Here's those darned review replies!

Matt: I do indeed count you now as part of the review crew! I'm glad you enjoyed the past few chapters, and I'm hoping it won't be too much longer until I unveil Simonee's staff's power.

Hint: Thanks for the review, buddy. It was much a pleasure to write the new additions!

Razielsdemise: And you spill it all on me at once again. Sheesh. Thanks for the review(s).

Trial by Fire

Chapter Six: Vindication

Krionoso finally opened his eyes. He sat in a small wooden chair set against the wall, facing a cavernous room. The room was blindingly dark, with the exception of several tall torches arranged in a ring around where he was sitting. The floor was comprised of roughly-hewn stone, as were the walls; at least as much as Krionoso could see. In the center of the ring of torchlight stood a man, about five-and-a-half feet tall. The man had blazing orange hair, disheveled and disorderly, which oddly matched the fire behind him. He wore simple robes that brushed the ground; a belt with a brilliant bronze buckle held the robes fast. He held his hands behind his back, and had a smug smile which showed his apparent triumph.

"What do you mean 'recruit'?" Krionoso asked, looking over the man.

"I mean that you're now part of the Syndicate. It's just as I said."

Now it was Krionoso's turn to smile. "Ah, but there is a problem, you see. I lead the Defias. Therefore I cannot rightfully join your little gang."

The man laughed harshly. "You expect me to believe that someone like you could head up the Brotherhood? You must be quite a jester. Unless you can give me proof of this, you'll have no choice but to serve the Syndicate. Nice try, though."

Krionoso thought. What did he have to prove his allegiance? 'Ah, that's perfect,' he mused.

"I hope you don't mind if I fiddle in my pocket for a little, do you? For there lies my proof."

"Go right on ahead. I'd like to see this."

Krionoso slipped his hand into the pocket on his right side, and felt his proof immediately. Pulling it out, Krionoso allowed the tattered and torn deep red bandana to stir slightly in the stale air. The man across from him smiled.

"So you are a part of the Brotherhood, that part is truthful... however, this doesn't prove anything about your standing within the organization," he said.

"Would a signed missive from Van Cleef himself do the trick?" Krionoso asked.

"Maybe."

Krionoso smirked again and pulled the letter from his pocket. The man gazed at it in disbelief.

"Here, take it, read it over. You can do whatever you want; that's definitely real," Krionoso said.

The man walked over and grabbed the parchment from the mage's hand. He read it quickly, afterward staring at the signature at the bottom of the page. He grunted.

"Heh, I don't believe it," he said. "What is your name, sir mage?"

"Krionoso. Yours?"

"Vaik, at your service. It has been awhile since the Syndicate has harbored such a high-ranking member of the Defias; though I wouldn't know the last time - I'm simply a rogue. So, how go things with the Brotherhood?" Vaik asked. He walked to one of the walls, and to a previously unseen wooden table. From there, he picked up a plateful of food and brought it over to Krionoso.

"First, shall I illuminate our little meeting chamber?"

"Aye, if you wish."

Krionoso stood from the chair and went along the perimeter of the chamber, feeling for the hidden sconces that lined the top of the walls. At each one, he channeled flame from his reserves and lit the small torches. When all were lit, he was able to see much more clearly. The room was made of stone, as Krionoso expected. It wasn't terribly vast, but nor was it terribly small. There wasn't much in the way of furniture besides the table placed against the wall and the chair he had been sitting in. Two doors were placed opposite each other - one on the wall with the table, one directly across from it. The doors were crafted finely from wood, with ornate handles made of brass. Sprawling lines wrought of iron were the only other decorations on either door. Content with the light, Krionoso returned to his seat on the uncomfortable wooden chair. Vaik handed him the plate and he placed it in his lap, preferring instead to begin stating the status of the Defias.

"Ah... we were supposed to have had an invasion of Stormwind, but I fear that it may have been thwarted. We had captured their king and I had been holding him, until a pesky group found me and rescued him. I used to be part of that group as a ruse, you see. Now they are hunting me down. They are probably in Dalaran now, as we speak," Krionoso said, picking up a small, flaky pastry and eating it.

Vaik looked at Krionoso and chuckled. "The Brotherhood's been rather ambitious in your care, have they? The leaders here would not dare even to think about attacking such a place as Stormwind. Although, I must say, the Defias are much more numerable and spread-out than we in the Syndicate are."

