Echoes of the Lost Elf

Historias' POV

Historias wasn't used to feeling nervous, but here he was—standing outside the screening chamber, trying not to let his discomfort show. It wasn't like he doubted his abilities, but something about being under scrutiny from authority figures was never pleasant.

Aldren, as helpful as always, threw in a casual, "How bad could it be?" before walking off.

Historias sighed. If only you knew.

The doors opened, and he stepped inside.

The screening chamber was an imposing space—dimly lit, with three floating artifacts in the center, each pulsing faintly with magic. The room itself was lined with powerful suppressive runes, no doubt meant to test if someone could remain composed under pressure.

Seated at the long desk ahead were three individuals.

Vice Principal Evelyn Hawthorne, her usual unreadable gaze locked onto him. Nathaniel Ivancov, the dark elf head of security, who looked one wrong move away from stabbing him. Bryce Quinlan, the demon head of education, whose piercing eyes practically screamed: 'Let's see what kind of trouble you are.'

The moment he walked in, all three started glaring at him.

"Well, that's not ominous," Historias thought dryly.

Bryce's voice cut through the silence.

"Historias Vaelcreest. Rank 2. Step forward and begin the screening process."

Right. Let's get this over with.

Bryce Quinlan's POV

Bryce had seen his fair share of prodigies, but he wasn't prepared for this.

Rank 2? For someone no one had ever heard of? A no-name elf suddenly outshining noble and royal students? Yeah, suspicious was an understatement.

He had already braced himself for something fishy, but when the kid actually walked in, his gut feeling screamed at him.

The elf didn't look intimidated like a normal student. No nervous fidgeting, no hesitancy in his movements. He had the composure of a seasoned mage—like someone who had been here before.

Bryce exchanged a glance with Nathaniel, who had clearly picked up on the same thing.

"Let's see what you're hiding."

Step 1: The Soul Purity Test

Historias stepped forward to the Soul Prism, placing his hand on the crystal.

Bryce and Nathaniel watched like hawks. If the orb flashed green, it meant he was clean. If it flashed red… well, that would be interesting.

A pause. Then—

The orb glowed green.

Bryce barely resisted the urge to sigh. That was one conspiracy ruined.

Nathaniel, standing beside him, tensed for half a second before relaxing. "Tch. No corruption."

Though, from the corner of his eye, Bryce caught Evelyn relaxing a little too quickly.

"Did she actually expect it to turn red?"

Step 2: The Mana Capacity Test

The next device, the Mana Gauge, was a simple stone slab with engraved runes. A person's mana reserves would dictate the shade it turned—the darker, the stronger.

Historias hesitated.

Just for a fraction of a second.

That was enough for Bryce to notice. "Ah, so this is where the real problem is."

The elf finally pressed his palm against the slab.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then—

A deep, dark blue glow pulsed through the entire device.

Bryce stared.

Nathaniel's brows shot up. Evelyn didn't react, which was somehow more suspicious.

Bryce took a deep breath. "Again."

Historias blinked. "Uh, sure?"

They reset the machine. He touched it again.

Same result.

Nathaniel frowned. "We should confirm it."

They brought out a second, completely different mana gauge. Historias pressed his hand on it.

Same. Damn. Result.

Bryce resisted the urge to groan.

This kid—this supposedly 15-year-old nobody—had the mana reserves of an experienced battle mage.

Historias gave them an awkward look. "…So, uh. Can I go?"

Bryce rubbed his temples. "No. Next test."

Nathaniel Ivancov's POV

Nathaniel was already on edge.

It was his job to detect threats, and this boy reeked of danger.

Not because he seemed malicious—no, that would be easier to deal with. What unnerved him was the fact that everything about him was unnatural.

Composure that didn't fit his age. An absurdly high mana pool. A history that didn't exist.

Now, they reached the Race Identification Test.

The Gene Relic was a large obsidian slab with golden runes, designed to identify the bloodline of the individual.

"Let's see what secrets you're hiding, boy."

Historias stepped forward and placed his hand on it.

The relic flickered. Once. Twice. Then—

The runes pulsed wildly, shifting erratically before finally settling.

The result?

"High Elf (High Noble Bloodline)"

Nathaniel felt his instincts scream.

Bryce inhaled sharply. Evelyn? Expressionless. But the way she exhaled ever so slightly told him everything.

She knew. (Nope :), she didn't)

Historias' POV

"Welp, that's Aldren's problem now."

Historias took his hand off the device, gave them all a polite nod, and turned to leave.

