Opening File: Moloch

Of all the Fallen known to exist, Moloch is the most enigmatic of them all. Say what you will for the combat skills of General Starr, the intelligence of Black Velvet, the seductive touch of the Queen of the Black Puddle, the ferocity of Mandy and the power of Sammael but Moloch is the most unique of them all for being the less human looking. Seen only as a shadowy form that showed a slim form with long antlers, a cloak that hid the majority of his body and glowing bright eyes that supposedly change color at times, depending on his mood.

Known by many names such as Moloch, the Beast, the Beast of Eternal Darkness, the Death of Hope, the Voice of the Night and many more, this Fallen is perhaps even more infamous than Sammael himself.

No one knows his origin or how old he might be but he has been around for a long time, working behind the scenes to advance the agenda of the Fallen. The few that know of him know him to possess deadly powers and enjoys sadistically breaking the minds of his victims, making them succumb to despair and self-hate to the point they are broken.

It is unknown if anyone has ever defeated or escaped him.

Among the Fallen Moloch serves as a spy, hiding away and watching potential enemies, gathering information through various unknown means but effective enough that he has complete information on all things relative to the plans of the Fallen. Sammael himself has praised Moloch for his abilities, considering his fellow Fallen as an important player in the coming battle. Due to his methods Sebben and his allies had devised a desperate way to help his victims in the form of a special spirit able to remove the memories of the torture that remains effective enough that the victims are able to function as Huntsmen or retire and live content lives, However no one has truly been able to truly defeat or come close to killing Moloch, even Huntsmen like Scotty Blake.

To this day Moloch, the Beast of Darkness remains a dangerous threat and all but Class V Huntsmen are to avoid fighting him.

Close File

Xxx

"When you were little do you remember being afraid of the dark? Did you imagine monsters lurking out in the dark, hiding in your closet or under your bed? As we get older we stop believing in the idea of monsters but does that mean they were never really there to begin with? Your elders would say there is no such thing as monsters but that's only because they've never seen monsters." TOM began as the file closed. "What if the question was not if monsters really exist, but if you ever seen a monster up close and lived to tell about it?"

SARA appeared next to TOM. "Behold the fiery beast with razor tail that cuts through mountains, trampling castles down. Inhale the stench that makes the whole world wail."

"But who out there could actually be that beast?"

Xxx

"A beast born in darkness, unable to be killed by mortal means and yet if one were to find that which it treasure's most they would know how to kill it."

Sammael could sense what was happening in the dark forests surrounding the landscape where the Pools of Darkness and his sanctuary resided. It was clear that Moloch had gone hunting for the humans that had bested him years ago and now Bill Cipher was keen on joining the party.

"Should I go out and eliminate them?"

Sammael closed his eyes, contemplating the question. "No. This is Moloch's business, not ours. If he wants to settle personal grudges it's not our concern."

Behind him, General Skarr who had fully recovered and even evolved to a Noble Class Fallen despite looking exactly the same only tilted his head slightly. "If Moloch had allowed it the Grimm would have swarmed them by now and gotten rid of them. He's taking a risk letting them wander this close."

"Perhaps." Sammael conceded, walking over to his throne. "Tell me Skarr, where do you think Moloch came from?"

"Well, I assumed he was some form of Fallen with a wooden Semblance of a sort." Skarr admitted.

Sammael smirked. "I don't blame you for assuming but the truth is Moloch was not born a Fallen or even created as one."

"He wasn't?"

"No. Rather, I re-created him as one of us and summoned him into this world." Sammael leaned back on his throne. "He is but one of several attempts to create the perfect fighting machines for hunting down the Elementals much like Drago. A creature with the ability over darkness and wood, used to being about true despair to all who wander his forests. How could I pass up the chance?"

"So he was not a Fallen? What manner of creature is he then?" Skarr inquired curiously.

"He is from the Unknown, a place between realms that act as a sort purgatory for those have yet pass on. The Unknown is home to many beings who find themselves in familiar surroundings to suit the era they are from but all of them know of the Beast that hides in the dark forest, looking for new victims to change into trees made of Edelwood and used to keep the lantern that holds his soul lit. No one there knew that the Beast used be one of them, a soul who had yet to pass on. This soul however was most wicked." Sammael continued, waving his hand and conjured the image of a man in a forest, holding a lantern and hunting animals and…children. "He enjoyed hunting anyone or anything that wandered into the forest that was his home, preying on the innocent. Then one day, what you could call the caretakers of the Unknown had enough and decided if he was to act like a beast, then he would become a Beast."

