"Next!" a deep and gruff voice shouted at people who appeared to be students that were waiting in groups on either side of a rectangular arena.
This mock battlefield was designed to help put into practice the lessons these students have been practicing for the last few months. At the age of ten, all children in Eroa were required to join various academies that were pocketed around the kingdom. These academies trained them in the ways of war and battle.
Some classes did provide education in reading and arithmetic, but the primary focus was on swordplay and magic. Most other kingdoms did not open these kinds of academies up to students until they were sixteen, basically adults.
Eroa did it this way because they could also monitor nutrition and training, and tailor it to the growth rate of the individual's body from a young age. It took quite a lot of effort and funding to get off the ground, but once it had been in place for a few generations of warriors all the clans understood its value.
Sure, at one time the secret family techniques and fighting styles that used to be the only way of passing down the art of combat were effective, but if everyone in the kingdom had a shared base knowledge, then as an army, the entire kingdom would be more effective.
These were things that had been drilled into Kalliope's head since the age of ten, and now that she was fifteen, she understood and believed in these truths with her entire being.
"I said, next! That means you Kalliope!"
"Sir!"
Kalliope bowed and left the arena, allowing herself to be briefly examined by a light magic user. She only suffered minor bruising, reminders of her mistakes, so no treatment was provided. After the short evaluation, she returned to the back of the line where a few other students were discussing the fight.
"You know, you do pretty good for someone who doesn't use any Brawler Arts." One said.
"Yeah, you'd think you were a natural." Another admired.
"Not by any means. Everything I have is because of hard work. Besides, I'm already Intermediate Rank and well on my way to Advanced. It gives me an edge in all fighting, not just those in which I have Arts."
"Of course, the great Kalliope of the Gray Wolves, first in our class to make Intermediate." Yet another student groaned.
Their complaint earned a few chuckles and jeers from other students. Most of them were annoyed that she had been the first to make Intermediate. Everyone had already caught up for the most part, though they were at the lower end and still getting used to their powers, while she had been in Intermediate for the better part of a year and had acclimated to her current body strength by this point.
Out of all her many siblings and cousins, Kalliope's heart beat the strongest for battle. From the moment she could walk, she fought. When she was just a toddler she was prevented from playing with other children her age because of her penchant for violence.
Of course, now that she was older, she had reined in those tendencies and molded them into the drive to seek out strength and discipline. Luckily for her, she was born in Eroa where she could put that work in from an early age and get a head start on other children her age.