Dante folded his hands behind his back, his tone deep and steady as he explained, "Meditation is the only way to connect with the seven portals of the body. Each of you has power flowing inside you, but you must learn to listen to it. Without stillness, your elements will always be wild. Only when you calm your heart and mind can you guide that power where it belongs."
The children fidgeted at his words, not fully grasping, but they sensed the importance in his tone. Sable’s eyes grew wide, shadows flickering faintly at his feet. Luna crossed her arms, but her ears twitched with interest. Kelpie looked almost too excited, as if he couldn’t wait to try.
Alina’s eyes trailed over the meadow where each child had found their own corner.
Kelpie sat near the waterfall. Rocky perched on his chosen rocks, nervously shifting. Luna leaned back with a scowl beneath her tree. Vlad Jr. sat perfectly poised in the shade like a prince. Drake clung halfway up a branch with restless energy. Boo floated mid-air with his legs crossed. Sable and Lucien were at opposite ends, one wrapped in shadows, the other cloaked in a crimson aura that seemed to thrum with silent power.
Alina folded her arms, biting her lip as she leaned closer to Dante. Her voice dropped to a soft murmur, filled with genuine curiosity. "Sir... do they really know what to do? How to connect with their power? They look so little, and it seems so complicated."
Dante didn’t move at first. His crimson gaze swept slowly over the field, assessing each child with the same intensity he used on warriors. Then his deep voice answered, calm and certain. "They know. Their power will guide them. It is instinctive, like breathing. No one teaches a heart to beat, it simply does. The same with their elements."
Alina blinked, taken aback by the simple weight of his words. Her heart softened as she glanced at the children again, though her brows knit with another thought. She tilted her head, her ponytail brushing her shoulder. "Oh, I see... but, sir," she hesitated, "what exactly are those seven portals of the body you mentioned earlier? Are they... like something humans have too? Do I also have them?"
At this, Dante finally turned his head toward her. He studied her for a moment longer than necessary before speaking, his tone dropping into something low and patient.
"Yes, humans have them too," he said. "The seven portals are ancient channels that exist in all living beings. They are gateways, points in the body that connect flesh to spirit, matter to energy. When opened, they allow power to flow, either strengthening the body, awakening abilities, or sharpening the mind."
Alina’s lips parted slightly. She leaned in unconsciously, eager. "Then... what are they? Can you tell me, one by one?"
Dante’s jaw shifted slightly. His voice was like a dark current, deep and certain. "The crown, the mind, the throat, the heart, the navel, the root, and the shadow. Seven portals. Each aligned with a truth of existence. Few humans awaken them fully. For demons, it is survival. For my son," his gaze flicked briefly to Lucien glowing red in the distance, "it is destiny."
Alina followed his gaze, her chest tightening as she saw the small boy sitting with his tiny form wrapped in that pulsing, dangerous aura. He looked so little, yet so much older than his years. Her heart thudded, and she whispered, "It sounds... so powerful. Almost frightening."
Dante’s eyes returned to her, burning like embers under shadow. "It should frighten you. Power is never gentle. It consumes or it protects, depending on the will of the one who holds it." His gaze didn’t leave her face, his words carrying a meaning that made her throat tighten.
Her breath caught as Dante’s crimson eyes stayed on her. The way he spoke, saying that power is never gentle, felt more than just a warning. It carried a piece of his own life, something he had lived through. A small shiver ran through her, but she made herself nod and steadied her voice. "Then... tell me. I want to understand. What are these seven portals, one by one?"
For a long moment, Dante was silent, his eyes following the children who were already sinking into stillness as they began their meditation. The sound of the waterfall and the rustling of leaves filled the pause, and then finally, he spoke, his voice low and calm.
"The Crown." His gaze lifted upward, as if to remind her. "It rests at the top of the head. It connects to the endless. To the realm above thought. A being who opens it commands not just power, but fate itself. Most mortals never touch it, because it devours those who are unprepared." The source of this content ɪs n0velfire.net
Alina swallowed. A faint thrill raced through her at his words. "The endless... it sounds terrifying. And beautiful."
Dante inclined his head slightly, a faint acknowledgment. Then his eyes moved back to the children. "The Mind." His hand lifted briefly to his temple. "It sits here. The portal of clarity, of control. It sharpens sight beyond sight, memory beyond memory. A weak mind bends and breaks here. A strong one... conquers."
Her heart quickened at the way his voice grew darker, carrying a quiet seriousness. She leaned closer unconsciously. "And the throat?"
His lips curved faintly, though not into a smile. "The Throat is the voice of truth. Power spoken is power unleashed. A word can heal, a word can destroy. When this portal opens, lies crumble."
Alina’s hand went to her own throat instinctively, her fingers brushing lightly against her skin. She had always thought of her voice as something fragile, but hearing him made it sound like something divine.
"The Heart," Dante continued, his gaze finally softening just a fraction. "It is not the blood-pumping organ your books describe. It is the fire of connection, the portal that binds one soul to another. It is the most dangerous of all... because when broken, it becomes the most ruthless."
"...It must hurt... when it’s broken," Alina said, thinking about the brokenhearted people she had encountered in her life.