The Scholar's Rebirth

Then, in a breathtaking display, hundreds of ice shards materialized and shot toward the training dummies with pinpoint precision.

The watching elves gasped as the shards pierced through the wooden figures with terrifying accuracy. Not a single one missed.

Elandor clapped his hands. "A masterclass, as expected."

Raven, unfazed, was placed at the top of the Mage Division.

#####

A hesitant elf stepped forward next—Ryllis, a young, frail-looking elf with silver-blond hair. He had tried to wield a sword earlier and failed miserably.

Now, he stood before a row of dummies, clearly nervous.

Eira observed him closely. "You hesitated with the blade, but magic is different. Trust your instincts."

Ryllis swallowed hard before lifting his hands. At first, nothing happened. A few elves snickered.

Then, the air shifted.

A faint gust stirred the dust at his feet. A second later, a powerful barrier of swirling wind formed around him, crackling with energy. The force was enough to make nearby elves stumble back.

Elandor blinked. "Defensive magic…? That's rare."

Eira stepped forward, nodding in approval. "You belong in the Mage Division. You will learn to control that power."

Ryllis let out a shaky breath, but for the first time, he smiled.

#####

PHASE THREE

For this test, the elves were tasked with navigating an obstacle course built through the dense forest.

Nyx, a slim and shadowy elf, barely waited for the signal before taking off. She moved like the wind—silent, graceful, almost ghostly.

Leaping from branch to branch, she never made a sound. Not even the leaves rustled under her weight.

Draco whistled. "She's a ghost. Definitely a scout."

Nyx was placed in the Scout Division.

#####

Then came Talis, a slightly clumsy elf with a bow.

He started the course well—his aim was good, and he hit several moving targets with near-perfect precision. But then he tripped over a tree root and fell straight into a mud pit.

Kael cringed. "Well… he's not graceful."

Talis looked embarrassed, but Eira had noticed something else. His shots had been excellent.

She smiled. "You're not made for stealth, but you have a keen eye. You'll be a ranger."

Talis straightened, relieved.

And so it went on for 3 days straight. Almost all citizens of Eldora had come to be tested,even the kids were not spared,but Eira allowed only those 13 years and above to be tested.

She had hoped to begin to focus on the little ones once the school blue print were unlocked.

#####

By the end of the third day, the elves were sorted:

Warriors – Front-line fighters

Mages – Offensive and defensive magic users

Scouts & Rangers – Stealth and ranged combat

Healers – Medical & protective magic

Every other elf was classified into building, farming and the rest.

Eira exhaled. It was a start.

The training would begin tomorrow.

#####

The morning air was crisp and biting, the first light of dawn barely a whisper in the sky. The elves stood assembled in the wide, open training field, some rubbing the sleep from their eyes while others shifted nervously.

They had never undergone anything like this before.

At the front, Eira stood with her arms crossed, her expression like stone. The air around her was different today—no longer the calm, strategizing leader but something else entirely. A commander.

Draco, standing off to the side with his arms folded, observed with amusement. This was going to be fun.

Eira's eyes swept across the field.

"Line up according to your units!" her voice rang out, cutting through the morning air.

There was hesitation. The warriors scrambled to one side, the scouts moved uncertainly, the mages shuffled toward their section. Healers and builders hesitated even more.

The entire process took over two minutes.

Eira's expression darkened.

"You're too slow!" she barked. "Unacceptable! Next time you hesitate, everyone gets punished! Do you understand?"

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the crowd.

Eira's eyes narrowed.

"I SAID—DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

The elves stiffened at the sheer force of her voice.

"Y-yes!" some answered.

Eira's glare sharpened. "I don't want to hear 'yes' or 'no'! From now on, when we train, you will answer with—SIR, YES SIR! Do you hear me?"

Silence.

Eira's voice cut through the tension.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

The elves jumped, startled.

"SIR, YES SIR!" they shouted in unison.

Draco chuckled lowly. She's terrifying.

Eira smirked. "Good. Now—drop down and give me twenty push-ups!"

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

"On the ground, NOW!"

