Day 20: The Red Door

Recorded by Relgeth & Bear

March 1, 2026

Gods and Goddesses, Loas and Spirits are in bold purple text

Gold text is Vesper

Dark Blue text is Zyxerin

Bold black is Kushim

Dark red is Kalona.

Blaze's notes are orange.

[Blaze notes: We are currently working on art of each of us. So you can see what we look like inner world.]

Arlo dressed in his black leather jerkin, pants and boots, with his sword at this side.

I am standing 10 feet away from the red door...I don't want to go through this unless I choose to do it for me. I can't be doing this for anyone else. I know that won't stick."

I feel scared looking at it. In this place I feel stirrings. I keep hearing voices from the red door.

You will never be good.

You are weak.

You can't achieve anything.

You are crazy.

You are evil.

You are a bad person.

That's all I hear in my head. I want so badly to not deal with these negative voices. I am tired of hearing them.

"Just go through the door. Its time Arlo," said Demon King Malaketh.

"No, I don't want to."

Arlo crossed his arms, glaring at the door. "Its too much. I won't make it. I will drown. I will die. What if I become S.I? Like Again? I don't want to go down the rabbit hole. I don't want to face this...alone."

Demon King Malaketh strode next to Arlo and put a hand on his shoulder. "You aren't alone you know that right? I am ever yours. I won't let anything happen. Unlike before, we now know how to go into the oceans together. Its not like before. We can help each other out. Like Dungeons and Dragons, its better to be a party then alone."

Arlo sighed. "If I finally face this. I need to do it for me. I don't want to do it for Eowyn, for Mr. White Rabbit, Mr. X, my friends, to impress anybody, for Black Canary or any of them. It has to be for me. Not even for the Legion itself."

Malaketh rubbed Arlo's shoulder. "I won't let you drown. Humans are rather stupid about this kind of thing but I assure you as your Demon King, I will not let you fall down without helping you up. I can't solve this for you but I can be beside you. Uplift you. Encourage you."

Arlo rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands. He looked at his hands afterward. It was so weird to see his hands, while he looked at the body's hands outer world. Yea no, not the same...but still this was his body too. "I wonder why Jareth isn't here."

Malaketh patted Arlo's back. "Jareth has told us that he will remain the protector of the Universe and the council but that he needs space to figure out things with his shadow self Kadrell. Honestly, the light and the dark thing is getting old. Listen, we are outside of the Matrix now. We get to choose things for us. And people aren't going to like us being us. So what? Humans are lame anyways."

Arlo nodded. "I just miss Jareth's werewolf form."

Malaketh snorted. "You miss his werewolf's...."

Arlo put a finger up. "Ehem. We can't talk about that since we are sharing this online okay...some things need to stay private. Yikes."

Malaketh giggled. "Okay. I agree."

Arlo crossed his arms. "So how do I go about this "encounter"? I mean I could try the door knob...I could kick it in...I could blast a fireball at it...actually I don't have that power. Stupid Narrator..."

Malaketh made a tsk tsk sound. "Her name is Lucille now. Okay? She has a right to exist. Besides...she's been really nice lately. Playing cool remembered music and even stopped the whole scary noises thing from happening anymore from Tinuviel. F**king c*ntuss."

Somewhere above them

Tinuviel "Hahahahahahahahahahaha. You f**king dorks better hop to it, b*tches. I wanna see who throws up first or better yet squeals with terror! I'm gunna keep this memory for myself! Ohhhh yay!"

Arlo sighed. "They just are an asshole aren't they? F**king persecutor shit!"

Malaketh facepalmed. "Don't antagonize them okay? Focus on the door. Maybe try the door knob first."

Arlo nodded. "Well I guess that's a good point. Fine."

Arlo walked towards the door and then slowly reached over to test the handle. Instantly it was cold to the touch and it sent a ice cold stab into his chest. This was going to be a f**king living nightmare wasn't it? Great...past memory ville is probably haunted and full of acid pools and scary skinless dogs and yikes I'm scaring myself that's not good.

