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.

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

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 be only made his current appreciation for his daughter all the more

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

it demanded the careful attention of the commander in charge

crashed his fist down on the table as

his old comrade looked around the room as if expecting to see a

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

she demanded, using his name in a breach of protocol. "Is something

Legion, 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

is the matter. I'm just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as

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

Titus frowned.

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

About little Morrelia who we trained when she was a young lass? Why would we?" the old tribune

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

as she laid out her concerns. "We've seen her stumbling into

Titus didn't blink.

she say?"

was her decision and the rest of us

"There it is."

daughter we're talking

he got to overrule

he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked

is insane! She could

She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will hear no more