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.

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, 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

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, but only a little. His acute

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

down on the table as his thoughts strayed once

commander?" Aurillia burst through the door, his old comrade looked around the

she froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now the commander appeared as if he was forged from Abyssal Iron! Knowing him for as long as

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

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

it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as

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

Titus frowned.

but that doesn't mean I want to

a young lass? Why would we?" the old

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

admit to you Titus, a 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 accompany her. She's doing three

Titus didn't blink.

did she say?"

was her decision and the rest of us

"There it is."

we're talking about, don't

was concerned, but that didn't mean he got to overrule Morrelia's choices.

"you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level.

is insane! She could

"I will support her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will hear no more of this