Chương 63: Bounty and Blessing

Joe remained kneeling in the centre of the marbled floor, his hands pressed to his head. He had heard everything, Lucius's voice, the announcement. He had seen the system notification. But he couldn't process it. His mind refused to work properly. Something was still wrong. A haze clung to his thoughts, distorting them, unraveling them before they could settle. Panic whispered through his chest. He had ruined everything. Absolutely everything. And he didn't even know how, or why.

With a strained breath, he pushed himself into a sitting position, only for the world to tilt violently. The room spun around him in a nauseating blur. He squeezed his eyes shut, begging the sensation to stop, but it wouldn't. He just wanted stillness, clarity, anything that made sense. He sensed movement. Someone was standing close, right in front of him. He couldn't make out who it was. Just a figure, still and silent, watching. Were they here for the bounty? Was he about to die?

He tried to focus, blinking rapidly as the spinning slowed. His vision cleared slightly, just enough to see… Then the floor met his face. His head slammed down, and he rolled to the side, groaning. His stomach churned. He was going to throw up. He braced himself for it, jaw clenched and body trembling. How much had he drunk? Then, softly, a hand pressed against his back. Gentle, steadying. A voice followed, warm and melodic.

"Easy child. Stay still, do not move. You drank a tremendous amount of that strong wine. Just stay still." He obeyed without complaint. He didn't think he could move even if he wanted to. Her voice reached through the fog clouding his mind like a lifeline. He lay there, unmoving, breathing slowly until the waves of nausea passed. It felt like an eternity before the sickness ebbed and he could sit up again. When he did, Catalina was crouched over him, calm and composed.

"Take this," she said, producing a small pill in her hand with a subtle motion. Joe reached out and carefully accepted it, placing it in his mouth. The effect was instantaneous. A jolt surged through him, as though his entire body had been scrubbed clean of every lingering trace of intoxication, confusion, and corruption. His eyes flew wide open, and he gasped, his body convulsing slightly under the overwhelming sensation.

For a fleeting moment, he felt too good, almost unnaturally euphoric, but then the high began to fade, leaving behind clarity, focus, and strength. He breathed deeply, blinking as the world settled into sharp, perfect focus. That was when he realized, to his surprise, that Catalina was still holding his shoulder. Startled, he quickly got to his feet and dropped into a deep bow.

"I apologise for my conduct, I didn't mean to touch you so without permission," he said, fully expecting a reprimand. Instead, there was a soft throaty chuckle. Quick. Fleeting. He almost thought he had imagined it.

"It is okay, child. I am the one who touched you. No need to apologize," Catalina replied with a small smile. Her voice was like music. Calm. Beautiful. Disarming. Joe found himself stunned not just by her kindness, but by how normal she sounded. Gentle, even. He forgot, for a moment, that they were still surrounded by hundreds of powerful figures, in a room where the air practically crackled with tension.

"Thank you. I don't know what happened." He truly didn't. His mind had been… hijacked, or something along those lines. His will, overwritten. It was the only explanation that made sense to him. Catalina was watching him, eyes narrowing slightly as if she were debating whether to tell him something. Then she shook her head with a sigh.

"Don't worry your little head about it, child. It was all that… one's doing. He flooded your mind with aura. None of what you did was your fault." Joe's eyes twitched as her words sank in. Flooded him with Aura? Manipulated his mind? So it was possible? But then it was a god that had done it, so it clearly was very possible. But why? he wondered. Before his thoughts could spiral into puzzle-solving mode, Catalina gave a quiet cough to recapture his attention.

Her eyes flicked toward the podium, toward the representatives still seated and staring directly at him. Shit! Right. He still had to deal with the aftermath of the mess the God of War had left in his wake. He straightened his back, drew a breath, and stepped forward. As he approached the podium once more, he gave the seated representatives a respectful, formal bow.

"I apologise for my appalling behaviour earlier," Joe said, bowing his head once more.