Vines and roots wrapped around the man, fusing into his body and the antlers of a deer the man had killed forcefully fused into his head. A shining light appeared in his chest and was placed in his lantern.

"He was cursed to forever wander the dark forests of the Unknown, his body turned to wood, antlers he had taken as trophies grafted into his skull and his very soul placed inside the lantern he always carried, leaving him as an immortal husk. So as long as the lantern remained lit his soul would remain unharmed but if it were to be extinguished he would be lifeless without it and still trapped in his new body. The only way to keep the lantern lit would be from the oil found in Edelwood trees that he had the ability to plant from the pieces of his own body but the more he planted the more of his body he would lose. Then one day he found a loophole in his punishment." Sammael then conjured the image of the Beast turning children into trees. "By mentally tormenting anyone unfortunate enough to wander into his forest the Beast was able to curse them, turning them into Edelwood trees and when he fed the oil from those trees to his lantern."

The image then showed the Beast growing taller and stronger with faces appearing on his body.

"He would regain what he lost by absorbing the lost souls he had taken into his body." Sammael dispelled the image. "Effectively becoming an even greater monster when the point of it all had been to punish him."

Skarr had been silent through the tale but was surprised by the origins of Moloch. "And…How is he here as one of us?"

Sammael chuckled. "That's the question of the day, isn't it? Well, to begin with there have been times when the living has ventures into the Unknown and returned without having truly died but they were all believed to be mere dreams. At least until two young boys came there, journeying through it in what most would consider being the kind of adventure you would find in a fairy tale. By that time the Beast had lost his lantern to a brave soul who fought him for it but the Beast had deceived the woodsman into thinking the lantern now contained the soul of his daughter.

"Forging a deal for their supposed mutual benefit the soul woodsman cut down the Edelwood trees the Beast planted and grinded the wood into oil for the lantern which he kept safe at all times, never knowing that his daughter's soul was never in the lantern. Eventually the woodsman discovered where the trees had come from when the Beast trapped a young boy and begun the process of turning him into a tree and reneged on the deal. The boy's brother came to the rescue and discovered that the Beast's soul was resided in the lantern. After that, the woodsman blew out the lantern and the story of the Beast came to an end…Or rather it would have." Sammael waved a hand and from behind the throne appeared a dark lantern that floated into his hand.

"Is that the Beast's Lantern?" Skarr asked, his eye widening as he looked it over.

"Yes. It was not easy but with enough time I found my way into the Unknown and discovered the lantern. I learned that if it was relit the Beast would return but I decided it would be on my terms. I applied a bit of my own special brand of oil from the Pools of Darkness surrounding my home and with a bit of fire magic the Dark Lantern was lit once again…And the Beast was brought back." Sammael grinned. "Only he was now no longer simply a Beast. The essence of Grimm bonded with him and the souls he had corrupted, changing him into a new kind of Beast with a thirst for destruction that all of us share. It even allowed him to manifest a physical form into this plane of existence where he has been greatly useful to us. He had become Moloch, the Beast of Eternal Darkness."

"And you keep the Dark Lantern with you." Skarr noted.

"Yes. Since then he has been loyal but I know that deep down he cares only for himself and his lantern. Yes, I allow him into my confidence but I know he waits for a chance to take his lantern back from me and simply plays the role he was given as one of us until he can find an opening. My alteration to his curse allows him to exist without the reliance on Edelwood and I have no doubt that he looks for other ways to become truly powerful." Sammael examined the lantern in his hands. "That is why the lantern is kept close because I know how to permanently destroy it and Moloch."

"I see…" Skarr said, examining the lantern.

Hard to believe something so simplistic looking could be so powerful.

Xxx

'Now?' Bill laughed. 'We rock this joint!'

With that said, Bill lunged at Steven and shot straight into his gemstone and there was bright flash of yellow and pink light.

Followed by a loud scream…

Xxx

Sammael's red eyes shot open and he stood up from his throne, sensing a surge of power in the Darklands. "Cipher…"

All of the Grimm in the Darklands seemed to howl at the sudden flux of power and feeling of emotions they could sense.

Emotions of pure insanity mixed with a deadly intelligence.

"What is that?" Skarr rushed over the window, looking in the distance.

