Chrysalis

The shadow falls like clouds, like rain;

Creeping dread begins to stain;

Shudder the heart, freeze the brain;

Ring out the laughter, again and again;

Call of you lover, daughter, son;

Sinks into your ears, your will undone;

Forward you step, your soul is wrung;

Cannot resist, Gon has come;

Who can defy that fateful call?

Who can escape the shadows pall?

Forward you go, heedless to stall;

Into the depths to meet the fall;

Lament the brave and pity the meek;

None can flee the song of the freak;

• Rinnidan children's rhyme.

looking at his face, of course, to the world at large he appeared as stone faced and duty bound as ever. Ever since Morrelia had been selected for accelerated development his pride had almost been ready to burst out of his chest. It would seem odd to most people, but watching her earnestly work herself to the bone in order to achieve her ambitions had filled him with powerful

easier to bear over the years, but only a little. His acute awareness of how fleeting joy could be only made his current appreciation

his mind away from Morrelia and back to the numerous papers scattered across his desk. Administrative work was the backbone of the Legion, and though he would rather charge into a horde of demons without armour on, the commander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the flat surface before him. Once more focused on his task, Titus took hold of

soldiers and thousands more auxiliaries needed to be accounted for, equipped, fed, billeted and kept happy. Promotions, training, Skill development, Class upgrades, managing morale, all of it demanded the careful attention of the commander in charge and Titus knew just how important each of these were to the successful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline that the Legion drummed into their officers! It was also

down on the table as his

the door, his old comrade looked around the room as if expecting

seriously wrong! As she glanced back to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now the commander appeared as if he was forged from Abyssal Iron! Knowing him for as

in

face his wrath if the moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus breathed out his tension

just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms and applications in front of

about your daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know how proud

Titus frowned.

proud, but that doesn't mean I want to hear gossiping

Morrelia who we trained when she was a young lass?

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

Aurillia grew serious as she laid out her concerns. "We've seen her stumbling into camp once every few days, covered in ichor

Titus didn't blink.

did she

rest of us should leave

"There it is."

we're talking about, don't tell me that you

but that didn't mean he

went through the advanced officer’s training Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If

is insane!

choices. She understands the risks and