Arlo cleared his throat. "Okay testing it." He turned the knob and a creaking sound emanted from the door. Instantly the door went from a bright cherry red to peeling paint and voices making creepy sounds crept out as he slowly opened the door.

What he saw was a intense drop and what appeared to be an Ocean. "No way am I jumping into that. Look at it Dax."

Malaketh sighed. "Its Demon King Malaketh or Malaketh. Look, its not that bad. Think of a lake or the time we skinny dipped at the Christian Big Bear camp and got caught. That was hilarious."

Arlo snorted. "Oh gosh, I forgot about that. We are such trouble sometimes. Troublesome strumpets ay?"

Malaketh rolled his eyes. "Just go, leap of faith it. Remember that's what Loki said we have to do."

Arlo frowned and looked at the deep ocean that was nearly black and inky. "Yea um...here we go...f**k man, does this have to draw off all the fantasies and movies and tv shows too. Like come on..."

Malaketh smacked Arlo's ass. "Go Arlo. Mr. Shadow Monarch."

Arlo blushed. "Can we not talk about my balant stealing of the title from Solo leveling anime. I'm a bit embarassed about it but whatever."

Malaketh crossed his arms. "You are essentially him. You know that right? I know you. I've seen all your growth and Shadow Monarch is a appropriate title for you. Now, your stalling. Are you gunna do this for you? I could push you in but I think that's a bad call. You have to be willing. Come on...its only ice cold water."

Arlo growled. "Yuck, I hate that. Does it have to be ice cold? Narrator? Lucille? Please, make it at least lukewarm."

Malaketh looked up. "Well I guess we wait then...?"

Malaketh waved his hand around and a comfy, dark red, bean bag chair appeared and he hopped onto it. "Ahhh much better."

Arlo turned around. "Really dude? Mr. Demon King gunna lounge around while I am panicking here."

Malaketh smirked. "We could always..."

Arlo waved frantically. "Dude! No sexy mentions here. We aren't giving out porn for just the masses. Like that's so not appropriate. Come on man."

Malaketh put a finger up. "I have an idea."

Arlo coughed. "NO, whatever you are thinking...NO. I mean come on...people already think we are nuts and weird and dangerous and stupid..."

Malaketh narrowed his eyes. "Why do you talk like that Arlo? You know we aren't that."

Bhaal's voice came down from above. "That's just sanism and people being asshole judgmentals. OH MY F**king god dammit...RUNE STOP CHANGING MY VOICE TO JASON STRATHAM! I'm going to find you and roast your balls! I swear boy!"

Malaketh and Arlo traded looks. "No, hurting children Bhaal. He's 18. Leave the kid alone!" They both said.

Bhaal's laughter came down. "Okay fine. I don't hurt teenagers or children. I was only joking guys. Seriously. I know better. Whelp! Time to Introject hunt! WHEEEE"

Rune's voice echoed down. "I'm not a Kid!"

Malaketh shook his head. "We gotta talk to him about his murdering of head mates, even if they are introjects. Is that really appropriate?"

Arlo shrugged. "Hey the council agreed to this. All of us. Together. So, I mean I don't really care that much, as long as he isn't you know doing gross stuff."

Malaketh sighed. "Arlo, I know our system. We don't do that. And besides Nemesis has been watching him the entire time. Nemy has got this."

Arlo balked. "Are you sure having the system enforcer Nemesis, don't call him Nemy, that's weird okay, on this situation is the best...idea?"

Malaketh smirked. "Nemesis has been trained. He behaves. He is not a ICE agent okay? Like we don't do that shit here."

Arlo looked around. "F**k ICE. F**king gestapos! Where's Loki also? I am just making sure. Check-ins is important right?"

Malaketh nodded. "I am aware. I got the angels checking on things as well. As for Loki, I dunno dude. I'm pretty sure he's not a head mate..."

