Hell of Ariel

location

“And why are you calling this realm the Nightmare Desert? Didn't your parents teach you anything about Hell of Ariel?"^[1]
- Azarax, Chapter 2854, "Ariel's Hell"

Description.

The Hell of Ariel is a region of the Dream realm that lies to the east of the Forgotten Shore, tracing along the Hollow mountains^[2] and it is also to the north of the Chained Isles. This region is described as a wide area of white sands where the Tomb of Ariel appears on the horizon, it is also described as an isolated realm that was turned into hell by Ariel. This hell is unique and only connected to one other land which is the stronghold of Nether, the Underworld and hence it became a favored place by the gods to trap anything they hated, feared, or wished to punish in this hell. ^[1]

It also trapped shadows of living beings who were denied death if they got lost on their way to the Underworld. This realm was selected as the battlefield by the Demon legion and the Divine host ^[1] because the Hell of Ariel is a large area which is in no means smaller than the Forgotten Shore, most likely far greater in size,^[3] and also because it was suitable for conflict without creating more hells.

The goal of the Divine host was to conquer the Underworld, but they couldn't even conquer hell. So when the Divine host was on the verge of defeat, Shadow god was forced to descend into the Hell of Ariel through his avatar and was forced to fight the Demon of Repose after being lured into the battlefield. But instead of continuing the fight, the avatar of Shadow god ended it by cursing both armies and banishing them from death, as if trying to mock Repose. ^[4]

Geography.

A blinding disc of an incandescent sun was bathing the tall dunes in a flood of immolating heat. The sands of the desert were flawlessly white, and the azure sky above him was deep and boundless like an ancient ocean, with not a single cloud blemishing its silken expanse. ^[5]

- Chapter 1169, "Battlefield of the Gods"

The Hell of Ariel has a blinding disc of incandescent sun which was bathing the tall dunes in a flood of immolating heat. The sands of the desert where white, and the azure sky is deep and boundless like an ancient ocean, with not a single cloud blemishing its silken expanse. ^[5]

During the night the desert turns into a battlefield where the soldiers cursed by Shadow god rise from beneath the sands to fight each other for eternity. ^[6]

Inhabitants.

"The deathless will begin rising from the sand soon. They won't pay attention to us – at least not immediately – but getting past them without being annihilated will be impossible. We will have to fight our way through, and soon after we involve ourselves in the battle, both sides will most likely endeavor to destroy us."^[7]
- Chapter 2845, "Deathless"

The desert is filled with Nightmare creatures during day, a known creature that roamed the desert during the day was the Great abomination called Skinwalker. When night arrives the mindless beings who are the deathless warriors that were cursed by Shadow god rise from the sands to fight each other for eternity.

The inner expanse of the desert is far more dangerous than the outer areas because, the inner area is where the most elite armies of the Demon Legion and Divine Host fight for the right to rule hell, hence it is implied that the beings that live in this region are the worst creatures. The more inside you go, the higher the threat becomes as even sacred beasts can be encountered in the inner region. ^[8]

In the outer areas of the desert, there was a tree where two skeletons were found, they were Eurys and Azarax. These people where Supreme beings that were nailed on the tree for the crimes they committed before Shadow god cursed the entire hell turning all beings into the deathless. Eurys and Azarax were the skeletons that were caught in this curse, hence they also became deathless, but unlike the rest of the deathless, both of these Supremes kept their sanity and mind without going insane due to the special properties of the tree that they were nailed on.

Landmarks.

"First of all… there was a daemon called Ariel, the Demon of Dread. The Tomb of Ariel stands somewhere in the Nightmare Desert – however, it is not a tomb where Ariel is buried. Rather, it is a tomb that he built."^[9]
- Chapter 1246, "Research Partners"

One of the main landmarks of the Hell of Ariel is the tomb that the Demon of Dread built. It is a giant black pyramid ^[10] that contains a great river within it that flows from the past to the future.

The Black Skull is the second landmark of the Hell of Ariel. It is a citadel that is described as as a huge skull with three eyes resembling a Nephilim.^[11]

The third landmark of the Hell of Ariel was where the temporary camp of the desert survivors was located. The landmark had five strangely shaped metal towers arranged in a semi circle. These towers were actually a steel gauntlet covered in sand, each tower resembling a finger. ^[12]

History.

Memory Description: [When the unholy titan took a step, everyone cowered in fear. Only Ariel, the Demon of Dread, remained standing - he did not feel fear, for he was fear itself. Taking a step forward, he challenged the unholy titan, and the two battled under the azure sky. Their battle was fierce, their battle was fearsome. Their battle was a hint of the doom that would come.
The unholy titan possessed an indestructible stone body and was invulnerable to all harm. As they fought, the land was shattered and the sky split apart. The Demon of Dread received many harrowing wounds, but the terrible titan remained wholly unscathed. Its stone body became incandescent from the heat, shining brighter than the fiery sun.
That was when the Demon of Dread whispered something to his enemy, and then cast the titan into the depths of the ocean.
When the incandescent titan plunged into the cool water, the ocean turned into searing vapor and was scattered by the winds. The stone flesh of the titan instantly cooled, causing a tiny crack to appear on its heart - that tiny spot was the only part of the creature that had not been tempered, and was also its only flaw.
As Ariel watched coldly, the titan bellowed in agony. After one heartbeat, cracks appeared on its indestructible body. After two heartbeats, blood flowed from its wounds like a river. After three heartbeats, its body started to crumble into numerous shards.
And on the seventh heartbeat, its heart shattered, turning into dust.
That was how the unholy stone titan was destroyed.
Following the end of the battle, the Demon of Dread created a mystical river out of the titan's blood, and built a pyramid out of its stone flesh. The pyramid stood where the ocean had once been, and...] ^[13]
- Chapter 1247, "Fear Itself"

Before the climate of the Hell of Ariel became a desert, it was a vast ocean where the Demon of Dread, Ariel fought with the Stone titan. The aftermath of that battle made this ocean into a hell, where Ariel built then built a giant pyramid out of the titans flesh.

This realm became a unique, desolate, and an isolated hell which was then selected as a battlefield for the war between the Demon Legion and Divine Host to take place.

Later, Azarax and Eurys where captured and imprisoned on a tree in this hell, punished for their crimes.

And when the Divine Host was on the verge of defeat, Shadow god descended to fight against Repose and cursed this hell. Everyone from the Demon Legion, Divine Host, and even Azarax and Eurys where caught in this curse being banished from death forever.

Trivia.

"Because the Hell of Ariel was dead and isolated, it became favored by the gods. This was where they put everything that they hated, feared, or wanted to punish... well, according to the myth, at least. That was why parents used to scare their children with the Hell of Ariel. However, there was another, far more terrible reason why everyone feared it."
- Chapter 2854, "Ariel's Hell"

Nephis' journey as a sleeper took place in a vast desert, which was this place. ^[2]

Sunny and Nephis called this place the Nightmare desert until Azarax clarified that this place is called the Hell of Ariel. ^[1]

The Hell of Ariel was used as a myth for parents to scare their children.^[1]