Lottery

Written by KaijuKojin

~from the war journals of An, First King of the Annunaki~

Entry 3590.
War is all everyone has known.
Nibiru has fallen into desolation. We have learned tales of lush forests, clean oceans, and fanciful beasts that have roamed our planet before we as a people stripped it of resources and our once beautiful home has been torn asunder due to the madness of our feud with the Southern Federation.
No one knows when the war started. Everyone involved died many Sar ago, the sound of their names lost to time. Barely any physical records have survived, but the children of this war know the price their blind arrogance has caused.
Children of the Northern Alliance are sent to war schools to learn how to destroy the Southern Federation. Anger and hate are bred into their hearts. It was bred into my heart, and war is all I could see or know.
And, as Nibiru’s year entered the warm cycle, the war was suddenly over.
Under the Equinox, When Heaven loomed it’s largest through the thick clouds, a treaty was signed.
Everyone who wanted the continuation of the war was dead through the guile of assassins and disease that came from the destructive weapons we had unleashed upon each other. It was clear to those left alive, that if this continued, nothing of our world would survive, and our voices would be extinguished from the universe.
A council of 12 has been selected from the leadership between the Northern Alliance, and the Southern Federation. Three men, three women from each side, to ensure fairness for decisions.
The Council sealed themselves into delegation for a full Sar, none spoke to the outside, only attendants who provided food could disturb delegations.
Rumors were ablaze about what may be transpiring, but one thing that Nibiru had not seen in thousands of Sar, was silence. A deafening and heavy silence, that once broken, could save or destroy us all.
Both nations waited, and not a single shot was fired.
Commanders and Generals were at a loss as to what to do, while the artisans thrived, creating new and exciting technologies.
Deliberations during the Sar of Waiting, orders slowly came out of the council chambers. The two nations were to open their records and allow research from both sides.
I personally have read the reports of regeneration chambers that will heal you from any wound suffered. Devices that can turn solid rocks into clay and back again, and ways to grow people.
Another decree from the silent council.
The release of all records during the war.
Most would call this a blunder on the new council.
I personally scoured the archives, pulling up report after report, and finally seeing the hypocrisy and lies of those long dead.
I am only a nameless warrior. Violence is all I have known.
I felt rage over the loss of my comrades. These reports show people I trusted held back vital technology that cost our lives, for fear of it “falling into the Federation hands”.
Weapons, armor, shielding, crafts that can go past the ever-moving canopy and to other worlds and recovered technology from before the war. Things our people were told were missing and lost to time.
The outrage almost destroyed our ceasefire, but one thing we as a people were good at doing, was following orders.
Both nations waited and during the second equinox, the Sar of Waiting was over. All twelve members addressed the world.
“We have deliberated for one full Sar.” The appointed head of the council said. “We decree a king be made to represent us as one people.”
I was taken aback by this statement, a King.
Our people had always been led by councils, delegates, generals, and politicians. Single rulership has only been whispered about in times long before anyone remembers.
“To ensure fairness between both nations,” The council continued. “We shall create a lottery.”
They continued to describe the process, how they would create local, regional, and divisional drawings.
The chosen king would have drawn lots twelve times in total to be chosen.
It feels like madness. To entrust the world, our survival, to chance.
I fear for our future, and I fear the days to come. Should drawing lots find a king, and he is lacking, the people will surely rebel, and our world will be lost, its song silenced.

---

Entry 3690.
This is my last entry as one born with no name.
I have spent many days thinking about the events that have transpired, and I am unsure how to feel.
While still in the warm cycle, the lottery was set. Everyone did their duty and drew lots. The council did include stipulations as to who was eligible to draw.
One must be ten Sar in experience and have served during the war. The council wished their leader to understand the horrors of war, and lead us away from it.
No one spoke fondly of war, now that our people had a Sar of peace. Tensions between the nations and national pride were still in our minds. Countless Sars of conflict can’t be swept away overnight.
I was opposed to the whole thing.
“Hold an election,” I would suggest to my commander. “This is madness! Let the people choose, not by random lots!”
“That’s how we’ve done it since before anyone can remember.” He countered. “People will use elections to get power and steal it from others. It will divide us, and war will start again.’
“This way, everyone has a chance… even you.” He said and presented me with a location. “Here is where you’re ordered to go.”
“I refuse,” I said defiantly and pushed the paper back to him, not looking at the information. I’m a nameless soldier, I have no lineage. The sheer hubris I would have, thinking I can unify our people.
“Would you do it another way?” he said. “I’ve seen you lead platoons into battle, risk your life for others, and show compassion to your enemy. Your record is as exemplary as any others, and if you weren’t lowborn, you would probably have been commanding me."
He pushed the paper back to me and smiled.