Arlo clapped his hands once. "Ha! Astra and Samara? And Angelius? As for the Loki thing...look he could just have a God complex I don't know...but they way he leaves and comes back...that's not like any head mate we've ever had. And the way he talks, the way he knows things...and the fact that he can literally charm people with words...that's scary to me but he's on our side so..."

Malaketh smirked. "Loki is not an enemy. Do you remember the repeating pattern last year?

Arlo winced. "Can we not talk about last year so much?"

Malaketh put a hand out to steady Arlo. "We need to talk about it. You will talk to the therapist right? You agreed to it."

Arlo nodded. "Yes dear...I will...Geit memories are really hard to deal with. As for the repeating pattern...my enemy of my enemy is my friend that's what Red Bird said. What the hell, did they mean? I know they are just probably a introject err...of the Navajo. She actually helps a lot with respect and not appropriating stuff. She is very hard on us but makes sense."

Malaketh. "This isn't role play Arlo. This isn't just D.I.D. You saw that right? All those strange definitely not normal occurences that happened. It was like the Gods and Goddesses were clarifying that they do actually exist and we should do well to remember it. I don't care what other people think about this or us. What happened last year was horrific, it is completely understandable that you are having a hard time. I love you. I won't give up on you. Neither will our friends. You got this. Okay?"

Arlo nodded. "Never use that particular weed again, check. Never trust the hen (can't say real name for reasons..., check. Never drive while upset like that, check. Never trust toxic people, check. Ask for help from safe people, check. Never date toxic ASF, check. It is that important."

Malaketh nodded. "Its time to tell the truth, darling. To ourselves and to others. We can't hide anymore in the daydreams...I loved the times we role played in day dreams and dissociated actually. It was fun and it was exciting but we missed people. We missed being in the material plane. We missed being a part of things. We missed people actually. We were busy trying to rescue them when we should have been focused on healing ourself first. Never again, correct?"

[Blaze's Intervention: We don't call it reality. Its literally sanism. Sanism is an irrational, systemic prejudice and discrimination against people with mental health conditions, neurodivergence, or those perceived as having such conditions. Similar to racism or sexism, it is rooted in myths, stereotypes, and the assumption that neurotypical "sane" cognition is superior. It creates social, institutional, and legal inequalities. It creates systemic oppression, a pathology paradigm, has an intersectional nature between racism and ableism. Impacts so many ands sometimes is referred to as mentalism or psychophobia. So we call reality, the prime material plane (From D&D) and Midgard too.]

Arlo nodded. "I'm just scared is all. This is rough like a sharp tack into the brain...or a thorn that never leaves and just burrows deeper and deeper until nothing is left. Why did the bad people, the people who couldn't help us, do what they did?"

Malaketh paced for a moment. "I need to say this Arlo. We aren't alone. That was a lie that people outside of us told us and was perpuated by society, experiences and our own memories. As for why some people "can't" with us? Oh you wanna talk about Mr. C and Mr. M etc? They are all humans. Some people prefer to stay stuck and also they have a right to decide if they don't want contact also. Remember that? I know it sucks but its the truth. So, let's focus on what you are doing...your getting distracted."

Arlo swung his arms back and forth. "I don't like hearing about rejection. Its hard."

Malaketh nodded. "Rejective Sensitivity thing? Look, some people are NPCs. Mr. C, Mr. M? Mr. S? All NON-PLAYER Characters in their own lives. They still live and lived in the Matrix. I dunno, if any of them will work on themselves but that is not for us to decide okay? Let them go. I know easier said than done. You got this. Trust in...who do you worship Arlo? Just for the clarity?"

Arlo looked sideways. "Um...Norse pantheon. Buddha. Abraxas. Nyx. Lilith. Egyptian God Anubis, Egyptian Goddess Isis. Sumerian God Kur."

Malaketh smirked. "Oh not me? Your Demon King?"

Arlo snorted. "Yes okay, Valmar and you, Demon King Malaketh. Its weird, don't let it go to your head."

Demon King Malaketh's Actual Sigil

Malaketh laughed. "Well at least you are not Blaze who originally was worshipping a fake elder deity he created in D&D. That kind of made me worried about him. He's now worshipping Papa Legba and Khronos. Are you ready?"

