Chrysalis

"She did what?"

"She cut ties between the Legion and the Ka'armodo, completely."

Titus nodded with a satisfied expression on his face as he confirmed the news whereas Morrelia could only sigh and bury her face in her hands.

"Isn't that, a bit, extreme?" she pleaded with her father. "Isn't everyone worried about a second cataclysm? Isn't the Legion being pushed on multiple fronts because we are undermanned and undersupplied? This seems like a poor time to be turning our backs on allies…"

"I agree with you. We shouldn't be turning our backs on allies right now."

"Then you agree?"

"No. By creating a race of subservient monsters to wage war on their behalf, the Ka'armodo have shown themselves to be no allies of the Legion. Your mother has only made formal the arrangements their attitudes deserve. Now our Legionaries will not have to fight and die to protect those who would stab us in the back."

His arms folded across his chest, Titus was an imposing figure. A stern expression was carved into his features, as usual, and the steely glint of absolute confidence could be found in his eyes. Seeing it, Morrelia began to doubt her objections until her head began to swim. She brought both hands up and scratched her head furiously.

She didn't like dealing with the politics and the wider implications of what the Legion did, but lately she had forced herself onto the path of leadership and so she'd done her best to pick up everything she could. Even so, decisions like this made her knees weak. The repercussions of what her mother had done would resound throughout all of Pangera for decades, possibly centuries!

Titus chuckled and clapped his daughter on the shoulder. Not that long ago she would have been rocked to the side when he did that, now she withstood his hand with ease. Her levels were accumulating rapidly, the training was working.

"Don't think on it too hard, I guarantee your mother didn't. Her role as Consul is to faithfully follow the founding principles of the Legion, not to engage in petty politicking. We aren't sophisticated enough for that. We don't compromise, we don't bargain, that's it."

"Don't we have deals with demons in the third stratum to operate in their territory? Pretty big compromise if you ask me," his daughter pointed out.

"True," Titus agreed, "we did try to eliminate demons completely but gave up after five hundred years. The final decision was that the effort was totally fruitless, killing them only makes them spawn faster. Trying to block or disperse the spawn points doesn't work, since they spawn everywhere. In fact, by focusing so many resources on a single front, the Dungeon quickly became hazardous in other areas. A further three hundred years of campaigning were required to settle things down again."

"Dad, enough history, please. I know about the five hundred year war."

"Then you know why we compromised with the demons," Titus raised a brow as he looked down on his daughter.

call him 'Dad'. He would never

that I'm unhappy to see you, but why are you here anyway? I thought you were campaigning with your new Legion. You… didn't go and fight the Colony

to run a proper extermination but was denied. Again. We did a snap tour of the third instead.

commander shifted his

monsters who are actively helping sapients

eventually spoke

ants aren't hurting anyone, and are in fact helping people, then why stamp them out at all? If monsters have to exist, then

and she searched her father for any sign he had relented on this point. There was

even as far back as the Rending. No matter how hard you try, no matter what restrictions you place on them, eventually the monsters go wild. Every time, no exceptions. Even worse, the Ancients had the ability to dominate monsters that came anywhere near them. The servants that had been so carefully reared turned around and decimated the fools who had

Morrelia blinked.

heard that," she said

is sensitive. You didn't have the

secrets you want to drop

Titus smiled, "but now isn't the time. I didn't come here for that. You'll learn all of it

back from her father and sat on her

you have a ton of things that need doing. Is there something particular happening now, or are you just

last was said as a joke, but true

don't remember?" he

mad, but rather slightly

she asked

The room rumbled slightly.

glanced toward the door

be

The walls shook.

carefully, her hands reaching for her weapons as she rose back to her feet

the snap of command entering

old campaigner’s chest