The moon glowed bright and full in the midnight sky of Hollywood. Most people were out clubbing, going to concerts, or doing who knows what in town. Tonight was the kind of night where people, specifically downworlders, were at their worst. Meaning, it was up to the shadow hunters to keep the peace by keeping humans safe and oblivious to the dangers they were in at night.
Ash stood on top of the rooftop of a building casually waiting for Rayne to get there. He sat there wondering how he was keeping his calm while waiting for her. “You’re late,” he said with a bored tone when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
“How the heck did you know it was me,” Rayne sounded a bit more surprised than she should have been. They went through this routine nearly every weekend.
“You’re loud, annoying, and you’re just easy to sense,” he teased.
“So,” Rayne said ignoring Ash’s insult. “What’s the mission today.”
“Some demon that’s been lurking around, trying to steal people’s souls.”
“You make it sound like it’s easy.”
“Easy for me, but humans like you aren’t really resilient to a demon’s temptation,” Ash stated.
Rayne wasn’t the average shadow hunter, she was also part human. She didn’t reply.
“Let’s go,” he got up and started leading the way West.
“How do you know it’s that way,” Rayne couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity.
“It’s easy once you learn.”
“How do you learn then?”
“What’s the most well-known part of town?”
“Ohhh,” Rayne said finally understanding it. “West Hollywood.”
“Exactly, but we’re only going because someone might be able to tell us the demon’s whereabouts.

Ash and Rayne walked down the Sunset Strip. It looked more lively at night with all the lights illuminating the streets. They stopped in front of one of the music venues. The Key Club.
“Hey! I come here all the time for concerts,” Rayne said excitedly.
“Well we’re not really here for concerts,” Ash replied.
“You’re no fun,” Rayne crossed her arms and pouted. “So who’s here that’s gonna give us answers?”

“Looks like you found me,” Diez said faking a sigh.
“Diez?!” Rayne couldn’t hide her surprise. A demon ratting his own to shadow hunters? It was sort of hard to believe.
“I’m surprised she’s still alive,” Diez said ignoring Rayne’s shock and instead directed his attention to Ash. “I mean how many times has she been chased by some downworlder wanting something from her?”
“If I recall, you’re the one-”
“That’s not the point,” Ash cut Rayne off mid sentence.
“You’re looking for Beliel,” Diez knew precisely why the shadow hunters came to him. Had not it been Ash who came, he probably would have killed them in a snap.
“You know where he is,” Ash held his voice steady and serious.
“Possibly,” Diez smirked. “But it comes at a cost.”
“What do you want.”
“I’m guessing the girls soul isn’t an option?”
“What is it with you wanting my soul?” Rayne and Diez didn’t really get along. He once nearly killed her trying to take her soul. That was before she knew about the Underworld. If it wasn’t for Ash, she would probably be burning in hell or something like that.
“You should be complimented; I’m usually a picky eater.”
Without a word, Ash pulled out a small bag and tosses it to Diez. The demon smiled when he opened the bag to find quite a number of hundred dollar bills. “They say there’s a ghost that jumps off the Hollywood sign. People sometimes go up there to find it.”
“What does that have to do with what we’re looking for,” Rayne asked.
“Most ghosts are just illusions put out by demons,” Ash explained. “Those who are more likely to believe in the paranormal and Underworld are more vulnerable to demons.”
“All you really need is a human to go up there,” Diez said.
“So you’re going to use a human as bait,” Rayne had a bad feeling of what this was going to lead to.
“No, idiot, you’re the bait,” Diez smirked.
“What?!?!”
Rayne gave Ash a look of plea. “You’re the only one with human blood so..” Ash Trailed off. He couldn’t think of any other somewhat reasonable plan.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Rayne said climbing up the back of the H of the Hollywood sign.
“You’re doing fine, just keep going,” Ash coaxed her.
“Yah, and don’t look down,” Diez teased.
Why did he have to come, Rayne thought.
Ash could only give him a glare, “Really?”
“I’m almost up,” Rayne yelled from the top of the sign. “Now what?”
“Just stay up there and wait,” Ash yelled back. He looked down and noticed Diez drawing something on the ground. “What are you doing?”
“What’s it look like I’m doing.”
“Don’t do that,” he said after realizing the thing Diez was drawing was a pentagram.
