I jumped out of the nearest window, making myself invisible as I safely fly around.

I fly backwards right after I jumped, looking at the window if Palatino will look peek out to see if I'm still alive or not.

As expected, he did. He peeked his head out of the window, staring directly at the ground. He was looking around frantically, in hopes of seeing my body around. I can see tears welling up in his eyes. The previous ones were already dried up.

Even though it's hopeless, he still keeps on desperately looking for me.

After a few minutes, he withdrew his head away from the window while his hands are still in the windowsill. Then suddenly, I felt the time had stopped. I don't feel any breeze anymore and every living creature just...stopped moving.

"What's happening? What's going on?" I loudly asked, hoping that something will pop out of nowhere, serving as my answer.

After a few minutes of exploring the atmosphere, finally, something popped out of nowhere and hopefully serving as my answer.

A black-hooded demon came out of a red pentagram that came out of nowhere. It seems that the pentagram was etched on the ground. I can see the markings even though there's a very bright red shine surrounding it, even shining the demon in the middle.

The demon, his hooded robe covering half of his face that only his mouth is visible, took out a scythe hidden in his robe and pulled me down with it.

I felt vulnerable even if I'm a demon. I was too distracted by the demon's appearance that the moment I blinked, I was transferred back to Hell, albeit I was back to this organization, 666.

The hooded demon is revealed to be the leader of the organization, the one that I encountered last time.

Which reminds me, I didn't know his name last time. Talk about introduction!

"Who are you?"

"I am not ready to reveal my name yet." He replied, glancing at my side.

"Then what can I call you?"

"Anything you want."

I looked around their lair and saw a lot of black hooded robes hanging about with scythes placed beside each one. In that instant, I thought of what to call their leader.

"Grim. Can I call you that?"

"Sure."

He then walked towards a keyboard of some sort with lots of buttons and levers around. A big monitor is placed just above his head. It just displays an annoying static.

"What's with this? What do you want from me?" For a moment there, I forgot why I was back here. And then it hit me when nothing else distracts me.

"Didn't you realize what I did? I kidnapped you." He bluntly answered, turning his head towards me. His face doesn't seem malicious. Guess he doesn't have any other intents. I wonder what's happening to his mind that he decided to "kidnap" me.

"And why?" I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head. Confusion started overwhelming my other expressions.

"I want to experiment with something." He started pressing buttons, flipping switches, and pulling levers. I don't know what he's doing but I guess it's for the monitor to work? "Don't worry, it's not with you." He tried to assure me. Well that was pointless, I thought he needed an assistant.

"So...." My glance travelled around once more, looking at every little detail I could find. "With who?" My eyes stopped at him.

"Zante Lino."

My body stopped. All I could hear are the buttons being pressed by Grim as he works.

"Why?" I muttered.

He was about to press the last button for the monitor to work but he stopped. He looked up and turned his head to face me.

"He's more powerful than you think." He frowned, breaking his emotionless facade.

I don't get it... It's the same as what Lucifer said! What do they mean about that? Did Grim also researched about Zan? If he did, is it because he's a powerful human?

Grim turned back at the keyboard and pressed the last button. In the monitor, there's a person who seems to be...angry about something... His eyebrows are furrowed, he's tapping his hands and feet impatiently-- wait... Those clothes... ZAN?!

"Huh? Why is he angry?"

"Don't be too curious. Be patient." Grim gently scolded me.

I walked towards the monitor, standing beside Grim, also watching the monitor.

I didn't realize this until sooner but it also has audio. It's like there are hidden cameras all over the world that follows anyone and Grim can easily track them down and wait until the day is over for them to shut off or restart from the very beginning. Or continue from there until Grin manually shuts it off!

"Damn, why can't I find her?!" Zan angrily whispered outside his house. He punched the tree once and I saw its trunk crack. It's so obvious that no human can ever possibly miss it! "Why? Why? Why?!!" His voice started to gradually raise up each time he said a word or sentence. He was about to punch the tree again but somehow, he held back. He clicked his tongue and raised his hoodie. He started walking to a direction. It seems that he's too familiar with it that he doesn't need anything so that he can keep track with where he's going!

