"We have done it! We have discovered the secret to immortality! No long will we hide, shivering in fear of death. The Chosen Ones shall walk the land unchallenged, unafraid of everything!
"It is a simple process, really. I cannot believe it took us so long to discover. Perhaps it was the unfounded morals of those who studied it before. But since we have taken over, all has gone well.
"Those who failed will not be Chosen Ones. They shall be Annexed. We shall let some of them live, but only enough for our purposes. The rest shall provide the Chosen Ones with immortality."
The tall, blond hair scholar stopped his writing, his eyes alight with excitement. Someone watching, however, might note a hint of evil, even insanity, in his eyes.
Gathering the cloth-wrapped package from his desk, the man blew out the light and left the room, the door closing automatically behind him.
Out side the marble building, he was greeted by two of his fellow scholars, also tall, angular and blond. They bowed deeply, greeting him.
"Greetings, Saigon, first of the Chosen Ones."
"Greetings, Sa'lak and Rai'ak. Who is the first Annexed to serve us?"
"The son of the Annexed rebels. He shall serve you."
"Why not his father?" Saigon asked impassively. The Chosen Ones never showed any emotion, one of the major failings of the Annexed. They insisted on wandering around with their obscene emotions of anger, dislike and hate of their face. How disgusting!
Sa'lak and Rai'ak answered his question with the same lack of emotion. "We thought it better for him to watch his son serve us. He will be next."
Saigon nodded. "Excellent. The ceremony is in the stadium at sun-high?"
"Yes, first of the Chosen Ones."
Saigon bowed to the two other scholars and they bowed back, albeit much deeper. They parted, Saigon heading for the stadium, Sa'lak and Rai'ak for their respective rooms.
* * *
It was nearing sun-high and the stadium was filled with silent Chosen Ones. Saigon stood at one of the doors to the floor of the stadium, watching his fellows gather. They were all here for him! To watch him ascend to immortality! And once he was immortal, he would be equal to the gods! Who needed to worship them and pray for immortality, whey the Chosen Ones had achieved it on their own?
Lost in self-glorying thoughts, Saigon didn't notice the entrance of the Annexed. He was tied up, as benefited his rank, and struggled vainly against his captors. Two of the Chosen Ones led him to the altar and tied him there.
"Enter Saigon, first of the Chosen Ones."
The announcer called his name and Saigon stepped out slowly. After all, he had been instrumental in discovering the key to immortality. In fact, you might even say he had done most of the work. It was only fitting, therefore, that he be the first to receive it. But he had to receive it with dignity and composure, as benefited his rank.
Approaching the Annexed, Saigon picked up the knife lying beside him. The boy, his curly brown hair matted, stared at the blade with abject fear and horror. Well, he wouldn't have to worry about anything much longer.
Laying the point of the knife at the base of his neck, Saigon smiled as they boy's eyes widened further in terror. Some of the Chosen Ones had circulated the rumor that the Annexed would be a blood sacrifice. Not true, of course, but their fear was invigorating to some of the Chosen Ones.
Smiling cruelly, Saigon lay aside the knife and began muttering the words of the chant. After a few moments, his hands began to tingle, signaling that he could begin.
Laying his fingers in a circle around the boy's wildly pounding heart, Saigon pushed downward, his long fingernails digging in to the boy's chest. The sacrifice was staring at Saigon's hands, unable to move from shock. The first of the Chosen Ones could almost feel the fear radiating from him.
The chant still deadening the pain, Saigon pushed deeper, until he could feel the throbbing of the sacrifice's heart. Grasping it gently, he dragged his hands, and the heart, out.
Saigon's delicate hands dripping in blood, he lifted the heart above his head to a roar from the Chosen Ones. Covering the still-beating heart with his hand, Saigon squeezed, the chant's magic allowing the heart, and the soul, to be absorbed into him.
Gasping with unexpected ecstasy as the sacrifice's soul raced through his body, Saigon threw his hands in the air and cried out, "We have done it! We are now immortal gods!"
A moment later, cracks opened up in the earth and the sky filled with fire.
And then there was nothing.
The gods, filled with anger over the arrogance of the Chosen Ones, had destroyed the planet. All the gods watched, their anger sated, as rock flew out from the remains of a planet.
All except one, that is. The smallest god muttered plaintively, "Why'd you blow up the planet? I liked that one!"
Gr 9, 2004