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.

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

easier to bear over the years, but

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,

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 were to the successful running of a

Titus crashed his fist down on the

looked around the room as if expecting to see

his temper. He 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 of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right now the

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

a long moment where he took hold of

the matter. I'm just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he

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

Titus frowned.

proud, but that doesn't mean I want to

when she was a young lass? Why would

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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

Titus didn't blink.

she

and the rest of us should leave

"There it is."

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

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

insane!

her choices. She understands the risks and is willing to shoulder them. I will