After some time of walking-- geez that was far. How many minutes did it take for him to go that far?-- he entered a bar named Flame's. He's so young, why would he enter a bar?

"I see. So he's still going there when he's having a hard time... But I noticed that he's not going there so often nowadays." Grim unconsciously voiced out his thoughts.

"When did you start stalking him?!" I asked in surprise.

"Ah, never mind me." He was snapped back to reality and continued to watch through the monitor.

"Flame, the usual." Zan ordered as he sat down on a bar stool.

"It's been a while since you came here, Zan. The usual Bloody Mary?"

"Yep!" Zan smiled brightly as he slightly nodded.

Flame walked away, preparing Zan's Bloody Mary.

Out of nowhere, Flame also took out some french fries after he served Zan's drink.

"Haha. You still know me man." Zan sighed in relief, grabbing his glass tightly.

He drank half of it and gently dropped the glass down. He then eats the french fries one by one until we noticed his expression change by the moment he eats the half of a french fry he's holding.

"Hey," he started, chomping the other half of the long french fry. "I'm looking for this girl, named Celeste, and she's--" he burped, interrupting his own sentence. That's what you get for chugging half of your drink then immediately eat french fries afterwards. "--my age. She's wearing a school uniform and has long straight brown hair reaching to her shoulders. Did you see her by any chance?" His voice sounded desperate...but ready to accept if Flame answers no.

"Sorry... I haven't..." Flame answers sadly. "But I have a theory which may or may not help."

Zan jolted up, eyes sparkling in hope. "Yes! Please! Just--anything for me to search for her!"

"You're so desperate today. What happened?" A slight smile appeared in Flame's lips like he's relieved to see Zan liking his drink. A little drunk though.

"I saw Palatino passing by, crying. He said that he just killed somebody. That's just impossible y'know? So I assured him that he didn't do anything wrong and let him tell me what happened. He said because of his inability to believe Celeste that she killed Senna and Delon, she jumped out the window. When Palatino peeked out, her body was nowhere to be found. I was worried... Not because of him but because of Celeste suddenly disappearing. If she fell like that, even her body would still be found, right? UGH!" Zan flopped his head to the table and wrapped his arms around it.

A few seconds later, Zan started chugging the leftover Bloody Mary from his glass.

"Do you like her?" Flame asks innocently.

As Zan dropped his glass, his face is flushed in a deep red. His face is now the same color as his drink. I don't know if that red in his face is him being drunk or he blushed.

He slowly moves his head downwards, burying it with his arms.

"Shut up, don't look at me!" He shouted. But I think this is cute.

"Guess you're drunk now. I'll call Palatino to take you home."

How can a 6-year old human possibly take a 13-year old home?!

"N-no need, Flame. I-I'm--"

Suddenly, in that split second when Zan is still talking, albeit muffled from his arms, we saw Flame directly look at the monitor and then static was displayed back on.

"Wh-what happened?!" I panicked, backing away a few steps.

"Fuck! He knows!" Grim gritted his teeth, trying hard to bring the monitor back to Zan, pressing buttons, flipping switches, pulling the levers, following the steps from before, but faster this time.

Seconds later, the monitor was back on, with Zan looking out the window while he's in Palatino's room. And Palatino is sleeping soundly.

Zan clenched his teeth then jumped out of the window. Their house is 2 stories high! A human who can jump like that can be possibly injured!

"ZAN!" I unintentionally shouted, passing through the monitor like a portal.

"Celeste, no!" I heard Grim panic before a white background filled my line of sight and then was transported to Zan falling.

When Zan saw me, he began wobbling out of control and landed on the ground with his back.

"Zan! Are you ok?" I panicked, rushing towards him. I laid my hands on his body but surprisingly, it just went through like I'm air. I'm surprised that I haven't slipped off the ground yet.

