An Unforgettable Warning

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

"No!" Zane replied with stern eyes and a tone coated with an aura of superiority. "Not while I'm the Ruler of Rivia!" He stood up and pointed to the Colonel who had made the suggestion in the first place. "Agents!"

The doors into the Hall opened and two men dressed in an all-black suit with a tough appearance walked in.

"Arrest this man. First thing tomorrow he is to be shipped off to the front lines to defend it. Understood?" Zane instructed, his eyes red with rage.

The Agents walked to the Colonel, grabbed him, and dragged him out of the Hall. His screams of apology to Zane fell on deaf ears. Zane had indirectly sentenced him to death. The tension in the building increased to the extent that if one listened well enough, he could hear the heartbeats of the frightened Militants.

"Anyone else so much as breathes a word about Forbidden Magic and you'll be joining him at the lines. I don't care how drastic the situation is, I won't take the risk of endangering the Earth just so Rivia wins this war," Zane shouted, his chest heaving. "There are other solutions to our Manpower problem so would someone please stand up and tell me something that doesn't involve me turning my men into Demons?"

Zane sat back on his chair and closed his eyes for a few seconds for a breather. Then he opened them and turned to Rashid who was seated beside him to his right. The murmuring amongst people in the hall continued.

"This wasn't what I had in mind when I asked you to organize this meeting. There has to be another way."

"You once asked me how far I'm willing to go for this Nation to win the war and I told you, whatever it takes. It's about time you asked yourself the same damn question, Zane," Rashid looked at the crowd of war geniuses in front of him. "If these smart people with decades of military experience can't think of a better solution, then Rivia is indeed doomed."

"The Academies," A lady stood up to speak, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room.

"There's pretty much nothing we can do to improve the natural efficiency of the Muggle Soldiers. The best we can do is equip them with better ammunition, enhance the current tactics in use, and supply the infirmary camps with more Healer-Type Mages. Since all the Mage Soldiers are graduates of the Academies I suggest we point our focus to them. Surely, the General in charge of their affairs knows I'm right." Having said that, she took her seat.

All eyes turned to General Foxx. He heaved a sigh, aware that he had to say something. He leaned towards the mic before him.

"Under my Leadership over the years, the Military Magic Academies all over Rivia have produced numerous powerful Mages that now serve the motherland. Physical training can indeed heighten one's interaction with mana, thereby increasing Magical strength. I have done all that can be done to make the Privates awaken powerful affinities in the senior Ranks, but still, C-Ranks and D-Ranks dominate the Mage Population.

"I'm afraid if I push those kids any harder, I'll end up destroying their Mana Cores. That isn't to say I've given up. I am actively working with the brightest minds in Rivia to find a way to train our current set of Muggle Privates at the Platinum Magic Academy into Soldiers that will win us this war. Until the new generation of Magic Knights completes their formation, The Armed Forces have no choice but to make do with the old," Foxx concluded, then turned to Rashid and nodded.

Till the end of the meeting, General Foxx remained silent. His mind kept going back to the kid he had subjected to the Haber process before he left. Since no one could bring up any effective solution to the low manpower problem and Zane was never going to approve the use of Forbidden Magic to enhance the prowess of the Armed Forces, the success of his plans for Jordan and all those in his class became Rivia's only hope for victory.

After a few hours of War strategizing, the meeting came to an end. General Foxx stayed back for a few minutes to chat with some old friends. He was just about to leave when his eyes caught the Vice-Commander walking up to him.

"General, I think we have a lot of catching up to do."

Rashid led Foxx to his office not far from the hall. The meeting was held at Rivia's capital State, New Anchess. As a matter of fact, it is the safest place on the continent, seeing as it was where the Commander resided.

"Zane doesn't seem to agree with the use of Forbidden Magic," Foxx commented, taking a seat on the wooden chair opposite Rashid's table. "I'm starting to think he'll be an obstacle in our plans."

"Well, he doesn't have the same level of conviction we possess to win this bloody war. I assure you, Foxx, he won't be a problem. I won't let him jeopardize all we've struggled to build all these years." Rashid hung his purple jacket on a rack and sat on his chair. " Tell me about the boy. You weren't very explicit when you told me someone had volunteered for the Haber Process."

Just as Foxx was about to speak, a man materialized out of thin air into the room, right behind Rashid's chair. He was in his early thirties with long fiery hair that was tied at the back of his head. He was dressed in a casual black top and red jeans.

With one snap of his finger, Rashid was teleported into the seat next to him. He pulled out the Vice-Commander's chair and sat on it.

"What the hell?!" Foxx exclaimed, unable to lift his body from the chair.

"Guards!!" Rashid yelled at the top of his voice. Within 5 seconds, the door opened and 10 SS-Rank Mages stormed the office. They headed straight for the intruder but one look from him turned them all to piles of sand. He waved his hand to the door and it was sealed shut.

A smile appeared on the intruder's face when he focused his ears and could hear the erratic heartbeats of the two men in front of him. His intimidating aura of power and dread was overwhelming them, not to mention he had just unalived 10 of Rivia's best Mages with a single look. They were so afraid they couldn't form words in their brain.

"Now you know what I'm capable of, let me get straight to the point," the intruder started, resting his foot on Rashid's table. "I don't care what the fuck both of you have planned for those kids, but this is the only warning you'll get." As he spoke, his eyes started to glow crimson red..

"Foxx, I want you to help Jordan complete the Haber Process, and keep him safe and unharmed until he has done so." He picked up the blue pen on the table and toyed with it as he spoke. "Do otherwise and I will personally make sure you spend eternity regretting it."