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.

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 him with powerful emotions. He had dearly wished his son

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

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

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

fist down on the table

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

just didn't! For him to yell like that, something must be seriously wrong! As she glanced back to the face of her old friend and superior, she froze when she saw the hard lines

demanded, using his name in a breach

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

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

your daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know how proud you must

Titus frowned.

but that doesn't mean I want to hear gossiping amongst the

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

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

she say?"

was her decision and the rest of us should leave off," the tribune

"There it is."

daughter we're talking

didn't mean he got to overrule Morrelia's choices. Or the

don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked any less,

much is insane! She

"I will support her choices. She understands