The Incarnate stared intently at Finn, then leaned back abruptly and laughed as if those words had never left his lips.

But Finn had heard them clearly. Recognized them for what they were.

A warning. A threat. A promise.

He sensed Lucine's amused smile behind her veil, felt her attention fixed on him with that familiar mischief. But he didn't look.

He instead maintained his neutral expression, cataloging the threat with cold calculation, same as he'd done for every danger he'd faced since arriving in this world.

The Incarnate gestured casually toward an empty table near the raised platform. "Please, sit. Make yourselves comfortable. We have much to celebrate tonight."

Finn moved to the indicated table with Thalia and the Mnemosyne, their footsteps the only sound in the suddenly quiet hall. Everyone was watching, trying to read meaning into the exchange they'd only half-witnessed.

As soon as they settled into their seats, the Incarnate rose from his throne.

The movement drew every eye instantly. The hall fell into complete silence.

He stood there for a moment, letting anticipation build, then spread his arms in a wide gesture.

"My faithful," he started. "A new dawn is about to begin. The first steps have been laid. This…" he gestured broadly at the hall, at the merged symbols of Shadow and Moon, at the gathered Champions and priests, "...this is the start of my lore as I ascend into true divinity."

The gathered erupted into cheers.

Finn watched the display with analytical detachment, noting who cheered loudest and who held back.

He didn't know it, but beyond surface level loyalty, these were people whose fates had been tied to the Incarnate's success. Champions who would receive feedback through their connection to the Shadow God's authority. Paladins who would leap in strength. Priests who might achieve what had been impossible dreams before.

If the Incarnate succeeded in his ascension, they all stood to benefit enormously.

The ease with which he'd gotten them all on his side was simply due to this transactional reality. Even those who might have opposed the merger with Luna's faith had been won over by pure self-interest.

As Finn's gaze swept across the hall, cataloging reactions, his eyes locked with someone across the room.

A man, around thirty years of age. A Champion, obviously. From the Shadow God's side. He had the demeanor and bearing of someone that had dedicated decades of service to his God's cause. He sat at a table near the back, drinking quietly, not touching the food before him.

While everyone else cheered and raised their glasses, this man simply watched.

Their eyes met across the hall, and he stared at Finn with blank assessment, without any trace of hostility or warmth.

Then the cheering crowd shifted, hands raising in celebration, blocking the view. When the path cleared again, the man had turned his attention to the raised platform, watching the Incarnate with that same blank expression.

The Incarnate continued speaking, his voice cutting through the noise. "I will not be returning to the capital at the heart of the kingdom."

That drew surprised murmurs.

"Instead," the Incarnate said, smiling at the reaction, "I will build a new capital here. In this town, close to the borders. Away from the politics and petty power plays of those who think they have a say in the kingdom's matters."

He gestured at the gathered faithful. "All of you who sit here tonight will be the ones to aid me in rebuilding our kingdom. In building my lore as I begin my ascension trial."

More cheers, louder this time.

Finn heard that term again — lore. The second time tonight. Everyone else in the hall seemed to understand its meaning instinctively, but to Finn it remained vague.

He took it to mean backstory. Depth. Roots in the hearts of people as someone attempted divinity. Building a narrative, establishing significance, creating a foundation upon which Godhood could be constructed.

Which suggested all Gods were once mortal. Once human, even.

But were there exceptions? Things not human that might have formed as Gods without ever being mortal first?

Maybe Great Ones, Finn thought. But then Luna had referred to the Great One behind his being here in this world as a "He" — a gendered term that suggested something that had been, or at least could be understood through humanoid framework.

But he couldn't be sure.

I need more information…

The Incarnate's voice pulled him back to the present. "As part of our cooperation with the Moon Mother, Luna's Incarnate and I are now joined as one."

He reached out, and Lucine rose from her throne, taking his hand with grace. Even through the veil, Finn could see her smile.

"We will work to fulfill the primary clause of our union," the Incarnate continued, then paused deliberately. "Which is, of course, birthing children."

Laughter rippled through the hall at the joke, though Finn noticed some of the older priests shifting uncomfortably.

The Incarnate's expression grew more serious. "These children will be divine. Born with the essence of the Shadow God and Luna intertwined. And if I am swift enough, " his smile turned sharp, "the firstborn will inherit not just divine essence, but the blood of a fully manifested God."

The cheers that followed were deafening.

Finn observed the spectacle with detached interest, noting the varying levels of enthusiasm. Already, from the vigor with which they cheered, he had picked up on the fact that everyone here had something to gain from this beyond physical power. Most likely something divine.

And he was right on the mark with that assumption, without even knowing the specifics of what they stood to gain.

Within the hall, the priests cheered loudest. They had the most to gain in raw terms — elevation from priest to paladin-level strength, or even beyond, if the Incarnate succeeded. A leap that most could never have dreamed of achieving through normal means. Their desperation and greed showed clearly in how they celebrated.

The paladins cheered too, but more reservedly. Their glee was evident in their expressions, but they maintained better composure. Champion-level strength was assured if this worked. That kind of power commanded respect, and they were already imagining how it would feel.

The Champions were the ones who should have been the loudest, they would benefit most, becoming near-Incarnate level without actually being vessels. But they cheered with more refinement, more etiquette. Their excitement was real but controlled, befitting their higher status.

Finn didn't know all these, but he cataloged their features and varying expressions. He at least was certain everyone here would be the Incarnate's main strength going forward if he succeeded. Which Finn thought very likely.

His brief interaction with the Incarnate had been enough to assess that much. The young man was intelligent, ruthless, and backed by the Moon Mother's resources.

He'd taken the deal Finn had refused, which meant he'd claimed those vigorous authorities directly, giving himself an enormous head start.

So now Finn analyzed who among the Incarnate's retinue here might pose the most threat, and who might be easier to sway if necessary.

Judging purely from looks and gestures was foolhardy, of course. But careful observation still provided insight, and observation was one of Finn's strengths.

The Incarnate had warned him. No — He had threatened him, making his intentions clear without any pretense.

Finn wasn't going to take that lying down. He'd already cataloged the Incarnate as a major threat. If the new Shadow divine wanted to devour him, then Finn would be ready to do the same before he could reach those heights.

"Now," the Incarnate continued, "there is one more matter to address."

He gestured toward Finn's table.

Immediately, every eye in the hall turned to them.

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