"I was not myself. I don't know how I can make amends." He stood, awaiting a response as the weight of every eye upon the podium pressed down onto him. He gave a silent prayer that the ground would split open and swallow him whole. It didn't. Instead, salvation came from an unexpected source, a light musical chiming that echoed gently through the room. It took Joe a few moments to realize what it was. The sound was laughter, coming from the other god seated on the podium. Decree.

The floating being of swirling papers rotated slowly, the sound of its amusement ringing like wind chimes through the room.

"Wonderful," Decree intoned, voice rich with mirth.

"Absolutely wonderful. I have not been so entertained in a very long time. Catalina, dear, where did you find this one? He's a darling." Joe blinked, unsure how to respond to a sentient stack of divine paperwork laughing at him. Catalina stepped forward, passing Joe with a soft brush of her gown as she approached the podium.

"Now, now, Dec," she said lightly, "Hands off. He belongs to Eludia." She emphasized the last word with unmistakable finality. Murmurs rippled through the room in response, whispers passing between attendees behind Joe. He let the faintest smile touch his lips. Her words held weight. Maybe it would help his current predicament. Decree gave a rustling chuckle.

"Oh, Cat, I was just teasing. I know who he… is fated with." The final word hung in the air like incense, delicate, deliberate, heavy with implication. Then Decree's fluttering attention turned toward Joe.

"But returning to the matter at hand," the god continued, his tone shifting to something more formal.

"No matter the true cause… Feormere here has created a bit of a mess. Reparations are needed. And I think I have the perfect idea." Joe tensed slightly, ready to agree to almost anything if it would resolve the nightmare that had unfolded. Decree's pages swirled faster, as if in anticipation.

"Seeing as we have such a convenient open space," the god mused, "why not use it?" Joe's brows furrowed in uncertainty. Where was this going? Then came the question.

"Feormere," Decree asked with amused gravity, "do you dance?" Joe stood at the centre of the marbled floor, preparing himself. Today was rapidly becoming a day he would never forget, and not for any of the right reasons. Now, on top of everything else, he was about to perform a dance he had never heard of. Of course, it wasn't just a dance. It was a divine request, delivered by a god, and as luck would have it, it was on the long, ever-growing list of dances included in his skill list.

That meant he could do it, at least in theory. His dance skill only showed him the steps; he imprinted them into his mind, but he still had to perform them all by himself. But that was what he did best. He raised a hand as music began to echo through the vast chamber, swelling from the edges of the space as if summoned by the marble itself. He wondered why, for the second time in his life… a god had asked him to dance for them. He moved.

His body responded instinctively, slipping into the rhythm of the music, letting the dance take over. But calling it a "dance" felt like an insult. This was something else entirely, something far beyond what he had encountered before. Every movement demanded absolute precision. The intricate steps, explosive leaps, and shifting rhythms required a level of coordination he hadn't experienced even during his performance of the Varonothray months ago.

That had felt like a formal waltz compared to the near-impossible sequence unfolding now. The dance Decree had chosen was called "Joy's Sorrowful Demise." By name alone, Joe expected something sombre and graceful, a mournful, flowing piece suited to a royal court's final ball. He had braced for slow, elegant motions. Instead, what he got was a wild sequence of rapid steps, dramatic spins, and gravity-defying jumps that made him think, for a moment, that he had selected the wrong dance. This was sorrow?

It felt more like chaos. Maybe his translation skill was glitching. Still, this was the dance the god had chosen, and he was no fool. Whatever Decree's reasons, he wasn't going to protest. Not when the price of failure might be another bounty on his head. So he would dance, head held high, heart pounding, body moving as if the world depended on it. The beat accelerated, Joe's cue. He launched into the opening steps.

His rhythm was flawless as he glided and spun across the marbled floor, each movement flowing into the next. A sharp tap of his foot echoed in the room, and the beat shifted. He surged forward into the next sequence, rippling with power and precision. Another tap, another change. Tap, dance, change, again and again in perfect synchrony. Then came the leap. His foot slammed into the floor, propelling him high into the air. The music surged, shifting into something even faster, more chaotic.

