Long ago when the universe was created with a single bang, nothingness had found its way to become something. It all started moving, gaining control of itself and forming the things of unknown which we know today as space.
That single bang gave birth to a flow, The Flow of Time. Time started flowing unidirectional and gave everything a meaning. The flow of time was the thing which created the Omnipresent God, Tempus.
Or we all like to call him Father as he had the ability to distort or create anything. His will was omnipotent and his work immeasurable. It was his soul wish that Earth and everything above and around it was formed.
For some reason out of all things he created, he was very fond of Humanity.
He gestured humans as his own child and his fondness was the reason why humanity had flourished.
He created the very first humans, Adam and Eve. They were the stepping foundation. He knew it very well that being an omnipotent god didn't help him to handle the course of Humanity alone.
He had always been an abstract entity who just happened to take a face of a familiar human. He could look like a human, but never think like one. So, he built a court which revolved around the first perfect humans.
So, he created a system which helped humans govern themselves. He called the Thrones.
Every particular nonfigurative substance such as Love, hate had a Throne assigned to them. Likewise every materialistic thing such as Earth, Wind or anything you can feel had a Throne assigned to them.
On each Throne sat an individual who is handpicked either by the previous Throne holders or Tempus himself. Once a particular ward was handed the Throne, then they were given the right to decide what happens with that power.
But out of all the Thrones four stand out as the most important and most precious:
The Throne of Creation
The Throne of Prosperity
The Throne of Knowledge
The Throne of Death
We called these Thrones as 'The Quadrants'
These thrones were linked to one particular role which was not exactly a Throne but a role given which the Human Consciousness.
The system was so efficient that Humanity had been thriving and being fruitful to such extent that technological advancements included Objects that could fly and people could talk from long distance without being in front of each other. Medical advancements were so competent that Death Toll had decreased to half.
Humanity was now so ahead of its time that it was now becoming a problem and to address that problem the Tribunal was set up.
Major problem being the death toll and that was the reason why Mortis was afraid of attending the Tribunal.
[At the Tribunal]
[Mortis' POV]
In dazzling light we stood below a panel of glass and under the gaze of the Father I was terrified and a light worried about my situation.
Even though I wasn't wrong nor was my judgment.
"Before we start, I want to thank everyone for their presence," Rex Loqui remarked as he bowed to the all-father and everyone, "We have been under your shade for a very long time and we don't regret and are grateful that you were the one who sought to help us." He continued to speak, but the expression he had was becoming thick and thick every minute, "But we have reached a point where we could foresee our future. Resources we had are depleting and demands are increasing and we can't fulfill them. It is not your mistake that we are moving towards such an appalling upcoming. It is us that are wrong though you promised us to lend a hand in need. So, as foolish human…I ask you all to aid us."
Rex finished by joining his hands and bowing down.
Rex had been the spokesperson for the humanity. He was a part of the group which was named as 'The Nobles.' They were the kind of people who exceled and were the best among the Humans. Many long gone scientists and maybe entrepreneurs, social activists had been a part of this group.
Rex was the only person who had the intellect and the power to stand in front of us. He was a normal human, but his thinking was the reason he stood differently among normal people.
"You don't need to thank us," Aetas said with his hands folded over his chest, "It is our job to do so…"
Rex nodded on Aetas' comment.
Aetas' statement marked the beginning of the Tribunal. Now questions were supposed to be asked and some answers were supposed to be delivered.
But never in years Humans objected our way of governing, no one dared to go cross to the Quadrants, but there was someone who was going to object me…
"Demands are increasing?"
'Tak-tak'
I heard a voice of a cane hitting against floor. The wooden stick supported a old man walking with his spine bent. He wore glasses on his eyes and with a combed white hair, he looked like a cartoonish stereotypical scientist. He had a grin on his fair-skinned face, dragging his white-blue shade drapes he firmed his eyes on me.
"Resources are depleting which can only mean that the number of people who want things are very high….that is the population has reached to its heights."
