“So, do you remember what to do?” Asked Muriel.

“I think so, go over it one more time.” Forrester said.

“We’ve already drawn the sacred markings in blood all over your body.” said Muriel, “And learned some interesting things about you while we did…” she smirked.

“Yes, well…” Forrester said. “Did you… like? What you saw?”

“Very much so.” she said, “So, when you get close, close enough to touch him, you cut the palm of your hand, touch it to his forehead, and shout the incantation, ‘Molochnaphal!’”

“I cut my palm, touch it to his head, and shout ‘Molochnaphal…” he repeated.

“Right.” she said. “You’re gonna do fine, Sug. You scared?”

“Terrified.” he replied.

“Good.” She said, “You should be. Use it.”

“Now, how do I get close to him? Won’t the Acolytes just tear me apart as soon as I show up?” He asked.

“My girls and I are going to launch a full frontal assault against him.” She said. “He’s likely still holed up at the mines, you’ll need to sneak in while the Acolytes are distracted.”

“What if you get hurt?” He asked with concern in his voice.

“I might.” She said, “But us vamps aren’t that easy to kill. We’ll give him a run for his money.” They embraced each other for a few moments and then headed for the door. Muriel loaded her and her girls up in a covered wagon, each brandishing either a shotgun or two six shooters, or both. Forrester jumped onto a horse and took off in another direction. Forrester took the longer way around so that he could sneak into the mine during the chaos; if that’s even where Moloch was. They were largely playing things by ear, but with any luck they could pull this off. They had to try at least. The women rode for about 20 minutes before they came to the mine, which, to their disappointment, looked empty. They disembarked from the wagon and formed a circle with their guns pointed outward so that no one could sneak up on them. They came to the mouth of the mine.

“You’d think they’d have a sentry or two on duty…” Muriel said. “Daisy, take some girls down the mine shaft and see if there’s anyone in the heart of the mine.” Daisy nodded and grabbed three other women to take down with her. The rest of the women stayed up top facing away from the mine with their guns drawn. One woman said, “I don’t like this, Muriel.”

“Me, either, Sug. But we gotta stand our ground.” Daisy and her team found some lanterns and made their way to the bottom of the mine. It was dark and hard to breath, and they could feel soot coating their brightly coloured dresses just by standing there.

“Hello?” Daisy sang, “anyone home?” Her answer was a guttural growlish moan coming from the darkness. They braced their guns tighter and aimed into the darkness. Suddenly three heartless faceless Acolytes burst from the darkness, three of the girls opened fire on them while the fourth began turning the crank to get the lift up the mine shaft. From the surface the women could hear the gunfire and it broke their concentration for a split second. Muriel fully turned around with a scared look on her face. Her girls could hold their own, but she still thought of them like her little sisters. As she looked back to resume her guard she was shocked to see Moloch standing in front of her, his second face now nailed in to his head.

“Hello, Bloodlust!” He said, grabbing her by the shoulder and neck he threw her over his shoulder into a thicket. The other women trained their guns on him and a few opened fire when he leapt into the air with inhuman strength and accuracy.

“Come, my Acolytes!” He called and suddenly a horde of the faceless zombies ran in from the woods. The Saloon girls opened fire as line after line of them streamed in. The bullets were slowing them down, but not stopping them. As soon as they were down they would stand back up and start running or lurching towards them (depending on where they had been shot the time before).

Daisy’s troupe of four were back up from the mine now, covered in soot and ready to kick ass. She launched through the line of women firing at the Acolytes with both six shooters in hand and started taking them out with head shots. It didn’t take them out permanently, but it slowed them down the most. They seemed to lose a great deal of cognition after head blows.

“Aim for the heads!” She shouted. The rest of the women followed suit; eventually, though, they started running out of ammunition and had to resort to fighting the Acolytes by hand. The Acolytes would hit and scratch and bite the women as they fought.

“And I thought they were handsy when they were alive!” One said. As they fought Moloch walked back and forth throughout the chaos and would heal his ghouls or throw one of the vampires into the woods. Muriel crawled out of her thicket, she was pretty banged up, and her dress was torn in a few places, but she rose to her feet, grabbed her shotgun and walked straight for Moloch.

“Moloch!” She shouted. She took a step and shot him in the leg. She took another step and shot him in the shoulder. She took another step and shot him in the chest. She kept doing this until she was directly in front of him and he was on his knees. She aimed the gun directly at his head.

“Say ‘goodnight’, ya horse’s ass!” she said. Just as she was about to pull the trigger Moloch raised his right hand, still holding the beating heart of Aaron McGreggor. Muriel suddenly went rigid and dropped her gun. She rose about a foot in the air and started choking. Molech rose to his feet.

“My darling,” he said, “I’m so sad we never got our bonding ceremony. It would have been beautiful.” a tongue appeared between the slot where the lips on his face should have been and he drew her in close to taste her. This was the scene Forrester rode in on. Forgetting everything about the plan he charged with his horse full speed towards Moloch and Muriel.

“Muriel!” He shouted. Moloch stopped and looked in his direction. He reached out his left hand and telekinetically broke the horse’s neck, sending Forrester flying head over heels past where Moloch was standing. Moloch smirked. He used his telekinesis to bring a pick axe into his hands and broke off the axe head, turning it into a wooden steak. He held it to Muriel’s heart.

“Doctor.” He said. Forrester got up onto one knee, clutching his chest.

“Ah, ah, ah, not one step.” Moloch said.

“What do you want?” Forrester asked.

“To be served!” Said the demon. “It’s really that simple. Serve me!”

“Never…” said the doctor.

“Then the whore dies!” he shouted. He raised the steak in his hand and began to bring it down.

“Wait!” Forrester shouted. “Stop! I’ll do it, I’ll serve you. Just… Just let me come and kneel before my master.”

“I’m not an idiot!” He shouted. “You’re going to try some blood magic, or you distract me long enough that she does, it’s all been done!”

“Then what do you want from me?” Asked Forrester.

“Cut your heart out!” He said. “Let corruption consume you.” Forrester took out a knife, he held it to his chest.

“Let her go.” He said.

“Cut your heart out!” The demon snarled. “Do it now or I steak her!”

“Forrester,” said Muriel, “Stick to the plan. Do it now.”

“You take one step and she’s dead!” said Moloch. Forrester didn’t know what to do.

“Here, let me make this easy for you.” said Muriel as she grabbed the steak and drove in into her chest. She fell to the ground, Moloch looked at her astounded. Forrester screamed but he knew this was his chance. He cut his palm and ran towards the demon. Realising what was happening he held the heart out towards the doctor and froze him in mid air about an arms reach away from it. 

“Cut. Your. Heart out!” He roared. “No man can resist my corruption!” Muriel coughed from where she lay on the ground.

“He’s not a man, ass hole!” She swung her feet around, taking out Molochs feet and knocking him onto the ground on his back. “Isn’t that right, Nathan?” Forrester fell to the ground.

“My name is Natalie!” Forrester said. She had been a woman all this time, posing as a man to be able to practice medicine. That's why she was so eager to move to Helmuth, she left friends and family and a whole life to become Dr. Nathan Forrester. She swore an oath to do no harm, but she was about to cause a great deal of harm to Moloch. She lunged towards him and placed her bleeding palm on his head and she shouted, “MOLOCHNAPHAL!” Moloch screamed and began shaking. His eyes started glowing bright white and then faded to black. Suddenly his body began to decay at a rapid pace until there was nothing but a skeleton wearing a flesh mask holding an unbeating heart. Moloch was dead.