St Cloud Minnesota

  I walked through the aperture and felt my knees buckle. I grabbed for the cathedral's iron railing, trying not to collapse on the stone steps. The bright sun seared my eyes. I pulled off my hat and held it up, trying to block the light.

  Out of nowhere, a young priest knelt beside me and caught my arm as I started to fall. He helped ease me down to the ground. He spoke with a light German accent, and I couldn't make out what he was saying at first. I was still trying to gather my senses.

  "I say there, son, it's a little early to be three sheets, don't you think?"

  I stared up at the man through squinted eyes, still dizzy. I was trying to keep whatever was in my guts from ending up all over the stairs.

  "Listen, I know the church is supposed to be a place of sanctuary," he continued, "but if you're ill of drink, this is not a good place for you to be right now. You need to go back to your bed."

  "Sorry, Father," I managed.

  Realizing I must have looked completely drunk, I grabbed the railing and pulled myself up.

  "I think I've got it now."

  "Is there somebody we could fetch to help you, son?"

  "No, I'll be okay. I'm actually from out of town. Can you point me toward a motel?"

  "Son, I don't know what a motel is, but maybe you should head over toward the Breen, with the others. It's a little under a mile away off Germain Street. Are you feeling right enough to make it?"

  "Yeah, I think I'm okay, Father. Thank you."

  "I didn't catch your name, son."

  "My friends call me Jay, Father. And I'm sorry if I've been any burden." I didn't want to upset any of the clergy. I knew I was going to have to come back and talk with them, but right now I had to find a place where I could lay low for a bit.

  I started down the street, following the directions the priest had given me. I tried my best to hold my composure. Every muscle in my body ached and burned.

  With a sudden pop, Az appeared on my shoulder.

  "What are you doing? I can't let anybody see you," I said, panicked.

  "Relax, dumbass. Nobody can see us unless we want them to. Just you." Azazel paused. "You, on the other hand, look like hell and you're moving around like you're drunk. We need to find a place to rest. No hotel clerk is going to give you a room key when you look like you're about to puke all over the place."

  "A hotel?" I asked. "Is that where we're going? And I'm fine" I said as I took a deep breath pulling myself together.

  "Yep, and this isn't my first time staying at this hotel either." Az paused. "In the 1920s, you're not going to need an ID or cash to get up into a room, but you're sure as hell going to need money for anything else. So we're going to have to find some scratch."

  That thought hadn't occurred to me. The last time I'd thought about money, I'd slid an envelope full of it into my jacket. A jacket I no longer had.

  "Hold up a second," Az said. "Before we get to the hotel, you need to see something. Look at yourself in that shop window."

  I stopped and turned to look into the glass. I was amazed. I reached up and touched my face, running my fingers along my jaw. I hadn't looked like this since my twenties. The hard wrinkles were gone. The scars were gone. Everything except my eyes. My eyes still looked the same as the last time I'd seen myself in a mirror.

  Before I could say anything, golden text appeared in front of me.

  ?? ARCANE SYSTEM: APERTURE TRANSITION COMPLETE

  Status: Successfully manifested into the Material Realm. Timeline: St. Cloud, Minnesota—1920. Your state has changed to corporeal.

  NOTICE: Your spirit essence has been reconstituted into living flesh. Your form reflects peak mortal capability as determined by the Arcane System. Previous degradation, scarring, and age-related deterioration have been negated.

  Corporeal manifestation has stabilized. Attribute allocation is now governing your physical form.

  The Arcane System has granted you capabilities that exceed unmodified human limitations. You are stronger, faster, and more resilient than those without System access.

  WARNING: Temporal displacement may cause initial disorientation. Physical adaptation to corporeal form will stabilize within 24 hours.

  "What the hell?" I stared at the text, then back at my reflection. "I look like I'm in my twenties again."

  Az landed back on my shoulder. "That's what the System considers your peak. Your optimal physical state."

