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.

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

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

a horde of 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, Titus took hold of his pen, dipped it in the waiting ink and returned

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

Titus crashed his fist down on the table as his thoughts

commander?" Aurillia burst through the door, his old comrade looked around the room as if expecting to see a lurking

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 him for as long

his name in a breach of

wrath if the moment demanded it. After a long moment where he took hold

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

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

Titus frowned.

I'm proud, but that doesn't mean I want to

was a young lass? Why would

"Hmph," Titus snorted.

"We've seen her stumbling into camp once every few days, covered in ichor and

Titus didn't blink.

did she

rest of us should

"There it is."

daughter we're talking about, don't tell

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

Aurillia," he told her, looking her straight in the eye, "you don't know what it takes to succeed at that level. If she worked any

is insane!

She understands the risks and is willing