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.

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

slow release of breath he 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,

a horde of demons without armour on, the commander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the

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 the successful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline that the Legion drummed into their officers! It was also

crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed

old comrade looked

commander didn't lose his temper. He just didn't! For him to yell like that, something must be seriously wrong! As she glanced back to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the

Titus?" she demanded, using his name in a

officers of his 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 tension once more, his expression softening

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

Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know

Titus frowned.

mean I want to hear gossiping amongst

she was a young

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

few of us are concerned about the pace she is setting. Overwork is a real issue and she is clearly pushing up against the boundary," Aurillia grew serious as she laid out her concerns. "We've seen her stumbling into camp once every few days, covered in ichor and half dead on her feet. She spends so much time in the field they are rotating three squads to

Titus didn't blink.

she say?" he

her decision and the rest of us should

"There it is."

be serious, Titus! This is your daughter we're

but that didn't mean he got to overrule Morrelia's

eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked any less, she wouldn't have a chance of making it

much is insane! She

understands the risks and is willing