"Bill Cipher has decided to change the rules of engagement." Sammael answered calmly as he walked up to the window next to Skarr. "Perhaps this will warrant an intervention after all."

Xxx

"What in the world?!" Greg exclaimed, seeing a blast of light up ahead.

"That's where Steven is!" Sapphire shouted before screaming in agony, her hair parting to reveal her one eye.

"Sapphire!?" Ruby rushed over to her as she collapsed and held her. "What's wrong?"

"Something is wrong…" Sapphire whimpered in the red Gem's arms. "Something is horribly wrong."

Xxx

The blast of light awoke Johnny and Carl and alerted Amethyst and Pops who had been keeping watch nearby. They all watched as a blast of yellow and pink light shot up into the sky and took the form of a massive triangle. In the shadow of the forest, Moloch watched with narrowed eyes at the light and could hear the annoying laughter in it.

"Cipher, you dare to steal my prey?" The Beast whispered hatefully.

"Where's Steven?!" Amethyst shouted, covering her eyes because of the brightness.

The light shrank down as it slowly hovered back to the ground, taking a humanoid shape that stopped a few feet above the ground. "Here I am, little grape!"

"Steven?!" Amethyst exclaimed.

It almost looked like Steven.

It almost sounded like Steven.

But it was not Steven.

His eyes were bright and slitted, his hair was long and pointed up like a triangle with a top hat resting on it, he had a bowtie now, his skin was a sick yellowish color and his gem was glowing bright yellow.

What was most disturbing was that he had two extra black arms under his normal arms and two extra black legs next to his regular human legs along with an extra eye resting on his forehead much like Garnet whenever anyone saw her without her visor.

"WOW!" 'Steven' took the chance to look himself over. "Now this is deluxe! Fusing with a half meat bag and half walking light box, can't say I ever did this before!"

He held up his four hands and looked them over. "And four arms? Now this is some pretty top notch stuff right here."

He then held his hands up to his eyes, covering the two normal ones. "And three eyes?! Can it get any better than this?!"

He landed on the ground and did a light dance. "Check me out! I'm dancing with two left and right feet! Don't get I get a prize for breaking a world record?"

"Steven?" Amethyst called out, confused and slightly afraid.

'Steven' stopped dancing and flashed a smile at Amethyst. "Well, you are right and yet so wrong here, shorty. I am what you make when you combine a half meat bag and Gem with an otherwise fabulous being who knows how to party! You can call us…STIPHER!"

The newly named Stipher let out a loud laugh as he floated off the ground again.

"Uh, Amethyst?" Johnny asked, shaking a bit. "Is this normal?"

"But enough about us." Stipher said, snapping his fingers and everyone jumped as blue fire exploded around them, forming into a circle. "Got to finish some work here and then get to the real fun."

The flames lit up the entire forest, revealing trees with seemingly faces on them, all of them looking terrified, hopeless and engulfed in despair.

"Sorry, Beastie. As one guy who thrives on tormenting single life beings to another I have to say I really admire your work." Stipher called out, no one sure who he was talking to. "But since I plan on calling all the shots one day I can't have competition around anymore. So you'll just have to slither back to that little 'unknown' place you crawled from."

"You dare command me?" A voice asked from the woods, causing the humans and Gem to stiffen from the voice that seemed to come from all direction. "I do not take orders from you, Cipher. How dare you steal my prey?"

"Sorry buddy, I called dibs before you did." Stipher laughed.

From the shadows emerged a strange creature, tree roots emerging from the ground around it, casting a shadow over it that hid its features. It was tall with long arms and skeletal hands, antlers sticking out of its head, glowing eyes that did not even remotely look human and wore a cloak over its body.

"Bill Cipher, so you went and fused with the hybrid, finally gaining a physical form." Moloch stated mockingly. "But so far away from your town. What do you hope to accomplish so far away?"

"Oh, I am not here for that. I just got a few little deals here and there to help spice things up." Stipher snickered. "Speaking off…"

From behind came three Beowolves that lunged at Stipher while his back was turned. The twisted fusion only laughed and snapped his fingers, creating an explosion of blue fire that incinerated the Grimm instantly.

"You'll have to do better than that, Woody." Stipher laughed. "I got big plans and I am not letting you or your boss get in my way."

"We shall see."

"Yes…" Stipher's smiled widened as blue flames surrounded his hands. "We shall."

