Roses and Knives

Chapter 16: Tensions Rise

As agreed Dante showed up for the interview Alya wanted however he encountered an event he did not expect.

Dante: "I know I said no cameras or recordings so I thought you might bring a person or two. But did you really have to bring the whole class?"

Dante and Alya were on opposing chairs and the rest of the class was hanging around behind Alya. They were not malicious, just curious as this would probably be their only chance to hear the information from the source itself.

Alya: "They were curious and you didn't say that I couldn't bring people."

Dante: "Fair enough. Ok go ahead and ask your questions."

Alya: "Awesome. First question, How did you escape the barrier that covers Greece?"

Dante: "I walked through it."

Alya: "That's it?"

Dante: "That's it. You see Alya the magic barriers are not meant to keep us in. It is to keep everyone else out. For instance I can go in and out of the Greek barrier as I please, however I can't get past the Norse or Aztec barriers since I'm not one of them."

Alya: "Why keep people out?"

Dante: "The early Greeks, Aztecs, and Norse believed that when you let in outsiders then you also invite their problems. So they used a very powerful and very ancient magic to keep their territories to themselves. We occasionally trade with one another but other than that each of us keeps to ourselves. Because of that we not only survived but have thrived as the last three magic empires."

Alya: "Interesting. What is a magic empire exactly?"

Dante: "To be qualified as a magic empire a majority of the public needs to know and practice magic. No, that was to basic. A better way to say it is that magic itself needs to become part of the country's culture itself. To the point where everyone at least understands the basic principles of it."

Alya: "Does that mean you can use magic?"

Dante: "Obviously. Anyone can do magic if they knew how to."

Alya: "Would you be willing to teach that?"

Dante: "No. It's basically an insult to my country and family to teach non Greeks anything about magic. And I've already made an exception once and I will not do it again."

Marinette felt a little guilty hearing this but didn't let it show as she knew that Dante wouldn't have taught her in the first place if he didn't want too.

Alya: "Who's this exception?"

Dante: "No comment."

Alya: "Hmm......fine. By your explanation does that mean there could be more magic empires?"

Dante: "Yes, There were hundreds of them in the past, but as predicted they have all fallen one by one. Although Egypt lasted the longest because of their advantage over the rest."

Alya: "Was it some kind of magic that couldn't be stopped?"

Dante: "No, it was their financial security that saved them for a while. You see they had these magic beasts only native to Egypt. The beasts were bettles the size of dogs and those beetles shit gold. As long as the gold kept coming they were safe. However the beetles eventually went extinct so they fell as well."

Alya: "So only the best are left then? Is that what you are saying?"

Dante: "We weren't necessarily the best. Just the most clever. Any other questions?"

Alya: "Does Atlantis exist?"

Dante: (Sighs) "Yes It Exists. Yes, it is underwater. No, it is not lost. The whole city has a dome of oxygen surrounding it and we have special vehicles that takes us to and from there."