MTG Salvation

Quarter-Finals

The heavy steel doors parted to show Magneto sitting on his solid iron throne at the center of Avalon, his floating sanctuary. Sinestro, bathed in a golden halo, levitates to the monarch.

Magneto steepled his fingers in front of him as the visitor landed in front of him and the yellow energy dissipated. “You have my audience. What is it you wanted to offer?”

“I am the founder of an intergalactic organization that I think you should be a part of. We, just like you, believe that people should be oppressed through fear and threat. We have noticed what you have created here and it is my personal opinion that you would be fit to join our ranks.”

Magneto leaned back on his throne as the alien’s words echoed through the polished metal walls.

“I haven’t built Avalon to oppress others,” Magneto said, “I have built it to free my people.” He stood up and walked to the nearest wall as grooves bore into it as though invisible artists were at work. By the time Magneto and Sinestro reached it together it was a map of the earth.

“The rest of the population are the ones that oppress my kind.” Magneto waved a hand at the map. “I’ve only mirrored what they have done to us.”

Sinestro folded his hands behind him. “That’s not how we see it. You are using the fear these humans have of mutant powers to build a nation under your control. We think you can do better though, you could help us build an empire that spans the stars.” A yellow light rose from the map and then expanded, filling the room with stars and planets that even Magneto couldn’t recognize.

As he looked around his throne room at the images Sinestro said, “We can give you the tools you need to accomplish this, and more. We can increase your powers to levels you couldn’t imagine”

Magneto turned to him. “You would strengthen my powers so that I could take over this world and put my people in their proper place?”

Sinestro turned toward the metallic map again as the stars faded from the room. “Well, not this planet. It’s far too volatile for a new member. And we already have an agent assigned to this sector. We have need for you on a distant planet, one that happens to have quite a bit of iron deposits near the surface.”

“You ask that I leave Avalon?”

“We would be more than capable of keeping your subjects safe while you were gone with a few technological upgrades. It would also make a good headquarters for our agents in this sector.”

Magneto turned away from Sinestro and walked back to his throne and sat down. He waved his hand and the huge doors on the far side of the room began to creep open once more.

“I appreciate your offer, and I’ll admit that I am tempted, but I can’t leave my people. You may leave now.”

Sinestro turned toward Magneto and balled his fist around his yellow ring. “I don’t think you understand. The Sinestro Corps doesn’t make offers that can be rejected. We’ve chosen you for a reason.”

Magneto stood up and floated off of the ground. “Once again, I thank you for the offer but I will be staying here. This is your last chance to leave as a respected visitor.”

“I don’t think you understand. This is your last chance to join the Corps under your own free will.” Yellow energy danced out of the ring.

Magneto held an arm toward Sinestro and the yellow sparks wavered slightly. “That is a nice ring you have there. I’m not familiar with what kind of metal that is, but it has an interesting magnetic field. I bet there’s a lot of delicate circuitry inside.”

“Not quite. It’s also not quite metal,” Sinestro said. He was careful not to let his face betray any sign that he knew Magneto could influence the anti-matter molecules of his ring in unpredictable ways. His true intention of coming to earth was to figure out how much influence this man could have over their rings. Sinestro shrugged as his ring lifted him into the air—this method would work too.