Stipher thrust his hands forward, unleashing a stream of fire at Moloch while everyone else took cover. The Fallen summoned a wooden wall that blocked the flames, managing to remain intact long enough to divert the attack. He then summoned wooden tendrils that he launched straight at his opponent.

Stipher laughed as blue flames surrounded his entire body, burning the tendrils away. "Is that all you got?"

"Hardly." Moloch's eyes started to glow bright red.

Stipher held up his left human arm and summoned a golden shield with a pink rose colored symbol and in a flash of light it changed in a pink parasol with a black handle just twin beams of red light shot from Moloch's eyes. Stipher held out the parasol in front of him and used it as a shield against Moloch's beam attack but the force of the attack sent him flying back.

"STEVEN!"

The shout came not from one of the nearby onlookers but from the surrounding force just before the speaker came into view.

"Greg?!" Amethyst exclaimed in complete surprise. "And you got Ruby and Sapphire?!"

"Where's Steven?" Greg questioned, looking around the battlefield.

His eyes stopped on the creature known as Moloch and they shrunk while his skin turned nearly white. "No…It can't be."

Moloch looked in Greg's direction and seemed to smile. "Ah, young Gregory. It has been a long time now, hasn't it? You were just a little boy when we last me and look at you. And yet, I see no dear brother with you, such a shame."

Greg Universe stared at Moloch, looking like he was unable to even breathe. "You…How are you here? The Woodsman…He blew out your lantern."

Moloch chuckled. "Yes he did but that was not the end of me. I have long since been reborn since we last met, Gregory. I am no longer limited to the Unknown, I can come here in physical form for I am not just the Beast…I am Moloch, the Beast of Eternal Darkness and I have come to enact my revenge on the child who dared to escape me."

"Greg…You know this freak?" Amethyst asked, having been quite and watched with the others.

"Boy does he know him, little grape!" Stipher laughed as he floated back into view. "These two go back a long way, back in the old days when people were more boring by acting responsible and didn't care as much about collecting gold."

"Steven?!" Greg gasped, seeing what his son had become. "What's happened to you?"

"Oh don't worry, Mister Universe." Stipher laughed. "Steven's still here. He's just taking a back seat at the moment while I work things out with your old friend. I needed him here so I can carry out another deal I made."

Greg narrowed his eyes. "You took over my son's body?"

"Took over?" Stipher laughed some more. "He GAVE it to me! We pulled off a fusion! Much like how your friends, Little Red and One-Eyed Frozen do it all the time."

"That is NOT FUSION!" Ruby shouted, summoning her gauntlet. "I don't know what you are but what you are doing is not fusion! Get out of Steven's body, right now!"

"Ruby…" Sapphire was trembling slightly. "Don't rush it."

Stipher shook his head. "You and what army little flame?"

"Little flame…" Ruby's eye twitched. "I may be little…BUT I'M AN ETERNAL FLAME!"

Letting out a battle cry Ruby charged at Stipher, ignoring Grey calling out to her to stop. Just as Ruby aimed her fist at Stipher's face the twisted fusion rolled his eyes and blocked with his parasol. The heat from the gauntlet had no effect as Stipher flipped his parasol and casually whacked Ruby on the head with it. The red Gem staggered back, slightly disorientated from the strike and left wide open as Sipher kicked her in the chest with all four of his legs.

"Ruby!" Sapphire cried as the red Gem flew back, slamming into a tree and ran over to her, kneeling down to check over her beloved. "Are you all right?"

"I'm good…" Ruby grunted as she stood back up, glaring at Stipher. "It's that freak that won't be all right when I am through with him."

"Remember, whatever it is it's still fused with Steven." Sapphire reminded, glancing back at the floating Stipher. "We have to separate them."

"Good luck with that, you two." Stipher laughed, flying up as tendrils made of wood sprouted from the ground and tried to grab him.

"NO!" Greg aimed his guitar at Moloch and played a note, firing a shard of lightning Dust that collided head on with the Fallen, knocking him back but did little damage. "I won't let you try and hurt my son!"

"Your son was hurt long before this, Gregory. The feeling of helplessness as he watched his dear Crystal Gems tears themselves apart over one mistake and unable to do anything to fix and unable to save the water Gem from her cruel fate, being fused into a monster." Moloch chuckled, despite the smoke rising from his form. "And you let him wander out here in the Darklands of all places to be fused with a demon."

"He's got you there, Star-Child." Stipher laughed, floating towards Greg. "Not something I'd put in for 'Father of the Year'."

