On the second day of the third month, Irredeemable Leyu'jin answered Ul-Rezaj's request to meet by appearing at Warspear. Having sensed his voice over the guild hearthstone, Ul-Rezaj waited inside Brokenspear Tavern. No one came in. For about ten minutes, Ul-Rezaj looked around the tavern and considered unpacking some accommodations by a bedside post in case he had to remain. He leaned on the counter, gnawing slowly on a juicy Tanaan Sweetmelon. Five more minutes passed, Lina'gar the Bartender leaned obnoxiously close to Ul-Rezaj's face. "Heya," she stated unenthusiastically. Ul-Rezaj rolled his eyes, knowing that it was more than past his time to leave the counter. "I know you're thinkin' dis be a time to chew melon like cud, but business is business," her hand motioned to the door, "Up and out wit'cha."
Ul-Rezaj placed the Sweetmelon on the table, leaving just seeds and an outer shell before stepping outside. A quarrel full of familiar voices were within earshot. He turned around the tavern's corner and promptly noticed Leyu'jin. In addition, Kex'ti and Cobrak appeared to have his attention. Both of them spoke urgently about some issues they felt needed to be promptly addressed. Cobrak had a traumatic look. Kex'ti bore his usual worriesomeness.
Oh, great, Ul-Rezaj thought, internally cursing himself for not choosing a more secure place, Now dey want to make Leyu'jin de agent o' Sanctuary and Borrowed Time before he even hears what ah have learned. He resolved the damage had already been done and shrugged to listen to where the conversation was going.
"The cure is an urgent concern for us," Cobrak told Leyu'jin. Without context, the the Wreave craze somehow managed to integrate into affecting every Horde association in existence. Whatever Cobrak intended to do, it could prove very interesting considering its relevance. Ul-Rezaj had just been thinking about this exact subject.
Leyu'jin nodded in agreement, yet, somehow, a piece of the dialogue seemed amiss. Ul-Rezaj listened closely to determine the direction of the discussion. Leyu'jin, instead of absorbing Cobrak's statement as some new revelation, instead directed his attention towards Kex'ti. He suggested that the elf proceeded with Cobrak's plan by supplementing the Grim with research advancements on producing the cure that Sanctuary might have.
Huh, Ul-Rezaj considered, realizing that Leyu'jin was not intercepted by Cobrak and Kex'ti, but that Cobrak and Leyu'jin were trying to get Kex'ti's support. Syreena, Baalthemar, and Aderlee stepped out from the din of the crowds, having noticed the gathering, and listened in. Ul-Rezaj sighed. What had originally been planned as a meeting with Leyu'jin had become a convoluted amassing of people. He needed to get rid of Kex'ti and Cobrak to get to the serious matters. Just then, Cobrak mentioned the attacks from a vicious beast. Ul-Rezaj's ears perked, for he had recently been assaulted by a creature that harshly subdued him yet only wanted brush its stick-like claws across his skin. "Hey," he interjected, "Ah was jus' attacked by one o' dese beasts." Actually, he didn't know about that, because he couldn't know if the beasts were the same kind. Their reactions would determine it. Leyu'jin shook his head at Ul-Rezaj's statement. Somehow, he knew that testifying about a twisty beastie that could pop out of thin air, decide not to kill him, and do so out of the sight of witnesses sounded utterly insane. Ul-Rezaj bit his tongue, hard. Leyu'jin, he thought, must have disbelieved. Cobrak, however, perked up attentively, but there wasn't enough time to explain. Syreena was here now, which would make her valuable to have since some of what Ul-Rezaj planned to discuss with Leyu'jin concerned her in particular. Ul-Rezaj had to move the crowds along and make it explicitly Grim, not trusting discussions regarding how to use the Wreave with radicals who wanted to see every ounce destroyed like Tahzani. He turned towards the two non-Grim, "You know," he told them, "We can use any information 'bout de cure you develop. Even if de Alliance has learned it, der sources be betteh den tryin' to start from square one." Kex'ti offered a puzzled look, and Cobrak seemed to display willingness to comply.
Ul-Rezaj glanced over at Leyu'jin, motioning for him to head back towards Orgrimmar at once. Leyu'jin promptly responded, raising up a hand and declaring, "Aight, Grim, come wit' me." The gathered members followed towards the Shaman Hut to return back to the mainland. Ul-Rezaj noticed Shaelie and more Grim bodies separated themselves from the general crowds and reunited with their brethren.
...
Orgrimmar Zeppelin Tower, cargo hold from Orgrimmar to Grom'gol Base Camp.
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The Grim piled into the base of the Zeppelin Tower. The area was hot, dry, and had the bustling starting engines of Zeppelins with shouts from the Goblin cartel directors sending off shiploads. It pleased Ul-Rezaj to be in there. The area felt sufficiently isolated, closed off to the point where the only outsiders who might eavesdrop would be an unsuspecting peon or curious youth. Additionally, transportation had been proving exceedingly valuable lately. Even more, it was supposedly how the Wreave traveled before the Grim besieged Zul'Gurub from the producers. Ul-Rezaj and Leyu'jin set themselves up on top of two cargo boxes, visibly declaring their willingness to make sure all attendants knew well the dire circumstances at hand.
Everyone came to hear about the Wreave. While the Grim were getting situated, Shaelie asked if the two producers the Grim had taken prisoner can be examined soon. Ul-Rezaj smirked, simultaneously pleased having forgotten that the Grim had not slaughtered all of the captives. Two was a good number to have, for it provided sympathy for one to watch the other suffer if it came to torture tactics. The crowds settled in more. Ul-Rezaj stood at the foot of the steppes and added, "Shaelie has an idea worth entertainin'." Leyu'jin and those who were attentive expressed absolute agreement. Pleased, Ul-Rezaj kept Shaelie's words in his mind, and then situated himself on top of a box to provide the rhetorical device of increased height. He started by mentioning that the most important action any Grim can take right now would be to get as involved with potential addicts as possible. "Fo' de mos' part," he told them, directly stating his most important point, "We mus' keep ourselves when it comes to figurin' out how to use de Wreave. Many o' de Horde reject it overtly, dey opposed its addictive qualities."