---

The days of drawing lots run together for me. The experience was a blur. The first eleven drawings were held locally, but the last drawing was broadcast to all of Nibiru. There were twelve of us left.
Three men and women from the north and south.
It seems that through pure chance, the distribution of eligibility mimicked the original makeup of the council.
The people viewed this as ordained fate. I saw it as hyperbole and assumed the council may have influenced the selection. I can understand, this process is meant to bring our people together. Every step was taken to ensure an equal chance for all the men and women involved.
Across from me stood six individuals I would have killed without thought two Sar ago. I can feel their dagger-like glare and can only assume they feel the same.
Peace was hard.
We were instructed to draw lots before all of Nibiru. None were to reveal or look at the lot but keep it in our clenched hand.
Before all to see, we stood in a line, extended our hands, and opened our palm.
A white round stone was presented in my palm.
Silence filled the room.
I looked between myself and the others, who all carried black ones.
I was unsure of the reaction of the people since the final lots were drawn in the inner council chambers, only recording equipment that transmits our images to the world were present.
I was told this proceeding was projected onto the layers of the sky above us for those without personal viewing equipment.
I was frozen in place as the other lottery winners knelt before me, bowing their heads.
“Behold our new King.” Said one of the council members. “You have been chosen to unite our people under one rule. We are here to aid you and offer you guidance from our experience, but ultimately you now control the fate of our world. Behold; the Anûtu.”
With a gesture, a security officer approached and handed me a simple box. I looked to the council for approval to open it, which they nodded. A golden tablet was presented. Its circuitry was elegant, and the sharp-angled script of my people raced across the screen.
I forgot I was in front of the council and stared at the device, mouth agape.
It was a central operating system for every device on the planet. From the largest processors to the smallest weapons. I had never seen such a device, but I could immediately understand its importance.
I must have been staring too long, the man who presented the Anûtu removed it from my trembling fingers and placed it back into its box and left. It was happening so fast… He didn’t want this. He didn’t know what to do. Why was this happening?
“Now, as it has been decided, our new king will be reborn. Will the representatives of the south come forward?”
I had no idea how much of my destiny the council had mapped out but seeing her before me confirmed my suspicions.
“As it was decreed, if the king is chosen from the north, he must immediately choose a wife from the south to ensure his bloodline continues to enrich our new world of peace.”
The southern female lottery winners stood before me, knelt down to one knee and averted their gaze.
Except her.
This one, I know. I’ve seen her move, I’ve seen her dance, laugh, cry, scream, and hate.
She has stared down the barrel of my scope countless times, I never can tell if it was my own nerves that caused me to miss my shots, or that she could feel how intensely I gazed upon her fiery red hair and piercing blue eyes.
The same look was given to me, as she refused to prostrate, and silently stared me down. The council seemed to move about nervously in their seats at the act of open defiance to the newly appointed king.
“I will accept your ascendancy as our new leader, but I will not prostrate myself to anyone.” She said in defiance. A security guard moved forward, but my hand motioned him to stop. He obeyed and fell back.
A sick sensation in my belly flooded my body. I felt sick. With a wave of my hand, I halted the execution of a woman I’ve tried to kill for several Sars. The feeling of stopping a death was something that I’d not felt in a long time.
“He is our king, you must venerate yourself,” one of the council members pleaded. I was sure they felt all their efforts were about to erupt into flames. “It’s treason!” I waved at the council and confidently approached the woman. Her defiant gaze bore into my soul.
“If I bow here, that will prove the North won, and we are a conquered people.” She said through gritted teeth. “Every one of those lives you took will cry out for justice.” The other two women who had knelt remained quiet and unmoving. The red-headed woman looked as if she wanted to spit on them.
“Well,” I said, finally speaking for the first time. My words were sent directly to the people who watched with bated breath as the scene unfolds. “After today, we are one people. There will be no north and no south.”
“You’re still from the north.” She said. “Even if you say it’s no longer there. When I kneel, all of the south will kneel, and the only one standing is you… northerner.” I smiled and moved before her. We’ve been this close before. Even closer, but that was when she tried to murder me in my sleep when she infiltrated our camp.
“I am your king,” I said.
“Indeed.” She replied. “but I will not kneel.”
“Then, there is only one solution,” I said. Her defiant look faltered and the council murmured in anticipation.
“Do it.” She said. “Behead the last defiant member of the Southern Federation. Leave my body out for all to see as to what sort of empire you will lead us to!”
I grabbed her shoulders, she let out a small gasp as I pulled her to me and kissed her. It felt like an entire Sar passed before we parted. Her hate-filled eyes seemed to melt and shimmered in the light as a tear fell from her cheek.
“If you will not kneel, then you must rule by my side,” I said. “Should I falter as King, I will have you to correct my ways. Our rule will be that of equals.”
“Our paths have crossed many times.” I continued, louder for the world to hear the song welling in my heart. Looking at her beautiful and defiant face awoke a need to protect her and shield her from the horrors we’ve endured. “You who have been my adversary, my rival, and opponent, will you be my wife?”
“Why?” she stammered. “Why ask when you can order it now?”