The second phase had begun, the quad-core portion of the dance. Right now, it felt more like a gymnastic routine than a dance. Joe raced across the open space in a blur of motion. As he landed and stopped at the centre, he extended a single finger. Mana pulsed from his hand like a ribbon of light. He followed its path and, to his surprise, it was pointing directly at Catalina. He smiled and flowed into the next step, not breaking rhythm.

His heart beat in time with the music, his body fully warmed up and glowing faintly. He wasn't glowing with power or strength. He radiated elegance as he danced. The ribbon of mana drifted around him in soft tendrils as he spun and kicked, slid and leapt, flowing through each step with effortless beauty. This, this was where he excelled. Not politics, not posturing. Movement. Rhythm. Control. He was sensing that same flutter he felt when he first discovered footwork. It grounded him. It centred him.

Something chimed in the back of his mind… and he missed a step. It was small. Barely a slip. He corrected immediately, but the click of his tongue betrayed his annoyance. His focus had slipped. Why? Footwork… The thought flashed again, and he stumbled… barely. This time, he adjusted mid-motion, hiding the mistake so well that most wouldn't have noticed. But two beings certainly did. His eyes flickered to Decree and then to Catalina. Of course, they had noticed. A god wouldn't miss something so subtle but obvious.

Still dancing, he offered them both a small, apologetic nod. Decree returned the gesture with serene understanding, seemingly unconcerned. Joe wondered how he knew that, considering he didn't see any strange movement in the floating papers. He internally shrugged and continued. Catalina, however, wore an expression that Joe couldn't place, Anger? No, it was something more layered, more complicated. He didn't have time to decipher it. The dance demanded too much: his speed, his precision, his full attention.

He spun away, letting the music guide him, though the question of her expression lingered in the back of his mind. Joe flipped onto his hands and came to a stop as the music abruptly paused. This was the beginning of the third segment, as usual, the most difficult part of the dance. He swallowed hard. This section had him nervous. His heart thundered in his ears as he waited for the beat to resume, each second stretching longer than the last.

He closed his eyes and tried to still the pounding in his chest, breathing in deep and slow, forcing calm into his limbs. When he opened his eyes, he caught a sight that surprised him… Decree, floating above the podium, was clapping in encouragement. It wasn't just approval. It was support. At least someone in this room wanted him to succeed. The beat returned, sharp and fast, and Joe launched into motion. He rolled into the opening spin, body reacting automatically.

Mid-movement, he spotted Catalina clapping as well; her face was focused but sincere. That made two. Two beings who believed in him. He could work with that. He spun and rolled, leapt and twisted, mana now beginning to wrap around his feet. It was incredibly difficult to stabilize. His timing slipped. He missed the precise cut-off point in the mana flow and ended up rolling over his shoulder in a messy recovery.

"Shit," he swore lightly. That section had been critical. He had missed the first mana tie-off opportunity. There would only be one more. If he didn't get it right the second time, the entire segment, and perhaps the entire dance, would fall apart. This part was massively complex but integral to completing the dance. He had to coat his feet in mana and tie it off in a specific shape… ice skates. Once formed, he would perform a full skating routine. The challenge wasn't the skating; it was the technique.

Tying off mana wasn't something he had ever needed to do before. He'd only ever coated his body or weapon, never shaped and locked the flow mid-dance. Doing it in motion was a whole new test. He pushed forward, refusing to falter, even as he caught the worried look in Catalina's eyes. They shimmered, glowing softly, a vivid red. Beautiful. Reassuring. Even now, she was trying to steady him. He breathed in and out, then rolled low and sprang into the air, landing on his hands as the second tie-off point neared.

