Chrysalis

When Morrelia awoke her entire body was screaming in pain. This extent of muscle soreness wasn't something she'd experienced many times in her life, even in the worst of her training sessions as a trainee legionary. She grit her teeth and forced herself to rise, forcing her protesting limbs to yield to her will, the pain she shoved down deep into her chest and fed it to the fire that constantly burned there. She'd known that hell awaited her if she chose this direction and she wasn't going to shy away from it now that she felt the sting of her decisions.

A splash of cold water followed by a vigorous scrubbing to ensure no grime, blood or ichor remained on her skin before she launched into an hour long session of stretches and exercises designed to prepare her for the next excursion into the third stratum. It was agonising and she whimpered in pain more than once, but she grit her teeth and followed through to the end. Another splash of cold water to wipe away the sweat and then into her leather armour. Breakfast had been delivered to her tent and she scoffed it down quickly, her body desperate for energy and sustenance. The baptism the Legion had put her through meant she didn't need to eat as much as a regular person, the mana that burned in her veins made sure of that, but the brutal regime she was putting herself through meant that her muscles craved calories and proteins.

When Morrelia finally emerged from her tent, she already radiated the intense focus one would expect from a warrior in the field. She managed only a few strides before a familiar face settled in beside her.

"Myrrin," she greeted her friend without breaking stride. "Haven't seen you for a little while. How've you been?"

"Busy!" the younger woman laughed as she lengthened her stride to match that of the berserker. "Since reforming your father has had the entire legion put through its paces! The drills are endless!"

"Nothing wrong with sharpening the blade before battle."

"I just got back from battling the wave! I'm plenty sharp!"

"Where were you stationed?" Morrelia finally turned her head to take in her friend, curious to see what had changed.

Though she'd completed her initiation before Morrelia had, Myrrin was younger by several years. Being introduced to full membership had forced her to rapidly grow up however. There had been a hardening in the carefree young girl that she could remember signing up to be a trainee back in Liria. It was the same transformation that hit all of them in time, the soft edges buffed out to be replaced by sterner stuff. Battling the Dungeon wasn't an occupation for the meek, only the strongest could survive.

"I was in the second stratum, close to Yerryn," Myrrin pulled a face, "I've seen enough of shadow beasts to last several lifetimes."

"I hear that," Morrelia chuckled.

The two of them continued to stride through the camp at a brisk pace, saluting any superiors they came across but not bothering to stop. Their relentless pace puzzled the ranger until she was forced to ask.

"What's the rush, Morr? I hear they have you on some rough schedule, but you only got back yesterday!"

to get back at it," she

Myrrin's mouth dropped.

can't be serious! I've been told thousands of times how dangerous it is to overexpose to the Dungeon!

hadn't been any breaks for weeks. Morrelia didn't pause in her

my decision. I need to push if I'm going to succeed in my goals and that means killing monsters and polishing my Skills. I don't have the luxury of holding back, I need

initiation alongside their brothers and sisters. If she wanted to stand shoulder to shoulder with

don't understand what's going on here, Morr," Myrrin grabbed hold of her friend's arm and dug in

mind before she suppressed it. She sighed and gestured for the two of them to

to be quick," she explained. "I've been pushed forward to participate in a training

are," Myrrin

laid out several different ways I could progress. Heavy armour, berserker or try to

did

them,"

a long moment before she started

Your appetite is bigger than your

you blame me? If you had a chance at wearing

not just choose to follow the heavy armour

She shrugged.

leave my Berserker Class in the dust, it's been with me my whole

Myrrin said, exasperated. "Aren't you just making things

Morrelia rolled her eyes.

it wasn't enough to just be a killer for the Legion. I wanted to be

before she was qualified to make decisions like that, but she didn't want to accept that she would never have that authority. Their enemies were too great for them to