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.

a part of him that had long been dead was once again full of life. Not that anyone could tell 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 emotions. He had dearly wished his son had survived his initiation, so he could have

pushed out the grief that rose within him as his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It had grown easier to bear over the years, but only a little. His acute awareness of how fleeting joy could

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

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

Titus crashed his fist down on the table as

through the door, his old comrade looked around

superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now the commander

name in a breach of protocol.

moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper,

and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms

out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know how

Titus frowned.

course I'm proud, but that doesn't mean I want to

when she was a young lass? Why would we?" the old tribune

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

stumbling into camp once every few days, covered in ichor and half dead

Titus didn't blink.

she say?" he

decision and the rest of us should

"There it is."

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

that didn't mean he got to

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

insane!

his tone hard as steel. "I will support her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder