I have no idea where this came from. -EDG --- Most of the churchgoers looked over their shoulders, startled, as the doors burst open and a thin man wearing loose-fitting black clothing and carrying a sword swept into the cathedral. His pale skin glistened with sweat and his long black hair was pulled back, although a few strands had fallen loose and hung around his irritated expression. His footsteps echoed as he strode down the aisle toward a single man, bowed in prayer. Behind him scurried a worried- looking man, well-built but nonetheless obviously wanting to keep his distance from the thin man and his target. "You!" hissed Laurence as he pulled even with the kneeling man's row and started making his way between the pews. "I'm lucky my servitor was paying attention today. Why do you defile this place of worship with your presence?" His voice was nearly a whisper; even so, a nearby family decided to move. The kneeling man ignored him. In a nearly-silent moment, Laurence could barely make out the words of the Lord's Prayer, and his face purpled. "You make a mockery of all that I hold dear, scoundrel," he said, hand now on the hilt of his sword. "I demand that you desist and leave this place so that I might not despoil it with your ichor." The kneeling man continued to ignore him, finishing the prayer and starting anew at the first line. An acolyte had come up behind Laurence and tapped him gently on the shoulder. "Sir," he said, "I understand that the light of Heaven inspires strange and drastic feelings in all of us, but you are disturbing the others." Laurence nearly laughed. "My good man," he whispered, "this is nothing more than one of the foulest creatures in our Lord's Creation, and it defiles our place of worship -" The acolyte nodded. "Sir, I respect your beliefs, but I must ask that you respect his as well. He has done nothing that I can see. His skin might be scarred, but his demeanor is not offensive." In the background, the kneeling figure started his prayer again. Laurence was speechless for a moment - then caught his servitor's eye. /Softly, my lord,/ the Saint thought, and Laurence nodded. "I will keep my peace," he said finally, and knelt not a yard from the other man, asking God's forgiveness for disturbing His temple. The acolyte nodded as well and backed away, but continued to keep an eye on the two. Finally, the kneeling man finished his prayer, crossed himself, and stood, revealing himself: a tall man, bald, with tattoos and piercings and ritual scars covering his skin. Laurence was used to seeing a maddened gleam in this man's eye, but today they were a crystal blue, sparkling with a sane intelligence that Laurence had rarely seen of the spawn of Hell. "Lord Laurence," whispered Vapula, Prince of Technology, "I had thought that you might be here today. Why did you interrupt me?" Laurence wrinkled his nose. "You disgrace this temple by your mere presence, demon," he murmured. "Your kind has no place here." The Demon Prince smiled sadly. "Is it not a tenet of our faith that one must love his neighbor as himself? I certainly do not hold your grudge against you; why do you insist on attacking me in this, the most holy of places?" The Archangel of the Sword nearly choked. "You profess to believe the same faith that I do? Nonsense, Prince Vapula. Your lies betray your Infernal origins. Now step outside so that I might flay the tattoos from your flesh without defiling these pews further. Vapula pulled on a black double-shouldered rain cloak and picked up a wide-brimmed hat from the seat beside him. "You honestly cannot believe me? That pains me, brother Archangel." He sighed and sat down again. "I think you might not understand my predicament. Sit. I will explain. "You know as well as I that I am Hell's only Punishing Prince. On most days, that is true; if only Dominic or your elder brother Michael were here to verify that. Today, however..." Vapula smiled grimly. "I know that I am a demon, Lord Laurence. I know that I serve the cause of Hell. I know that when Lucifer compels me, there is little compulsion involved. But only today, and only here. When I leave this place - when I return to the sunlight outside, or to my castle in Hell - then I will be an angel again, serving God in the Inferno, where he placed me. Then I will struggle under Lucifer's yoke, and believe that I work in God's name, and scream blasphemy at the skies. "My madness does not extend to God's protected places, however. On a Day of Rest, if I happen to be in a holy place, my veil is lifted. I see the curse that I am under... and I repent. Today I had been four hundred and seventy-seven days without seeing the light of God. "Brother Laurence, do you know what it is like to kneel before an altar and realize that you have spent the last year and a half committing unspeakable atrocities and have yet not once asked forgiveness for them?" Laurence's jaw was hanging loosely now; he wasn't even sure he'd be able to speak if he knew the words to say. "I know I can't just say a few words and convince you of my faith," said the Prince, "but if you have doubts, ask the acolyte who restrained you to tell you how long I have been kneeling here." Prince Vapula stood, gathering his cloak about him. "Vapula," said Laurence, standing with him, "why do you not ask for true forgiveness? Why do you not ask me to help you see the light of God in all its glory?" The Prince of Technology laughed softly. "My beloved brother," he said, smiling even as a tear ran down his savaged cheek, "I will think I'm an angel no matter what way I leave this cathedral. How do I know that I won't be hurting you worse by deceiving the both of us? At least this way, we both know the rules of the game." He looked straight at Laurence. "Remember my eyes, Laurence. Know that what I tell you is true, and remember when you kill me, whenever that might be, that there is a soul inside that yearns for our Lord and His mercy." Before Laurence could respond, Vapula had turned, stalking out. Laurence followed at a respectful distance, and as the Prince donned his hat and stepped out into the sunlight, the Archangel breathed a heavy sigh. "My lord?" asked the Saint, mere feet behind. "No more practice today," said Laurence as the Prince buried himself in the crowd outside. "Not on a day of rest."