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.

his children. Now that he'd been reunited with Morrelia and she had integrated into the Legionem Abyssi a part of him that had 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, but watching her earnestly work herself to the bone in order to achieve her ambitions had filled

rose within him as his thoughts dwelt on what had been lost. It had grown easier to bear over the years, but only

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

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

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

old comrade looked around the room as

be seriously wrong! As she glanced back to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved

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

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

finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards the piles of forms

in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I

Titus frowned.

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

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

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

did she say?"

decision and the rest of us should leave

"There it is."

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

he got to overrule

told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it

insane! She could

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