Arlo checked his gear and then looked up. "Okay, I'm ready...I got this. Okay I'm doing it. I'm gunna do it."

Malaketh rubbed his hands together. "Yes, about time. Now darling...leap of faith yes? I will also be with you."

Arlo nodded. "Okay together?"

Malaketh nodded and took Arlo's hand. They dove threw the doorway into the waters below. With a splash, the cold water hit like a whip to the face. Arlo swallowed the cold water by accident and begun panicking.

Malaketh annoyed floated upward before he reached down and grabbed Arlo, to pull him up. Both their outfits were wet and Malaketh smirked. "Guess I'll just use D&D logic here. Okay Prestidigitation go!"

Arlo breathed out relieved, after coughing. The Ocean gave way to a desolate land. Arlo looked up, there was no light.

Arlo looked down, no ocean anymore, just dark rocky landscape.

Arlo rubbed his hands, they felt cold?

His black armor, now looked worn and frayed. Strange.

The two floated down onto the black sand. Demon King Malaketh was beside Arlo's right side. "You need to let go. This won't be easy but trust that you have me at your side."

Arlo turned to face Malaketh. "I don't know how to let go."

Malaketh growled. "You are fighting it. Stop!"

Arlo sighed. "I'm trying to let go..."

Malaketh patted Arlo's shoulder. "Sometimes people need a push. So here's your push. You are not trying near enough. What was it you needed as a child?"

Arlo blinked. "Really? You can't ask me that. Don't ask me that! That's so arm chair psychologist shit."

Malaketh quirked an eyebrow. "Your stronghold or whatever it is, I feel this is likely an Ego problem."

Arlo's eyes flared red and he glared. "Piss off, Demonic b*tch."

"Ah, at last we meet...Wutang is it? So, this is Angry you, Arlo."

Wutang snickered. "I don't need your help."

Malaketh brushed back his hair from his eyes. "Then shall I just watch?"

Arlo watched as Wutang, his headmate of his sub system Grillet Mindspace, walked his body back and forth. It was always a disconcerting experience. "I..."

Outside of the dark landscape, Kushim silently floated down. His sharp hands and nearly perfect black short hair with feminine features, sporting a black, short beard and mustache accented, his intense dark red eyes. He pulled a cigar out of nowhere and lit up.

Arlo froze as he began to hear voices all around.

You are weak. Sullied old. (Somewhere a Bold feminine voice announced)

I will enjoy torturing you. (A sinister voice)

You failed your friends last year. (A cheeky, sharp masculine voice)

You failed yourself too.

You are not worthy of this honor.

You in this place, are now mine.

You will prostrate before me.

You will stay low.

Let it coalesce in your bowels.

I will buckle upon you.

I am your reckoning, ARLO. (Tauntingly).

Its pitch black and nothing you do will matter. Its cold. So cold.

Staring up, I, Arlo, shouted, "Enough! You don't f**king own me, Demons. I will never again bend over for you to rake claws on me."

Are you sure?

We could pet you?

We could make you dance?

What's so great about the light?

You aren't Christian anymore, right?

Arlo sighed. "I'm a shadow monarch. I'm a black dragon. I am a vampire. Inner world of course. You are pissing me off."

You are a fake ego with fantastical views. This fantasy you conduct, will get you committed you know.

Yea, you can talk at walls, machines, pretend you can teleport. That's so cute.

"Why are you taunting me?"

No, we are revealing your weakness.

Yea, its like a game of chess. We are here to assail you. To taunt you. To pick you apart. But you are not like other humans.

"So, what are you? A real demon in me? A head mate piece of shit? Like Persecutors? Face me cowards."

Ha. Ha. Ha. Im your jailer. Im evil. Im a ghost. BOOOO.

Arlo winced. "That last voice I know very well. That has got to be Mr. Black Heart now called Tinuviel aka Tinny for short. Why are you joining in?"

