Theon Graylock was a predator in a tailored student uniform. He wasn't malicious, but he was competitive, and Elara Vane's impossible display of Aetheric efficiency had shattered his understanding of the academic hierarchy. He wasn't watching Elara anymore; he was watching the force that had replaced her.
The next day, Theon sought out Elara in the dining hall, his usual effortless charm replaced by a focused, analytical intensity.
"Vane," he began, sliding into the bench opposite her. "We need to talk about the Mana-Siphon test."
Elara, who was meticulously annotating a diagram of Infernal Flux Points in the margin of her Human Anatomy textbook, glanced up. Kael'thas was finding that engaging in polite, drawn-out mortal conflict was surprisingly stimulating. It was like a very low-stakes political coup.
"It's settled, Graylock," Kael'thas (as Elara) replied with a coolness that made Theon stiffen. "The results were verified by Professor Hemlock."
"Results can be achieved through non-standard means," Theon pressed, leaning closer. "You used Binding Theory. I checked the old texts. It's too complex for Silverstream. It requires a singular, focused intent that the Elara Vane of two weeks ago was incapable of generating."
Kael'thas internally smiled at the accuracy of the assessment. "Perhaps I simply applied myself."
"No. You fundamentally broke the current magical paradigm," Theon insisted. "Aetheric magic is inherently diffused. Your transfer was a singularity. The moment you performed that test, you became the most dangerous academic asset at this academy, or a cheat hiding forbidden knowledge." He looked her straight in the eyes. "Which is it?"
Kael'thas decided to use the truth as a weapon. "I see flaws, Graylock. Flaws in the Hero Faction's mandated stability, flaws in the foundational mathematics they teach, and flaws in the complacency of students who think the Hegemony Guide is the pinnacle of knowledge." He paused, his gaze boring into Theon's. "I am not cheating. I am simply operating at a level of efficiency you have yet to comprehend. If you want to keep up, stop looking in the approved textbooks."
Theon recoiled, not from fear, but from the sudden, chilling clarity of her ambition. This wasn't the shy girl terrified of Hemlock; this was a calculating rival. Theon stood up, his hand hovering over the edge of the table.
"I don't know who you are, Vane," he stated, his voice now quiet and laced with a grudging respect. "But I will find out where you got that knowledge."
Kael'thas watched him walk away. Theon Graylock, Status: Elevated from Annoyance to Worthy Obstacle. The Arch-Fiend had acquired his first genuine academic rival.