There was a huge moment of silence in the courtroom. With the two staring at each other. "If I were God", handler finally said.
"There would be no need for a trial"
"I would have ruled, and you would have found yourself in your fateful home already"
"I'm not God", the mystic reassured, while raising a gavel much thicker than a sledgehammer.
"This is the Cosmic Court", it stated, "In this court you are either prosecuted into hell"
"Or defended and administered into heaven"
"I will be overseeing this trial, but that does not make me a God", it affirmed.
Bringing down the massive gavel onto the wooden block. The collision of which results in a thunderous quack that leaves the Homeless man in a state of unease.
It rippled through the court's walls, shattering the silence of their surrounding abyss.
Little did the man of a forgotten identity know, that bang was more than just for show.
It was standard procedure.
The thud of the cosmic gavel signified two things.
One, to officially commence or conclude a trial. And Two.
It was a call to summon entities from both homes, another from empty space.
Once the wavelengths had expired, screeching noises began to oscillate from beyond the courtroom walls, gradually filling it up.
It is the kind of sound created when rusty metal slides against rusty metal.
The resulting friction is so grand one could swear the compounds of oxygen are at war with one another. This court has but two staircases on either side of the floor.
These staircases divide the seats into two equal sides. In between the steps making up a staircase were tiny windows that reflect the sea of darkness surrounding them.
As the screeching intensified, the darkness was set ablaze, and taken over by the blue flames of inferno's gaze.
There was no confusing it this time, the gates of Hell were opening.
And the Homeless man swallowed.
"Oh, don't worry yourself too much", handler reassured the distressed fellow.
"That's only Panteku", it informed, "as the devil's advocate, you can expect"
"Panteku is a bit, too Extravagant"
"It uses this very unnecessary entrance as a way to instil some sort of fear into you"
Once the screeching was over, almost on cue, they were followed up by cries.
All sorts of cries. The cries of pain from the defeated.
Cries of anguish born out of suffering. To cries for help and plea from the regretful.
To sounds that allude a demon's tears of joys. As it freely indulges on the pain of the residents of hell. There was a many great variety of noise that vibrates and echoes through the room. It is like nothing he has heard before. Overwhelming him.
"If you really want to make it upstairs", handler continued completely unbothered by the noise.
"Than consider Panteku your prosecutor"
"Panteku works very hard to make sure no one makes it upstairs"
"Be prepared it will make a very strong argument as to why you do not deserve peace"
"But if it happens that hell is where you want to be"
"Than I guess you could consider Panteku your ally, your advocate"
"How good…is this Panteku?", the Homeless man managed.
"Hmm", mused the curious being.
"Panteku is as good as your deeds were bad"
The oxide wars continued for a while longer.
When he could no longer deal with the nervousness, the Homeless man found himself searching for an exit and soon realised the courtroom has no doors.
He did not walk into the place to begin with, so why would there be.
The screeching and the blaze of the inferno began to lessen, while the sound of an approaching footstep gradually increased.
The surface area of the floor behind him had opened up, and through its gap, the devil's advocate had begun climbing the distance.
"Panteku the Prosecutor is it's full name", handler continued rambling.
"With an endless lust for identifying impurities in the lives of the dead"
"The Panteku is also known for being arrogant of its own ability"
"Hey, handler", the additional voice had said from behind the Homeless man.
"Short time since we've seen each other", it's voices as normal as a mortal would sound.
"We need some sense of time in this court, if I'm able to keep track of time"
"Imagine how fast I could conclude a trial"
The prosecutor kept its' hand in the pockets.
It looked like it was dragged here reluctantly but somehow had an excited demeanour.
Refusing to acknowledge the presence of the Homeless man, the prosecutor engaged handler with small talk.
By the end of their short conversation, the Panteku walked up to him and stood by his side staring him down as if studying a subject.
"Hey tell me", it finally said.
"Was there anything good about your life that will make this trial challenging for me?", it interrogated still hovering above him.
"Or have you committed too many sins"
"That I have to once again perform the good deed of keeping the Heavens clean?"
"Keep your questions for later", handler instructed.
The stare off between a confused soul and a curious being had not finished when another set of footsteps became audible.
This time the sound came from above.
No gratuitous cries, no tears and laughter, no grand entrance.
