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.

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

his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It had grown easier to bear over the years, but

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

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

on the table as his

Aurillia burst through the door, his old comrade looked around the room as if expecting to see

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

Titus?" she demanded, using his name in a breach

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

he admitted as he waved a hand towards

daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned.

Titus frowned.

doesn't mean I want to hear gossiping amongst

little Morrelia who we trained when she was a young lass?

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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 accompany her. She's doing three times the work of a

Titus didn't blink.

she say?"

her decision and the rest of us should leave off," the

"There it is."

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

was concerned, but that didn't mean he

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

much is insane! She

support her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will hear