"Ehehehe Show me your resolve. I'm waiting!"

My resolve? This test it's... not just a test, she's up to something else. I hesitate, my body doesn't want to move forward, I feel myself tighten up. Why do I feel so much fear!?
Shizuku grabbed my shoulder, "Jean! Get a hold of yourself! We only have one shot at this!"
"But Shizuku, who knows what will happen if I approach her, we both know that this 'test' is a trap! What the hell do we do?"

Shizuku releases her hold and whispers back, "Well all we can do is take this at face value, if any hidden attacks come, we can coordinate a counter attack and make a run for it."
I nod my head, "Okay good idea, let's walk in together then, keep your guard up okay?"
"Yes, okay!" she replied.
We both begin to take light steps forward, not too fast nor too slow, we also keep our eyes locked on the Serpent Demon.

She then raises her right hand signaling us to stop, "Hehe hold on you two, I think I forgot to mention something important, only one of you is allowed to approach me."
"What? But you didn't say that before! That isn't fair!" I shouted.
Shizuku backed me up, "Yeah, you can't just change the rules like that!"
She begins to laugh, "Hahahaha oh you two! Of course I can change the rules, I'm the One who can slay the both of you in an instant. Did you forget that already?"

I look at Shizuku, "Tsk, she's right, we're at the mercy of her will right now, we have to listen to everything she says."
"Yeah agreed, question is though, who approaches her?" Shizuku asked.
The only right answer here is me, I can't let Shizuku go by herself. I got to be the man and do this myself. This is my rebellion I'm raising up, I have to do this. Maybe I can use Shizuku as a ranged support if things get ugly.
I turn myself towards Shizuku, "Okay I have a plan, you need to stay here and ready a spell that will buy us time to make an escape. Anything that can buy us a few seconds will work. I'm going to approach her and finish this 'test'. Does that sound good to you?"
She lowers her head, "Fine, it's the best we got, but promise me one thing..."
"What is it?" I asked.
She lifts her head up at me and says, "Promise me you'll come back no matter what! You have to promise me that!"

She really cares about me, I guess I have to reassure her in this. I force a confident smile and place my hand on top of her head, "I promise I will come back, just get that spell ready okay, and only cast it when I give the signal alright?"
She nods her head then begins to move her hands in small circles, I see two small white magic circles appear in her hands. I turn around I face the Venomous Demon, the Demon raises her voice and says, 
"Are you ready Crusader? I don't like to stay waiting for too long."
A fierceness manifest in my eyes, I answer her with determination, "Yeah, I'm ready for your little test... Here I come Snake.."
She responds with a menacing cold voice, "Finally someone to entertain me.."

I begin to move towards her at a normal walking pace, nothing but uncertainty and fear come over me. I need to keep my confident act, and be on the alert for anything lethal.
*step step step step step step step step*
The sounds of my steps can be heard in this silent cell, the place was dark and quiet and only the center was able to be seen.
The Serpent Demon lifted up her hand and a dark green and black orb appeared in it.
"What the hell is that?" I said while coming to a complete stop.
"Ehehe, don't worry it's all apart of the test, please.. keep going you're almost there." she says with a devilish smile. 

I gulped really loudly, this isn't going to be good, but I need to keep moving. I look back and Shizuku has a ball of frost readied in her hand, she nodded her head at me signaling me that she was ready. I turn back around and begin walking again.
The Demon then asked a very chilling question, "Hey Crusader, have you ever wondered what it's like to be hypnotized? They say you can learn everything about someone who's under hypnosis.. from their past.. to even what haunts them now.."
I keep walking and answer her, "That's such a strange to say don't you think..?"
She giggles again, "Hehehe yeah you're right, but isn't it fascinating to think about? It's like searching someone's heart and mind with less blood involved.."
"I-I guess so... you're not planning anything weird are you..?" I said in concern, she is definitely going to do something, you don't just say something like that.

The green and black orb then condensed to fit on top of her finger, in an instant she pointed it at me and said, "Ehehe I guess you're about to find out.."
I heard Shizuku shout behind me, "JEAN HURRY GET BACK NOW!!"
Without a moments hesitation, I turned around with haste and started to run back, but it was already too late.
"DAMN IT!! I KNEW IT!!" I shouted in anger.
The small green and black orb then exploded and a massive cloud of green gas filled every part of the room. I was instantly consumed in the gas!
*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*
"DAMN IT! SHIZUKU!!! WHERE ARE YOU!! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!!"
I began to cough uncontrollably! "What the hell is going on!! I can't see anything!! Shizuku!!! SHIZUKU!!!"
I frantically flail my arms trying to clear up the green cloud of gas, this can't be the way it ends!! I start running in the direction of where I last saw the Demon!
"Come here you little bastard!!"