An Undead Rogue named Inzema, hiding between two steel steps, broke his silence with pure sarcasm. "Wow," he chided, "A drug that gets people addicted, shocker."
This reaction was precisely what Ul-Rezaj aimed to receive. He couldn't help but to look up the twisted stairs and smirk at the rogue. "Indeed," he added, "So we mus' keep aware o' how bes' to use it. We can't let ourselves, having de means to produce it, be subject to de non-Mandate forces."
"So, basically," Inzema considered, "It's bad just because they say it's bad."
Shaelie ascended the steps, nodding at Inzema and assuming a seat next to him.
Before Ul-Rezaj could resume, Leyu'jin interrupted, "Per'aps ah should let you all know what's been going on. De full story might help us understand things a bit more."
Nodding, Ul-Rezaj motioned for the Irredeemable to continue. What Leyu'jin said next caused Syreena's face to twist with discomfort. If she could, that is, experience that sort of emotion. "Desim slaughtehed a Succubus wit' de taint o' Wreave," Leyu'jin told everyone, pausing only to watch curious Grim faces lean in inquisitively, "When Cobrak and ah examined it, we found it was different, empowered. Two bodies were found. Alongside de Succubus, a dead mortal. Dey appeared to be transforming."
The whole crowd burst out in questions. Leyu'jin seemed momentarily overwhelmed and answered each one-by-one. Ul-Rezaj felt satisfied knowing that Leyu'jin had been working with Cobrak earlier. That means Sanctuary and Borrowed Time did not intend to intercept a Irredeemable to garner support before the Grim had fully reconciled its own position, especially granted its unique advantage.
Once the attendants had all settled down, Leyu'jin proceeded to explain the events. The most important aspect that has been theorized is that Wreave initiates a transformation process that turns ordinary people into demons who serve the Legion. Ul-Rezaj and Inzema remained skeptical about this. For the Irredeemable had only suggested a theory and, if proven true, what the fel-inducing catalyst would be, how much Wreave was needed, and who the actual suppliers were affiliated with still remained in question. Regardless, Leyu'jin seemed absolutely confident. Ul-Rezaj had a discouraging thought, Had dat been de beast dat attacked me? An actual person turned demon? Leyu'jin continued. Syreena's expression suggested concern. Ul-Rezaj stopped Leyu'jin again, "Leyu'jin," he told the Irredeemable, "Ah've got someone who needs de Wreave. Do we have any in supply?"
Leyu'jin and Shaelie simultaneously peered at Ul-Rezaj, "Who?"
Ul-Rezaj shook his head, "No, ah cannot say. Right now, it's bes' dey remain anonymous."
Leyu'jin sighed understandingly, "Ah undehstand, brotha. Right now, we have two vials in de Grim's vault."
Only two, Ul-Rezaj bit his tongue, Fukkin' Alliance, always gotta wreck our stuff.
Leyu'jin proceeded. He explained Desim would permit the Grim to dissect the corpse of the Succubus.
Inzema pestered Leyu'jin on this issue, "Have you ever even dissected one before?"
"Nah, but we still got it," Leyu'jin answered.
Ul-Rezaj jested mildly, somewhat annoyed and lighthearted, "Yes, he has on de battlefield."
"Okay," stated Inzema flatly, "You all clearly have no professional experience dealing with this. What good would it do to dissect a succubus if we could not identify the innards of an abnormal one from a normal one?"
Ul-Rezaj looked the rogue in the eye, then started, "'Ey, so, it's not de anatomy o' de succubus we care 'bout. It's de peculiar qualities. If we can identify some kinda uniqueness to it and compare it to samples from general addicts, den we kin figure out when de transformation process begins regarding how much and if a different substance was administered." He scanned the gathered to ensure they all knew what was going on reasonably well. This would, after all, fundamentally change how the Grim approached the Wreave and how actively they would provide feedback to produce the cure. The discussion went on, but, at least for now, the important parts had been addressed.
...
Outside of the Zeppelin Tower, once the Grim had dispersed and only a few remained, Syreena and Ul-Rezaj stepped out towards an Orgrimmar watch tower. They chatted about plans. "I don't want to get my friend addicted to this substance if we think he might turn into a monster," Syreena told Ul-Rezaj.
Ul-Rezaj agreed. "Ah know," he affirmed, "Dis be while we'll need a cure. It also happens to be why any use we've got now o' de drug should be limited to figurin' out how to redirect addicts from der suppliers. Caution mus' be de main thing we've got considerin' how adversely it can change people. De res' can be figured out along de way."
"Okay," Syreena told him, "I'll just look for other ways to make him trust me."
Ul-Rezaj nodded, "You do what's necessary, especially since you seem to care enough 'bout dis'n."
Syreena added, "I need to go see him again. I don't want him running off."
"Okay," Ul-Rezaj smirked, "Looks like you'll have to make friends de old-fashioned way. At least, till we got dis whole mess tied up. De Alliance might inadvertently be able to help us speed up de research process, too."
Syreena frowned, "I'm not so sure about that."
"Today, we got a strong presence established wit' de ones who have connections," he reminded.
Syreena shrugged. They went back to discussing what to do with the Wreave in the meantime, who to trust, and how to proceed with the Undead in Ratchet.
