The "Demon Trials" were a series of life-threatening tests set up by Lloyd, a powerful demon shaman, in exchange for granting certain, nearly impossible wishes for supplicants. When Spike came to Lloyd and requested the return of his soul, Lloyd forced him to endure the trials to prove his worth. Spike proceeded to endure, among other things, an intense battle with a demon with flaming fists, a demon with several horns sticking out in different directions, and being covered head to toe in flesh-eating beetles. In the end, Spike passed the trials and won his soul back.