"C-Celeste...?" He coughed out. He slowly opened his eyes, slowly regaining consciousness. When he saw me clearly, he jolted up, eyes widened for a second. "Wh-what are you doing here?! Y-your appearance..." He took his time examining me. "You're in Hell?!"

My eyes widened in shock. Is it just my imagination that this human knows exactly where I am by only judging by my appearance?

"H-how did you...--"

"That damn organization took you, didn't they? Once I lay my fists on them, they'll regret it. Big time!" He glared. He pounded his fist against his palm, readying himself for a fight.

"H-hey, hey, calm down."

He looked up to me. His eyes twitched. He didn't look at me, he looked behind me. His instincts as a role of an overprotective parent kick in, passing through me.

I stayed where I sit, still sitting even though he just passed right through me.

I hear struggling and huffing from behind so I turned around and saw Grim and Zan fighting. How can Zan touch Grim? The latter and I went out the same passage, right?

"I'm not doing anything wrong, Zante." Grim tried explaining. But he's being set back by Zan ferociously pushing him as far as he can away from me.

"Shut up, Reaper! Don't you ever lay a finger on Celeste!" Zan pushed harder, pinning him down the ground.

"Calm down, Lino. I'm not doing anything wrong and I'm not planning to."

"LIAR!" Zan shouted, trying to strangle him.

"Don't kill him, Zan!" I rushed towards the two of them.

Zan immediately stopped as I shouted. He slowly backs away hesitantly.

"He-he's the only person that can bring me back here in Earth..."

"That's right, Lino. No matter how strong I can be and may as well be a threat to Celeste, you can't defeat me...because I'm the only hope she has left to see you again, to feel you again. I am your bridge and if you dare destroy it, this girl will have to suffer." Grim smirked, pulling me towards him. He tilted my head and played with my bare neck. "Play along. This is the experiment." He whispered.

"Get off of her!" Zan glared, pushing Grim away.

I tumbled away until I reached the wall of his house. I slowly raise my head up. The last thing I saw was Zan's left eye shined blue and there was a bright blue light gleaming from like a dinosaur skull. I closed my eyes after that...

•

I woke up, being safe and sound. I hear water running and someone coughing up.

"Grim?" I called out.

No answer. Just a man coughing up something in the sink while the water is running.

After a few minutes, it stopped. The noises from the sink stopped.

Then I hear footsteps inching closer towards me.

It stopped when his whole body reached the light, illuminating him.

I sat there, horrified of what's in front of me...

"G-Grim?" I choked out. I covered my hands from this.

"Don't act like you never seen this body state before." Grim sassed.

"Excuse me, I never seen one in a demon as stupid as you. I mean, yeah, I killed two powerful demons in school but, you, I have no words to describe this surprise that I feel." I sassed back.

"Tch. That guy really is powerful than we thought. As soon as he defeated me, he gently placed you back here and then rashly kicked me back here." He wiped some of the excess blood coming out of his mouth.

For me, he has excess blood everywhere! His body is badly bruised, wounds, cuts, all over him. Damn, why do I pity this idiot?

"So..." I looked around to see if there's changes. Unfortunately, there's none. "What's his result?"

"His strength overpowers that of a human's. No, more than that. The way he beat me up is not his full strength yet. I think I need to pose a bigger threat. His family, yes. His brother..."

"You're thinking too much, Grim. You're sacrificing yourself for this useless experiment. We get it now, he's strong. There's no need for blah blah scientific stuffs, are there?" I stood up, walking to him.

"I want to know how strong or weak he can be."

"I see... So you don't need me now?"

"I still need you. I wonder how far he can go just trying to save you from your hometown."

"What do you mean?"

"Just wait and see, Celeste. Just wait and see..." He hummed in a singing voice.

He turned and walked towards the monitor and did his usual routine. We were back with Zan, sobbing quietly. Uneasiness ran through my body as I see him being vulnerable to everything. I want to go back, I want to-- I want to comfort him...

What the fuck is this feeling? Why am I having this feeling? Is something wrong with me?

