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.

his children. Now that he'd been reunited with Morrelia and she had integrated into the Legionem Abyssi 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 seen both of his children rise

grief that rose within him as his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It had grown easier to

of the Legion, and though he would rather charge into a horde of demons without

had been recalled from their postings during the wave was a monumental task. Thousands 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

crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed

commander?" Aurillia burst through the door, his old comrade looked around the room as if

something must be 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

demanded, using his name in

she was prepared to face his wrath if the moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus breathed out his tension once more, his expression softening imperceptibly as he did

matter. I'm just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms and applications in

working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I

Titus frowned.

mean I want to hear gossiping

a young lass? Why would we?"

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

she

rest

"There it is."

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

didn't mean he got to overrule Morrelia's choices. Or the

what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked

is insane! She could

tone hard as steel. "I will support her choices. She understands the risks