Tinuviel, Arlo could feel nearby.

"Its not my job to rescue you, sweetness! I'm just here to witness. Those are real demons. I just stepped in."

Arlo looked around. "Question, are you a persecutor? Tinny are you really evil or just as hurt as I am?"

Hey! Pu**y fart. We are still here. Pay attention class....

Arlo winced. "Really? Okay I know its you, Kushim and Zyxerin. Hey, we have a pact with you four, caz of Dax. You aren't supposed to turn on us like this. Why are you being mean to me?"

Arlo feels Kushim's hand on his right shoulder. "You are fighting the process. So we are fulfilling the contract you agreed to."

Arlo snarls. "What to torture me?"

Zyxerin laughed, his annoying laugh. "NOT unless you want that. It can be arranged. This is your thoughts we tapped into and we are just sharing them."

Arlo looks around. "Wow...okay so your trying to help me?? Weird f**king way to help guys. Man, my thoughts are crap!"

Another hand, on his left shoulder." "My love. Your Demon King is here. Its okay. I'm here. Boys, maybe tone it down a little. He gets it, okay?"

Arlo can feel Kushim's breath nearby. "What do you see? Look closely." Kushim waves his long pointy fingers to the left.

Arlo squints. "I see...wtf...is that??? Frequencies like radio lines...um?"

Arlo could see ahead of them, lines bouncing up and down. Many colors.

Arlo hears low growling and sighs. "Zyxerin, yes, please try to behave."

Zyxerin laughs. "Fine. What that is, is the beat of your mind and all those lines are your thoughts, emotions and data."

Arlo blinks. "Holy shit. Creativity? Your using our creativity, aren't you?"

Kushim's snarky voice erupts near his ear. "The red line is your rage."

Malaketh's voice is very close to Arlo's left ear. "The pink is love. Green is Loki devotion. Funny. Where's the line for horny for me?"

Arlo sighs. "Malaketh...you and your horniness is getting annoying. Mr. Service sub, just shush please."

Malaketh blushes. "Oh okay..." Arlo can tell he is disappointed.

Kushim and Zyxerin giggle. Arlo ignores that. "So, um, the blue and the purple?"

Tinuviel's voice pipes up. "This isn't his alters er head mates...its his tapestry? The threads of fate. Remember this?"

Kushim and Zyxerin, pull up a memory of us cutting a thread on our shorts in the first horrific psych ward. The place where supernatural shit happened...the place where abuse was constant and the place where we definitely without a doubt, saw the Goddess Hel in our room one night. Hey could have just been the drugs but doubtful...this felt like nothing before.

Arlo rolled his eyes. "I really hate that place. Can we not visit those memories? I hate it."

A finger strokes Arlo's left ear lobe. "It's just a shit show but you can find the balance. I know you can Arlo. Follow the memory there."

"Malaketh, the Goddess Hel said Loki was waiting for me when we were there. I felt the spirits. They were crying out in pain. I'm pretty sure the trauma that is going on there from the abuse to psych patients, has left a psychic imprint on the psych ward or maybe its haunted because for some f**king reason we thought it was a ley line...and that people were being experimented on with the psych drugs...and remember that one nurse who suddenly started ranting about going to hell and how we were going to hell...and remember, how the bible pages flipped by themself...like maybe we are just nuts."

Arlo felt a gentle kiss to his cheek. "The psych ward wasn't our fault. We didn't do anything intentionally to land there. You know that right? The EMT's saw we were transgender and took us there. I heard them talking. It wasn't my imagination. And it was horrible. We are not nuts. We have C-PTSD, Alexithymia, Synesthesia (mirror-touch, Auditory–tactile, Grapheme–color, Ticker-tape), Elhers Danlos Syndrome, Fibromaylgia thing, Autism and Combination ADHD remember?"