"I don't want to do this anymore...." I meekly whispered.

"Don't worry, it's not about you. It's about Zante. So I don't care about your damn feelings. You have forgotten that you are a demon. You let yourself be dwelled inside these useless human emotions!" Grim scolded me, shouting. He almost raised a hand to me but seeing my quiet behavior, he pulled his hand back, clicking his tongue. "Be thankful that you're the daughter of the person we idolize." He turned back to the monitor, watching Zan sob for hours.

"How can he not dry up from the tears?" Grim and I simultaneously asked each other. It was unexpected so we looked at each other, staring for a second with puzzled faces. "It was useless asking you." We both said, copying each other's actions. We turned away from each other, thinking about the question.

Still, hours still passed and it was morning already. Zan is still sobbing until now.

Then, we heard a yawn from the distance. We assumed that it was Palatino but quickly remembered that Palatino and Zan don't share the same room.

"Hey, what was that yawn? Check it out." I told Grim.

"Way ahead of you." He replied, turning the camera to the yawn.

The camera displayed Zan, yawning and stretching. He sat on his bed, with eyes still droopy.

We were shocked to find this so Grim adjusted the camera back to the other Zan sobbing but as we see, there were no traces left. It's like he was not even there in the first place!

"FUCK! He keeps messing this up!" Grim shouted, pounding the sturdy keyboard in front of him.

I was puzzled at his sentence. "What?" I asked with one brow raised.

"That sobbing Zante and that just woken up Zante...are one and the same."

"Huh? How? I'm confused. Can a human even do that?"

Grim glanced at me, turning his head, still his hands glued to the keyboard. "He can mess up the timelines so he can mess the camera up."

"So it is a camera!" I cheered.

"But I can't really say the capabilities of a human." He continued. He turned his head back to the monitor, moving the camera manually to follow the original Zan. "This particular human really is questionable. That's why I'm experimenting him. I can't let myself lose to this jerk!" He sounded determined. Very...very determined... Too determined that I'm scared for Zan. But if two demons say that he's stronger than what I think, then I should stop underestimating him.

After a few minutes, the original Zan just suddenly...disappeared. I don't know where he could be or where he is now but his disappearance really is a mystery.

The monitor displayed static for a while after Zan's disappearance. Then suddenly, as it displayed him again, it was in a familiar place... Hell. Specifically, 666's lair. He was standing out their lair. It was when I last went here-- it was old and rusted on the outside.

Zan pushed the door and casually walked in like he was here before. Grim panicked, closing all doors before he gets here.

Zan, still as casual as before, merely touches the metal doors presented before him and they cracked, destroying into bits the second after. His signature look, with his hands still buried in his hoodie pockets no matter what he does. He just uses his left hand and this is what happens. What can a human do?! I-is he even human...?

Grim panicked even more, desperately trying to close this one last door leading here. Maybe this is the Control Center, I don't even know.

Grim turned the monitor off, leaving the screen reflecting the two of us, standing by. Grim can clearly see his panicked expression while I remained calm.

The door banged loudly just outside this room. Grim placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered "hide." I did as I was told and hid in their closet. To be honest, the scent of their clothes and the scythes on the side makes me think about death. It strengthens my urge to kill a human, to consume a soul. My demon instincts slowly kick in. My fangs started to grow long, albeit slowly. My bloodlust is starting to show slowly too. I desperately covered my mouth in attempt to stop myself from consuming a single human soul in Hell.

The banging stopped and Zan entered with his left eye glowing blue, glaring at Grim. This is the calmest glare in human history, I guess.

"Where is she?" Zan asked.

"Hmph. Why don't you find her?" Grim smirked.

Zan looked around and immediately laid eyes in this closet because there's no other hiding places other than here.

Slowly, as Zan approaches me, my fangs are growing longer faster. My hands couldn't hold it anymore. My eyes started to glow bright red, my pupils started to grow thin, mimicking that of a cat's. My devil wings also started growing. This transformation slowly process as Zan approaches the closet.

