Chrysalis

Titus didn't wait for the Legionaries to answer and immediately started calling names, lining everyone up before him in name order. The young soldiers were so accustomed to following his orders that doing as he said was almost instinctual.

In the dim light the commander looked as impressive as always. His solid frame and clear eyes were reassuring to everyone in the Legion, even if they didn't know how to feel about it at the time.

Once everyone was lined up appropriately Titus raised his voice to address them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Legion!" he smiled at them warmly, a rare sight indeed, "welcome! You have endured the pain and come through the other side. It is time to add the finishing touches to your induction as full Legionaries".

He turned and gestured to the armoured suits that lined the walls. "What see here is more Legionary tech developed thousands of years ago during the Rending. Magical theory was highly advanced at that time and in their desperation the creators of the Legion experimented with hundreds of different ways to increase their strength to defeat the monsters and preserve the light of civilisation. The Baptism you endured is one such technique, these suits of armour are another".

He walked towards the nearest suit and knocked against the melded steel and stone plate. A hard clang rang out, ringing in the air. The armour was massive and bulky, impossibly so. Even Titus, as powerful and broad as he was, looked like he would struggle to move when weighed down by the sheer mass of the suit.

Donnelan in particular was confused. He was a mage, used to wearing only light leather armour. Anything heavier would reduce his mobility to the point where it would be difficult for him to impact the battlefield where and when he was needed. The Legion didn't subscribe to the 'soft' mage approach of cloth armour and little combat training. Some forces preferred to have their mages spend all of their time in study. The Legion took a different approach and Donnelan had been forced to endure harsh physical training, maintain his own leather armour and equipment as well as learning how to defend himself with his staff or even bare hands.

But surely they wouldn't expect him to clunk around like a turtle inside one of these things?!

"This is Abyssal Armour" announced Titus, a touch of reverence coming through in his tone, "Even now we struggle to reproduce the incredible level of craftsmanship that was achieved during the Cataclysm but these suits have been made right here in Raileh".

There was unmistakable pride at that announcement. Was this Abyssal armour really that special? The former trainees stared hard at the oversized suits and struggled to see the value in them.

It was hard to understand just what the Abyssal Armour could do until you'd experienced it for

item on

at this. Class

one of you has met the requirements for your class, we aren't stupid" Titus laughed, "I'll ask you to step forward one at a time and we will enact the change. I'll be the trainer for

radiated from that persons frame. Titus pointed to one of the suits and

soon Donnelan's turn

it's fine"

not done with current class though

understand in a moment. Step

a hand to place it

like to change class to:

What?!

moment. The Abyssal Legion was actually a class within the system itself?! This was almost unheard of…. The cases where the system actually changed

choice. To inherit such a rare and unique class,

along with his new class and Titus directed him to stand next to a suit of Abyssal Armour towards the back on

other designs, clearly more mobile and manoeuvrable that the more bulky versions. Judging by the size of it though there was still no way he could

Or… could he?

was there. As time passed and more of the new Legionaries undertook the class change, Donnelan was able

to shock him. This wasn't armour! This was a priceless masterpiece! The enchantments, the crystal filament wires, the incredible alloys that made up the plates, all of it was