Sword-Breaker (Tiger and Del)

Sword-Breaker (Tiger and Del) by Roberson, Jennifer. mass_market edition. ISBN: 9780886774769.

Accused of murdering a man the Southern tribes believe to be their messiah, but who is actually the slayer of Dels family, Tiger and Del flee across the deadly Punja desert, hunted by religious zealots and sword-dancer assassins. But evading death by assassins blades is only one of the challenges they face. For Tigers sword, Samiel, has been possessed by the spirit of the deadly sorcerer, Chosa Dei—a wizard out of legend with the power to unmake the entire world, a master of evil who seeks to mold Tiger into his ultimate weapon of destruction. Tiger and Del have only one hope left—to find and gain the help of Chosa Deis equally powerful counterpart and sworn enemy, Shaka Obre. But Shaka Obre has not bee nseen in the world for hundreds of years, and it may be beyond even the combined magical abilities of Tiger and Del to find this wizard who is their only chance for salvation...