Desperate Measures

"General Foxx, wasn't expecting to see you here," said a tall chubby man in his late fifties, stretching his right hand to the General for a shake.

"Well, Alonso, some things are more important right now." The General walked passed the man without a care in the world. He had a very serious look on his face.

The General had been called upon by the Senior Military officials ruling the continent of Rivia for an important meeting. Every other General and major Military leader would be at the meeting, including the Heads of the other Military Magic Academies. General Foxx could tell by the amount of familiar but unpleasant faces he had seen ever since he walked into the building that something wasn't right.

Since the History of the War, the number of times that those in the high chain of command of the Rivian Military had gathered for a meeting like this could be counted on one hand. Whatever the reason behind this meeting, the General had a strong feeling the Academy was deeply involved.

With haste, he walked to the meeting room. He was dressed in his official Military regalia. Behind him were five agents, tough as a bull and as alert as a fly. Ever since the Leaders of the world were assassinated in their meeting room 50 years ago, security during official meetings has gotten extremely tough.

"Let's get this shit over with," General Foxx said under his breath as he took his seat at the high table.

The meeting room was designed to be occupied by 100 people; only those with real power over the happenings in the continent. Among them, General Foxx was the Head of the Leaders of all Magic Academies. In the entire continent, he was 7th in command.

After a few minutes of waiting, the meeting hall was filled with Military officials from every aspect of the continent. The tension in the air was so strong a muggle would go insane due to the immense Strength radiating from these powerful people. The least person in the room was an A- Rank Mage.

"Let's begin," said Commander Zane, the current Chief of the Armed Forces into the microphone on the table before him. "I'm sure you all are curious as to why this meeting was called all of a sudden. I know how busy each and every one of you are so rest assured if it wasn't greatly important you won't be here. While I congratulate your efforts on taking down our so very determined enemies, it's best you all are aware of the current state of the war.

"I would be deceiving you all if I told you the war is anywhere close to being over. In fact, we are losing. Rivia is losing. Out of the 1,450,000 Enemy Protection Bases erected at the borders of the continent, only 800,000 are running at full capacity. Others have either been conquered or abandoned. All that damage was done during 3 years. In order words, if we don't do something to change the current shape of things, Polaris, Azania, Infernis, Elysia, Kanis, and Celestia will break into our borders before the decade runs out. I want you all to think very deeply and very hard and tell me something bloody useful!!" Zane roared, anger evident in his thundering voice.

For some minutes, there was murmuring heard all around the Hall. Everyone knew how bad the consequences would be if the enemy SuperNations got through all of Rivia's defenses and into the motherland. The last time that happened 20 years ago, blood soaked the outer cities of Rivia, and the continent was nearly conquered.

Silencing the crowd, a short thin, and bald man stood up to speak.

"Commander Zane, clearly the problem we are faced with is the burden of weak Muggle soldiers and Mages. Almost 75% of the Armed Forces are C-Rank Mages, 21% are B-Rank, 4.6% A-Rank and 0.4% are within AA-Rank and S-Rank. We've managed to protect and expand the motherland for decades now, but I'm afraid our enemies can no longer be subdued by such manpower," The Colonel explained, eyes straight at Zane.

"You're right, Colonel. That's obviously a branch of the entire problem. What do you proffer as a solution to that?" Zane replied with his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose.

"For one, I don't think we can depend on the Muggle soldiers to hold the lines for us any longer. They may have the advantage of population but now we know that means nothing in the face of a troop of B-Rank enemy Mages. It's time we make the Muggles of more use to the motherland," the Colonel adjusted the frame of his glasses on his short nose.

"Where are you going with this Colonel?" Zane questioned, his interest piqued.

"Our scientists tell us that Muggles with 0% Mana Potential are worthless and can never wield Mana. Thousands of Muggle lives are lost every day at the front lines. I think it's time we find a better way to put them to good use."

All eyes were on the Colonel.

"What do you mean?"

"Human Morphology," The Colonel blurted out, earning a gasp of shock from the crowd that surrounded him.

Commander Zane stood up with his hands fisted into balls on the table before him.

"Do you have any idea what you're suggesting? That kind of Magic is forbidden and I need not remind you why. If you don't have anything else to…"

"With all due respect Commander, desperate times call for desperate measures," the Colonel voiced out, cutting Zane off. "How long do any of you think this Nation is going to last playing by the unfavorable rules set up by our predecessors during a favorable time? Since we can not influence the Rank of a Mage by any means, no use of Human Morphology Magic is one of several laws we will have to break if we are to win this war."

For the next 10 minutes that followed, there was silence in the hall. Little by little, everyone was beginning to see meaning in his words. When the war initially began, there was chaos all over the earth. It didn't take long for the world to be exposed to the dark side of Mana.

Besides the Power Ranking of F-Rank to S-Rank, Mana was further Ranked according to its destructive nature. To prevent the destruction of the Earth and all life therein, boundaries were placed on certain Magic Affinities. All those who wielded them were hunted down and killed and every trace of their existence extinguished. Today, those Affinities are known to be Forbidden Affinities. Awakening one was punishable by death.

Among the long list of Forbidden Affinities was Human Morphology Magic. The power to turn a Human into another creature. The stronger the Mage, the stronger the creature the Human could be transformed into. Those who were afflicted by this Magic would be unable to return to their original Human form and would forever remain mindless slaves of the Mage who cursed them.

Nonetheless, Cursed Beasts were known to be highly destructive. A single S-Rank Cursed Beast possesses the strength to wipe out battalions of over 5000 A-Rank Magic Knights.

As everyone was in thought of the Colonel's suggestion, Zane's 2nd in Command, stood up to speak. He had raven black hair and eyes to match. Although in his late forties, he was among the percentage of Soldiers here with an exceptional physical build. He had a dark aura of power and fear around him.

"All those in support of breaking the old laws and making use of Forbidden Magic should kindly signify by raising their left hand." Commander Rashid scanned the hall with his eyes as he spoke. Clearly, he was being serious.

It didn't take long before hands were raised in the air. More than fifty percent of the Hall had their hands raised. It didn't come as a shock to Rashid, being in full support of the idea. He was 10 steps ahead of them. If only Zane knew what Rashid and Foxx had planned for the new recruits at the Platinum Magic Academy.

"That's settled," Rashid turned to Zane with a sinister smirk. "Forbidden Magic it is."