With his gentle steps and slowly tapping the stick, Lev Malum walked towards us as he spoke.
"Population rate has to be controlled then, ain't it?"
He asked us.
"Creation has its own terms but…"
My face stiffened and my hands went straight. I had no expression because I knew what he was going to address.
"I've seen the analytics and it says the Death Toll has been reduced to half, is that true?"
He looked at me and then Scientia for confirmation. She nodded and was fully aware of what Lev was trying to do.
"You are trying to convey something, what is it?"
She asked an open ended question, no beating around the bush. She had always been the one to be straight to the point.
"Umm—Straight to the point, huh?" Lev said in a teasing voice, "Mortis, you might want to answer her question."
He said as he gazed upon the room and then fixed his eyes on me.
Chatter could be heard across the room and everyone was eager to hear what I had to say, but I had nothing to say..
"..."
I remained quiet and turned my eyes towards him.
"Won't you answer it?"
"Humans have prospered a long way now. The technological and medical facilities which exist now have reduced the Death Toll. Do you not know this?"
"Even so," Lev walked towards me, "It is your job to maintain harmony. To give there are hundreds of reasons, but given a task you should always perform it diligently."
Lev was also something similar to Rex, though a little different. He belonged to a group called 'The Elders'. They were a series of men and women who were once the candidates for the thrones or maybe were Throne-Keepers. Lev had been a candidate for The Throne of Death, but never could become one.
"Are you implying that it is Mortis' fault that we are facing these problems right now?"
Aetas enquired with a deep voice which conveyed his anger and dissatisfaction.
"Absolutely,"
Lev expressed in a high voice. The voice echoed in the room. People fell silent and it was understandable, though I wasn't very comfortable with lowness.
"A foolish statement to say," Teacher sounded disappointed, "If you say that Mortis is wrong, then so is the Creation for creating things, isn't it?"
A tall man with his hands on his laps and his legs crossed while sitting on a table. He sat between the crowd and with a glaring gaze he looked Lev and then towards me.
'He must be angry on me.'
I thought as I knew what that gaze meant.
"Creation isn't—" Summa blared out.
It was so sudden that everyone was astonished to see him act this way. He had always been so calm and composed, but something was wrong with him that he acted a little instigated and out of his way.
"Uhmm," He cleared his throat and sat down. Gaining his composure back, he continued, "Anyways, I have a proposal."
"Hmm? A proposal you say?" Scientia questioned, an intense look on her face. She was definitely unhappy with the situation.
It was that I couldn't answer any question, I could answer, but the fundamentals of every subject involved me and then anything not going according to plan, it could become a problem to me.
"I am all ears," Scientia said and gestured him with her hands for him to continue with his speech.
"As we all know the problem with Humanity is its growing population and so its growing demands. I can create as many things I want and make the resources they want, but there is a limit to my power and way. I cannot create things disregarding the space and all other factors." He said as he stood. He looked at me and then the audience which sat in silence, "And I agree with Mortis' statement; the technological advancements are the reason why Humans have their death toll reduced."
Supporting me in my statement. The act he showed was rather suspicious than generous.
"We all know that, you were proposing something." Aetas rushed with his statement.
Summa gave an irritated look to Aetas, "I propose that we reduce the population; we spread a pandemic."
'A pandemic?'
I thought which irked me to my core.
"Are you speaking in jest?"
We heard Father's voice from up above.
We all looked at him and not only his voice but his face itself looked agitated.
"No, I am speaking with all of my awareness gathered together." Summa enclosed the discussion and stopped Father from speaking, "The Medical advancements make it hard to solve these problems, but if you implement something which is new to them; they would definitely need some time to make a cure and till then we would reach a number which is in ratio with the resources."
Quarrel and chatter was invited by his words. No one stood quiet and I expected as much. The proposal he made could solve problem, but…
"That's not possible."
I said in a flash.
"I won't allow it."
"Why, dear Mortis?"
"I have my reasons."