Just then, the door on the left side of the room - the side with the table - opened and in stepped in a squirrely man with a small frame, holding a piece of parchment. The messenger handed the parchment to Vaik and stepped out quickly.

"It seems as though you won't be kept here tonight, unless you so wish. If you do wish, we can give you a room," Vaik said, reading the parchment's contents.

"That is exactly what I wish. In my fight against that group, I was injured. I'm not exactly at my most mobile, and I can't travel for long periods of time without resting. I figure that if I stay here, I'll at least be safe and able to recuperate a small bit," Krionoso replied.

"So it shall be, then," Vaik said, holding his arm toward the door. Krionoso stood from the chair and Vaik led him out of the room, through the same door the messenger had used.

Outside of the room was a stone corridor, designed in the same vain as the room - hewn from large stones, and illuminated by a multitude of candlelit sconces. He was led through hallways and through empty rooms, and eventually into a rather large chamber. Torches were set into brackets placed in corners of the room, and the flickering orange illuminated the expanse. A bed was placed against the right wall, with a couple of small dressers pressed against the headboard. There were no windows in the room, and the only decorations were the bracketed torches.

"Here is where you'll be staying," Vaik said.

"Rather bleak, isn't it? Oh well... I'm not one to complain about a free room," Krionoso replied.

Vaik laughed. "No, I don't think I'd complain either. Well, this is where I leave you. For as long as you're here, you have access to all of our facilities and such. Enjoy your stay," he said.

"I will be sure to."


Simonee had had a restful night's sleep. Sira had been kind enough not only to cook his group dinner and allow them to board in her house, but she had also made breakfast for them. The house was in less disrepair than Simonee had originally thought. Though it was unsightly, every part of it was fully functional.

Morning was rather lazy, as Simonee and his group did nearly nothing besides eat. Sparse conversation littered the time, but except for that and the constantly-groaning house, all was silent. Simonee was still mulling the thought of Krionoso being in Southshore. Had he been there as they passed through? Better yet, had he been watching them from one of the buildings? The mage was unsettled.

As afternoon finally rolled about, Simonee and his group decided it was best if they had left for the port town. And so they trekked back to Southshore, making it before the afternoon was out. As they walked in, Simonee waved to the gryphon master who simply waved back at him. The town was full of as much traffic as there could possibly be, as people walked between buildings, through shops, and out of the schoolyard. Rush hour in Southshore was quite a mess. Simonee was rather reminded of the Trade District in Stormwind on a somewhat off day.

Carefully making their way through the crowd, Simonee and his group found the tavern; although not without scrapes and bruises to show for their excursion. A muscularly large man stood behind the bar, mindlessly wiping at the counter with a rag. Behind the bar lay a kitchen, rather small compared to the one Simonee occupied for a short time in Darnassus. The tavern was rapidly filling with people coming in from their work shifts to become boisterously inebriated. The turnout was more than even the Lion's Pride could boast. Simonee was reminded of the ill-fated place. Sighing, he pushed the thought from his mind.

Simonee approached the bartender and leaned on the long, slender plank of maple that was fashioned into the counter.

"So what is the happy hour special?" he asked.

The bartender looked up and smiled. "That would be the Flaming Whelp. Care to try?"

"Sure thing. One for each of my group, please," Simonee replied.

The mage sat on one of the stools lining the bar and waited while the bartender mixed the drinks. His group did likewise, and soon, all four sat with drinks in front of them, and a band beginning to warm up for the night's performance. The Flaming Whelp was made of several different liquors, and felt a bit like being having its namesake hit you in the head. It was certainly a powerful cocktail. Soon, Simonee found himself drunk, without even having finished the first round.

"My sir... that... is a v-very good... drink," he said, beginning to stumble around his weighted tongue.

"We don't call it the Flaming Whelp for nothing!" the bartender replied, laughing.

Even through his drunkenness, Simonee knew it would be a hell of a hangover in the morning. The band played on and people continued making their way inside. It didn't seem like too much longer until Simonee blacked out.


A/N: That would make it a chapter! Wow, I can't believe it's up to six chapters and a prologue already! It seemed like just yesterday that I started it! Oh well, time flies when you're having fun, now doesn't it. HA! I didn't make Krio a part of the Syndicate (though I must say I'm thinking that his and Vaik's conversation is missing... something. I dunno). Well, that's chapter six, thanks for reading, and don't forget to drop a review!