"Fibromaylgia...that's not how its pronounced...anyways okay fine..,something....evil was there...very evil...a presence besides spirits. I'm absolutely sure. I felt psychically attacked the entire time at that Psych ward. Something or someone was trying to hurt us. Psychological warfare err...spiritual warfare is actually happening. I still feel nuts. Even after all the things I saw. You sure it wasn't just the f**king evil meds? Hey Ash Stormbringer?"

A storm cloud appeared above their heads. Ash's long grey haired, head popped out and he looked down at them. "Yea?"

Arlo frowned, "What is this Looney Tunes or something. Ash, your the most logical aside from Lord Zeratul, Delain and that f**king loser Naberius guy. What do you think of the first psych ward experience that was horrible asf?"

Ash sighed. "First off, stop calling people names. You have a dirty mouth. I will have to figure out something to help you stop calling people names and yes I have seen the memories now."

Arlo made a face. "I'm not calling people names for the hell of it. Though outside people, yea sometimes inner world but I think this is pent up frustration okay. I hate the...wait can't say her name...the hen...you know the one. Seeing her everyday, makes my brain explode with anger and venom. I just get so f**king tired of the incessant talking and under breath biting commentary and the bitey behavior."

Ash nodded. "I understand, it's why I elected not to front at all while here. As for the psych ward...It could have been the drugs...but...how do we explain the creepy shit...the moving water cup...like that was outside of logic and drugs."

Arlo shrugged. "Okay, so I saw a water cup full to the top, in the middle of the room, move on its own. There were several patients and a nurse who squealed in fear. Like that's either ghosties or evil presence...or because we are cursed or were...or still are? I dunno. This magick shit is really a lot for me to grasp okay. I in particular, really loved going to church and being around church goers and I enjoyed the bible studies and the singing...but its all fake b.s. and Christianity, is just full of edited telephone stuff."

Kushim pipped up. "You listened to the evil there, didn't you? Or maybe it was me. ha."

Blaze's voice descended down. "Hey, no sanism! Stop, we are not nuts, Arlo. We are creative and we were on the worst medication in the entire universe. Risperdone and Lithium. It made our impulsiveness max out. We were hallucinating and thought we were The Chosen one. It was the medication. Plus we had tremors. But the few things that did happen was definitely magick. Like wtf is going on right now?"

Arlo breathed out. "You mean the full cup of water sliding across the damn floor? Where a staff member, two patients and ourself saw? Yea that was f**king crazy scary. So ghost? This is scary talking like this. Damn Christian religion called sorcery evil and a sin. But its not right?"

Blaze snorted. "Arlo, magick is real. Even I know that but its not like a Marvel's movie okay? Vampires do exist. I'm not sure about like flying horses or the like. Seems suspiciously unreal. But we've seen literal magick dude. Its okay, being out of the matrix is scary asf. Look, people will call magick fake and fantasy and think we are nuts but its not that we are, they are just ignorant."

"How do you determine when your sanity is in danger?"

Ash's voice came down. It was a rich, deep stormy breath of fresh air feeling, with his voice. "When you are grounded, do you still feel unhinged? Insane? Bad?"

Arlo frowned. "Well, no..."

Ash chuckled. "That sounds defensive as f**k. You are not bad, insane or crazy. Like Blaze said, no sanism! Its okay to look at all avenues. Just remember that trauma and not being believed has in fact, taken a toll on us. Panic attacks, include feeling like your losing your mind. You are exploring old territory. Its gunna suck okay?"

Malaketh sighed. "Not believing believed about what happened to you, trauma wise, and then being told your lying, a manipulator and bad for it, takes a toll on the mental health...The survivor of the r*pe or mol*station has to endure further failures of human beings around them. Its f**king unfair and cruel actually."

Arlo teared up. "F**K all those people who didn't believe us about our diagnosis, our trauma and experiences. They never once lived in our shoes...who are they to judge us? I forgive a few of them but the rest can go suck an egg. Deep throat a cactus. Chew on glass. Bite a porcupine. Walk across boiling sand with bare feet."

Malaketh up his hand up. "I think we all get the point Arlo."