Suddenly, a dagger flew near Zan's face, just inches close to him. His expression says that he didn't expect a dagger flying near him. The weakness he felt just strengthen my urge even more, I can't hold back anymore so I flopped down, limiting my vision of him. But I can still sense him being in front of me. I can hear my own heart pounding louder as each Zan approaches me each step.

The closet door creaked, and I have no control anymore. As I heard the door creaked open, I immediately looked up with some tears formed in my eyes. I saw Grim looking in the distance. I didn't really heard what he said but I read his lips, saying "gross. Water." Before my own demon self started pouncing at Zan, pinning him to the ground.

"Give me your suffering soul!" I said in a devilish voice. A wide grin appeared on my lips, smirking creepily.

"Celeste!" Zan exclaimed out loud, happiness filling every inch of his face. "I'm glad you're safe!" He easily pushed me off the side, sat up and hugged me in delight.

The suffering that I sensed, the suffering that he had....just...vanished into thin air. The way he hugged me... I can sense his genuine feelings flow to me. His heart beating as fast as mine...

My demon body stayed as it is even though my instincts was set back and my emotions are organized. I don't know why I'm still in my demon form. Probably because I'm in Hell...?

"Z-Zan...?" I muttered out.

Grim made an entrance. His slow clapping and footsteps broke the light atmosphere around us. "Well, well, what do we have here? The knight finally found the princess. But what can that do? He doesn't know how to get her back to Earth without my help..." He stopped as he reached Zan, carrying him by the neck. "What do you do now?" He smirked, thinking he already won.

Panicking, I ran after him but he used telekinesis and pushed me to the wall. I slid down, still feeling the lingering pain on my back. I laid down on my stomach and looked up to see Zan and Grim, fighting to the death. They were using their own abilities to their advantage.

I had no care for the two of them fighting to the death but one question finally appeared, which was supposed to be my question as soon as Grim mentioned it long ago in our first meeting. I summoned my spear out of thin air and aimed it at Zan's hoodie. When I think the timing is right, I threw it, to which it's also an advantage for him. Grim was supposed to attack at him, leaving Zan defenseless but me throwing the spear and pinning him to the wall saved him.

Grim angrily glared at me, his eyes emitting such a strong red that resembles fire. He was about to charge at me and attack me but I raised a forcefield before he can even touch me.

"I only have one question for you, Grim." I started.

Grim, who is doubling over on the ground, asked "what is it?" With all his remaining power.

"What is my father's murder case?" I asked with a demanding tone.

Silence...

In that silence, I was able to withdraw my forcefield and Zan pulled my spear away, walking towards me with the spear in his left hand.

Grim was still on the ground, standing in all fours.

As soon as Zan gave me my spear back, Grim started to open his mouth.

"The Case of the Murders of 666 Demons." He finally answered after such a long silence.

"That many demons?! No way my father can kill them!" I protested.

"Hell yeah he can't!" Grim and Zan simultaneously shouted. Zan briefly glanced at Grim and then at me. Does he know my father? Maybe he's just religious. But why would he say that it's impossible?

I did not question him any further. I don't want to pry any more informations from him. I just looked at him with my puzzled expression and continued on like it never even happened.

"So... Who's the culprit?" I asked out of curiosity. I must clear my father's name with this stupid case! I need to crack this case with the help of 666!

"That, we don't know..." He sounded down. "But we will guarantee you that we will find the culprit immediately and clear your father's name!" He then sounded determined again.

"I will help you." I said.

"Good to know, Princess." Grim smiled.

"I will help too." Zan unusually volunteered.

"Hmph." A small smirk appeared on Grim's lips. "Whatever you say." He said that not out of boredom, but it's like he really is letting him, like he trusts him of some sort.

"Celeste, thank you for being in this  experiment. Now I know all of Zante's abilities."

Hearing the word "experiment", Zan jolted and stuttered, embarrassed, "e-e-ex...periment...?"

"Kidnapping Celeste, bringing you here, it's all part of the plan." Grim confidently said, not a single remorse what Zan just went through.

