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omentum kept him running in whatever direction he'd taken； and as he hit a muddy spot on one turn； only a great deal of dancing let him stay afoot and keep from smashing into a tree beside the trail。
Now he saw that Raj Ahten had kept his running speed down to a hundred miles per hour for good reason。 It didn't feel safe to run faster。
Yet Orden sped up； for his life and the lives of all his people depended on it。 He raced higher up Tor Loman； through the white…trunked aspens； under their golden leaves。
As he climbed one hill； looked down into the sun…dappled glen below； he saw a huge hart； its antlers wider than a man's arm span。 Startled； it leapt gracefully in the air； seemingly to hang just a few feet above the ground。
I could run that deer down in a heartbeat； Orden realized； as he raced toward it； passing a span behind as it dropped toward a creek。
Orden climbed toward the pines； running up a rocky； narrow crag。 Ahead； he saw the glint of dark metal as Raj Ahten entered the woods。
The sound of the steel rings in mail warned Raj Ahten of a pursuer。 He glanced back。 Orden rushed up the trail。
Raj Ahten could not imagine someone running fast enough to catch him。 He redoubled his speed。 The trail now led straight between the dark pines。 A shaft of sunlight shone at the trail's end。 Beyond it stood the red sandstone of the Eyes of Tor Loman。
Raj Ahten knew that fleeing was useless。 Orden was gaining on him； and had the greater speed。
〃I have you！〃 Orden shouted in triumph； a hundred yards behind。
Raj Ahten decided to use Orden's speed against him。 He crested a small rise； leapt。 He felt a sharp pain in his right leg； for his fibula snapped on takeoff。
He knew he could heal in seconds。
As Raj Ahten rose； he twisted； drew the hatchet from his belt； and hurled just where Orden should be。
To his surprise； Orden had begun to stutter…step； slowing。 The hatchet should have cleaved him at something close to two hundred miles per hour； but the aim was high。
Deftly； Orden dodged under the projectile。
Raj Ahten's trajectory carried him high。 Though the break in his leg seemed minor； it did not have time to do more than begin healing before he hit ground。
His tibia snapped； along with the first break； and he tried to let himself roll forward； take the weight from his fall on his good leg and shoulders。
As Raj Ahten came up； Orden fell on him； hacking viciously with his short sword。 With Orden having so many endowments of metabolism； Raj Ahten could not prepare for the assault。
Raj Ahten leaned back from the attack。 Orden's first swing hit him full in the throat。 Crimson droplets sprayed from Raj Ahten's neck； and he felt the chink of metal as the blade struck bone。
King Orden exulted as he saw the horrible wound； watched flesh peel from Raj Ahten's throat； saw the Wolf Lord's handsome eyes widen in terror。
Yet the blade had hardly cleared Raj Ahten's flesh when the wound began to close over； seamlessly。 The man had so many endowments of stamina； he seemed no longer human。
The Sum of All Men； Orden feared； that creature which drew life from so many people that it could no longer be classified as mortal； could no longer die。 Raj Ahten was being a Power； one to vie the elements or the Time Lords。
The chronicles spoke of it。 The chronicles said Daylan Hammer had lived in Mystarria for a time； sixteen centuries past； before he went south； seeking to suffer in silence。 For immortality had bee a burden。 Daylan's Dedicates passed away； yet he could not die； for in some fashion he had been transformed。 The gifts transmitted through the forcibles remained with him eternallyunwanted； a curse。
Orden had perfect recall； and he saw the words now before him； as he'd read them while young； studying the fragment of an ancient chronicle written by a distant forefather：
〃Having loved his fellow men too deeply； Daylan found that life became a burden。 For men he befriended； women he loved； blossomed and died like the roses of a single season； while he alone remained perennial。 So he sought solitude beyond Inkarra； in the Isles of Illienne； and I suppose he lives there still。〃
All this flashed through Orden's mind as his sword cleared Raj Ahten's throat； then he realized he had swung so hard that the blade was getting away from him。 Pain filled his arm as he strained muscles and pulled tendons； trying to hold it。
The sword flashed away into a bed of ferns upon the knoll。
He had no other weapon。 But Raj Ahten still sat； frozen in horror at the power of his attack。 Orden leapt； kicking at Raj Ahten's head with all his might。
He wore the steel…toed hoots of war； each with a heavy bar across the toe。 The blow； he knew； would shatter his own leg。 But it could also crush Raj Ahten's skull。
As Orden kicked； Raj Ahten twisted away。 Orden's heel struck beneath Raj Ahten's epaulets。
A ripping pain tore through Orden's leg as every bone in it shattered； a pain so profound it wrung a cry from his throat。
Yet if I ruin myself； Orden thought； then I ruin Raj Ahten。 Raj Ahten's shoulder crumpled。 Orden felt the bones of the Wolf Lord's arm snap； followed by his collarbones； then the ribs caving in； one by one； snapping like twigs beneath his heel。
Raj Ahten screamed like one dying。
Orden landed on Raj Ahten's shoulder； and sat for what seemed a few seconds； gasping； wondering what to do next。 He rolled off the Wolf Lord； to see if the man had died。
To his astonishment； Raj Ahten groaned in pain； rolled in the grass。 The impression of Orden's boot lay stamped on the Wolf Lord's shoulder。
The scapula had caved in。 Raj Ahten's right arm twisted at an unnatural angle。 The flesh of his shoulder was pushed down six inches。
Raj Ahten lay in the grass； eyes glazed with pain。 Blood frothed from his mouth。 The Wolf Lord's dark eyes and chiseled face were so beautiful in that moment； Orden marveled。 He'd never seen the Wolf Lord so close； in all his glamour。 It took Orden's breath away。
〃Serve me；〃 Raj Ahten whispered fervently。
In that second； Mendellas Draken Orden was swept away by the force of Raj Ahten's glamour； and wished to serve him with his whole heart。
