgrowing population of sinners. Though pictured as an act of consolidation between Heaven and Hell it is more of a strategy from Heaven to cripple Hell's resources so Heaven would have the advantage in the Apocalypse. The Exterminators were hand-picked by Metatron and molded into being the unstoppable and merciless killers they are seen as by Hell's denizens.

Metatron would send a host of angels to pluck some of the vengeful souls that wander through Purgatory and graft them into Exterminator suits. The suits themselves were said to stimulate their vengeance, wrath, and hatred towards those that took their lives. During every annual Extermination Event they are led by the archangel Michael who guides them through the Nine Circles to find and destroy any wayward sinner or demon but also makes sure that they do not step out line and murder a demon belonging to the royal family as they are the only ones exempt from the Extermination.

## Trivia

* The Exterminators are based on the **Destroying Angels** in Judaism. They are also referred to as *memitim* (Hebrew meaning 'executioners, slayers') or executioner angels.
* The reason they are primarily called "Exterminators" and not "Exorcists" is because there is already a department of angels called Exorcists who aid in the banishing of demons that have taken possession of a human host.
* While they are referred to as "angels" they are in fact not **true** angels. This was shown when Charlie managed to kill one and it bled red blood revealing that they are in fact mortal souls housed inside their suits.
* Their "halos" are also control modules which act as inhibitors for them having independent thought or will.