  "But why? Why not just put me back the way I was?"

  "Because you weren't exactly in fighting shape when you died, Mud. Or did you forget the part with the shotgun to the face?"

  "No, I didn't forget, you little—" I swiped at him, but he fluttered out of reach.

  I looked back at the window, reading the text again. "This says I'm stronger and faster than normal people now?"

  "Well, yeah. Normal are stuck at the baseline. For most people, they'll never see natural attributes over one—maybe a two for special folks like Einstein or some athletes."

  "So I'm superhuman now?"

  "Seriously, Mud, do you not hear the words that come out of your mouth? No, you're not Superman. You're a meat bag with the physical characteristics of a level one demon or angel."

  I turned from the window. The face in the glass looked young and unmarked, but now I understood it wasn't just cosmetic. The System had literally rebuilt me from the ground up. The face staring back at me was mine, but younger. Unbroken. Like the years of violence and bad choices had been erased from my skin, even if they still lived in my memory.

  "Listen," Az said as I dismissed the window, "I don't think money is going to be that big of a problem."

  "How is not having any money NOT going to be a problem?"

  "Don't worry about it. I've got a plan. Let's get to this hotel first, though. You need a shower and a nap."

  Four or five blocks later we made it to the hotel. I stared at the five-story red brick building from across the street. Large plate-glass windows flanked either side of the corner entrance. Green fabric awnings stretched above them, and a modest marquee sign read "Breen Hotel." With the cars lined up along the curb, it looked like something out of a postcard.

  I stepped inside and made my way to the front counter.

  "I need a room for one, please."

  Behind the counter stood a young man who couldn't have been more than sixteen, wearing a vest that looked like it had been tailored for someone bigger. He slid a registry book across the counter for me to sign.

  "Do you have any luggage, sir?"

  "I'm afraid I got here before my belongings."

  "That happens sometimes." He turned and called toward the back. "Tommy!"

  A younger boy appeared, maybe twelve or thirteen, adjusting a red bellhop jacket with brass buttons that hung loose on his thin frame. The matching pillbox hat sat crooked on his head. The clerk handed him a key.

  "Show the gentleman to two-twelve. And mind the construction."

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  The boy nodded and gestured for me to follow. "This way, sir. We'll have to take the stairs—the elevator's not working yet."

  "If you're not fully open, why are you accepting guests?" I asked as we climbed.

  "We got some important folks in town. The owner figured we should use the rooms that are ready." He led me down a hallway that smelled of fresh paint and sawdust. "Besides, we got the nicest rooms in St. Cloud, even half-finished."

  The young bellhop unlocked a door and pushed it open. I stepped into a room about twelve by sixteen feet, filled with brand-new mahogany furniture. A single window overlooked the street below.

  "You're the only one on this floor right now, None of your other friends have arrived yet, so the bathroom's all yours," he said, handing me the key. Then he stood there, hand extended, palm up.

  I gave him an apologetic look. "When my bags show up, I'll make it worth your while."

  The kid's face fell for a second, then he forced a smile. "Sure thing, sir. Enjoy your stay." He pulled the door closed behind him.

  "Well then, Mud," Az said, "we've got a couple of things we've already figured out, if you were paying attention."

  "What, the fact that I need money if I'm going to go unnoticed? It's hard to stay under the radar when you don't have any cash."

  "Yeah, yeah. I've got a plan for the money. We'll deal with it later." Az floated over to the window and stared down at the street. "I'm more interested in this hotel right now."

  "What about it?"

  "I've been here before. Well, I will be here." He turned back to me. "The guy I'm planning to possess is staying in this hotel. Don't worry—I don't jump him until later. You won't accidentally run into demon-me."

  "Wait." I frowned. "If the hotel's under construction, how did that priest know they were even taking guests?"

  "Because someone paid the owner to open early for all those 'important folks' the kid mentioned."

