A black shadowy figure appeared behind the flames, deep down I knew who it was, so I readied myself for whatever's coming next. I raise my long blade towards the approaching figure, "Demon what was the point in all that nonsense?"
The shadowy figure answered in her usual devious and gentle tone,
"Oh it's just like I told you, I was testing something you see.."
I frowned my brow, "What were you trying to test? Enough with these riddles and tell me!"
The shadowy figure stepped out from the flames and became completely visible, she had a dark and mischievous smile, "Please stop pointing that big sword at me, you're scaring me. I just wanted to see where your heart was. You talk big game, but do your actions live up to it? After seeing how you reacted to your regretted past, I think I have a general idea where you stand."

I lowered my sword and the flames began to disappear, and soon the illusion began to disperse. I looked around myself and found that I was back in the same large circular prison I entered before. 
I heard a voice call out to me, "JEAN!! JEAN CAN YOU HEAR ME!?"
I turn back around to the source of the voice, "SHIZUKU!!"
We ran towards each other and regrouped, she seemed as though she was scared, there were faint tears in her eyes as she ran towards me. I guess I can't blame her for that..
She looked at me and said, "Jean I was so worried!! I don't know what happened, you had disappeared inside a cloud of dark green haze, I thought you were dead!! I was so scared!! I didn't know what to do and I froze up!!"
I embraced her in my arms to comfort her, "It's okay, it's okay, nothing happened to me, I'm alright. I just had to finish her little test, it's over now. You don't need to worry anymore..."

She began to sob, although it was faint, I can tell she was probably holding back a lot, she then wiped her tears, "Okay, okay, okay, I'm sorry. I was just so scared that she did something. I couldn't help it at all, I'm sorry that I'm reacting this way too, I don't know why I'm acting like this."
 I began to stroke her hair and hush her cries, "Shhhhh, it's okay, it's not weird at all, you were just worried about me and that's okay. It's not over just yet though, we still have something to do. C'mon, let's get ready because we don't know what's going to happen next."
She wiped her eyes and nodded her head, "Y-Yes, okay!"
We turn ourselves towards the Serpent who was watching our whole little reunion, she raised her voice at us and said, "Are you two lovebirds finished over there? You still have other things to worry about don't you think?"

I stepped in front of Shizuku to shield her from the danger ahead, Shizuku then grasped my arm from behind. The Serpent then spoke again,
"Let me pick up where I left off on,  ehem.. That was quite an entertaining show you gave me, I didn't expect you to perform so well inside of the illusion, maybe you are worth keeping alive after all..?"
I gritted my teeth and began to proceed towards her with a fierceness in my eyes, "Is that it? Is this all some huge game for you? Are you doing all this for fun?"
She widened her menacing smile, "Why of course it is! If I'm not having fun, then what's the point of it?"

I spoke back in frustration, "You sick conniving bastard, I'm tired of your damn games, I'm here for one thing, I don't have time to mess around anymore!"
"Oh and what would that be mortal?" she replied.
I stood before the Serpent and began a stare down, our eyes locked and her smile persisted, I then raised my blade and aligned the edge to her neck,
"Either you join my Rebellion, or you die here and now by my blade.."

She began to laugh hysterically, "Hahahahaha!!! In all my years I've never had anyone say that to me before! Join you or die!? Just that the hell is that hahahaha~!"

In a blink of an eye, her black snake wrapped around my arm and slithered it's way to my neck, "Do you really think that you stand a chance against me? Did you really think it would be THAT easy to make me join in your worthless cause? I could care less about it! All it takes is one bite from my dear Naag, and you will melt from the inside out!"
I gripped my sword tighter and pressed it against her neck, "And all it takes from me is one slash with my blade to lop your whole head off."
She began to mock me again, "Hahahaha~! Oh you are such a silly mortal! Please, why don't we find out which one of us is faster then? Your blade, or my precious little Naag?"

Silence grew between us, our eyes were locked onto one another, she stared deep into my soul, but I never averted my eyes! A loud and disrupting shout was then heard behind us, "STOP IT YOU TWO!! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING JEAN!?"
I called back to it, "Wait Shizuku! Don't get involved now, I'm about to put this Serpent out of her misery and consume her whole!"
"Consume me? Do you really think you can consume the venomous blood that flows in my veins? You will die before it reaches your throat!" she replied.
Our eyes never averted, we stood at a stand still with our weapons pressed against each other. A never ending silence ensued between us and I felt the malicious intent behind her. In one moment, either of us will be lying on the ground. 