Mana surged around his feet… Now! He concentrated, drawing the mana inward, sealing his feet… and tied it off… A pop rang out as the shaped mana locked into place. He leapt upward, awkward but airborne, but he'd done it. Not perfectly. The mana around his feet didn't resemble skates so much as stubby glowing blades, but it was enough. The dance could continue. He landed hard but stable, and glided into the skating portion, his momentum carrying him forward, graceful once more.

Gasps erupted across the room as he glided forward, effortlessly coasting along the marbled floor. Now that his footing was secure and the most difficult segment was behind him, he allowed himself to look up and take in the room. Nearly every eye was locked on him. He spotted Geld and Markos, both slack-jawed, staring at him in open awe. Joe grinned. His gaze shifted and met Lola's, her crimson eyes unblinking, fixed solely on him.

Then he spotted Shanna and Tevenny, hands clasped, eyes wide, watching with huge smiles. When they waved at him excitedly, he returned the gesture with a flourish of movement. He redirected his focus, centering again on the skating. Jumping through tight spins, flowing through elegant glides, each motion precise. But something tugged at the back of his mind, the earlier missteps. He had faltered because he'd thought about footwork during the dance. There was something there, some link just out of reach.

He couldn't grasp it, and the thought lingered, distracting. He pushed it aside, doubling down on his concentration. He let the mana flow again, shaping it into an arcing pattern around him. Glide, slide, jump, and leap, his body responded with grace as rhythm carried him forward like a current. The dance wasn't just something he performed now; it was something he embodied. At last, he neared the end of the skating segment.

With one final jump, he kicked off from the floor, dismissing the mana in a sharp burst midair. He landed cleanly in the final-section pose, his feet free, his body steady. The music dulled, replaced by a steady, sonorous beat that echoed through the room like the calm before a storm. Scattered claps sounded from around the chamber, but the silence quickly followed as they realized it wasn't over yet. Joe closed his eyes, chest heaving, sweat beading on his brow.

He raised his hands slowly, letting delicate streams of mana pour from his fingertips like ink in water. And then, with deliberate precision, he took the first step of the final push. He misstepped. His foot faltered, and his breath caught. For a split second, his mind had gone completely blank, no rhythm, no memory of the next move. But then he saw it. A vision, not of a single path, but of two branching ones opening up before him, the choice paralyzed him just long enough to stumble. Why were there two?

He wondered, still reeling from the vision. He steadied himself and moved forward, choosing the path he knew, the one tied to the choreography, the correct movement of the dance. His body flowed smoothly, following the steps that ran through his mind. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. But the second path didn't fade. It lingered at the edge of his awareness, like an echo, a whisper that refused to be silenced.

He pushed it aside; he had to finish the dance. Yet the pull was undeniable. That second path didn't just call to him; it resonated. It belonged to him. Because he knew exactly where it led. Footwork. __ Catalina caught her breath as she watched the faint shimmer of an epiphany unfold before Joseph Caldwell, the High Human bonded to her daughter. Her eyes twitched, shifting to Decree, who leaned forward on the desk, his attention fixed on the same elusive vision.

She still had no idea what part of him were his eyes, but wherever they were, they would certainly be gleaming. The dance continued, but Catalina's focus was now split, part of her vision tracking the elegant, resolute high human, and the other part locked on the fragile apparition of a new path hovering in the air. She could already sense it fading. She raised a hand to preserve it, only to see Decree gesture first. The moment locked in place, frozen by divine intervention. She gave him a silent nod of thanks.

It would've been a devastating loss if they had let Joe's epiphany vanish. That he had ignored it to finish the performance was both admirable and utterly maddening. His sense of duty was impressive, but to bypass an epiphany like that? It bordered on blasphemy. She'd have to lecture the boy about it later. Who was guiding him? How could they not have explained the importance of such rare events? Still, she found herself smiling despite it all. Her gaze shifted fully back to the dance.