Bryce and Nathaniel looked like they were having an existential crisis.

Vice Principal Evelyn sighed, shaking her head. "Aldren owes me."

Historias, with the most innocent expression he could muster, casually strolled to the door.

Bryce's voice, flat and utterly done, called after him—

"Get. Out."

Historias didn't have to be told twice.

.....

The Aftermath – Faculty Discussion Bryce Quinlan's POV

The moment the doors shut behind Historias, Bryce let out a deep breath and leaned back in his chair.

"Well, that was… something."

Nathaniel crossed his arms, eyes still fixed on the now-closed door. "Understatement of the year."

Evelyn sighed, rubbing her temples. She had expected something unusual, but even she hadn't predicted this level of absurdity.

Bryce drummed his fingers on the table. "Alright, let's go over this again."

Soul purity? Completely clean. No corruption, no forbidden contracts. That was good news, at least. Mana reserves? Through the roof. Not something unheard of, but certainly not normal for a fifteen-year-old. Race? A high-ranking elf noble, apparently, but none of us have ever heard of him.

Nathaniel exhaled. "Aldren. He's behind this."

Bryce nodded. "Of course he is. The question is—who is this kid?"

Evelyn, still quiet, finally picked up a letter from her desk. "Speaking of Aldren…"

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. Bryce straightened.

She lifted the sealed envelope. "He sent me a letter before the entrance exams. I didn't think much of it at the time, but now…"

Bryce gave her a pointed look. "And? What does it say?"

She unfolded the letter and read aloud.

Aldren's Letter

"Vice Principal Evelyn,"

"I am writing regarding a student who will be taking the entrance exam—Historias Vaelcrest. He is a relative of mine, recently returned after years spent in isolation due to certain… circumstances. While his practical abilities are exceptional, I ask that you overlook certain gaps in his academic knowledge—particularly history and current affairs."

"I assure you, he is neither a security threat nor a troublemaker. However, I kindly request that his identity remain confidential. He prefers not to attract attention, and I would appreciate it if his enrollment were handled discreetly."

"Sincerely,

Aldren Vaelthorn"

Silence.

Then—

Bryce let out a low whistle. "Well. That explains some things."

Nathaniel sat back, frowning slightly. "If Aldren personally vouched for him, then there's no need to suspect anything dangerous. Still, a student like this showing up out of nowhere? It's unsettling."

Bryce nodded. "Yeah, but this is Aldren we're talking about. He wouldn't just throw some random kid into Castellas without good reason."

Nathaniel's expression remained serious. "Agreed. If he trusts this boy, then I suppose we should too. But that doesn't change the fact that no one has heard of this 'Historias Vaelthorn' before."

Evelyn tapped her desk. "We may not have heard of him, but…" She looked at the two men. "How many high elves have you met?"

A pause.

Nathaniel blinked. Bryce frowned.

"…Fair point," Bryce admitted. "They're rare enough that we wouldn't know every single noble's name. And if he's a high elf, then that mana capacity makes sense."

Nathaniel exhaled. "High elves have naturally high mana reserves. If this kid was raised in seclusion, then it's possible no one knew about him because his family kept it that way."

Bryce crossed his arms. "And if that's the case, then it's no wonder Aldren took him in."

Evelyn's expression softened slightly. "Aldren is not the type to act recklessly. If he's placed Historias here, then there must be a reason."

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, still frowning, but less tense than before. "I still don't like the secrecy, but… it's Aldren."

Bryce gave a short laugh. "Yeah. And when has he ever done things the normal way?"

Evelyn smirked. "Never."

A brief silence settled between them. The tension from earlier had faded. They still had questions, but they weren't as suspicious anymore.

Bryce stood up with a groan. "Well, whatever the case, I need a drink."

Nathaniel followed. "Make it two."

Evelyn just smiled and placed the letter in her drawer. Historias Vaelcrest was going to be an interesting student.

....

Color scale for the mana measurement device based on the rankings:

Tier 1 – White (Minimal mana, basic spellcasting)

Tier 2 – Light Green (Moderate mana, intermediate spells)

Tier 3 – Dark Green (Significant mana, mastery of one element)

Tier 4 – Light Blue (Strong mana reserves, capable of wielding multiple affinities)

Tier 5 – Dark Blue (High-tier spellcasting, exceptional mana capacity)

Tier 6 – Deep Violet / Purple (Immense mana reserves, capable of altering environments)

If a Tier 7 or higher were to touch the device it is most likely to go out of commission