Chapter 208
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Andrew, Gabrielle, Phoebe, Mel and Maggie entered a desolate world. They heard some figures approaching. Their first instinct was to hide, they didn't yet know if these people were friendly, or how powerful they were. But then they heard the children screaming, and they heard the adults talking about sacrifice, and fire. It soon became clear that these five adults were planning to sacrifice these two children. At that point staying away was no longer an option. The heroes fought these villains. They tried to help the children, but the kids ran off before they could be helped. They were after all still in Hell, they couldn't be sure if these strangers were really here to help, or do worse. After defeating the five villain the heroes began interrogating one. This man was a molochite.
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Phoebe: What were you planning to do to those children?
Molochite: Sacrifice them for the glory of Moloch!
Gabrielle: I've heard of Moloch. He was an ancient diety, who demanded people sacrifice their first born to him. Even my gods had outgrown human sacrifice, mostly.
Andrew: I've heard that name as well, he was suppossedly one of my father's top demons. The story goes that after Lucifer and the fallen angels were cast out of Heaven, Moloch and other demons went to Earth, claiming to be pagan gods. They drew worship away from God and towards themselves, thus making mortals guilty of idolatry and forever damning them.
Gabrielle: No offense, sounds like this God and your father were pretty horrible dieties.
Andrew: No offense taken. So were yours.
Gabrielle: Agreed.
Phoebe: Who rules you?
Molochite: We answer only to Moloch himself. But the high priest enforces the laws.
Andrew: I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the high priest lives in the best house with a couple of servants.
Molochite: Your point being?
Phoebe: Why don't you take us to him, I think we have some things to discuss.
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The molochite did bring the five heroes to his master, the high priest. He lived in the temple, this was the first time they had ever heard of a temple to Moloch. Both Gabrielle and Andrew had heard of Moloch as a pre-historic diety, before temples were ever built. He was believed to have primitive shrines, but not a grand temple like this. Ofcourse this temple was also where the high priest lived. Most of his followers lived in primitive huts, Between the temple and the huts were a few nice house, they speculated that these belonged to the lesser priests. Suprisingly, the heroes encountered no resistance from the other molochites, the high priest was clearly expecting them, he even had a table of food waiting for them.
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High priest: Greetings, my friends.
Andrew: We're not your friends. You sacrifice innocent children to a long forgotten demon.
High priest: We are in Hell, we make the best of this that we can. Besides, you see them as innocent. Each of them had countless opportunities to do good, none of them mde the final cut for Heaven.
Andrew: This makes sense. Kill the children in Hell, send them to the torture chamber. Just makes them angry, scared, vengeful, and then release them back to do more Evil.
High priest: There's more to it then that. Some people, just try to protect their own children. Few can find their own children in a place this vast, but some take in refugee children.
Andrew: And such kindness is an affront to Evil.
High priest: With so many mini-kingdoms at war, we survive as mercenaries.
Andrew: You mean one side hires you to slaughter the other side's children?
High priest: Yes. And we are rewarded by great Moloch for our efforts.
Phoebe: I can't help but notice you're doing so much better than anyone else. How long before you're overthrown and someone else takes your place?
High priest: I am careful to elimiate any threats to my rule. That said, it could end one day. But, as you say, in the meantime I'm doing okay.
Gabrielle: And what happens when this "god" of yours betrays you?
High priest: He did, once. In my world, he promised me aid against my enemies. He swore that I would live to see these enemies killed, and that no harm could come to any of my followers. When these enemies attacked, my soldiers were impervious to harm. One enemy, seeing his side was doomed, got desperate and threw a spear at me. To everyone's suprise, it wounded me. They knew they were doomed, but before they were slaughtered they put all their efforts into harming me. But Moloch kept his word, I lived to see my enemies killed. I died a slow and painful death that day.
Gabrielle: Then why are you back to serving Moloch?
High priest: Power, revenge against my enemies. If I am truley damned, I might as well achieve for myself what I can.
Andrew: You must know we won't let you keep doing this, we will stop you.
High priest: I know, that is why I lured you to this temple. Evil and Moloch will reward your deaths.
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The heroes looked around, they were surrounded by maybe 100 molochites. To their suprise these molchites seemed to be wearing different clothes. One looked like a primitive, he was the high priest's second in command. In his own world he'd been his tribe's chief, sacrificing infants to Moloch as a version of population control. It was his own son who spoke out against the killing of infants. His son still worshipped Moloch, was only against the killing of children, claimed that the true Moloch wanted only adults sacrificed in his name. This chief killed his own son in combat, while his friends carried the designated infants to safety. Others seemed to be wearing modern clothes. They had been part of a molchite cult that was an extreme reaction to what they viewed as the oppression of monotheism. They viewed abortion as a sacrament. One wealthy young man tried to burn down a home for pregnant teens and mothers, and frame the molochites to escape prosecution. He did this to try and prevent one of these girls from having him prosecuted for rape, not caring about the others he tried to murder. Now, they were all in Hell together. Other molochites were from the "Slouching towards Bethlehem" world. In their fear and desperation over the asteroid, they believed that the old gods were punishing them for abandoning the old ways. In the final days before impact that took over a church, planning to sacrifice as many children as possible to earn Moloch's favor and escape death. One molochite tried to poison the children, give them at least a quick death. Their leader murdered her for this. A local militia stopped these molochites, rescued the children, and then slaughtered every molochite, even the children. Perhaps this militia was just as scared of their own God's wrath. At any rate, all these molochites were now united in Hell, following this high priest's lead in slaughtering these "infidels."
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The battle did not last long. The molochites greatly outnumbered the heroes, but the heroes were experienced fighters. Three powerful witches who could summon their own power of three. And Andrew was the planned antichrist of his own world, he had powers of his own. When it became obvious that the heroes were more powerful than anticipated, most of the molochites fled in terror. After they'd won, the heroes burned down the molochite temple. They might not be able to permenantly stop the ritual sacrifices, but they could at least delay it. And perhaps this might even encourage dessertions as the other molochites realized that their "god" could not protect them. And for the moment he couldn't even provide the wealth and luxury that apparently made his priesthood so appealing.