The boy had made his choice, and now, she wanted to see where it would lead. __ Joe glanced over his shoulder, catching the faint shimmer of motion as the two gods acted. One of them, he couldn't tell which, had done something out of sight, something important. The path he'd almost lost… was still there. It hit him in that moment that if they hadn't intervened, he would've lost it forever. The realization settled in his chest like a weight.

That path wasn't just a new direction, it was an opportunity, the kind that came once in a lifetime. Internally, Joe offered a silent thank you to both gods. He didn't know how, but he'd make it up to them. Refocusing, he snapped his attention back to the final movements of the dance. His footing was precise, his control perfect. Mana wrapped around his limbs like liquid silk, his body basking in the radiant warmth of its flow. He felt as though he were swimming through it, slicing the air with each elegant move.

The sensation was exhilarating, pure, unfiltered joy. He danced and danced, the momentum carrying him through the final sequence until the last beat rang out, and he struck the final pose, arms raised in triumph, body aglow with effort and pride. For a split second, he wanted to shout in victory. The room erupted. Clapping, cheering, applause burst forth from the gods, the Empire representatives, and the crowd. Even the divine stood, clapping in unison.

Joe lowered into a bow, heart thundering, breath short, but spirit soaring. He heard more clapping behind him, quieter, fewer voices. Maybe ten or so. It didn't matter. He turned and bowed to them, too. Gratitude was owed to everyone who had supported him. But it wasn't over yet. He turned toward the shimmering path. His heart stirred as he stepped forward, gaze fixed on the glowing trail on the floor. This was something new, something powerful. It wasn't a dance path. It wasn't familiar choreography.

No, this was footwork. And it was made for him. He knew it with a certainty so deep it eclipsed thought. Every line, every pivot point along the glowing trail whispered to him. He began to memorize it instinctively. His eyes started to glow, though he didn't notice. But everyone else in the room did. Softly, Catalina appeared at his side, her hand warm on his shoulder. He turned toward the beautiful red-eyed Mortifi goddess, startled by her closeness but calmed by her presence.

Her Aura gently touched him, soothing his mind.

"Don't rush it," she said, voice chiming like a bell.

"Go at your own pace. We can't wait to see what you make of this." Joe swallowed.

"You know what this is?"

"An epiphany child," she responded gently. The word echoed in Joe's mind, and with it, a familiar presence flickered. Veda. The way both called him child was striking, and he couldn't help but smile at the comparison.

"Thank you," he said, turning back to face the glowing path before him. He was ready. As Catalina's hand left his shoulder, a strange emptiness filled him. It wasn't fear or hesitation; he knew he could walk this path alone. He could finish the footwork, claim the epiphany, and grow stronger for it. But something pulled at him, something deeper than instinct. A quiet tug on his soul.

"A path travelled alone is not as powerful as a path travelled together," Joe said aloud, the words escaping before he even understood where they came from. He turned to Catalina. She stood watching him, lips parted in surprise. She was a head and shoulders shorter than he, but something about her towered over him like a mountain. Her expression was one of shock, not anger, not amusement, only stunned surprise. He seized the moment. Not wanting to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He reached out and took her hand. Her eyes flared, glowing with a sudden flash of heat, but he didn't back down. He bowed over her hand in earnest.

"Would you accompany me for one dance?" he asked softly. A long silence followed. The room itself seemed to hold its breath. Catalina didn't move, but her fingers twitched in his hand. She gazed into his soul, head tilted slightly, a small, enigmatic smile forming on her lips.

"Do you know what you are asking, child?" she said, voice lilting, yet curious.

"Nope," Joe said with a grin.

"I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. But it is the only option that feels right." Catalina studied him for a moment longer, then reached out and brushed his cheek with the back of her hand. When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper, meant for him alone.

"You're lucky my daughter means the world to me," she whispered.

