The Acolytes of the Devil gathered together in the dark of the mine. They sang, drank, danced, and cut themselves all for the pleasure of the god, Molech. Molech sought something unholy, that only this band of wayward souls could bring him: A heart, and a face. He beckoned them to go out into the world and find a sacrifice worthy of him. A male from the line of Caan, corruptible and with the potential for great evils. It’s this heart the demon desires, and it’s of him that the demon gives visions to his Acolytes. 

Not far from the mine, entering the town of Helmuth is a young man named Aaron McGreggor, the latest hopeful for the demon’s dark campaign. Could he be the one? After all this time, after so many failed attempts, could this boy be the face of Molech? Enough dancing, enough drinking, enough revelry, the time has come, go fetch the boy and have him give his heart to Molech!

***

Aaron McGreggor rode into town for a stay. He was just passing through so he figured he’d find a room for the night at the Saloon, maybe take a girl or two with him. He tied up his horse and wandered inside. As he approached the bar he heard a man scream from upstairs, but he chuckled to himself and thought, “I guess it’s that kind of a place.” He was excited to be there. People were playing cards and gambling, getting drunk, and enjoying the women. It was business as usual for Aaron given the life he’d led. His parents died when he was young and he fell in with some cattle rustlers to make enough money to live on. He’d been around places like this since he was a boy. He ordered some whiskey and tipped his hat back to survey the room. He caught a glimpse of two attractive ladies walking down the stairs, one wiping her mouth of something… was that blood? Her’s? or someone else’s? He guessed it didn’t really matter unless he wanted to get involved in other people's business (something he tried his best not to do), but he resolved to stay away from that girl. The red head would do, though.

***

Doctor Forrester followed behind Daisy and Muriel a few minutes after they’d left the room. He walked towards the staircase when he heard Muriel shout, “Oh, hell no!” He jumped the railing so he could get down the stairs quicker to see what was going on, but he twisted his ankle and kind of tumbled down a few stairs before he caught himself. 

Forrester looked up, Nick the bartender had his rifle out pointed at the door, and a few other men were scrambling. All the girls reached into their garter belts and pulled out pistols trained on the door as row after row of Acolytes poured in, their shirts off with large chest brands. Forrester could see the design this time. A bull with the sun between its horns encompassed by the wings of an owl; the sign of Molech. A hooded figure slowly walked through the door.

“Aaron McGreggor!” He bellowed. The room went silent. “The great god Molech demands your presence!”

“Who the hell are all y’all?” McGreggor said.

“The Acolytes of the Devil” Said the hood, which was met by a roaring response from the rest of the Acolytes.

“Molekoum!” They shouted.

“Get out. of my bar!” said Muriel, now holding a shotgun trained on the hooded man.

“We have no quarrel with you, witch,” He said. “At least not yet. The god will deal with you in due time.”

“Demon” she said. “He’s a low life, scum of the earth, garbage eating demon! I’m only going to say this once more. Get out of my bar!”

“Not without McGreggor.” The hood said calmly

“I ain’t goin’ nowhere with you.” Said McGreggor, pulling out his six shooter.

“Nick.” Said the hood. Nick slowly moved the tip of his rifle and aimed it square at the back of McGreggors head.

“Drop it.” Nick said. McGreggor dropped the gun and raised his hands.

“Nick, what have you done?” Asked Muriel.

“And the rest.” Said the hood, and all the men turned their guns on Muriel.

“You never let me eat!” Nick said. “You and the girls feast at least once a week and I get your scraps!”

“Maybe if you put out more you’d eat more, Sug.” She said. “The girls earn their meals, you drink your cut from the whiskey bottle behind my back and I pretend I don’t notice you worthless son of an ox!”

“Drop your weapons, girls.” Said the hood, “Or Bloodlust over here gets it.”

“Bloodlust?” She said.

“That’s what he calls you.” the hood smirked. He extended his right hand open to one side and one of the Acolytes placed a large knife in it. He walked over the McGreggor as the Acolytes started their chant.

“Wh… what are you doin?’” Aaron said kind of sheepishly

“Have you ever just known that you were destined for greatness?” Asked the hood. “As if something inside you wouldn’t be satisfied until you made yourself into a god? You waste that feeling on drinks and girls, but I tell you today, you will ascend to godhood. You will be remembered for this!” He plunged the knife into McGreggor’s chest just to the right of where his heart would be. Two Acolytes rushed in to restrain McGreggor as he thrashed and fought. The hooded man proceeded to saw and stab and cut with unholy precision, tearing through bone and flesh and sinew until he held the still warm heart of Aaron McGreggor in his hands. 

The two other Alocytes who restrained him began to surgically remove his face, leaving only the flesh around the lips and eyes. The hooded man removed his hood and took the face and placed it on his own. He lifted up the heart in his right hand as the Acolytes chanted “Molekoum! Molekoum!” louder and louder.

A deep sense of dread filled Forrester as he watched in horror from his place on the stairs. Suddenly, the now unhooded man’s voice changed and seemed to drop 2 octaves.

“Yes.” He said. “Yes!” he said louder, “YES!” He shouted as the windows in the saloon shook. “At long last I am free from that terrible curse!” Muriel looked pale, even for a vampire.

“Girls, RUN!” She shouted and the women all scattered, some diving through windows, most heading through the back exit. Forrester quietly crawled back up the stairs until he could barely be seen, but could still see what was going on; though, in his heart he already knew, Molech had possessed the hooded man’s body and was now preparing to unleash his havoc on the world. Molech was back.