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.

to the Legion, that the untimely death 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

had been lost. It had grown easier to bear over the years,

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

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 also

fist down on the table as his

through the door, his old comrade looked around

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 he was forged from Abyssal Iron! Knowing

Titus?" she demanded, using his name in a breach of protocol. "Is something

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

it difficult to concentrate," he admitted as he waved a hand

about your daughter out working hard in the Dungeon?" she grinned.

Titus frowned.

doesn't mean I want to hear gossiping amongst

she was a young lass?

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

into camp once every few days, covered in ichor

Titus didn't blink.

did she say?" he

her decision and the rest of us should

"There it is."

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

didn't mean he got to overrule

eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she

much is insane!

stated, his tone hard as steel. "I will support her choices. She understands the risks and