“This is the only way to get Beliel to come.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look, He’s not going to come with a shadow hunter nearby. And I’m not going to protect her while you go hang out from afar waiting for him to come.” Diez only drew up to the upside-down star. “Do you want me to summon him or not?”
“I’m not summoning him without Rayne’s permission as well.”
Diez paused, sensing something was near. “Looks like we didn’t need to summon him.”
“What?” Then he heard it, Rayne’s scream. “Rayne!” Ash began climbing up the sign to get her.
“When will people realize what they can and can’t do,” Diez asked himself. “You do know you won’t be able to make it in time?”
“Then you help get her,” Ash knew he wouldn’t make it, but he at least had to try.
It took a while contemplating on what he should do. Diez sighed and decided to go against his natural instincts. Within a blink of an eye, he was on top of the sign. Rayne was on the ground, obviously terrified of the person standing in front of her.
Sensing the presence of another person, the demon turned towards Diez. “Diez,” he said in surprise.
“Hey, Bel,” Diez waved awkwardly.
“What are you doing here?”
“Honestly, I’m not quite sure myself,” Diez sounded lost. He had a choice to fight Beliel or watch Rayne die. “I think…I’m here to save the girl.”
Beliel smiled and began laughing. “It’s a good thing you’re under exile. ‘Save the girl?’ You’re obviously too weak to have been a king.”
“Diez, help,” Rayne said terrified.
“I’m working on it,” he replied.
“Well hurry up!”
Diez was trying to think of a plan. He knew that he wasn’t strong enough to kill Beliel, but maybe he could damn him back to hell?
“You aren’t going to be able to defeat me,” Beliel said.
“I’m not trying to defeat you.”
“That’s a surprise. You don’t want to kill me? Even after I took everything away from you and had you exiled.”
Diez had to shake off his wanting urge to attack Beliel on the spot. He needed to get Rayne safe first. “Just leave the girl alone,” he growled.
“Very well,” with that, Beliel lunged towards Diez. He wrestled on top of him, Diez was barely standing a chance.
Beliel started chanting in a different language. Crap, Diez thought. He knew that Beliel was chanting some demonic spell but, with him being pinned to the ground, he wasn’t able to move let alone escape.
His hand had a light glow, once the demon finished chanting, before he pressed it against Diez’s chest. An electric shock rushed through his whole body. His vision began to blur, the city lights in the distance only made it worse and hurt his eyes.
Everything went black. “Diez!” Rayne’s scream woke him from his knockout. He was trying his best to get up, but the electric shock of Beliel’s curse was still rushing through him making him unable to move.
“She looks like a fun person to kill,” Beliel chuckled. “I like the ones that scream and beg for mercy.” He got up from pinning Diez and started going towards her.
Ash finally made it up to the top of the sign. He saw Diez on the ground struggling to get up. He looked like he was being held back by some invisible weight.
It took nearly all of Diez’s strength to get up. He knew he wasn’t able to save Rayne but, now that Ash was here, they stood a better chance against Beliel. Without a word, Diez pointed to Beliel, who was too focused on Rayne to notice Ash’s arrival, Ash knew exactly what Diez meant.
He silently pulled out a dagger from his belt. Slowly, Ash snuck up behind Beliel. He gripped his hand tightly on the dagger. He drew his arm back before throwing it towards Beliel’s back.
As quick as a flash, Beliel caught Ash by the wrist. “And how stupid do you take me to be, shadow hunter?” With that, he threw Ash to the ground with ease.
Diez ignored the lingering pain in his body and ran up to defend Ash from any more harm. “I never thought I’d ever see the day a demon worked with a shadow hunter,” Beliel laughed. “You’ve really fallen haven’t you, Diez?”
“Just let them go, Bel,” the only reason Diez even came was to exact his revenge on Beliel, but now, he just wanted to get Ash and Rayne safely away. Why? Not even he knew.
“After they came here to kill me? I don’t think so. Why they haven’t killed you, I don’t know, but there’s no way I would ever degrade myself to either work with or let a shadow hunter live.”
“Fine, but I’m not going down without a fight.”
“’Without a fight?’ Have you forgotten that it was I who exiled you through battle or did our little scuffle not 30 minutes ago, that I won, did more damage to your small head than I expected?”
“Well it’s a good thing that I’m here to help,” Ash said getting up from the ground.