  The pieces started clicking together. "The priest sent me straight to this hotel. He must have figured I was just another thug."

  "Which means the church is connected." Az's grin widened. "Come on, Mud. Use that brain. It's the 1920s. What's the big money-maker?"

  "Prohibition." I felt stupid for not seeing it sooner. "The moonshine."

  "Bingo. This whole town—St. Cloud, Little Germany, whatever you want to call it—they're all brewing Minnesota 13. The family comes here to buy it, then ships it to Chicago, Kansas City, all over. And everybody gets a cut. The cops, the politicians, the farmers,” He paused with a big toothy grin. “And, the church."

  I remembered Minnesota 13 from somewhere—stories maybe, or history I'd picked up over the years.

  "So the demons weren't here for the cathedral at all," I said.

  "Nope. We were here for business. Just a handful of us in meat suits, making deals. The rest were regular thugs working for the family. Guys like you used to be." Az shrugged. "We didn't even know about St. Marys until Heaven showed up and started warding the place."

  "Okay, well that's just great. And now I'm smack in the middle of all of this?"

  "I'm starting to think you were always going to be in the middle of it," Az said.

  "So what's your big plan for money then?"

  "You're going to rob the biggest jerk in this whole town. The scariest son of a bitch to walk these streets." The demon's grin was huge.

  "Why the hell would I want to do that?"

  "Because I'm pretty sure you already did."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Listen," Az said, settling on the windowsill. "The meat suit I planned on riding was carrying a bag with a whole lot of money. He was supposed to be buying a shipment."

  "And?"

  "And sometime soon, that guy is going to leave that bag in his room. A room that happens to be in this very hotel." Az's grin widened. "I'm pretty sure that priest thought you were with the buyer. He sent you to the very place where all the other mobsters are staying."

  The ramifications rang in my head like a bell.

  "So what you're saying is that you want me to rob, essentially, you—before you're you. Because somebody robbed you in the past, and I take it you never found out who."

  "That's it exactly. And yeah, it makes my head hurt too."

  "All right, Az, what kind of money are we talking about here?"

  "Oh, that guy was supposed to be carrying about twenty grand."

  I couldn't help but laugh.

  "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Az rolled his eyes. "That kind of cash was the equivalent of about three or four hundred thousand dollars in your time. It was a lot of scratch in the 1920s. Nonetheless, it'll be more than enough for you to get by nicely while we're here."

  Remy suddenly appeared in the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked almost comical with his little legs dangling over the edge.

  "I do not condone theft," Remy announced. "To steal is a sin."

  "Don't get your wings in a bind," Az shot back. “Besides, since it was technically my money and I'm telling him to take it, is it really theft?" He said through his shitty grin. “ By stealing this money, we're actually preventing bloodshed. That shipment I was supposed to buy? It wasn't for the family."

  "Then who was it for?" I asked.

  "A rival outfit. The family was planning to buy up their shipment and make it look like another crew stole it. Classic setup to start a war." Az's grin faded. "Two gangs tearing each other apart while the family moves in and takes over both territories."

  "So if I steal the money before you can buy the shipment..."

  "No deal goes through. No missing shipment. No war." Az shrugged. "At least not this one. The family will be angry, but they won't know who took it. And the two rival crews? They'll never know they almost got played."

  Remy looked skeptical. "This seems convenient."

  "It's the truth, Feathers. We were already in town making deals and stirring up trouble. We had no idea about St. Marys or what was hidden there. It wasn't until your kind showed up and warded that church to keep us out that we even realized something else was going on."

  "You lie," Remy said. He jumped down to the floor and faced off against Az.

  "Nope. In fact, if you wouldn't have shown up, we would have just done what we were planning and moved on."

  I stepped between them.

  "Listen, I'm not going to have a fight with myself, which is essentially what's happening if you two start bickering." I looked between them. "Now, I don't know what the hell happened here, but we're going to get to the bottom of it. For now, Remy, you stay over there. Az, quit stirring things up."

