distinctfaces could be seen in that one face, each concentrating fully onthe being of darkness. The seven faces each resembled one of thegreat wizards, but were somehow perfected. This was what they wouldhave looked like in a perfect universe free of evil anddarkness.
The two great beings were locked in the exactsame stance, perfect mirrors of each other. The look on their faceswas one of pure concentration and control. Each had both his handsforward, held in a claw-like shape, with the right hand slightlyforward of the left. From the great wizard’s right hand came a beamof pure light that the great sorcerer was blocking with his lefthand, and from the great sorcerer’s right hand came a beam of puredarkness that the great wizard was blocking with his left hand.
While all this was going on, none of usnoticed that the station was destroyed; we just kept fighting therein the hard, cold vacuum of space. We just kept at him, all ourpowers combined as one pouring into his defenses, and doing all wecould to survive long enough to outlast his shields.
Then the unexpected happened. A bolt ofenergy came in and hit the old sorcerer, then another, and another.Soon there were hundreds upon hundreds of bolts of energy peltinghim, overpowering his defenses and utterly destroying him.
The seven of us stood there floating in thehard vacuum and looked around to see what was left of the threefleets arrayed around us. I saw the Dragon Claw, heavily damaged,but intact and I teleported our group to the command deck.
Upon arriving I saw the captain in his chair,and he stood and said, “Sorry to break up your party, but it wasgetting awful stagnant.” I realized what had happened. When thestation was destroyed, the summoned army must have been wiped out.That freed up the Imperial forces and he brought them to bearagainst the old sorcerer. Even he could not stop that muchpower.
I reached out and cast my voice on every shipthat was left while Andreya put my image on every screen. I simplysaid, “This day we stood united, and have claimed victory over thegreatest power of darkness ever to be gathered together.” Thisbrought cheers and much joy to the men, but I could not share init. The burden of the death toll was too great to bear. I did notwant to know the numbers; seeing the remains of the battle wasenough.
The captain walked over to me, put his handon my shoulder and locked eyes with me. “Vydor, I said you would bea great leader one day, and today you proved it. Forget not theprice we paid this day, but do not let it burden you. Everyone whocame to this battle knew it could be their last, but they werewilling to stand and fight for the vision you created. Today youled the combined forces of wizards and men to fight a foul diseasethat could have destroyed everything we stand for, and you did itwell. Focus on the victory, not the cost.”
“Thank you, Captain. I must go contact Mantisand see where the other six master sorcerers are,” I said.
“Which did we kill?” he asked.
“The grandmaster,” I said with a grin I didnot truly feel. Then all the wizards and I returned to theNevermore, and the Crystal Room. As we entered the room a call wascoming in from Mantis. “Come,” I said in reply.
He appeared looking tired and battle-worn.Kellyn quickly gave up her chair for him. I was sure we looked justas bad as he did. I surely felt like it.
Once he settled in I said, “We have defeatedthe grandmaster.”
This brought a light to his eyes and a smileto his face. “That explains their retreat in our realm.”
“So you are victorious there?” I asked.
“Yes, apparently thanks to you. We were veryhard-pressed, and faced overwhelming odds. I do not know how theyraised such a huge army so quickly. We fought with everything wecould. Our only hope was that we could hold on long enough for youto win here and send help to us. We managed to lock them in astalemate, and suddenly their numbers starting dropping off, andtheir power started to fail. We moved to take advantage of thisweakness and started to regain some lost ground. It was not longafter that they withdrew completely from the battlefield,” hesaid.
“Any idea where the other six are?” Iasked.
“No. They were with the forces thatretreated. They must have stayed in our realm to keep us busy,believing their grandmaster could take you alone,” he said. “I mustsay, I am very impressed you were able to take him.”
“We could not have done so alone. We werelocked in a stalemate with him for a long time; how long I do notknow. The stalemate ended when every ship we had left turned itspower on him, and our united attack was far too great for evenhim,” I said.
“Amazing. Simply amazing, that in the end itwas the mundanes who won the greatest war ever fought betweensorcerers and wizards,” he said. “With your leave, I must return tomy realm and bring them this information.”
“Yes, go, but be sure to keep in touch, as wehave only pushed back the darkness. It is not yet defeated,” Ireplied.