"Celeste?" He slowly turn his head to me.

I shrugged. "Sorry Comedian, Grim wouldn't let me out."

Zan let out an exasperated sigh. He walked towards me, holding my hand and immediately located the portal to Earth.

"Hey, what did you do to bring yourself to Hell anyway?" Grim forgot to ask.

"Figure it out yourself." Zan smirked as revenge.

Grim, annoyed, pulled the lever and we were sent back to Earth. My body turned to human again and I can't stop staring at it.

"Little Miss?" Zan asked, confused as to why I'm staring at my own human body.

"I guess I have to look for the true culprit myself." I ignored him. I stood up, dusted myself and walked to random directions. Zan followed me behind. "Check your calendar." I commanded him, not looking back.

"Friday." He merely said.

I sighed and facepalmed myself. "We still have to go to school." I turned my head to him then the sun. "What time is it?"

"12 am."

"Check your calendar again, looking at the number this time."

"Hm?" He confusingly asked, looking through the calendar. "It already has been a week?!!"

"Time in Earth sure is slow." I stopped walking, staring at the dark sky. "I wonder what we can do today."

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Aren't you?" I returned his question to him.

"Uhh... Well..."

"Be honest with me. How did you go to Hell? And why do you know my father?" I cut him off, changing topics fast. I leaned towards him, with my head tilting on the side.

"H-hey C, can we just...go back to the house for a sec. It's kinda dark here and people will suspect us being out at midnight. And I'm kinda tired too.." He lied. But still, he's right.

I looked around, the streetlights are shining so brightly, contrasting the sky. There are no people around. Wait a minute...

"Where are we?!" We both gasped. This is not a place we're familiar with!

"Why are you asking? Aren't you a human being living in Earth? Tell me where we are!" I demanded, stomping my foot.

"Not all humans know which place is which!" He shouted back. "Damn, we need to ask somebody living in here."

"How can we find somebody living here in the middle of the night?"

"Not all humans sleep in the same time everyday!" He mimicked himself.

"You humans are so complicated." I blankly told him.

"You demons are so simple." He imitated my tone and speech. "Now, if I could only have a map or ask someone where we are, we might return to our own homes... Umm... My home, sorry."

"Map? What's that?" I tilted my head to the side.

"It's useless to tell you if I have nothing to show you." He slumped his shoulders heavily with a groan and quickly grabbed my hand. "Let's go. We don't know what time we'll reach our city, or country, or town or province or whatever-- hey, what are you doing?!"

He saw me running with my left hand being occupied by his and my free hand is dialing Sebastian through my phone.

"I'm calling my driver to ask if he knows where we are and if he could pick us up."

"Phone!" He jolted. He abruptly stopped in a railway while my phone rings.

"Hello? M'lady?"

"Uhh... Hey... Sebastian..." I sounded scared and nervous. "Sorry for not showing up last Thursday. Umm... Look, I'm in the middle of nowhere and I would like to ask you where we are."

"Yes. Please describe where you are right now."

"I'm in the railway named... York."

"That shouldn't be too far, m'lady. Please go to the nearest roadway and wait for me there."

I sighed as I hung up.

"Shouldn't be too far, he said. Go to the nearest roadway, he said."

"York, huh... I haven't been here before... If I'm not mistaken, we're still in England!" He pounded a fist in his palm as his eyes sparkled in delight. "This is great! Let's go to the nearest roadway to wait for your driver!" He sharply turned around and held both of my hands, still his eyes didn't stop sparkling. He pulled my left hand and quickly ran to the nearest roadway.

"Hey, tell me everything tomorrow, ok?"

Zan quickly jolted up, surprised at what I said that his eyes stopped sparkling for a second. He looked down at the ground. He heaved a sigh, slumping his shoulders. "Ok Celeste." He muttered with a serious and deep tone, unusual for him to have this kind of tone, nonetheless, this behavior...

I guess I shouldn't underestimated him in the first place... Heh.