Out of nowhere, the gas began to clear up and I was exposed to an unexpected but familiar sight! "What? What is this? What's going on!?"
The place I'm in... I know this place.. it's...
"This is... my old home! What am I doing here!? Wait what the hell? What happened to my body!!"
I look at myself and realize that I'm younger!
"Why the hell am I younger!? Is this some kind of illusion!? What did that Demon do to me?"
I look around myself, I'm standing outside my first home, the same home I was disowned from!

This day seems familiar as well, it looks like the same day my father threw me into the streets! It was a small wooden house in the slums of the city, the sun was setting and you can see the people passing by. The air was fresh and the breeze hit me... so soothing..
I then see a small black snake slither towards me from the road, I call out to it, "Is that you fiend!?"
The snake stops before me and hisses, "hiiiissssssssss~"
"You can't fool me Demon, I know this is an illusion, why am I here? Tell me!!"

The snake then begins to slither away towards the back of the house, I shout at it in a demanding voice, "Where are you going! Come back here!!"
I follow after the snake, maybe it's trying to take me somewhere.
The snake slithers all the way around the house, I don't know what's there but something tells me that THIS is the real test.
The snake turns the corner around the back of the house and leaves my view. I ran around so I wouldn't lose it, but once I get there, it's already gone.

I begin to look around everywhere, the snake completely disappeared without a trace!
"Where are you Demon! Why are you doing this!? What are you after!?"
It was at that moment that I saw two familiar figures walk outside through the back door of the house.
"M-Mom... Dad!?" I shouted at them. Without a moments hesitation, I ran towards them.
They both turned and looked at me, but they were anything but pleased to see me.

Wait a second! What am I doing!? They aren't my mom and dad!! This is just another illusion, I need to keep my guard up and not fall for any tricks!
I look at the illusive figures and tell them, "You aren't real.. You can't hurt me anymore.. I won't let you ever torment me again."
The figures both smiled menacingly, then my 'father' said, "You were a illegitimate mistake.. I can't believe I raised another mans child for so long.. You should've never been born you devil spawn.."
I answer back, "You're wrong, I may have had another father, but I still considered you my real dad!"
The 'mom' figure made a rebuttal, "You ruined this family.. You just had to be born didn't you? Every time I saw you, I remembered that terrifying night when your real dad forced himself on me. Then you were the product.. the disgusting.. wretched product...."
I must remember that the Serpent is behind this! This is all just an illusion casts by that Deceptive Fiend!

I looked at the fake mom and told her, "You loved me despite that.. You always cherished me.. it was YOUR fault for keeping the secret from Dad for so long. If you were honest sooner, then we would all still be a family."
My 'Dad' defended, "Is that the lie you chose to believe all this time? That it was your mother's fault? That if she only kept the secret, then we would still be a family? Do you not remember the last thing you ever said to me? Or do you need me to remind you?"

Anger filled my heart, as well as sorrow and grief, I do remember my last words to my dad before being cast away.. it's hard not to defend myself, but I must!!!
I turned away from the fake couple, I looked at the sunset and reached out my hand, "There's no need to tell me, I remember those foolish and violent words... they've left an impending scar over my heart for years... I didn't even mean the words I spoke that day.. but I can never take them back so I must live with them forever!"
I lowered my hand and turned towards them once more, "But... I won't let my distant past corrupt me anymore, instead I will live without regrets! I will declare those final words once more, but this time I will mean every one of them!"

I walked towards the illusion and my sword manifested in my hands out of thin air. The area around me engulfed in flames and smoke! I raised my blade to them and said those violent words once more,
"You aren't my father, and you aren't my mother! This Family died a long time ago!"
I slashed them and they faded into smoke! The area turned black with a raging fire surrounding me. 
I muttered to myself, "I hope someday you can forgive me Father... Mother.. but for now I have other things to worry about.."
I raised my blade amidst the raging hellfire that surrounded me, and shouted these words for that Serpent to hear!
"I will escape this Burning Hell, even if it means destroying everything and everyone who stands in my way!!"