The Strength of Silence

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

⚠️ THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS TRIGGERING THEMES. SUCH AS BLOOD, QUESTIONS OF SELF WORTH, DEATH SCENE, AND OTHER DEPRESSING FEATURES ⚠️

"Hey, Walter?"

    "Hhmm?"

    Anya leaned her head against his shoulders as they watched Gemma playing on the swings from a distance. The couple were sitting on one of the park's benches while enjoying each other's company with entwined hands. The older brunette was rubbing her thumb over the ravenette's knuckles as a ring glinted brightly from the sunlight on one of her fingers, "We should tell the little Draga the good news soon."

   Strickle let out a hearty chuckle, "If she hasn't figured it out yet."

     "Knowing her, she most likely has. Gemma is probably keeping quiet to give us space."

    "Which is very kind of her."

    "I raised her well."

     The green eyed male lifted Anya's hand and kissed the back of it lovingly, "That you did."

    ꧁☯︎︎꧂

    Gemma and Vendal entered the elder's home within the Heartstone as the pale eyed troll gestured to a sitting area that contained two wooden chairs with a table placed between them.

    "Would you like a beverage to quench your thirst?"

     The brunette couldn't help the smile that tugged the corner of her lips as she was reminded of Strickler for a moment. She shook her head while politely signing, 'No, thank you.'

    Once she reached the chair, she frowned when the hybrid realized her current form was a bit too big for the furniture. Thus, she shifted into her human one. Vandal watched in amusement before commenting, "I will never understand how such a tiny frame like yours can shift into a larger one like the Dragon Folk's"

    The response that the woman made earned the older being a smirk as the youngster did a jazz hands motion while saying, "Magic."

     The chief shook his horned head as a small laugh escaped him until his expression turned serious, "I've witnessed that little 'show' you did with Aaarrrgghh during the Trollhunter's birthing ceremony."

      Gemma bit her bottom lip nervously, 'You saw that?'

    Vandel slowly nodded his head in confirmation as he eyed her warily; debating on how to word his next sentence carefully as to not trigger the young woman.

     "Gemma, you are aware that the Dragon Folk, exspecially Cave Dwellers, are known for their many various abilities?"

    The brunette raised a inquisitive brow at the troll; unsure where he was going with this conversation but answered nonetheless, 'Yes, I do.'

    "Then you are aware that, despite the various types of Dragon Folk, they all have one similar ability knows as Dragon's Wraith?"

     Gemma's whole body tensed as her brown bangs covered her eyes as a frown formed on her paled face. Vendal took this moment to continue, "This power usually puts the user in a berserker like state but can be controlled under certain conditions. But under extreme stress, it can become uncontrollable where it causes the user to attack anything in its path; friend or foe. It also has a habit of randomly showing up in a person while they are doing the simplest of tasks that involves fighting. The only sign of a Dragon Folk going into this state is when their eyes glow red."