Dante’s eyes flickered, but he said nothing, moving instead to the next. "The Navel. The core. It fuels will, hunger, ambition. It is the fire of action. Without it, even power dies stillborn."
"The Root." His tone grew darker, heavier. "It anchors. It is survival, bloodline, instinct. A being without its root is nothing but drifting ash."
Alina’s breath ca a little faster. "And the last?" she whispered.
Dante’s expression changed, a shadow crossing his face. His voice dropped lower, his crimson eyes seeming to burn even more fiercely. "The Shadow. The seventh. Few even speak of it. It does not lie within the body, but behind it. It is everything you fear, everything you bury, everything you deny. To open it is to face yourself. Most are destroyed when they try. But those who survive... beco unstoppable."
The silence that followed was thick. Alina felt a chill at the base of her spine, but also awe in her chest. She looked at him, her lips parting, her voice softer than she intended. "And you, sir... have you opened them all?"
Dante’s eyes lingered on her, sharp and unreadable. His answer was only one word, but it sent her heart tumbling.
"Yes."
Alina’s eyes glowed with curiosity as she leaned closer, her voice soft but eager. "Sir... then how? How does one open these portals? How can you even tell if they are open? Do they glow, do they change sothing inside? How do you know?"
Dante turned his gaze on her, the years of experience burning behind his crimson eyes. For a mont, she thought he might dismiss her question, but instead, he answered slowly, carefully, as though every word carried both warning and truth.
"You do not force them open. That is the first lesson." His tone was firm, almost sharp. "Each portal responds only when the body and soul are ready. A child’s first cry opens the Root. Hunger and choice awaken the Navel. Love or heartbreak stirs the Heart. Each mont of life, each trial, either strengthens or weakens these gates. It is not sothing you achieve in a single breath. It is sothing carved through living."
Alina’s lips parted, her heart racing. "So... they open naturally? With experience?"
He inclined his head. "Yes. But recognition is another matter. You know when a portal opens because everything changes. The life energy feels different. Your body reacts. When the Mind opens, silence itself becos unbearable because you hear more than others. When the Heart opens, even pain becos fuel. When the Shadow opens..." His eyes darkened. "...you face yourself, stripped of every lie. Few survive that truth."
Alina shivered, both in awe and in fear.
********
After twenty-five minutes, Dante finally allowed the children to relax. His cold voice gave the permission, but the mont the words left his lips, the adow exploded with laughter.
Drake leapt to his feet first, wings flapping wildly as he shouted, "Luna! Race !" Without waiting for her answer, he bolted across the grass. Luna’s eyes glead with excitent, her tail flicking as she took off after him, her growl mixing with her delighted laughter. The two darted between flowers and rocks, circling the adow like tiny storms chasing each other.
Boo, on the other hand, floated lazily above them, spinning upside down in the air and calling out dramatic comntary. "Dragon versus wolf! Who will win? Boo bets on... snacks!" he announced, earning giggles from the others below.
anwhile, Dante’s shadow demons appeared silently, carrying large trays of food. They set them down neatly on the flat stones, the aroma drifting through the air. The children gathered quickly, their excitent turning instantly toward their stomachs. Alina helped pass out small portions, crouching to peel fruit or open packets as little hands reached eagerly for more.
Even Sable, who often stayed quiet, smiled shyly when Alina placed a piece of bread into his hands and patted his head. Rocky sat close to Kelpie, munching carefully while sneaking glances at Luna’s growls in the distance. Vlad Jr. dabbed his lips with exaggerated elegance between bites of his portion, muttering sothing about the "lack of refinent" in eating outdoors, though his eyes twinkled when no one looked.
After lunch, the children scattered again, their voices echoing with joy as they played across the open adow. So chased butterflies, so splashed their feet at the stream, while others simply rolled in the grass, laughing without reason. Alina watched them with her heart full, while Dante remained nearby, his gaze sharp but strangely softer than usual as he observed both the babies and the woman keeping it together.
***
The adow had turned into a battlefield of laughter and chaos.
Drake was already red in the face, running in frantic circles while Luna and Boo tead up against him. Luna growled playfully, grabbing one of his little dragon wings with her strong grip, while Boo floated gleefully behind, tugging at his shirt.
"Stopppp!!! Teacher!!!" Drake wailed, kicking his legs as they dragged him closer and closer to the water’s edge. His cheeks puffed up like round dumplings, his wings flapping uselessly. "I don’t like water!!!"
Luna only smirked, her little braid bouncing as she grunted with effort. "Big boy dragons shouldn’t be scared of water! Go swim with Kelpie!"
"Yeahhh!!" Boo echoed, his voice high with excitent. "Kelpie will teach you how to splash like fishy!" He spun dramatically in the air, pretending to swim.
Drake’s eyes widened in horror. "Noooo!!" he cried, squirming like a trapped chicken. Just as his toes touched the cool stream, he let out a panicked roar and did the only thing his panicked brain thought of—he grabbed both Luna and Boo by their arms and yanked with all his strength.
SPLASH!
Luna and Boo tumbled straight into the shallow water, flailing in surprise. Luna surfaced first, hair plastered to her face, growling furiously. "Drakeee!!!" she howled, water dripping from her nose.
Boo popped up beside her, spinning in circles and laughing so loudly his voice echoed off the waterfall. "Best trip everrrrr!" he shouted, splashing water everywhere.
anwhile, Drake stood on the bank, chest puffed up proudly, his little claws on his hips as he shouted, "See?! Don’t ss with !!" His voice cracked halfway, making his victory sound less fearso and more adorable.
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