"What reasons? Your shitty reasons like so-called sympathy to the ones who lived their life to the fullest?"
"Summa—"
Scientia jumped in between us and glared in a livid voice.
"That is enough!"
"Father, the situation now is very critical. I suggest we should take this inside and—"
Alias who had been quiet for this long finally spoke up.
"You should discuss this here!"
The Nobles and the audience demanded.
There was no going back. Summa had made the worst possible mistake of sharing his idea to the world.
"I understand your emotions, but we need to sort some issues before that."
Aetas appealed to everyone.
But, even that wasn't enough. The voice kept increasing and demands were getting firm.
"He just proposed to wipe out half of our kin. What do you want to say about that?"
Rex argued as he voice was now deepened and more rigid. He was angry and more worried about what was about to come.
Rex's worries were justified and so Scientia got up her Throne and faced the audience. With her hands folded she cleared her throat which made the crowd silent. The quarrels were broken and voice was clogged.
"I am a Quadrant, as such the Quadrant responsible for Knowledge. Trust me, I will sort this issue and be right back with you." She assured them with great dignity.
With that being said she looked at the person standing next to Tempus.
"Close the doors, this is my order."
She ordered the guard. He had no choice, but to close it. The Rank level was something similar to Army. Scientia being a superior could order any guard, existing throne candidate, noble or any preacher to do the work being told.
Quadrants had immense power in their hand as we used to decide the track on which the worlds' train will run.
The Guard siding Tempus looked at him. Tempus nodded with his eyes closed which made it clear to follow Scientia's order.
"The Tribunal stands still…"
He blared out.
In minutes the room was clear. Everyone had stepped out except The Quadrants, Alias and Tempus.
We all stood up to greet our partings to the Nobles, The Preachers and The Elders.
"We will wait outside," Teacher and his fellow members said.
"Sure." I responded as they left the room and we were alone with silence being the only companion of us.
"Are you an idiot?"
Aetas asked Summa as he charged towards him.
"Do you realize what you have done?"
"Proposed an IDEA. A one-time solution."
"One-time? Pandemic? This is not a Science-Fiction or a Fantasy. The world revolves around our decisions and so they are supposed to be sensible."
"You think….my idea is not…sensible?"
Summa asked as he looked at us one by one. Starting from Aetas to Scientia and then ending at Father.
Father got up his seat and walked downstairs to speak with his eyes in contact with us.
"Summa, you really are serious about this?"
"Yes, Tem—Father."
He stutterd as Alias would have corrected him otherwise.
"I am positive that this will work and also it should invoke fear of Death around them. This may as well work towards their development as well."
"You don't have to think about the 'Fear of Death'. It is Mortis' job, also I stand against the idea."
Alias spoke out clearing her thoughts. I knew she would be against it, because,,,
"Why?"
He asked.
"Oh, you are his lovebird, aren't you?"
He tried teasing her..
"We can't do it."
I said as I tried to firm my voice.
"Why? Do you think that world is nice place now? People live to their fullest? Many die of hunger and some of thirst."
Even so, this was unacceptable for me. Something so heinous shan't be happening in front.
I shook my head in denial.
"Why?"
He now asked me.
As everyone I had one answer.
"It is inhumane."
As soon as I spoke, he busted out laughing with his hands on his stomach.
"Inhumane?"
He said as he laughed till stomach started aching.
"We are the Gods of this Age. We need to make some—"
"Gods, Summa?"
Scientia jumped in and interrupted his speech. She enquired with a unique tone, one which was not generally used.
"We are no Gods. Mere Mortals we are. Never forget that."
She tried correcting him, but Summa kept on ignoring her.
"That's your perception."
"My perception?" She raged, "It is the truth and we all should abide to it."
"Whatever."
He tried throwing her off and moved away from us in order to leave, but was shut down by a large noise behind us. It was Mother walking through from where Father had come. She was annoyed and also dissatisfied.
"Enough is enough."
She said as she walked in the room.