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Three days. He had been captive for three days now. Three days alone in the dark, with the cold damp of the stones behind his back and his eyes fixed in the direction of the cell door. His only light came from a crack in the wall outside his cell, barely showing him the first rays of light each day before going dark again. No one had come to question him. No food had been brought. No sound had been heard outside his cell for the entirety of his captivity. Truth be told, Hanuman was starting to feel forgotten.
Three days. He had been captive for three days now. Three days alone in the dark, with the cold damp of the stones behind his back and his eyes fixed in the direction of the cell door. His only light came from a crack in the wall outside his cell, barely showing him the first rays of light each day before going dark again. No one had come to question him. No food had been brought. No sound had been heard outside his cell for the entirety of his captivity. Truth be told, Hanuman was starting to feel forgotten.
He had come to the city of Lanka looking for Sita, the wife of his lord, who had been abducted by the king of demons, Ravana. He found her under a tree, guarded by Ravana's underlings. When night came, Hanuman had slipped between the guards and made his way to the tree. He told Sita she had not been forgotten by his lord, and that he was coming with his army.
He had come to the city of Lanka looking for Sita, the wife of his lord, who had been abducted by the king of demons, Ravana. He found her under a tree, guarded by Ravana's underlings. When night came, Hanuman had slipped between the guards and made his way to the tree. He told Sita she had not been forgotten by his lord, and that he was coming with his army.
That's the point where things got a little more difficult. Sita was shocked by a talking monkey and blew his cover. Honestly, she couldn't have been a little more considerate given the situation? Regardless, the guards took notice, and set upon him before throwing him in this moldy cell.
That's the point where things got a little more difficult. Sita was shocked by a talking monkey and blew his cover. Honestly, she couldn't have been a little more considerate given the situation? Regardless, the guards took notice, and set upon him before throwing him in this moldy cell.
As Hanuman was dozing off, the cell door quietly clicked open and he was wrenched from his slumber. His eyes flew open only to be blinded by a brightly burning torch. He did not struggle as he was roughly pulled through the palace, but instead took note of the layout. The guards tossed him at the feet of Ravana before retreating to stand by the doors.
As Hanuman was dozing off, the cell door quietly clicked open and he was wrenched from his slumber. His eyes flew open only to be blinded by a brightly burning torch. He did not struggle as he was roughly pulled through the palace, but instead took note of the layout. The guards tossed him at the feet of Ravana before retreating to stand by the doors.
The throne room was as opulent as they come, but tastefully so. The center of the room held a massive carpet leading up to the throne with deep blue and black designs woven in intricate patterns, and a flowing golden trim elegantly laced around it. The edges of the room were decorated with suits of armor placed between black marble pillars.
The throne room was as opulent as they come, but tastefully so. The center of the room held a massive carpet leading up to the throne with deep blue and black designs woven in intricate patterns, and a flowing golden trim elegantly laced around it. The edges of the room were decorated with suits of armor placed between black marble pillars.
Hanuman only took a moment to enjoy the view as he soon locked eyes with Ravana. The demon king was more beast than man, with deep purple skin and a savage expression on his face. He wore a glossy black steel breastplate bearing engravings of the faces of his nine greatest foes, moments after their death by his hand. None who stood against him in battle could contend with the speed of his swords. When men witnessed his dexterity, they swore he must have twenty arms to fight with such a blinding intensity.
Hanuman only took a moment to enjoy the view as he soon locked eyes with Ravana. The demon king was more beast than man, with deep purple skin and a savage expression on his face. He wore a glossy black steel breastplate bearing engravings of the faces of his nine greatest foes, moments after their death by his hand. None who stood against him in battle could contend with the speed of his swords. When men witnessed his dexterity, they swore he must have twenty arms to fight with such a blinding intensity.
"Little creature, why have you come to my kingdom and approached my prize?" Ravana's voice sounded as if it came from the bottom of a great abyss, and the pillars of the room resonated with each syllable.