  "It's not my fault he's all uptight," Az muttered.

  "Az, I mean it."

  I pinched my arm hard, leaving a dark red mark. Both of them flinched.

  "All right," I said. "Tell me about this money, and let's come up with a plan so that I can rob you."

  Before I could think, new text suddenly appeared in front of me, catching all our attention.

  ?? ARCANE SYSTEM: NEW QUEST

  The Mystery Of St. Marys Cathedral

  Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota

  Year: 1920

  Before the fire that condemned it to Purgatory, St. Marys Cathedral harbored a secret powerful enough to draw both Heaven and Hell to its doors. The clergy protected something within these walls—something that would ultimately seal their fate.

  The true nature of their secret and the forces that destroyed the church are shrouded in mystery. You must navigate this dangerous moment in time to uncover the truth before history repeats itself.

  PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

  

  
• The Devil's Due — Steal $20,000 from Azazel's room without being detected


  
• Sanctuary's Secret — Discover what the clergy hid within St. Marys Cathedral


  
• Heaven's Interest — Uncover the real reason why angels were drawn to this place


  
• The Fire's Origin — Determine the real cause of the cathedral's destruction


  

  SECONDARY OBJECTIVES

  

  
• Establish Cover — Secure resources and blend into 1920s St. Cloud


  
• Trust of the Cloth — Gain the confidence of St. Marys clergy


  

  HIDDEN OBJECTIVES

  Hidden objectives remain locked. Discover through investigation.

  QUEST REWARDS

  Upon Completion: 5,000 Experience Points, plus one rare Rune containing a sealed ability. You will receive an Unidentified Arcane Artifact from this timeline. The title Witness to the Fall will be permanently granted. Objective Rewards: Each completed primary objective grants 1,000 experience points and an Arcane rune. Secondary objectives award 500 experience points and $5000 each. Hidden objectives provide variable rewards.

  WARNING: Actions in this timeline may have unforeseen consequences.

  Quest Status: ACTIVE

  I stared at the window for a long moment, reading it twice. There were a couple of things that stood out immediately.

  "Remy, you told me that the angels were here because they were hunting a Nephilim."

  I was surprised to find Az equally perplexed. I smiled at both of them for the first time since all of this started, feeling like I might have one up on these two.

  "It was a setup, wasn't it?”

  “Look at that window. Read it as many times as you want, boys. But that quest window doesn't use the word Nephilim once. You were lied to."

  "I don't understand. Why would they send me here?" Remiel said, his voice quiet.

  "Remy, tell me exactly what they told you. What were your orders?"

  "I was to infiltrate the clergy, destroy the Nephilim, and..." He paused, looking at the floor.

  "You weren't supposed to leave any witnesses either, were you? They wanted you to kill the clergy."

  "Yes."

  "But you didn't kill the clergy, and you didn't kill any Nephilim. Tell him why, Remiel," Az said.

  Remy looked at the floor again.

  "The cathedral was warded. Not just against demons, but it was warded against angels as well."

  "Boom. And there it is. You see, Feathers here and his counterparts blamed the demons for the warding. What happens here starts a chain of events that causes more angel-on-demon violence than pretty much anything since the initial split of the Sundered Kingdoms. They blame us, we blame them—"

  "Okay, okay. Stop for a second." I held up my hand. "So you don't know who warded this church then, do you?"

  "I'm pretty sure he knows," Az said with that toothy grin.

  "I'm not following."

  "Think about it, Mud. Who happens to be here in St. Cloud that isn't on either side? Who has an interest in what's going on in that church?"

  I looked at both of them. "If that church gets warded, you didn't do shit. I'm the one calling the shots. If we decide that we're going to go that route, then that decision will be mine, not yours. And I don't even know what a ward is. Even if you were the one to explain it to me Remy, my actions are my own. Okay? Let's focus on getting that bag, and we'll take it from there.”

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