"Don't disappoint now. This better be the best dance of your life." Joe would have shuddered at the veiled threat under normal circumstances, but not now. Not here. Fear had no place in his heart at that moment. He smiled as he gently guided the goddess close, settling into position. Only when she stood before him, in his arms, did he truly realize what he had just done. He held a god in his arms… one who, at one point, wanted him dead. That probably still did. He swallowed hard, heartbeat thudding in his chest.

And then, with the God of Eludia in his arms, Joe began the most important dance/footwork creation of his short life so far. __ Daisy burst into her Shanshara's chamber, the door splintering into shards under the force of her unrestrained power. Her eyes scanned the room like a predator until they locked onto Rose, who stood serenely waving a hand in front of her face as debris fluttered past.

"Daisy, what in the world are you doing?" Rose asked, clearly alarmed.

"Sorry, but there's no time." Daisy shot forward, scooping the princess into her arms without pause. They blurred into motion, flying down hallway after hallway in a dizzying streak of speed.

"Daisy, Oh my gosh. What is going on?" Rose asked breathlessly, clinging tightly to her maid's shoulders.

"It's your mother!" Daisy shouted, banking around a corner and soaring through an arched doorway.

"She's dancing with the High Human!" __ As Joe glided through the intricate steps of the forming footwork, it took a moment for the sheer weight of what he was doing to catch up with him. He was dancing a newly-formed path, an epiphany of his own creation, and doing it with a God in his arms. Not just any god, Catalina Terravignion, the mother of the Mortifi princess to whom he was bound by fate. The sheer absurdity of it hit him like a punchline. One day, I'm telling this story to my grandkids, he thought.

And they'll never believe a word of it. Why that was the thought floating through his head, he had no idea. He'd never been one for thinking far into the future; he lived in the moment. Right now, that moment meant movement. Precision. Flow. To his surprise, translating the footwork into a dance came naturally. His body knew what to do, and Catalina, graceful, poised, and effortlessly skilled, matched his rhythm step for step. Their movements were seamless.

Her presence allowed him to push himself to the limit, and together they moved like a tide across the marbled floor. Joe was one with the rhythm now. An eagle in flight. The dance floor became the sky. He smiled down at the goddess in his arms, and to his delight, she smiled right back. They spun, and the world spun with them. Catalina was a little shorter than Rose, but she moved with such effortless grace that her presence felt enormous.

There was no doubt in Joe's mind that every eye in the room had been drawn to her. He slid through the next set of steps, each one precise, controlled, Catalina matching him beat for beat with a fluidity that made her feel almost weightless in his arms. Feeling a flicker of mischief, he tried something a little cheeky. On the next spin, he pulled her up, lifting her to eye level as they turned together, her feet briefly leaving the ground.

He caught the smallest twitch in her eyes, barely perceptible, but her smile remained untouched. No, not untouched. It deepened, just slightly. Or maybe that was his imagination. He shrugged inwardly and danced on. With each step, a picture began forming in his mind. The shape of the footwork, the true form of it, was becoming clear. He was learning as he moved, absorbing the rhythm and letting his instincts take over, adapting to the foreign flow.

This footwork wasn't like Nature's Step, which made him feel attuned with the world around him. No, this was something else. Something internal. This footwork made him feel attuned with himself. Like a puzzle piece long missing had finally clicked into place. He lifted Catalina again. Her hair flared around them like a golden veil caught in the wind, and for a fleeting second, her smile broke into a soft laugh. That sound struck something deep within him.

The joy on her face echoed in his chest, mirroring the expression he had seen on Rose when they danced. His soul sang. They landed in perfect harmony and flowed into the next sequence. Joe flicked his heels, sending bursts of mana crackling like tiny fireworks at their feet. Sparks scattered around them, lighting the air with each step. The ambient mana shimmered in response, casting a faint glow around them like a veil of light. Catalina's dress changed, right in the middle of the dance.

The skirt widened, layers of elegant frills unfurled like petals, flowing with the rhythm. The transformation was seamless. Now, the two of them looked stunning together. Joe grinned and spun again. __ Decree watched the unexpected spectacle unfolding before him, an E-grade dancing with a God. Truly, he had seen many absurdities in his long life, but this? This was a first. His Aura pulsed out in soft waves, a calming effluence that settled gently over the room.

