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Contrary to what the Shadowhunter’s say: Not all the legends are true. More precisely, the legends aren’t all entirely true. Sure, some are mostly true with small mistakes. For example, the Nephilim are right, hell exists and there is multiple dimensions, but unbeknownst to them earth is actually one of these realms. Yes, you understood that correctly, earth is one of the hell realms.
If the legend was accurate, it would also add that after banishing the fallen angels, the kings of hell, from heaven, the angels didn’t stop there. See, angels aren’t the only inhabitants of heaven, heaven is also populated by Nephilim. When some of the Nephilim started acting unholy, in the sense that they grew egotistical, self-centered, intolerant and judgmental, the Angels decided to whip their memory and cast them out of heaven and for that, they created an additional hell dimension: Earth.
Unlike other hell realms, Earth was populated by mostly humans a specifique, weaker race of demon’s, with some other races of demon’s sometimes managing to get to that dimension, therefore adding downworlder’s to the mix. The prince of this realm varied through the millenniums, but most recently, the prince has been Magnus Bane a warlock, son of Asmodeus, prince of Edom.
When sending the Nephilim to Earth, the Angel’s objective was to reeducate them. The Nephilim were to be tested and to be allowed back in heaven, you must become a good Nephilim. They should not be bigoted but rather selfless. When a Nephilim achieved that, the current prince of Earth would be tasked with sending the Nephilim back to Earth.
The reeducation process proved to be more difficult than the Angels originally anticipated because, when they were cast to earth, the original Shadowhunter’s, knowing their ties to the angel's, built the clave. They thought their blood meant they were superior to the downworlders. They invented a story about an Angel's gift, created rules and a society as an excuse to bully and discriminate. Then they started to reproduce, became a whole generational institution. As time went on, Nephilim allowed back to heaven became fewer and fewer, as well as the mount of downworlders who knew about earth being a realm of hell to punish Nephilim. Those who had the knowledge didn’t share due to the horrible treatment of the clave as well as respecting the Angel’s punishment. But it happens every couple of generations that a good Nephilim is born. Once this person achieves the Angel’s desires enough to be allowed back to Heaven, they would be “ Killed” in a selfless battle and wakes up in heaven.
This process has worked seamlessly since the beginning, until Alexandre Lightwood entered the prince’s life.