Savage Messiah

His face locked in concentration, Wigg was silent for a moment. Then he looked back at the prince.

"It is done," he said.

Tristan stared intently out into the air. "Turn slightly to your right, and tell me what you see."

The wizard did as he was told, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"There is nothing here," Wigg protested.

"Yes, there is," Tristan countered. "There is a massive distortion in the sky. Its edges waver, like that of a reflection in a rippling pond. It hovers directly before us, about fifteen meters away. Listen to me well: No matter what happens from here on, you must not interfere. The very future of the craft hinges on what I alone must do."

Wigg looked out into the air. "But I see nothing," he protested. "Are you quite sure that-"

Azure bolts suddenly streaked toward them, born of nothingness. Twin beams of light exploded against Wigg's warp, threatening to send both the wizard and the Jin'Sai tumbling to the ground. Several warriors supporting the litter died immediately, torn apart by the blast, their bodies tumbling to the ground.

But Wigg's warp held, and other warriors quickly took the places of those who had died and righted the litter.

Suddenly the Black Ship materialized before them. Dark forms appeared in the sky and pounced upon the unprepared Minion warriors. In the first few moments, the K'tons' surprise attack cost at least one-third of the Minions their lives. As the airborne battle began in earnest, Tristan and Wigg saw how badly outnumbered they were.

Tristan looked back to see Wulfgar standing in the bow of his Black Ship. For the first time, the prince took in what had become of Wulfgar's face and left arm. The scarring, he realized, was the result of that night on the palace roof, when they had thought they had defeated him.

The two half brothers glared at each other. Finally Wulfgar spoke.

"So you and your wizard live." He smiled, the pink skin of his destroyed face contorting grotesquely. "Frankly, I'm surprised that Satine hasn't killed you by now. She's very good at what she does."

"She won't be carrying out any more of your orders," Tristan answered. "I killed her myself."

Wulfgar smiled again. "Such a pity," he said. "Tell me, Brother, how many of you did she manage to dispose of?"

As he thought of Lionel and Geldon, Tristan's blood rose hotly in his veins. But he would not rise to Wulfgar's provocation.

He turned again to the fighting. The battle had spread out in the sky, but his warriors were losing badly. Soon the fighting would be over, and every Minion in his phalanx would be lying dead on the ground below.

He looked back at Wulfgar. If he was going to take action, it had to be now.

"I know why you have come," Tristan said. "You wish to oversee the final destruction of the Orb of the Vigors. You must know that I ca

He held his hands out to his half brother.

"Surrender to me!" he said. "Call off your creatures and allow my wizard to enter your mind. I promise he will not harm you. Come with me back to Tammerland, my brother, I beg of you. Allow us one final chance to bring you to the light. Refuse, and I will have no choice but to destroy you."

Wulfgar laughed. "Look around, Jin'Sai," he shouted back. "Can't you see that you're losing this fight? No, it is you who must surrender to me!"

Tristan took a deep breath. "I will grant you a final chance," he said. "Either come with me now, or perish. You have been turned to the Vagaries, but that is not your fault. Let us help you. I have no wish to see my brother die this day."

Tristan stretched his hands out farther in a gesture of goodwill. His expression was almost compassionate.

Wulfgar stared at Tristan for several long moments. As the Jin'Sai and the Enseterat regarded each other, Wigg realized that he was witnessing a pivotal moment in the long history of the craft. Frozen, he held his breath.

"I ca

Tristan nodded sadly. "For the first time in my life, I know that," he said. "Then proceed as you must, Wulfgar. Just as I shall."

The Enseterat wasted no time. As the battle raged all about them, he raised his arms. Aghast, Wigg watched as Tristan did nothing to try to stop him.

The Orb of the Vigors materialized to the west. The huge, golden sphere seemed to take up the entire sky. It still shrieked in pain. Offshoots of the palest white radiated from its center, broke off, and fell toward the ground. Some of them landed on the fighting Minions and K'tons, killing them instantly.

The jagged tear in the orb's lower half continued to drip a golden, living energy. As that energy reached the ground, it created an ever-deepening crater in the earth and set grass fires that quickly spread. Choking smoke rose, and both Wulfgar's Black Ship and Tristan's litter shook violently as the first of the orb's shock waves struck them.

His heart pounding wildly, Wigg watched Wulfgar prepare to hasten the destruction of the orb. He had to remind himself that Tristan had told him not to interfere.

Twin bolts shot from Wulfgar's outstretched hands and headed straight for the gash in the orb. Tristan raised his hands with blinding speed and responded in kind.

The energy that streamed from Tristan's hands was the brightest Wigg had ever seen. More white than azure, it screamed toward Wulfgar's onrushing bolts. Wigg raised one arm before his face, fearing he might be struck blind by its awesome power. But he watched just the same, his need to know overshadowing his sense of personal safety.

With a massive explosion, Tristan's blinding energy slammed into Wulfgar's bolts, stopping them in midair. The two opposite manifestations of the craft flattened out against one another, each battling for supremacy.

Tristan's brow was covered with beads of sweat. Suddenly there was another explosion, and Wulfgar's bolts disappeared.

Stu

Amid all of the noise, death, and confusion, Wigg saw Wulfgar wave his damaged arms, wildly giving the order to retreat. The K'tons broke off the fight and returned to surround the Black Ship as she turned her great bulk in the air and sailed away. Wigg quickly went to Tristan's side.

"You mustn't let him escape!" Wigg shouted.

As the Black Ship shrank in the distance, Tristan turned to look at Wigg. Despite the recent strain, his face was calm.

"I know," he said. "Even though he is my brother, he must not be allowed to walk the earth."

He cast his gaze back to the Black Ship. Its dark form and the thousands of K'tons flying alongside would soon be lost from view. The Jin'Sai raised his hands.

At once, the Orb of the Vigors started to move again. As it rained down destruction, Tristan sent it in pursuit of the Black Ship.

Wigg's jaw dropped in awe. In more than three centuries, he had never seen anyone manipulate either of the orbs like this.

Tristan raised his hands higher. The orb obeyed his will and gained altitude. It was over the Black Ship in a matter of seconds.

The orb's golden energy poured down upon the Black Ship and the accompanying K'tons. When it struck the ship, the masts, sails, and decks began to melt away. Wulfgar, Cathmore, and the demonslaver crew were instantly vaporized. The hull of the great ship broke in two, each half a raging fireball plummeting toward the earth.