Normally, an epiphany involving footwork only affected the one who conjured it. But somehow, this Feormere, no, Joseph, as Decree knew his true name was, had pushed the epiphany beyond its limits. It now radiated outward, subtly brushing against every soul in the large room. Decree spread his influence wider, carefully dampening the effect of the epiphany on the attendees.

He normally wouldn't interfere like this; he had no interest in playing favourites, but the young man had performed his requested dance with near-flawless precision. Only four missteps in a sequence that complex? Unbelievable. A prodigy of dance, without question. He couldn't help but curse the fact that Eludia had found Joseph first. A pity. Still, there would be others; this integration was unlike any before. Bloodlines were emerging at record rates, and now an anomaly had stepped into the game.

He chuckled at the thought of Lucius' reaction when he learned what he had missed. That alone made the effort worthwhile. The Aura he expanded now ensured none of the others in the room would gain too much from the blessing to come. The gift was Joseph's alone. Leaning back, Decree folded his pages and let himself enjoy the dance. __ Rose stared at the shimmering mana screen before her, transfixed.

The image was a perfect, living reflection of the events unfolding far away, a divine dance, her mother and fated one gliding across the floor in perfect unity. And yet, inside, she screamed. It wasn't fair. She should have been there to see it with her own eyes. She clenched her fists and made a vow: as soon as her mother returned, she was demanding access to the memory. Every second of it. Beside her, Daisy wiped at her eyes, unable to hide the emotion that welled up within her.

The dress her mother wore was one she had only seen twice before, both times from memories she had seen, during the courtship dances her mother had shared with her father. A nostalgic pang struck her. He was away now, on a long-term mission in the outer sectors of Eludia. Missing not one, but two dances? He would be so disappointed. She sniffed and tried to memorize every detail. The way the mana shimmered, the grace of their movements. It was almost too perfect to be real.

Was this truly a dance, or something else entirely? It looked unlike any form she knew. For now, she just watched, a warm smile on her face as the two figures moved together, effortlessly, beautifully. __ Joe saw the end of the path rapidly approaching, the final steps drawing near. A pang of sadness rippled through him; he didn't want the dance to end. He was immersed in the rhythm, to the dancing goddess at his side, the connection forged through motion. It was temporary, fleeting even.

But all good things had to end. That was one of the unspoken, beautiful things about dance. With a regretful sigh, he eased into the last sequence. As the final beat echoed through the room, he gently spun Catalina away. They separated smoothly, finishing the performance a few feet apart, both striking the final pose with stunning elegance. The mana that had been swirling around them shimmered like starlight before bursting into tiny fireworks that dissipated gently into the air. Joe's mind felt whole. Complete.

The new footwork had settled deep within him, taking root like a piece of his soul had finally fallen into place. He exhaled slowly, grounded in a rare moment of inner peace. And then, without warning, his eyes lit up. Twin beams of light surged upward from his irises, shooting straight into the ceiling above in a dazzling flare of luminescence. He didn't see Catalina take a step back or raise her hands, but she moved with purpose, her eyes radiating energy.

With a wave, she enveloped them both in her domain, a veil of power that wrapped around the two of them like a sacred shield. __ Decree leaned forward subtly the moment the domain sprang into existence. His paper form rustling in an unseen breeze. A brief moment of annoyance flowed through the god. Catalina had sealed off the space around herself and Feormere. The veil blocked his vision and senses completely, cutting him off from observing what came next.

His form rustled again as there was a subtle dip in his flotation.

"Well played, Cat," He muttered, shaking regretfully.

"You win this one." Resigned, he withdrew his Aura from the room, the glow of his attention dimming. The game had ended. Victory to the queen of divinity. __ Catalina flexed her fingers, her timing impeccable. Even that cunning snake Decree hadn't reacted fast enough to stop her. She smiled, savouring the small but satisfying victory. This blessing, whatever form it took, would be witnessed by no one but her and… him.

