Devil in My Mind

Birthday Wish

Ten years ago in a garden, in Azarath, Little Raven sits in the grass with her legs folded, petting one of three ravens as they land gently in front of her.

"Shhh, it's a big secret, but I spent a very long time coming up with this spell. Don't tell a single soul, raven friends, but I have it memorized. I put my whole heart into it. I even used a lot of really big words so it would sound right. Because, the monks keep telling me to channel my energy into being a portal for someone or some place good, but I can't figure out how. Maybe, maybe this will work?"

Squawk, squawk, squawk go the three ravens.

"Besides, in three days I'll be eight, and I know exactly what I want for my birthday! Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

The space around her lights up, centering her within an onyx spheroid.

"A spell to bring me a new father!"

She stands in the globe and holds her palms above her head, towards the sky.

"My new father. May he stand strong and righteous, wielding a sword for battling demons like Trigon and the monsters that haunt me in my dreams. May they bring him no harm, for he shall be victorious in battle!"

She spreads her arms out like wings, then tilts her head up and closes her eyes.

"He should wear black and red, unafraid of darkness, unafraid of blood. He should fly like a dragon and fight like a warrior. He should be brave but fun, enjoying mundane forms of magic, like the euphoria you get when you eat a slice of pizza after a battle. I wish the monks would let me do that."

The three ravens joining her in the spheroid begin to glow, their blackness inverted white, like three ghosts.

"Give him beautiful white hair like the clouds and powerful arms that can pick me up no matter how heavy I feel."

She turns her palms to the sky, her little cloak rises from wind created by the ravens, as they begin to swiftly circle her in the air, within the spheroid as it expands.

"Let those who love me, protect him. Because he shall make me laugh with his golden heart, and his willingness to play, his willingness to be happy.

He shall be everything Trigon is not! He will never force me to be a portal or a vessel for him. May he never demand my powers belong to him. I shall share them with him because I want to... I shall give him a perfect place to live in my heart and I shall love him very much, for I promise to cherish him from the moment I see him!

I will know it is him because when I look at him, I will be allowed to cry. I won't have to hide my feelings or my magic when he is near.

Please, does such a person exist? If so, please let him be my new father. Thank you for hearing my greatest, most precious desire."

Knock knock, ten years later...

"Um, Raven, what are you DOING in there?" Beast Boy wonders. "Come out from your room already! Your eighteenth birthday is in three days and I need you to pick out your present because I... uh... sorta kinda dunno what to get you. Ya like socks? I can do socks. Hello, Raven!"

"Coming."

She blows out three, triangularly-placed candles and heads to the door.