Reign of Madness (Revised Edition) by Kel Kade

away.
    Anxious about the number of people surrounding it and Reaylin’s
sudden shout, the donkey lifted its head and began kicking its legs in an
attempt to rise. When its broken leg shifted, the creature bellowed and shook
its head, gnashing its teeth at the air. Wesson threw his arms around the
injured animal’s neck and stroked its head with soft, comforting whispers. A
crisp tingle filled the air that Rezkin recognized as a mage’s power in use.
The beast groaned and laid its head back on the hard packed dirt of the road.
    Rezkin pulled the dagger from his waist and said, “Well
then, there is only one thing left to do. Journeyman Wesson, would you prefer
to do this yourself or shall I?”
    The young man did not look at Rezkin as he answered, “I-…I
cannot.” His mouth clamped shut as he choked on his words.
    Rezkin nodded once, even though no one was looking at him.
Everyone’s eyes were staring pitifully at the young mage – except
Reaylin’s. Hers were glued to the suffering donkey that flicked her ears and
occasionally released a shuddering puff of air. Rezkin motioned to the packs
and said, “Perhaps you all should gather these packs and head up the road a
way. I will join you when I am finished.”
    Lieutenant Drascon stepped forward and offered, “Lord
Rezkin, I can perform the deed, if you prefer to join the others.”
    Rezkin, in his fancy doublet and polished boots, met the
soldier’s eyes. “Thank you for your offer, Lieutenant Drascon, but I am
capable. I would prefer for you see to your duties and keep watch over the
others,” he remarked, motioning mostly toward Frisha.
    Drascon’s eyes found Captain Jimson who tilted his head in
affirmation. The lieutenant nodded once and said, “Of course, my lord, as you
wish.”
    Frisha and Tam each collected a few packs and then followed
the soldiers a few dozen paces down the road. Captain Jimson wandered in the
opposite direction, and to Rezkin’s approval, surveyed the trees around them.
Journeyman Wesson still had not moved. After a moment, he heaved a heavy sigh
and hung his head as he shuffled after the others. Reaylin finally pulled her
eyes off of the injured animal and met Rezkin’s crystal gaze. She looked like a
cornered wild animal, her eyes imploring.
    “Wait,” she snapped. Wesson stopped and turned to look at
the young woman, his face full of hope and apprehension. “You-…you said I don’t
have to do anything, right? I mean, you just use my…um, power…and do the
healing yourself?”
    Wesson spoke calmly, soothingly, as he said, “For the most
part. You would have to call up your power, which I can help you do; and you
would need to direct your will , but I can form the healing for you.”
    “Direct my will ?” Reaylin asked uneasily.
    “It just means you would need to focus your intent. You have
to want to heal the injury and focus your power on doing so.” At seeing
Reaylin’s lack of confidence and discomfort, he attempted a different approach.
“You carry a bow,” he nodded toward the bow strapped to Reaylin’s horse. “When
you take aim at a target, you are directing your will at hitting the target.
You are not focusing on hitting the trees or rocks around the target, but on
the target, itself, and on what you wish to do.”
    Reaylin, understanding more with the bow and arrow analogy,
nodded her head.
    “It is the same thing with the vimara , our mage power.
You focus on what you want to hit. But…it is not just about hitting the right
target. You need to tell the vimara what you want it to do once it hits the
target. Like making a sandwich,” he said almost cheerfully. It was obvious he
enjoyed talking about mage things.
    “A sandwich?” Reaylin asked skeptically.
    Wesson nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, like a sandwich. You
take the ingredients and put them together, but you do not want to smash them
into a pulp or slap them together haphazardly so they are falling out all over
the place. You want to stack