"Little creature, why have you come to my kingdom and approached my prize?" Ravana's voice sounded as if it came from the bottom of a great abyss, and the pillars of the room resonated with each syllable.
"I came on behalf of my lord, Rama, who seeks revenge upon you. You have stolen his wife, and shall see retribution." Hanuman's neck tingled as Ravana narrowed his eyes in contempt. The room felt colder and the air thinner.
"I came on behalf of my lord, Rama, who seeks revenge upon you. You have stolen his wife, and shall see retribution." Hanuman's neck tingled as Ravana narrowed his eyes in contempt. The room felt colder and the air thinner.
Ravana rose slowly from his gnarled ironwood throne. "Dispose of this creature. I have no more business with him, and other duties to attend to." His departure was as swift as his decree. As the great doors closed behind Ravana, the guards moved forward to grab Hanuman.
Ravana rose slowly from his gnarled ironwood throne. "Dispose of this creature. I have no more business with him, and other duties to attend to." His departure was as swift as his decree. As the great doors closed behind Ravana, the guards moved forward to grab Hanuman.
Looking deep within himself, Hanuman pulled at the energies of the earth and ripped the fire from the torches in the hall, enshrouding himself in a monolith of flame, and incinerating the demons in the room. Before more guards could arrive or the great demon could return, Hanuman dashed for the exit, maintaining his fiery form, and setting the palace ablaze.
Looking deep within himself, Hanuman pulled at the energies of the earth and ripped the fire from the torches in the hall, enshrouding himself in a monolith of flame, and incinerating the demons in the room. Before more guards could arrive or the great demon could return, Hanuman dashed for the exit, maintaining his fiery form, and setting the palace ablaze.
Leaving a trail of blazing glory, Hanuman ran like mad through the streets of Lanka. Arrows disappeared in his conjured inferno, and all in his way were reduced to ash. He did not dare to release his fiery form until he had cleared the city gates, and only looked back once he crested a hill overlooking the city. Lanka was burning to the ground, and the cries of its demonic residents filled the still night air. Ravana stormed from his burning palace and roared at the sky, causing the earth to tremble and reminding Hanuman that he should probably keep running.
Leaving a trail of blazing glory, Hanuman ran like mad through the streets of Lanka. Arrows disappeared in his conjured inferno, and all in his way were reduced to ash. He did not dare to release his fiery form until he had cleared the city gates, and only looked back once he crested a hill overlooking the city. Lanka was burning to the ground, and the cries of its demonic residents filled the still night air. Ravana stormed from his burning palace and roared at the sky, causing the earth to tremble and reminding Hanuman that he should probably keep running.
Author's note:
The original story I read describing Ravana’s capture of the monkey Hanuman left me wanting a little bit more. I found the concept of the monkey changing in size a little bit bland, and instead wanted to give him some kind of elemental powers, allowing him to do things such as pull flames from torches on the walls. It also seems rather ridiculous that these demons would just accept they could catch a monkey with awe-inspiring abilities so easily. That is why I made it seem as though he was caught unprepared by the guards. The last thing that has irked me throughout the entire Ramayana is how Ravana is portrayed. They talk about how intimidating he is, but never give reasons why. I am also not partial to the fact that he had ten heads and twenty arms, so I decided to attribute those to his armor and prowess in battle. The purpose of me choosing this story is that it was easily adapted to my writing style, and I feel it is the first halfway decent re-write that I have done so far.
Revision 1: I've corrected a few mistakes but nothing too terrible. The other thing I've done is added a small crack in the wall outside his cell so he has a mechanism with which to tell time. I accidentally overlooked this small detail, and it does make the story a little more cohesive.
Revision 2: A few more grammatical fixes this week, but nothing major has changed. Also done is research into Vedic Deities such as Hanuman's father, Vayu, and Agni, god of fire. I feel like bringing in a mention of Agni could work, but I couldn't find a good place to insert it that wouldn't mess with the flow of the story.
Bibliography:
Story: Hanuman and Ravana
Book Title: The Ramayana: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic
Author:R. K. Narayan
Image Info: Link
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