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 out of his chest. It would seem odd to most people, but watching her earnestly work herself to

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, but only a little. His acute awareness of how fleeting

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

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

it!" Titus crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts strayed once

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

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

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

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

concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms

about your daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she

Titus frowned.

I'm proud, but that doesn't mean I

who we trained when she was a young lass? Why would we?" the old tribune innocently spread

"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 rotating three squads to accompany her. She's doing three times the work

Titus didn't blink.

she say?"

was her decision and the rest of us should

"There it is."

be serious, Titus! This is your daughter we're talking about, don't tell me

concerned, but that didn't mean he got to overrule

the advanced officer’s training Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes

much is insane!

her decision," Titus stated, his tone hard as steel. "I will support her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I