Just crippling silence interrupted by footsteps.
Like leather against clean tiles, one thud after the other, the third entity built anticipation in the heart of the Homeless mortal.
Upon walking in this entity paid no regard to handler, nor at Panteku.
And simply stood before the mortal it is ordained to defend.
Eventually crouching to his head level, and raised his shy chin a little so they could see eye to eye. Once they did.
The entity smiled.
"Hey there. I'm Ansi", it introduced, "Nice to meet you"
"Does this make you God's advocate?", the poor man asked with a dry throat.
"Oh no", replied Ansi still smiling.
"I don't think God needs an advocate"
"But", it said, "Mortals, like yourself do"
"I'm the cosmic advocate for all mortals"
"Surely a Cosmic Court, of cosmic justice, needs an entity to defend and represent folks like you"
"That wouldn't stand a chance against folks like Panteku, don't you agree?"
"…I…guess…so…"
"I am going to have you do me a favour"
"During the proceeding of this trial, remain calm"
"No matter what happens, no matter the moment"
"Remain firmly calm"
"I can see you're nervous and unsure of what's going on, but when you finally catch up, just keep your calm"
"If you can do that"
"I will do my best to defend the life that you lived, the choices you made with time and resources you were given", Ansi reassured.
Before the lawyer could rise to height again.
The Homeless mortal blurted out a question that was hard on the teeth.
"How good are you at this?", he so anxiously demanded.
"Any advocate is about as good as the decisions of their client", Ansi replied.
While handler nodded in agreement from behind.
Ansi gave its client one final nod before rising to height.
With the three entities in the courtroom the trial was ready to go ahead.
"Your honour", Panteku said, hands still in its' pocket, "before we go further"
"Do return this mortal his rightful memories"
"Why?", handler asked.
"Why not? Do you not want to see his animated reactions to his own self?"
"I don't know about you, but I will not be robbed of hilarious reactions to my statements"
"And reviews of his own life"
"If the accused has no idea what we are going on about"
"There will be no fun in this"
"Plus I believe it is only fair that he is made aware of what deed he is being punished of"
"Don't act like you care about his memories"
"You just want to make this more amusing for yourself", handler pointed out.
"Ansi, what do you have to say about this?"
"I agree with Panteku", the cosmic advocate replied, "it makes sense"
"So be it"
"Let he, who kneels before the Cosmic Court have the memories of his days of breath returned to them"
Upon hearing those words, Homeless man anxiously waited for either one of the three to do something to him. But nothing of that nature was done.
That handler has an acute ability of speaking things into existence. An ability it only has access to during court proceedings. So immediately the Homeless man was intensely flooded with hundreds upon hundreds of his own memories and thoughts.
Almost instantly, he brought up to speed with himself, and in complete touch of his own history.
"Gregor", he murmured once the reinsertion was done.
"Gregor Stanfield", he blurted out and for the first time confidently lifted his head to look at the entities of the court, "that was…that is my name"
"No", corrected Panteku.
"Homeless Gregor, is your current name but by the end of this trial"
"You will be known as Gregor The Perished of The Inferno"
"No", corrected Ansi.
"At the end of this trial, you will be known as Gregor The Risen of Paradise"
"Hmm. I don't know", the prosecutor said.
"I kind of like my title better, it has a better ring to it", and again stared down the poor folk, "I'm sure you would agree"
Homeless Gregor was still perplexed, not by the status of his current predicament but by the memories that had suddenly filled his head, and encapsulated his soul.
As with all mortals, the memories that returned are but highlights of his past. From his primary family to his extended family, the friends he made along the way, the bridges he burnt, the strangers he acquainted, his first kiss, his last embrace, the jobs he worked, the goals he achieved, the dreams he lost, the passions he abandoned, from his happiest hours to his darkest days. He recalled it all. As if he was always aware of himself.
Like most mortals, he could not recall his life to its minute detail. But the big events that impacted him in some manner, was up to speed. Apart from death itself, those final hours remained elusive to him. Now that he could identify himself again.
Homeless Gregor had but one question in lurking around every corner of his mind – Am I deserving?
"I guess there's only one way to find out", Panteku said out loud as if it had read his thoughts.
"Now that all introductions are done with"
"Let us officially commence this trial", ordered handler.
"For real, this time"