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

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

wrench of will Titus dragged 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 commander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the flat surface before him. Once

after the members 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 the successful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline that

crashed his fist down on the table

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

froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked

name in

it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus breathed out

to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a

in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know how proud you

Titus frowned.

doesn't mean I want to hear

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

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

did she say?"

the rest of us

"There it is."

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

but that didn't mean he got

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

insane! She could

She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I