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.

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,

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 commander would do his duty and defeat the enemy that rested on the flat surface before him. Once more focused on his task, Titus took hold of his

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

crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed

door, his old comrade looked around the

to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines of his

demanded, using his name in a breach

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

to concentrate," he admitted as he

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

Titus frowned.

proud, but that doesn't mean I want to hear gossiping

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

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

did she say?" he

decision and the rest of us should leave off,"

"There it is."

Titus! This is your daughter we're

didn't mean he got

through the advanced officer’s training Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level.

insane!

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