“Ash,” Diez questioned.
“Look, I don’t know what happened between you and this guy in the past, but neither of us are going to be able to get out of here alive unless we work together.”
“Ditto,” Rayne agreed. “I might have a reason to hate you, Diez, but we can settle that some other day.
“Cute,” Beliel rolled his eyes. “But I doubt some newly formed friendship is going to be enough to defeat me, even with your greater number.”
“True,” Diez smiled. “But strength and wit will.”
Diez used his speed to distract Beliel. The other demon charged towards Diez. Like earlier, he once again pinned him down. “Looks like you lose again,” the demo smiled.
“Not yet,” Diez replied with a grin. Beliel only gave him a puzzled look. “Behind you.”
Ash was sure not to miss this time, but Beliel grabbed his wrist again. Before he had time to toss him, Diez used his unpinned arm to punch the other demon in the face. Ash took that as his opportunity to dig the dagger into Beliel’s back.
The demon curse in pain, “You’re really going to regret that, kid.” With quick speed, he grabbed Ash in a chokehold.
“Hey, Souless,” Rayne threw her shoe towards Beliel. “Why get him when it’s my soul you want?”
“Do you really expect to do any damage with a shoe?”
“Well, why would I waste my weapons on a piece of scum, even for a demon, like you?”
Diez took that distraction as an opportunity to cast out a curse. While speaking in a demonic chant, he began drawing a pentagram symbol. Now all he had to do was somehow get Beliel to step in it.
“I wouldn’t be saying that while I have a hold of your friend,” Beliel tightened his hold of Ash, blocking his breathing.
Ash struggled like an animal desperate to get free from its trap. It took him a few seconds to calm himself. Once he did, he thrusted himself forward with all his might to in an attempt to flip the demon.
It was only half successful, he managed to get Beliel to let go of him, but it did no damage to the demon. He got up faster than it took him to fall. Diez took that as his opportunity to get Beliel.
“Again? You really don’t know when to stop, do you,” Beliel said clearly annoyed. “You three are nothing but buzzing flies to me.”
Without a word, Diez used his speed and strength to push Beliel. It didn’t hurt him, but it definitely caught the demon by surprise. Diez started chanting another spell.
“What are you doing,” Beliel asked in shock.
Diez’s chanting stopped, he gave a smile that showed no fear. In his hand, Diez held a strange, white, fire-like aura.
“You know those are forbidden spells,” the demon said fearfully. He was too shocked to get up and he could only crawl backwards to avoid getting attacked by Diez. “You don’t even know what powers those hold.”
“Of course I do,” Diez smirked. “Why do you think I’m using it?” He took slow, steady steps towards Beliel. It only took him five steps to get him where he wanted. “Do you know what you’re on,” he whispered.
Beliel looked down to notice the pentagram beneath him. The symbol paralyzed him so he couldn’t move. With his glowing hand, Diez slowly touched the pentagram. The symbol glowed before shooting a bright, golden light to the sky. Beliel disappeared with it once the light left. The only light left was the lights of the Hollywood sign and the distant city lights.
He turned to Ash and Rayne who were noticeably speechless. “Let’s just keep that between the three of us,” Diez said quietly.
“How…did…you…Do That?!” Rayne asked with excitement and awe.
“Same question,” Ash agreed with Rayne, but much more calmer.
“I guess I have to explain that one,” Diez sighed. “There’s forbidden spells and curses amongst demons. And that curse happened to be one of them.”
“Did you…” Rayne trailed off.
“Kill him? Yes. But don’t expect me to save you shadow hunters that often.”
“Let’s just keep this whole thing a secret then,” Ash said. “The counsel wouldn’t be too happy to find out that we worked with a demon.”
As the sun began to rise, the three climbed down from the sign back to the ground. “Sooo, Diez,” Rayne said
“I swear if you-”
“You looked pret-ty worried when I was almost killed,” she cut Diez off and teased.
“Rayne, we already pissed off one demon,” Ash replied. “No need to piss off another.”
“Better listen to him kid,” Diez agreed.
“Kid?!?! You look the exact same age as me,” she said annoyed. “And you can’t deny that he saved us.”
“’Look’, doesn’t mean am,” Diez said. “Besides, I only saved you for your soul.”
“What?!?!”
“Shut up…”
The End