Hesitation was met with a deathly glare, and suddenly, elves were dropping to the ground, some clumsily, others more prepared.

Draco, still watching from the side, grinned. He stretched lazily and then—dropped down beside them.

"If you're doing this, might as well join in," he said with amusement.

Eira shot him a look but didn't argue. If anything, it would make them try harder.

The elves struggled through the push-ups. Some warriors managed to complete them, though with shaking arms. The mages and scouts fared worse, their muscles unused to this kind of strain. The healers and builders, not meant for combat, collapsed halfway.

Eira watched, unimpressed.

"You think this is hard?" she scoffed. "If you can't even handle this, you'll never survive a real battle. You will do this again until you get it right!"

By the time they finished, many were panting, arms trembling.

But Eira wasn't done.

Eira didn't just want them to be strong—she wanted them disciplined.

She introduced drills similar to those of Earth's soldiers.

Endurance Runs: Running laps around the field—those who fell behind had to start again.

Combat Drills: Practicing strikes, dodges, and formations in synchronized movements.

Obstacle Course: Climbing walls, leaping logs, crawling under branches—to teach agility and resilience.

As the hours passed, bodies dropped from exhaustion. The elves had never trained this harshly before.

Draco, still participating, was grinning like a lunatic.

"This is amazing!" he said, flipping over an obstacle with ease.

The elves hated him.

Eira didn't allow breaks. Whenever one unit finished, they moved to the next task.

By the time the sun was high in the sky, many of them were on the ground, groaning.

Eira stood over them, arms crossed.

"This is only the first day," she said coldly. "Get used to it. Tomorrow—we go harder."

Draco laughed. "I think I'm starting to like this side of you."

The elves, however, weren't sure if they'd survive it.

The sun was now higher in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the exhausted elves sprawled across the training field. Bodies lay scattered, unmoving, gasping for air. Even the strongest warriors looked like they had just barely survived a war instead of a morning of training.

Eira exhaled, staring at the sorry state before her. "Line up."

No one moved.

Draco smirked from the sidelines, stretching lazily. "I think you broke them."

Eira raised a brow. "I said—LINE UP!"

The next moment, something miraculous happened.

Like corpses resurrected by necromancy, the elves sprang to their feet. Some who had been lying motionless a second ago suddenly bolted upright like their lives depended on it. Even those who looked half-dead were now standing so straight you'd think they were sculpted from stone.

Draco burst out laughing. "That's some next-level motivation right there. I think they're afraid you'll actually kill them."

Eira fought back a smirk.

"Good. It seems you're learning." She took a few steps forward, making sure to look each and every one of them in the eye. "Now, listen up. This training is only the beginning. In a month's time, there will be a test. Your performance will determine your rank and position in the army."

Murmurs rippled through the ranks. Ranks?

Eira continued, voice sharp and commanding.

"We will be establishing a proper military structure. No more disorganized forces. From now on,you will be called Soldiers. Those who prove themselves will be promoted to higher positions. Leaders will be called Majors, Commanders, and Generals. The best of you will have authority over your respective units."

Now, the elves were wide awake.

And then, she dropped the final bombshell.

"Pay will be based on rank. The higher your position, the better your wages. If you perform well, you will be compensated handsomely."

For a moment, there was absolute silence.

Then—the atmosphere changed entirely.

Eyes that had been dull with exhaustion only moments ago were now glowing with determination. A few of the more battle-hardened warriors cracked their knuckles. The archers glanced at one another, nodding. Even the mages, who had been struggling the most, straightened their backs.

Draco leaned toward Eira, smirking. "You really know how to push the right buttons."

Eira allowed herself a small, knowing smile. "Motivation is key."

Somewhere in the ranks, a scout whispered under his breath.

"Money? Oh, I'm about to be the best damn soldier this island has ever seen."

Another warrior beside him nodded aggressively.

"I was born for this."

Eira turned on her heel. "Dismissed!"

The elves scattered—but not in the exhausted, sluggish way they had before. Now, there was a new fire in their eyes.

####

Eira wasted no time. As soon as training was dismissed, she headed straight for the farms.