Galladon nodded, clapping Raoden on the shoulder. "Prepare a ship!" the Dula ordered to a group of soldiers-the last remnants of the Elantris City Guard.
It will be too late! Raoden thought with sorrow. What good is power, what good is Elantris, if I can't use it to protect the one I love?
"One million, three hundred twenty-seven thousand. forty-two," said a voice from behind Raoden.
Raoden turned with surprise. Adien stood a short distance away, his skin shining with a silvery Elantrian glow. His eyes betrayed none of the mental retardation that had eursed him since birth: instead they stared lucidly ahead.
"Adien," Raoden said with surprise. "You're…"
The young man, looking strikingly like Lukel now that he was healed, stepped forward. "I… I feel like my entire life has been a dream, Raoden. I remember everything that happened. But. 1 eouldn't interact-I couldn't say anything. That's changed now, but one thing remains the same. My mind… I've always been able to figure numbers…"
"Footsteps." Raoden whispered.
"One million. three hundred twenty-seven thousand, forty-two," Adien repeated. "That is how many steps it is to Teod. Measure my stride. and use that as your unit."
"Hurry, my lord!" Ashe exclaimed with fear. "She's in danger. Mai-he's watching the princess now. He says she's surrounded. Oh, Domi! Hurry!"
"Where, Seon!" Raoden snapped, kneeling down and measuring Adien's stride with a strip of cloth.
"Near the docks, my lord," Ashe said. "She's standing on the main road leading to the docks!"
"Adien!" Raoden said, drawing a line in his Aon that duplicated the length of the boy's stride.
"One million, three hundred twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and five." Adien said. "That will take you to the docks." He looked up, frowning. "I… I'm not sure how I know that. I went there as a child once, but…"
It'll have to be enough, Raoden thought. He reached up and wrote a modifier beside his Aon, telling it to transport him one million, three hundred twenty-six thousand, eight hundred and five lengths of the line.
"Sule. this is insane!" Galladon said.
Raoden looked at his friend, nodded in agreement, then with a broad stroke drew the Chasm line across his Aon.
"You are in charge of Arelon until I return, my friend," Raoden said as Aon Tia began to shake. spewing light before him. He reached up and grabbed the center of the trembling Aon, and his fingers latched on to it, as if it were solid.
'dos Domi, he prayed, if you have ever heard my prayers before, direct my path 710W. Then, hoping Ashe had the angle correct, he felt the Aon's power rush through and envelop his body. A moment later the world disappeared.
Sarene pressed her back against the hard brick wall. Dilaf approached with gleeful eyes. He crept forward, his line of monks closing on Sarene.
It was over. There was nowhere for her to run.
Suddenly, a spray of light crashed into one of the monks, throwing the creature into the air. Stupefied, Sarene watched the monk's body as it arced before her, then fell to the ground with a thud. The other monks paused, stunned.
A figure dashed between the surprised line of monks, scrambling toward Sarene. His skin was silvery, his hair a blazing white, his face…
"Raoden?" she asked with shock.
Dilaf growled, and Sarene yelped as the priest dove at Raoden, moving supernaturally quickly. Yet somehow Raoden reacted just as quickly. spinning and backing away before Dilaf's attack. The king's hand whipped out, scrawling a quick Aon in the air.
A burst of light shot from the Aon, the air warping and twisting around it. The bolt took DiIaf in the chest and exploded, throwing the monk backward. Dilaf crashed into the side of a building and collapsed to the ground. Then, however, the priest groaned, stumbling back to his feet.
Raoden cursed. He dashed the short distance and grabbed Sarene. "Hold on." he ordered, his free hand tracing another Aon. The designs Raoden crafted around Aon Tia were complex, but his hand moved dexterously. He finished it just as Dilaf's men reached them.
Sarene's body lurched, much as it had when Dilaf had brought them to Teod. Light surrounded her. shaking and pulsing. A brief second later the world returned. Sarene stumbled in confusion. falling against the familiar Teoish cobblestones.
She looked up with surprise. About fifty feet down the street she could see the bare chests of Dilaf's monks standing in a confused circle. One of them raised a hand, pointing at Raoden and Sarene.
"Idos Domi!" Raoden cursed. "I forgot what the books said! The Aons grow weaker the farther one goes from Elantris."
"You can't get us home?" Sarene asked, climbing to her feet.
"Not by Aon, I can't," Raoden said. Then, taking her hand, he started running.
Her mind was so full of questions the entire world seemed a confused jumble. What had happened to Raoden? How had he recovered from the wound Dilaf gave him? She choked the questions back. It was enough that he had come.
Frantic, Raoden searched for a means of escape. Perhaps alone he could have outrun Dilaf's men, but never with Sarene in tow. Their street emptied onto the docks, where Teod's large warships were ponderously moving from the bay to engage a fleet bearing Fjorden's flag. A man in royal green robes stood at the far side of the docks, conversing with a couple of adjuncts. King Eventeo-Sarene's father. The king didn't see them, instead turning to walk in a rushed step down a side alley.
"Father!" Sarene yelled out, but the distance was too far.
Raoden could hear footsteps approaching. He spun. thrusting Sarene behind
him, and raised his arms to begin an Aon Daa with each hand. The Aons were weaker in Teod, but they weren't ineffectual.
Dilaf held up a hand, slowing his men. Raoden froze, unwilling to commit himself to a final battle unless he had to. What was Dilaf waiting for?
Bare-chested monks poured from alleys and streets. Dilaf smiled, waiting as his warriors gathered. Within a few minutes his group had grown from twelve to fifty, and Raoden's odds had plummeted from bad to hopeless.
"Not much of a rescue." Sarene muttered, stepping forward to stand next to Raoden, staring down the group of monstrosities with a contemptuous air.
Her defiant irony brought a smile to Raoden's lips. "Next time, I'll remember to bring an army with me."
Dilaf's monks charged. Raoden completed his duplicate Aons-sending out a pair of powerful energy blasts-then quickly began drawing again. Yet, holding to his waist with tense hands, Sarene could see that Raoden wouldn't finish before the supernaturally quick warriors arrived.
The docks shook with a powerful force. Wood cracked and stone shattered, and an explosion of wind blasted across her. She had to cling to Raoden's somehow more stable body to keep from being thrown to the ground. When she finally dared open her eyes, they were surrounded by hundreds of silver-skinned forms.
"Aon Daa!" Galladon ordered with a booming voice.
Two hundred hands raised in the air. scribbling Aons. About half of them made mistakes, their Aons evaporating. Enough finished, however, to send a wave of destruction toward Dilaf's men that was so powerful it tore completely through the first few monks.
Bodies collapsed and others were thrown backward. The remaining monks paused in shock, staring at the Elantrians.
Then the Dakhor scattered in an offensive charge, turning from Raoden and Sarene to attack this new foe.
Dilaf was the only one of his men who thought to duck. The rest, confidently arrogant in their strength, simply allowed the powerful blasts to hit them.
Fools! Dilaf thought as he rolled away. Every Dakhor was blessed with special skills and powers. They all had increased strength and nearly indestructible bones, but only Dilaf bore the power that made him resistant to attacks by the Dor-a power that had required the deaths of fifty men to create. He felt. rather than saw, as his men were torn apart by the Elantrians' attack.