Arlo nodded. "Okay moving on. So um...I remember in the psych ward something, a sinister voice, was telling me to do bad things. Things magick wise. I thought I was going insane. And I swear to this day, that when I prayed randomly to Baron Samedi, that he really was there goading me because I didn't work with him and instead chose Loki, God of Mischief since I worship the Norse Gods. I'm really freaked out by this."

A cackling laugh from Zyxerin. "Look we played d&d with you guys, while in there caz us demons were bored but that doesn't mean, there wasn't spiritual warfare going on. I'm a real demon. I know these things."

Arlo rolled his eyes. "I know we made a demonic pact for real, for aid with our trauma but we should have been a bit more clear on the contract. Our bad. I am still doubting you guys are little bit on the whole, you are real demons. I'm just saying. All this magick is questionable, even after all I've seen."

Kushim snorts. "We don't need anyone to believe us. We are what we are. But at least its a mutual aid contract. We understand. Pay attention class. And Tinuviel, never copy me again. I will eat you if I must."

Tinuviel snickered. "Owww I like the sound o that."

Kushim stared at Tinuviel with a blank stare. "I mean murder you over and over and over again? Is that better?"

Tinuviel bit their lip. "Okay fine. I know what people will say about us. That is human for you! They will call us stupid, crazy, or my personal favorite manipulative. Call us a "bad person". Humans are so f**king evil. I think Demons are much nicer than humans, the way I see it."

Kushim started pacing. "Humans are all different. Mobs, on the other hand, not smart at all. Herd brain. Don't you see? Its just there is a lot of asleep people but there is more awake people now."

Kushim paused before continuing. "You are beyond good and evil. You are touched by the gods. You have tasted of the divine spark. The HealthygamerGG youtuber got it right about Divine aura. So, stop fighting yourself. If we need to assess things from the perspective of is this healthy? I mean maybe it is a good idea to speak to the therapist."

[Blaze's Intervention 2: Check out Healthgamergg's video on Divine aura. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXP90XxvhTU]

Arlo winced. "Tell him about the experience?"

Kushim slid his hand, over Arlo's shoulder, lazily. "Yes, that is the point of therapy, yes? If its too embarrassing, I can suggest letting Dax do the talking instead?"

Arlo put his hands on his knees, to breathe a bit. "Okay. Let's do that. I'm too chicken, okay?"

Malaketh brushed Arlo's cheek, tenderly. "Its okay to be scared. That's part of the process of healing. If this magick thing is too much, just focus on the other parts."

Merlin popped suddenly into the area. Arlo could hear it. "The way I see it. So many cultures and other religions recognize that magick is real. Yes, there are folks that will view us as insane. Or whatever, but who cares what they think? Its not our job to boil down to be digestible for others. We are wild but we chose to do good. That's more honest than people who go to church and claim they are good. Choosing to do good when you are evil and in spite of it, that's the important part, right?"

Arlo nods. "Okay, that was actually helpful. But question, why would Gods and Goddesses, talk to us? What makes us so special? Seems like we are, Mary suing ourselves, in a silly D&D game thing. Some of those things could have just been the medication, right?"

Blaze chuckles. "Yea no more aphrodisiac weed for us nor Risperdone and Lithium. Apparently our high metabolism, really can't handle those shitty medications. If you want to pretend you didn't see the Goddess Hel, or feel the psychic warfare or see the full water cup move across the floor with multiple witnesses, or the time Aries, God of War possessed us and tried to break us out or the bible pages flipping on their own or the literal spooked behaviors of literally everyone after the cup thing, by all means Arlo, just pretend like it didn't happen but I think that's honestly really not okay."

Blaze paused for a second. "Even Christianity, recognizes spiritual warfare. Its the atheists and logical based only types, who will reject this. Its fine. We aren't here to please the crowd right? Arlo, right??"

Arlo reached around to hold Malaketh's hand. "I'm just scared okay? This is still a shock yea?"

A sultry feminine voice came from behind them. "You choose to die...over and over and over. Then one day you started researching us. All of us. So you could know us. You aren't a savior. You aren't a bad person. You are our messenger."

