INDImag – Contemporary fiction | Motivational short stories | Social stories | Short story criticism

The only truth in the universe is death. Extinction. Annihilation. In a highly fluid environment one must be prepared for change, extinction is the natures way of telling that land must be cleared for a new species to dominate. Nature is governed by a single law, Adapt or perish.

This holds true for a single individual, species, society or even a reality. Thus when Dinosaurs had fulfilled their time on earth, a meteoroid shower conveniently wiped them of their existence.

The universe threw me into the liquid reality without any life support…. sink or swim, in the ancient prison of Kaladunga. I did, what I always do best, I survived. I was born in the dark cellar on the dungeon on the island of Kaladunga, and my childhood was spend getting whipped by the prison master for the sins I never committed.

For six years, after I learned to talk, I kept asking, what have I done? is being born a sin? The old Padre used to visit the prison trying to teach me, the bible. I kept asking him, why, why did God choose me for this fate? Is God punishing me?

Every passing hour, my hatred for humanity and God increased. I had never seen the light of the day only the dark cellar of my prison. The only living being in the room was a rat, which I brutally killed one day with bare hands… adapt or perish.

Slowly as I grew older, my security was eased and I was allowed to mingle with other prison inmates. Thus my informal education began and I learned about life, other cultures and about the universe.

I then learned that I was born to a mother termed as witch by the church and a father announced as heretic, hence I was condemned to life long imprisonment in the dark cellars of Kaladunga with no contact with the world.

I challenged the prison master for dominance. There was a fight, a massive war between the two of us. And I lived, something I am good at… adapt or perish.

For the first time I saw how bright the world was, and I hated it. I preferred the dark, where my life had began. My journey began in the real world, like a devil unleashed upon the planet, like the dark ages had began. I named myself Kaal, the end.

As my journey began, I came in touch with the real world, science. I met a crazy scientist also termed as heretic by the church. He called himself Prof. Colombus and had an obsession of space travel. He used to draw strange figures on the walls of the prison and talk about planets, galaxies, solar systems…and the abode of God.

My interest in his works increased and when he offered me a position to drive his space-ship, I could hardly refuse…My quick grasping ability made me learn the controls quickly and we both set out to journey the unknown.

We saw stars, planets, galaxies sitting in the ship. We explored moons, the asteroids, meteoroids. For me the universe was as dark as my prison cell. My whole life engulfed into darkness.

I learned his works, understood his principles and finally there came a day when I did not need a baby sitter with me. His body floats into the endless sky for eternity, while I journey ahead.

Few years ago, I mathematically proved the existence of the center of the universe, the ultimate power source from which life sprang out. The purest form of energy which Vishwamitra used to build the worlds, the cosmic energy that flows during Tandavnrutya of Shiva… and my life had a new meaning. I realize I was destined to search for the pyre, since my birth.

I searched for countless worlds, million dimensions, carefully calculating my journey ahead. I visited planets, asteroids for signs of the energy patterns. My happiness knew no bound when I saw the first cosmic signature on the remote planet….far aloof from the general cosmos.

The moment I realized the cosmic energy pattern, I felt another pull towards my destiny. The power of almighty, was close to me. How could I forget, such vast source of energy will not be lying around….

Thus my hardship began, the so-called Devgans, the body guards of God attacked my ship. They showed a very great display of sheer strength, their ships designed by the cosmos.

I prevailed, through stealth…Adapt or perish.

The more I entered deeper into the region, the more I became vulnerable to their attacks, but I prevailed through will power.

I found a landing bay, where I docked my ship and finally stepped onto the planet. The planet was called ‘Harshal’, the light emitting planet and the only source of light was present directly into its core.

‘Halt,’ a voice boomed over me, ‘Who goes there?’

‘Who are you?’ I shouted.

‘I am Karuna, the first Maharathi of the Kshatriya order, Son of warrior Prahasta, Grand-son of warrior Ravana and this region is under my protection. You are a mortal and are forbidden to enter the realms.’

‘I come from far away, I am not here to leave… if you are indeed the maharathi, I challenge you…’

Karuna appeared in front of me, he was twice as large as a man and equally broad. He carried an Axe in his hand which emitted a greenish blue glow from its blade.

Karuna was definitely the biggest warrior of all times. His axe zoomed past me twice and through sheer luck I escaped. But I was also no less warrior, I used the Witch Blade, which was molded from the furnaces of Aramis temples, the finest blade in the universe, just lesser than the celestial cutter.

A big battle followed. As the dust settled down, I survived, something I am good at.

As I walked ahead, I was completely exhausted from the battle and I settled near a river for some rest. As I saw my reflection in the water, the water started glowing white and before I realized, it formed a layer around me. I could not move, I could not speak.

Far off, I saw a woman robed in complete white clothes, standing waving her hands to direct the water.

‘You wretched mortal,’ she shouted, ‘How dare you step into the heavens? You may have defeated the Khatriya warrior, but you cannot escape from the power of Anumati and the Varunastra…’

I was totally helpless into the flexible water. Thus she carried me and condemned me to depth of the ocean where I was thrown into the deep water trench…for life.

I was home.

She did not know, I was born into a trench like this. I have faced worst trenches than this. Hence I waited, slowly, carefully I made my way to the surface. I realized I cannot fight the weapons of God…hence the only weapon I had was stealth, something I was good at.

Shadows was my power, darkness my home. I crept past the planet, slowly, unseen, moving in the shadows and I explored. Finally, I found it, it was true, the energy was there…lying around.

I could not believe I was seeing it, from my eyes, purest form of energy, no emitting gases, no burning images….purest form of energy shaped into a cube hanging in the middle of the land. From this, sprang the millions species in the universe, from this came the countless planets, from this fueled the sun for many solar system. This is it.

‘Halt,’ boomed Karuna again, ‘I cannot let you pass…’

‘Stop him,’ Anumati starting waving her hands and I could hear splash of water from the river.

Countless other faces came out of shadow with many weapons.

I had no moment to think. Adapt or perish. Such is the power of the brain, that before I saw the danger, a solution had formed.

It was a desperate ploy, how could I, a mere mortal tame such a vast energy? I was bound to burn into pyre, but I had no choice, the other option was…death.

I jumped into the pyre. God and I were about to become one.

Blank. Darkness. Nothing.

My soul was ripped apart, my body was burned down to ashes. Through sheer will, I prevailed…adapt or perish.

For a million years, I felt nothing…. I was floating in nothingness, the energy seeped in.

Slowly the universe started shaping in front of me and I became reality. I took form of a cluster of stars which slowly shaped up as me.

I could feel my hands and I could feel my legs…and I could feel power in my fingertips.

As the universe proceeded into its own weird sense, it did notice something amiss. Something changed.

Adapt or perish. It was time the universe adopted their new ruler….or perish.

I became GOD.

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