“Kingship was thrust upon me,” I replied. “Our future is unknown, and our entire people are looking to me for guidance. The work to rebuild and reshape our society will be long, hard and difficult...”
“And you think I’m too weak!” She snapped, cleared of her haze from his kiss. She reared her hand and slapped his face.”How dare you look down at me like that!” I motioned the security back and rubbed the pain on my cheek. All I could do was laugh.
Here was a woman whom I have tried to kill countless times and who has tried to kill me probably even more. Her prowess in battle was legendary among my men, and her tactical genius was well known.
She clearly showed me my error. She felt the same sense I did. If she wasn’t ready to stand with me, she would not have stood up to me. And here she stands defiantly, after striking her new king.
She knows she will die with one word uttered from my lips. She invites it. Should I kill her for treason, the south will rise, and the war will start again. The coy smile that cracked on her stone face proved that. She understood the situation as well as I did.
“No, you are not weak,” I said and grasped her hand. “You are clearly my equal.”
I knelt on one knee. She let out a shocked gasp along with the two knelt women beside her.
The council shouted discordantly among themselves, their newly appointed king kneeling to a subject!
“Since all of the south but one knelt to me. I wish to show that I intend to unify us without war or violence. As a representative of all, we bow to you. With your acceptance of my hand, the two nations will become one and equal. We must turn our rivalry to veneration.”
She looked down at me for what felt like a thousand Sar.
“It’s unseemly for a new King to kneel to one with no name.” she said.
“It’s not unseemly for a husband to kneel for his wife.” I said coyly. Her icy demeanour cracked as her pure white skin flushed red. “Help me build a new world.” She looked at her two companions, still averting their eyes and back to me.
“I may not make a good wife.” She said.
“I may not be a good husband.” I replied, “But you love your people enough to slap a King.”
“I’m… sorry.” She said and rubbed the reddening mark on my face. I shook my head no and covered her hand with my palm. Our six fingers lined up perfectly as if her hand was a slightly smaller copy of mine.
“A queen must stand up to the most difficult and imposing situations and meet them head-on. You and I can learn to be husband and wife together, but I will put all of my faith in you as Queen.”
She locked eyes with his, her stone face cracked and wore a simple smile, she trailed her dainty finger across my bearded jawline and under my chin “Rise up my king and embrace your queen.” She said loudly. I obliged and held her in my arms. We kissed passionately.
Even in the deep chambers of the council, I could feel the whole of our people cheering. The war was over, we were united, and our future, though uncertainty was changed.
A council member removed herself from her seat and approached us.
“By the right newly appointed to me by the fellow members, I wed you two as one. Our king will be named: An.” She said. “The Northern Alliance and Southern Federation are hereby dissolved. The council, representation of the world, shall rename our people.
Another assistant produced a golden goblet filled with sweet-smelling nectar.
My new wife looked taken aback and must know what it is.
“Anbersar...” She whispered and squeezed my hand. The councilwoman gave her a daring glare and presented it to the two of us. I was unsure of what was contained in the goblet, but I could feel my new wife trembling.
“With this drink, your bloodline will be venerated and placed above all others. Your word will be our command, none of your subjects will defy you. Your blood will be above all others, You are thusly named An. Your children, Annunaki, and your subject, those not of royal blood shall be called Igigi and serve you will. We all place the fate of Nibiru into fates hands, and thusly into yours.”
She turned to my new wife and smiled.
“And your name shall…” she was interrupted.
“An-Tu shall be my name.” She said. “Our people have become one, my husband has venerated himself before me, and to fully accept our union, I shall become one with our chosen king.” She said confidently. “An-Tu, to be of An. With this, all rivalry is dissolved, and our people are one.”
She grabbed the goblet and glared at the councilwoman. She took a sip and offered it to me. I drank deeply of the sweet nectar. I felt like I could not get enough but forced myself to stop when she pulled the cup away from my lips. She drank down the remainder of the liquid and returned the cup.
The liquid warmed me to my core.
I felt faint and hot. The room felt like it was going to spin out of control. My new wife, An-Tu embraced my arm and held me up. We were still being broadcast, and she already took to her role and ensured I didn't falter.
My foggy and addled mind allowed me a smile. My sworn rival was holding me up, ensuring I didn't fail in my duty. The councilwoman addressed the people.
They went over the plans they had worked out. Council will maintain its position until the member’s passing. No new appointees will take the seats.
They were the only ones with the authority to choose a new leader, when the last member dies, only the royal bloodline will have authority to appoint a leader.
I could see the sweat running down her face as well. It felt like my body was on fire. The council wrapped up the broadcast and turned off the recording equipment. We both lost our strength and fell to the ground. A wave of medical staff gathered the two of us up and moved us to the clinic.
I was unsure how long we lay in bed, our bodies were bombarded by various oscillations and scans, probing us for whatever reason the medical staff wished. I tried to ask questions, but it seemed to have fallen on deaf ears.
An-Tu lay next to me in her bed, she was experiencing the same effects I was. No one answered my inquiries and sealed us in the rejuvenation chambers. I asked my incoherent wife, and with a harsh dry voice, she said one word.
“Anbersar.”

This story is a dramatization from the First tablet of Enki, translated by Zacharia Steichen.