Young Justice: Solstice

Thirty-Four

"At his throne sat the Lord of darkness. Rankor was- in a word- a monster. A demon with ten heads! Each one more evil than the next. His power was epic. His wrath, limitless." I stood up, spreading my arms. Four stuffies on my right arm- including a blue monkey Hanuman- and five on my right. Kamala squealed as I stood imposingly over her. This was her favorite part, and I had it memorized.

"The great Rama sensed anxiety in his heart as Rankor's gaze burned with hatred. But Rama found strength in his ally, the monkey warrior Hanuman. He held his ground, steeling his reserve. His light would endure-"

Hanuman the stuffed blue monkey fell off my arm and into Kamala's lap in the middle of my dramatic reading, and she hugged it tightly.

"How are my little princesses this morning?" dad poked his head in the room with a grin. He and mum had stayed up all night grading papers again, I could see the bags under his eyes and his hair was disheveled, I had inherited my bedhead from him.

"We're great dad!" I told him. I woke up early, even before the baby, so I took it upon myself to keep her entertained until mum or dad could help us both get ready for the day. The sun was rising now, a white light filling my childhood nursery, the floor strewn with toys like my horses and Kamala's rubber teething giraffe.

My face fell for a moment as mum stepped into the room, sweeping Kamala out of the bassinet.

"Dad, if Rama was so scared of Rankor, why did he stay and fight him?" I asked with all my seven-year-old earnesty.

"How many times have you asked me that?" Dad looked to the heavens for answers, but smiled and led me out of the room to make breakfast.

"But I still don't get it, why would he do something he was scared of?"

Mum set Kamala in her highchair. "Rama knew from early on that facing Rankor was his fate, the path chosen for him before he was born."

"When he was still as Vishnu, right?" I asked.

"That's right," Dad nodded, pouring me a bowl of frosted flakes. "He made the choice to be reincarnated as Rama, but reincarnating made him forget his memories of his past lives. Still, he was set on the path he chose. He could no more change his path than a river could decide to turn upstream. Turn any way it likes, it'll always end up at the ocean, where it belongs."

I contemplated my frosted flakes as Kamala tossed her cheerios in the air. Mum was trying to interest her in some mushed peas. "Mummy, Daddy, do you think Rama knew he would win?"

"I believe he had faith, sunshine," Dad sat in the seat next to me at the table.

"Faith in himself?" I asked.

Dad smiled, and Mum reached over to place her hand over mine. "Faith in the light overcoming the dark.

The light from the window swelled, filling our whole house.

-------

The ground rumbled and I looked up ahead. The mountains were rising. Ten peaks, nine about the same height, with one just above them all. All were surging with a blackish, purplish energy.

"What's that?" Mal asked, eyes wide.

"Rankor," I said at the same time as Raquel.

"He's using our friends and my parents to power his return. If he crosses the bridge, he'll bring on an eternal night, like the demon said."

"He'll destroy everything," Gar said.

"Come on!" I took to the sky, and hawk-Beast Boy was right behind me. Rocket took Guardian in a bubble. It took sooner than I expected to reach Rankor's army of demons.