"Invasion Cycle - 03 - Apocalypse" - читать интересную книгу автора (McGough Scott)

conceived, perfectly designed, perfectly balanced, these
weapons are the finest you will ever wield. Learn from
them. Experiment. Practice on each other, and when you
can strike a clean and killing blow, do so. We judge the
living and the dead. Only a pure and worthy victory will be
rewarded."

Gerrard raised himself to one knee. Clear eyed, he
peered toward Yawgmoth and Hanna. "I'll gladly fight
Urza. He created me in misery and doomed me to kneel
here. I would fight him and slay him for no reward, and
ascending beside you, Lord Yawgmoth, is great reward.
Still, the contest would be more interesting if you'd give
one extra boon to the winner and one extra curse to the
loser."

The horrid menagerie heard. Through fangs and
proboscises, they spoke. "We will do it. The victor shall
receive that which he most desires. The soul of the
vanquished, gathered unto us, will receive that which he
most dreads. But your foe shall declare first. Name your
desire, Urza called Planeswalker."

Though Gerrard had lifted himself to one knee, Urza
yet lay facedown. His mouth sent ghosts of steam across the
stone. He spoke in a whisper, but the dais was Yawgmoth.
It gathered the sound and sent it out through the arena.

"I wish but one boon, Great LordЧto learn from you,
to understand all you have done and how you have done it,
to explore the brilliance I behold in this place, in this
world. I want to know how you have brought metal to life

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and how you have made life into metal. I want to
understand not only artifice but phyresis. I want to
worship, and in worshiping, to know."

Silence answered that request, and then the voices: "So
it shall be granted to you, Urza called Planeswalker, should
you prevail." The eyes of the crowd turned upon Gerrard.
"And what of you, Capashen? What boon would you beg?"

He rose to stand. The movement seemed so strange,
there beside the prostrate planeswalker. But something in
Gerrard's eyes prevented Yawgmoth from lashing out.