Free My Brother's Keeper by Alanea Alder Page B

so-called reapers and not break a sweat. You're used to working with witches that are under five hundred years old. Storm Keep will only allow young witches to serve in the units outside of Storm Keep. Once they hit five hundred years old, they have to return to the city where they continue their studies and are assessed. If they are deemed too weak to serve the city as a witch, they can resume their positions amongst the units; however, most do fairly well and go on to master their chosen field of magic."
    Aiden stood, his face a mask of anger. "Why? Why are we struggling and losing good men when Storm Keep could turn the tide easily by sending out older witches?"
    Kendrick shrugged lazily. "Why doesn't Noctem Falls send out their older vampires, those capable of mind control and illusions? Why doesn't Éire Danu let warriors use their portals? No, race is willing to give up their best and brightest; nor are they willing to share valuable secrets. These terms were agreed to when the pillar cities were formed and the units created. Besides, I don't think it's a simple case of throwing magic at something. Even if you had the power of the older witches at your command, it wouldn't do you much good. Most of them specialize in only one form of magic. I know men who have dedicated centuries to perfecting a single spell. You might get one or two spells out of them, and then they would be cannon fodder. You're actually better off with younger witches who can take orders and cast multiple types of spells repeatedly."
    Aiden sat back down his brows pulled together. "What about you? I doubt you would end up cannon fodder."
    Behind Aiden, Ryuu began to chuckle. " Heika is an exception to the general rule when it comes to the witches."
    "So we kinda lucked out that he's Keelan's brother?" Meryn asked.
    Kendrick smiled at her. "Pretty much."
    Aiden scowled up at the squire. "Any other words of wisdom?"
    Ryuu nodded. "You remember the old saying about these types of tricky situations?"
    "Follow the money?" Meryn quipped.
    Ryuu shook his head. "No. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer."
    "I don't want to be closer to that douchebag," Meryn complained.
    Kendrick snapped his fingers. "Meryn, you've given me a great idea."
    "You're going to follow the money?" she asked.
    "No, but if I can get ahold of enough necklaces, I may be able to trace the magic back to the caster. It all depends on how they were created."
    "What do you mean?" Anne asked.
    Kendrick wondered how he could explain higher magic in terms they would understand. "For everyday magic, the caster relies on his own power; it's like a well stored inside of them. But for higher, more complicated magic, a caster has two options: gain the power of a higher being or offer the universe something in exchange for what you are asking."
    Anne's eyes lit up. "I know what you're talking about!"
    Kendrick stared at her in shock. "You do?"
    She nodded. "I saw this in Fullmetal Alchemist . I think it goes something like, 'Humankind cannot obtain anything without first giving up something in return. To obtain or create something, something of equal value must be lost; that is alchemy's First Law Of Equivalent Exchange.' In the show, two brothers try to resurrect their dead mother, but the price was too great. Just making the attempt cost one brother an arm and a leg and the other his entire body. His soul had to be attached to a suit of armor."
    Kendrick fumed. "Between video games and anime, any teenager can learn the sacred arts; it isn't right."
    "What video game? If it teaches magic, I'm so in." Meryn declared.
    "It's an RPG; I can show you later," Anne promised.
    Aiden, looking a bit pale, turned to Kendrick. "It's just a game right? They can't really learn magic, can they?"
    Kendrick growled and thumped his fingers on the table. "I have no idea. Then again, I didn't know they were teaching the masses alchemy via anime either. Knowledge gained with no effort is like handing a child