She tried not to use his name; she didn't want to forget that, no matter how talented he was at dancing. He was still a problem, a thorn in her side. With a graceful sweep of her hands, she fluffed out her skirts, only now noticing what dress she wore. She immediately changed it with a snarl. Her gaze flicked to one of the integration relay cameras hidden in the room. She momentarily considered erasing the data being transmitted, but knew there was probably no point.

Her daughter did not watch the integration broadcasts, but Daisy did… she sighed, knowing she would be bombarded with questions when she returned to Eludia. Her Aura pulsed in annoyance, washing over the space within her domain, solidifying the shimmering barrier into a complete and true domain. She felt the subtle pop as the outside world faded entirely. Nothing, not even light, could penetrate her godly domain now, except the sight of the system. Even she could not prevent that.

She felt the seedling's gaze upon her, ever present, silent. Her thoughts returned to her daughter; she would miss the grand finale even if she was watching. She grinned to herself.

"Sometimes a mother deserves a reward," she mused aloud. Her attention moved to him, before her as the mana around them began to stir. She leaned in slightly, her curiosity heightened. She wondered what kind of gift the system would bestow upon him. Her smile widened. __ Joe floated gently into the air, suspended by an invisible force, his body glowing as arcs of mana pulsed outward from his skin. His eyes blazed with light, and faint cracks began to spread across his body, like the fragile surface of an egg.

The luminous lines crept over his entire being, pulsing rhythmically, once, then twice. Then… the shell burst open in a silent explosion of radiance. From the shattering light emerged something wholly unexpected. Mana surged and coalesced into the shape of a dolphin, its fluid body composed entirely of violet mana. The ethereal creature swam through the air, circling Joe in slow, graceful arcs. He fell gently to the ground with a soft splash of mana, as though landing in a pool that wasn't there.

Blinking as he came to, he rose to his feet and stepped back, staring in awe. The dolphin hovered before him, its sleek head dipping low until their eyes met. Its entire form had an otherworldly glow, soft waves of violet light rippling outward as its fins gently swayed. Joe felt warmth stir in his chest, a deep, encompassing peace that spread through his limbs. The dolphin paused before him, staring deeply into his soul.

A sensation bloomed as a sparkling yellow light darted from around the dolphin and surged straight into his head, knocking him back as sparks flew and mana particles sprayed out. There was no pain, only a feeling of overwhelming confidence inside his mind. He shook his vision clear before he spoke.

"What was that?"

"That is your domain blessing. It will help you advance," the dolphin replied, its voice echoing softly in the space around him.

"Advance? What do you mean?" Joe asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"When you reach the necessary understanding, the blessing will alight. Filling your soul, strengthening it. This is a domain blessing." Joe heard a soft gasp behind him, but his eyes remained locked on the dolphin.

"A domain blessing…" he repeated, the words foreign on his tongue. He didn't fully understand what it meant, but from the tone and weight of the words, he knew it was something significant.

"Yes," the dolphin said.

"Now, I have one more gift for you, anomaly." Anomaly? That word again. He had heard it before, though he couldn't quite remember when. It stirred something in the back of his mind, a sense of mystery he couldn't quite unravel.

"Take this with you on your journey," the dolphin continued. The air before Joe pulsed, and a ring materialized, hovering. He reached out. The ring slid onto his middle finger, a perfect fit. Notifications flashed in the corner of his vision, but they remained minimized for now.

"I must leave now," The dolphin said, its glowing form turning toward Catalina. It floated over and gently pressed its snout to the back of her hand in a respectful gesture.

"Thank you, God of Eludia," it said.

"You are welcome," Catalina replied, her voice soft, reverent. Then, with a final flicker of light, the dolphin exploded into a burst of radiant mana and was gone.