Set against the historical backdrop of 1896 St. Louis, a hardened detective finds himself embroiled in an ancient celestial conflict that transcends his understanding of reality. He carries a unique "backdoor key" embedded within his soul, an ethereal marker that, unbeknownst to him, primes him as the crucial element in a cosmic power play. A rogue faction of ambitious young angels and demons, disillusioned by the current rule of the divine realm, views the annihilation of humanity as the only viable path to peace. They believe that harnessing the power of pure human souls would grant them the might to usurp the existing order and establish a new era of divine rule. The reigning demons, however, wish to preserve the delicate balance of the realms and do not support the faction's drastic measures. To further their insidious cause, this faction exploits the practice of "spirit tethering" - a technique sparingly used by divine beings due to fear of exposure. Through brief periods of control, they relay messages and commands to their zealous followers in the mortal realm, who interpret these controlled visions as divine mandates. In a twist of fate, the activation of the detective's marker imbues him with abilities to communicate with spirits and detect soul tethers. These newfound skills prove crucial in his investigations, allowing him to glean information from beyond the mortal coil, and eventually leading him to uncover the faction's plan. As the climactic moment coincides with the historic Great Cyclone of 1896, the detective manages to disrupt the faction's attempt to build a bridge between realms. Concurrently, elders from the divine realm, upon discovering the faction's treacherous plans, invoke a catastrophic tornado. The storm ravages the city, causing extensive destruction and loss of life, and fortuitously obliterating the faction's nearly completed doorway to the realms. Despite the victory, the detective remains a target. He is the key to the factions' plans and must now navigate this complex cosmic chessboard, prevent future attempts at bridging the realms, and maintain the fragile equilibrium of life, death, and divinity. All while dealing with the catastrophic fallout of the cyclone on his city.