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.

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

It had grown easier to bear over the years, but only a

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

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 were to the successful running of a military force. This was the sort of discipline that the Legion drummed into their officers! It was

on the table as his thoughts strayed

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

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 of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now the commander appeared as if

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

she was prepared to face his wrath if the moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus

admitted as he

Dungeon?" she

Titus frowned.

mean I want

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

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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 of a normal legionary! You can't be

Titus didn't blink.

she

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

"There it is."

we're

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

looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked any less, she wouldn't have a chance

insane!

understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will hear no more of this