Magic the Gathering: Time Streams (Artifacts Cycle Book 3) by J. Robert King

Author:J. Robert King [King, J. Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wizards of the Coast
Published: 2008-06-05T21:00:00+00:00

At last, Fire Eye spoke, "What would you build with this forge?"

Urza blinked, taken aback a moment. "Machines. Living machines, like this one." He reached out into empty space, and in his hand appeared a large sheet of paper-the plan of the silver man, Karn-and spread it on the floor before the bey. "Men like this. I will make them from your metal. I will make them to defend our world."

The bey stared for some time at the plans before hissing out his response. "This machine will work?"

"I will show you, yes," Urza said emphatically. "I will bring a prototype made of metal. An old model-too soft. You will see. He works well."

Again, the silence. Urza was not accustomed to waiting for the decisions of others, but he needed these creatures. They knew more about the rig than any other beings on the planet. They knew the secrets of making Thran metal.

At last, the bey spoke again, "You may make your metal men with our forge-on two conditions."

"Yes?" prompted Urza.

"First, there is a certain ancient enemy of ours-"

"The goblins?" Urza guessed.

"No. The goblins are a menace, yes, but our patrols are more than able to dispatch them. The enemy I speak of is the fire drake Gherridarigaaz, mother of our champion. She has plagued us since her son joined us," the bey said. "You must halt her attacks."

"It will be done," Urza replied, "and the other condition?"

"Second, grant us as our property into perpetuity the prototype creature you speak of."

Urza stared a long while at the lizard lord, sitting there enthroned on the massive piston. His gemstone eyes lifted, searching the darksome balconies above, as though an answer would lie there. "It is quite a sacrifice you ask."

The bey nodded placidly. "Among our people, sacrifice for the tribe is the highest honor."

There was wisdom in this saying. Urza thought of all the sacrifices in this war so far. As always, the Phyrexian threat came screaming back to the fore of his mind.

"Yes," said Urza Planeswalker, "you may have him." Monologue

With Urza gone, things are quiet here at the academy. We have had the usual Phyrexian incursions on the borders. They are only tests, of course, and by killing off each of these beasts, we are only helping K'rrik perfect his invasion force for the day when they will all come across. But, for now, we are safe, and we build more machines.

I can only wonder what Urza is doing on the other side of the world. I can only hope that the lessons he has learned here at Tolaria have made him more human again. Human or inhuman, I pray he succeeds. Otherwise, we are all doomed.

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