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.

of his son had robbed him of both 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 him with powerful emotions. He had dearly wished his son had survived his initiation, so he could have seen both of his children rise to the challenge presented

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 awareness of how fleeting joy could be only made

a wrench of will Titus dragged his mind away from Morrelia 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

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

down on the table as his

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

saw the hard lines of his expression. Though he always looked carved from granite, right

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

moment where he took hold of his temper, Titus breathed out his tension once more, his expression

matter. I'm just irritated and finding it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand towards

the Dungeon?" she grinned. "I know

Titus frowned.

but that doesn't mean I want

we trained when she was a young

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

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 times the work of a normal legionary! You can't

Titus didn't blink.

she say?"

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

"There it is."

we're talking about, don't tell me that

that didn't mean he got to overrule Morrelia's

advanced officer’s training Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that

is insane! She could

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