Greg gritted his teeth, aiming his guitar between Moloch and Stipher but couldn't bring himself to fire.

Was it his fault?

He knew things with the Gems had been tense but he kept himself from getting involved for the most part much he had always since Rose…

Steven, his son must have felt so helpless and he did nothing to help.

"Much like before with your dear brother, Gregory. He helped you and how do you repay him? Running away to chase a desperate dream, disowned by your parents for being such a disappointment and…The reason your dear brother is dead." Moloch continued gleefully.

Greg closed his eyes painfully, remembering that awful day…

"Wirt? Wirt?!"

His brother, lying on the ground, completely still…

"Running away to escape the pain you felt and brought upon everyone." Moloch chuckled. "I must congratulate you, Gregory. You did far more damage than I ever could have."

"I didn't mean it…" Greg glared back at Moloch. "I am not a kid anymore and you can't trick me like before. I couldn't save my brother but I will save me son!"

"Oh? I am interested in seeing this." Stipher laughed, twirling his parasol in one hand. "Hurt me, you hurt your kid. And it's not like you can do much else with that fancy guitar."

"Indeed. In fact…" Moloch raised his hand and the entire area turned dark.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" A rather girlish scream rang out.

"Relax, Amethyst. We got lights!" Carl called out.

"That was Johnny!" Amethyst snapped.

Greg had no time to react as hand grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground, forcing him to drop his guitar.

"It is time I finish what I should have done years ago. And as you fall into despair here is my little secret…" Moloch chuckled as he leaned in close to Greg's ear. "I killed your brother."

Greg's eyes went wide from the confession. "You…"

"I did so I could see you suffer and to enact my vengeance on the one who humiliated me, who ruined my plans and took everything from me." Moloch said gleefully as he looked Greg directly in the eyes. "If only he could be here to see what will happen. He might as well have become my next tree himself."

"Man, it sure is fun to watch someone other than me dish out from pain and suffering." Stipher laughed, having been quite up till now. "How's that for a plot twist?"

"You…YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!?" Greg shouted, all previous fear forgotten as he struggled to break free. "YOU MONSTER!"

"I prefer the term 'Beast'." Moloch retorted, raising his free hand and his fingers sharpened themselves into deadly looking claws. "Now it's your turn."

"NO IT IS NOT!"

Moloch turned his head in time to be punched in the face by a large gauntlet, knocking him away from Greg who slid back down onto the ground. The Fallen spun around with red glowing eyes as he looked upon his attacker.

Garnet, fused again and standing ready for battle. "You will release Steven and leave now!"

Stipher laughed a Garnet's orders. "Or what? You'd really hurt your precious 'Steven'?"

"Maybe." Amethyst stood next to Garnet, brandishing her whip. "But I'd do it to save him from the likes of you!"

Greg picked up his guitar. "I don't like the idea of hurting my son but I know Steven is strong, strong enough that he shouldn't have been tricked by whatever you are. You are just like the Beast, taking advantage of people, using their hopes and dreams and turning it all against them! That's why I know Steven can beat you! You hear me, son, don't let him control you!"

"How about we skip the heartfelt drama and get right to the lobotomizing?" Stipher rolled his eyes and pointed his weapon at Greg. "So many people to kill, so little time."

Dust shots were fired, forcing Stipher to block with his parasol and he looked annoyed as Johnny, Carl and Pops stood alongside Steven's family.

"I don't know what's going on here but it's obvious the two of you are evil." Pops aimed his rifle, glancing between Stipher and Moloch. "And that's good enough for me."

"Yeah, man. Anyone who likes picking on my buddy Amethyst here are in a lot of trouble." Johnny said, his weapon shifting into its hammer mode. "So, like my Mama always said…GET YOUR CLAWS OFF THE FURNITURE!"

Despite the rather odd saying it seemed to have its effect as they were all screaming battle cries out as they engaged the two monsters before them to save the one boy that was their friend.

Xxx

"Beast, you are going to pay for hurting Greg. And Steven…Hang on."

Xxx

Moloch's origin story along with Greg Universe actually being Wirt's brother was actually inspired by the Steven Universe/Over the Garden Wall crossover story Over the Universe by Violattaletter-inactive who I asked permission to make a similar story for the Beast and how he became Moloch and with Greg and Wirt being brothers. Thank you for allowing this if you have been reading.