Arlo blinked. "Vesper, is this me or the whole system?"

Vesper laughed. "All of you."

Malaketh looked around. "These wastelands I can psychoanalysis it. I can make it therapized. But that is useless, yes? You need to leap of faith into this."

Arlo coughed. "I thought I already did."

Malaketh sighed. "Nope."

Arlo put a hand to his face. "Am I going insane?"

Kushim patted Arlo's right shoulder. "Its called a panic attack."

Malaketh rubbed Arlo's arm. You are always trying to fix others and yourself. Stop. Let go."

Arlo growled and his eyes changed to pure black. "NO!!!"

Malaketh held on tight to Arlo's arm. "Do I need to dominate his mind? I really think that's a bad idea but I mean..."

Kushim sighed. "That is Nazgrul. He needs comfort."

Nasgrul in Arlo's body hissed: Why should I trust you? All of you abandoned me in my storm. All of you. Even you Arlo."

Arlo's eyes returned to the usual dark green. "I didn't know you existed till today, Nazgrul."

Malaketh snorted. "Hash this out."

Vesper replied. "Us demons will be here."

Arlo stepped away from everybody and started to pace. "I hate that Jareth is unable to be here."

Malaketh nodded. "He is dealing with his own wounds. Focus. Kai!"

Arlo blinked and gasped. "Wow, that f**king works. Whoever did the mind control thing on us...in the three months...I guess this is useful but scary a bit."

"I get it. We can talk about this another time. What do you see? Describe it to me."

Arlo closed his eyes. "Him. Always him. The Green man worshipper."

Vesper walked over and stood before Arlo. "If I may. Green Man is a protector spirit. He is the bridge between and the guardian of nature. The man was more than offensive to him and not a welcome worshipper at all."

Arlo scratched his chin. "Hm...that must be it. That's where my bloodline is f**ked up...white supremacy, the pedo uncle, its...a curse?"

Vesper shrugged. "You humans are very clueless. Trauma, generational trauma is a curse. And yes,

every bloodline in America is tainted by trauma. Trauma passed down becomes itself a curse."

Merlin put his index finger up. "And people are too stupid to see it, so they continue the cycle of abuse. It is a puke stain on the land of Indigenous people."

Arlo paced again. "But this sounds crazy guys. Like where do I draw the line between sanity and fantasy?"

Malaketh sighed. "Why is sanity so valuable? If being sane is important what exactly is that even? How can we compare things without leaping into Sanism. Sanity versus insanity. Evil vs good. This is all black and white thinking. All or nothing thinking. Life is more complex and varied than that. Honey, you are flailing...let go. You must surrender completely and totally. That's the only way you will be free of the trauma in you."

Vesper nodded. "Maybe its time to sleep Arlo. Dream. You are tired."

Arlo looked around. "I guess I will have to come back to this...trial...whose out tomorrow?"

Merlin winced. "Um...Kassina. Kass. She's demanding to be out. We can't keep ignoring the fem leaning peeps in the legion. That's not okay. Guys we need to make a schedule or something. Okay?"

Arlo bobbed his head. "I know...I just was worried that Kass was going to get upset at the hen. Equinox is a definite no. She's got a really foul mouth."

Malaketh clapped. "We get it. We will sit down when we have some time and make a schedule. okay?"

Arlo nodded.

Merlin nodded.

Kushim nodded.

Zyxerin nodded.

Ash nodded.

Vesper looked them. "Maybe I should be out sometime. I am a higher ranking demon after all."

Arlo and Malaketh traded looks. "We'll think about it."

Arlo shook his head. "I can't believe you made a pact. I really wish I knew which Demon you chose from the 72 also."

Malaketh shifted on his feet. "I will tell you, in private."

Arlo nodded. "Okay...It better NOT be Satan or Lucifer is all I'm saying."

Malaketh snorted. "I'm not that dumb."

Arlo sighed. "We are kind of dumb."

Sincerely,

Demon King Malaketh and Company