Then the second passed； and he grew frightened： for something moved beneath Raj Ahten's armor； the shoulder settled and swelled； settled once again； as if years of inflammation and healing and pain all rolled into one infinite； heart…stopping moment。 The shoulder finally grew to a bulbous hump。
Orden tried to roll to his feet； knowing the fight was not over。
Raj Ahten crawled after him； grasped Orden's right arm by the wrist； and smashed his helm into Orden's own shoulder； so hard that the helm was jarred loose from Raj Ahten's head。
Bones shattered all along Orden's arm； and he cried out。 He writhed on the ground； his right leg a ruin； his arm and shoulder useless。
Raj Ahten backed away； stood gasping for breath。 〃It is a shame； King Orden。 You should have taken more stamina。 My bones are already fully healed。 How many days will it be until you can say the same？〃 He kicked hard； snapping Orden's good leg。 Orden collapsed to the ground； on his hack。
〃Where are my forcibles？〃 Raj Ahten said calmly。
Orden gave no answer。
Raj Ahten kicked King Orden in the face。
Blood spurted from Orden's right eye； and he felt it hanging against his cheek。 Orden fell to the ground in a near faint； and covered his face with his good hand。 Raj Ahten kicked his unprotected ribs。 Something tore loose inside； and Orden began coughing； spewing flecks of blood。
〃I'll kill you！〃 King Orden spat。 〃I swear it！〃
It was a vain threat。 Orden couldn't fight back。 He needed to die。 Needed Raj Ahten to kill him so the serpent ring would break and another warrior could fight in his stead。
King Orden began to cough； he could hardly breathe in air so thick； so liquid。 Raj Ahten kicked his ribs again； so that Orden lay gasping。
Raj Ahten turned and scrambled up the trail fifty yards； through dry grass filled with yellow tansy； to the base of the Eyes of Tor Loman。 A stone stair spiraled three times outside the circumference of the tower。 Raj Ahten scrambled up it； limping painfully； one shoulder five inches lower than the other。 Though his face looked beautiful； he seemed from the back to be little more than just another twisted hunchback。 His right arm hung askew； and his right leg might have healed； but it looked shorter than the left。
Orden panted； sweated with exertion； tried to breathe in air that felt thick as honey。 The grass near his head smelled so rich； he wanted to lie in it a moment； to rest。
On the heath； Iome and Gaborn rode side by side through the great throng。 Gaborn held a shield high； and carried one of the Duke's lances。 Tied atop it was a bit of a red curtain from the windows of the Duke's Keep。 A white circle of cloth pinned in its middle would make it look； at a great distance； much like the Orb of Internook。
That is； it would appear like Internook's colors to anyone watching twenty miles away。 Gaborn suspected Raj Ahten's far…seers would be watching。 It was standard tactics during any siege to place scouts all around the battle。
For the past half…hour； Gaborn had been busy worrying about the logistics of what he did： trying to drive a couple of hundred thousand head of cattle and horses across the plain was hard work。 Even the experienced drovers and horsemen in the retinue could not manage the task easily。
The work was made harder by inexperienced boys who tried desperately to help but who tended to startle the cattle at every turn。 Gaborn feared that at any moment； the huge herd might stampede right or left； tramping the women and children who bore shields in a great line before the herd； as if they were warriors。
Yet as he watched the skies above Longmont； fear seized Gaborn even more。 The skies looked gray overhead； but far on the horizon darkness flashed as Raj Ahten's flameweavers pulled fire from the heavens。
Gaborn feared he had caused it； that his ruse had led Raj Ahten to hurry his attack on Longmont rather than to simply drive the Wolf Lord off in terror； as Gaborn had hoped to do。
As he rode； words began to form in his mind； a half…remembered spell from an ancient tome。 Though he'd never fancied himself as one with earth powers； now he found himself chanting；
〃Earth that betrays us； on the wind； bee a cloak to hide us； wrapped within。 Dust that reveals us； in the sky； Hide our numbers from the predator's eye。〃
Gaborn felt shocked that such a spell had e unbidden to his mind。 Yet at that moment； he recalled the spell； and it felt right to speak it； as if he had stumbled upon the key to a nearly forgotten door。
The earth powers are growing in me； he realized。 He did not yet know what he would bee。
He worried for his father； and as he did so； he felt the man's imminent danger； felt danger wrapped around him like grave clothes。
Gaborn hoped his father could hold out through the attack。 He raised his war horn to his lips； blew once； and all around him； others did the same。 Before his army； the marchers began singing songs of war。
Raj Ahten had dozens of far…seers in his retinue； but none were like him； none had so many endowments of sight。 Raj Ahten did not know how many endowments he had； but he knew it numbered in the thousands。 He could discern the veins in a fly's wings at a hundred yards； could see as clearly by starlight as the average man did by sunlight。 While most men with so many endowments of sight would have gone day…blind； Raj Ahten's stamina let him withstand the full sun。
It took nothing to spot the towering cloud to the east； an army marching on him。
As he made his way up the tower； Raj Ahten kept searching to the south and west for signs of Vishtimnu's army； signs of help。 With his heightened metabolism； it seemed he scanned the horizon for many long minutes for sign of a yellow pennant rising through the forest canopy； or the glint of sunlight on metal； the dust rising from the march of many feet； or the color that mankind had no name forthe hue of warm bodies。
But there are limits even to a far…seer's vision。 He could not see through walls； and the forest canopy off to the west was wall enough that it could have hidden many armies。 Moreov