Brandon Sanderson - Elantris

"Sule!" Galladon called with concern, rushing up behind him.

Raoden didn't respond. He topped the wall, pushing his way through the crowds of people who stood looking over the remains of Kae. They parted as they

realized who he was, some kneeling and mumbling "Your Majesty." Their voices were awed. In him they saw a return to their former lives. Hopeful, luxurious lives filled with ample food and time. Lives nearly forgotten over a decade of tyranny.

Raoden gave them no heed. continuing until he stood on the northern wall, which overlooked the broad blue Sea of Fjorden. On the other side of those waters lay Teod. And Sarene.

"Seon," Raoden ordered, "show me the exact direction Teod's capital is from this point."

Ashe hovered for a moment, then moved to a spot in front of Raoden, marking a point on the horizon. "If you wanted to sail to Teod, my lord, you would go in this direction."

Raoden nodded, trusting the Seon's innate sense of direction. He began to draw. He constructed Aon Tia with frantic hands, his fingers tracing patterns he had learned by rote, never thinking they would do any good. Now, with Elantris somehow feeding the Aons' strength, lines no longer simply appeared in the air when he drew-they exploded. Light streamed from the Aon, as if his fingers were ripping tiny holes through a mighty dam, allowing only some of the water to squirt through.

"Stile!" Galladon said, finally catching up to him. "Sule. what is going on?" Then, apparently recognizing the Aon, he cursed. "Doloken, Raoden. you don't know what you're doing!"

"I am going to Teod," Raoden said, continuing to draw.

"But sule," Galladon protested. "You yourself told me how dangerous Aon Tia can be. What was it you said? If you don't know the exact distance you need to travel, you could be killed. You can't go into this blind. Kolo?"

"It's the only way. Galladon," Raoden said. "I have to at least try."

Galladon shook his head. laying a hand on Raoden's shoulder. "Sule, a meaningless attempt won't prove anything but your stupidity. Do you even know how far it is to Teod?"

Raoden's hand fell slowly to his side. He was no geographer; he knew Teod was about four days' sail, but he had no practical knowledge of how many miles or feet that was. He had to work a frame of reference into Aon Tia, give it some sort of measurement, so that it knew how far to send him.

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.