The Serpent then smiled wide and laughed, "Hahahahaha! My Lord you are a serious one!! Hahahaha can't you take a joke for a second?"
In a flash, she quickly withdrew her Black Snake, she then turned her back towards me and took a few steps forward, "I haven't had this much fun in centuries, not until they stopped giving me toys to play with down here. I miss the days when warriors challenged me like that. If only I can go back to them, and escape this Prison."

I shouted at her, "What are you talking about Serpent? Challenge you?" She raised her arm outwards and her black snake slithered around her arm, she answered back, "I haven't had anyone challenge me like that in what feels like centuries! I was having so much fun that I just got caught up in the moment! I'm sorry about that mortal, I had my fun, but I guess now I can start answering your questions. Please ask what you seek from me."

I looked back at Shizuku and raised my head giving her a confused signal, she shrugged her arms and responded back the same. I turn back towards the Serpent and say, "What is your name Serpent? That's my first question for you.."
She retracted her arm and turn around to face me, "My name? Oh I guess I can tell you since you passed my little test. Very well then, my name is Shesh the Saanp, or also known as, Shesh the Serpentine, I'm a Principality of Old and Former Renegade of Hell, pleased to meet you mortal~."

I replied back to her, "Okay then Shesh, allow me to properly introduce myself, my name is Jean Sinclair and I'm a Fallen Crusader of France. I'm trying to escape this Hell any means necessary."
Shizuku came up behind me and introduced herself as well, "And my name Shizuku Yuki of the Kottan Tsuki Dynasty, 3rd Princess of the Throne! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
She walked up to Shizuku and I while playing around with her snakes, "Jean and Shizuku huh? Those names are so unique but they are also so nice. Well Jean, what else did you want to ask me? I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to learn a Fallen Principalities name~."

She stepped up to me and looked into my eyes, I felt her staring into my soul, I answer her back saying,
"I will ask you once more, are you willing to join my cause to gain back your freedom? I am rising up an army to tear this place to the ground and win back the freedom that was taken from me."
Shesh tilted her head, "That's not a light thing to ask someone you just met~. Just what are the odds of you even winning this? You know I'm not obligated to say yes right off the bat right?"

She's right, she's not obligated to join me, if I want her power on my side, then I will need to entice her or compensate her somehow. Having a Renegade Principality on my side will give me a advantage in this war, I can't afford to lose this. No matter what, I need to get her on my side.

I take a moment to gather my thoughts and form a persuading reply,
"Shesh, you've been down here for who knows how long. I know even someone like you longs to be free again, to be able to roam anywhere you want. That's what I want too, I don't want to rot away in these cells for Eternity. I want to get back the freedom that was taken from me. I will take it back by force if I have to! With or without you, I'm going to lead this rebellion to win back my freedom, you can either join me in a chance to roam free again, or you can stay here in this cell and not do anything. The choice is yours, I won't force you to join me, but I will offer you a chance of freedom if you do.."

Shesh then looked at me with intrigued eyes and said, "Freedom.. it's been so long since I had it. To get it back is no easy task, do you even realize the consequences if you fail? Have you even counted the cost of this rebellion? Do you really think you can take on the Sovereign of Limbo and all his forces?"
I answered her in confidence, "I have counted the cost, and I determined that doing nothing is more costly than doing something. We have nothing to lose, if this is our only chance of freedom, then I'm all for it. And with power like yours, we can make this happen."
She stepped away from me and looked out into her grand cell, she made a slight chuckle and said, "Hehehe, it's been so long since I've let loose, and had fun like this! I'm sure that there is more fun to come if I joined you, but the risk is also great, and the odds are stacked against us. If we lose, that's it... only the Lake of Fire awaits."

I looked back at her and said with all confidence, "I realize that, and I know it may be stacked against us, but I will do whatever it takes to gain manpower on our side, even if it means deceiving the masses with a false hope. Even if I have to rewrite the system down here, even if I have to destroy everyone and everything in my way. I will do all that it takes to make it back to the Earth. One way or another, I will see the Light of Day again. I will ask you once more...."

I reached out my hand to her and said in all determination,
"Are you willing to join me in this Unholy Crusader and overthrow the Rulers of Darkness?"