Chapter 162: Inevitable

How would he explain this? How could he convince Thalia that they should abandon their observation mission for something this reckless?

He couldn’t tell them about the divine essence — that would raise questions about the creature they’d killed, about Garuda, about everything he’d been hiding since before they even entered this world.

And the mission parameters were clear: reconnaissance only. Observe, gather intelligence, assess threats. Don’t intervene, don’t engage, don’t destabilize local power structures.

What Finn was contemplating was the exact opposite.

He could see Himothy being enthusiastic. The Glory bearer loved action, loved spectacle, loved proving himself against impossible odds. Challenging Gods would appeal to him immensely.

But Thalia? Keeva? Even Deacon?

Thalia would call it reckless endangerment of the team. A violation of mission parameters…

And she’d be right.

Keeva would point out they had no understanding of divine mechanics, no way to predict consequences. Also right.

Deacon… Deacon would see through any lies Finn told. He would sense the truth of Finn’s hidden knowledge, his secret capabilities, his desperate opportunism… if he hadn’t already.

And they’d all be shocked that it was Finn pushing for action instead of Himothy. Finn, the tactical one, the careful one, the one who was supposed to calculate risks and advocate caution.

They wouldn’t understand.

Because they didn’t have his knowledge of Earth religions. Didn’t understand how faith systems evolved, how Gods were shaped by believers, how identity could be stolen and reforged through myth and ritual.

To them, “God” was just a word for something powerful and divine. They had no cultural framework for theology, for religious psychology, for the mechanics of worship.

Only Finn knew.

And only Finn carried divine essence that could potentially make this work.

He pushed off the wall, moving deeper into the settlement, still cloaked by [Null Perception].

The streets were emptying as night fell. People retreated indoors, but Finn could see lights blazing in the Guardian’s temple. He could hear raised voices, arguments, prayers.

The crisis was building.

And Finn had a choice to make.

Stay hidden. Observe. Report back. Follow orders. Let events unfold naturally, whether that meant The Radiant One claiming this territory or the Guardian’s faith collapsing entirely.

It was a safe, cautious and logical choice.

Or…

Take the gamble. Claim the Guardian’s identity. Steal the faith of the desperate believers of the town. Become something divine, something powerful, something that could stand against other Gods.

Learn by doing, not by watching.

It was a dangerous idea. Unprecedented. Possibly suicidal.

But the potential rewards…

If it worked, Finn would understand divine power from the inside and have access to a congregation of believers, a territorial foothold, actual divine authority. He could learn in weeks what their observation mission might take years to reveal.

And as if to feed his burning thoughts, the divine essence within him pulsed, hungry, eager, recognizing the opportunity that lay before Finn.

Finn closed his eyes, breathing slowly, thinking.

He was here to observe Gods.

But what if he could become one instead?

Did that conform to any recorded history of Transcendents? Would it be a terrible choice? Would this step change the course of the future? Or actually align perfectly with what the true history of the world… of Transcendents, had actually been?

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Finn found himself drawn toward the Guardian’s temple despite his better judgment.

The building was larger up close. A stone construction, worn smooth by harsh desert winds over the years. It had the worm’s coiled form carved into the arch above the entrance.

Without needing to look too far, Finn spotted the statue of the worm visible through the open doors. It was indeed shattered, with huge pieces scattered across the floor.

Priests moved among the rubble, some trying to collect fragments, others spinning ’theological knowledge,’ arguing about what it meant.

And in a small side chamber visible through a window, Finn spotted a young woman.

A Priestess, clearly. She wore the simple brown robes marking her as one of the Guardian’s clergy. But unlike the others, she wasn’t arguing or collecting rubble.

She was kneeling. Praying with tears streaming down her face.

Finn studied her carefully.

She was young. Maybe twenty. Finn could almost feel her faith… her diligence. It burned bright, not in the performative manner of the others around her, but in a genuine, desperate conviction.

She was certain her God was dead. Finn could see that clearly. But while others struggled to accept that fact, she had made peace with it, and seemed to be praying for a comeback. For a return of her God…

Perfect.

Finn watched her for long minutes, memorizing her face, her mannerisms, the specific way she prayed.

He had selected her.

If he was going to do this, she would be his mouthpiece.

He would appear to her and claim the Guardian had transformed, evolved into something greater. And she would proclaim that truth to others, convince them, rebuild their faith around Finn’s stolen identity.

It could work.

It should work.

But only if he was willing to take the risk.

Only if he could figure out how to actually manifest divine essence without killing himself in the process.

If The Radiant One didn’t notice and destroy him immediately.

If his teammates didn’t stop him.

Too many ifs.

But Finn found himself unable to walk away.

The opportunity was too perfect. The timing too precise. The potential too vast.

He needed to think. He needed to plan. Needed to decide if he was actually insane enough to try this.

But as he watched the young priestess pray to a dead God, Finn couldn’t help the feeling burning within him.

This wasn’t a desire born of his Error fragment or his tactical mind. But rather, one born of pure desire. An opportunistic desire to make use of this chance that may never arise again.

Finn clenched his jaw and pulled back from the window with his heart racing.

He needed to return to the others.

He’d report what he’d seen and still pretend everything was normal. And then… he’d decide whether to be a cautious observer or a reckless thief of divinity.

But deep down, beneath all the logical objections and tactical concerns, Finn already knew which path he’d choose.

He’d been a thief since the moment he stole his alternate self’s life.

Why stop at mortal identities when he could steal a God’s?

His title itself spoke of his nature… Wasn’t he already an Heretic?

The Errant Heretic?

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The reconnaissance team reconvened at the settlement’s edge as full darkness fell.

“The Radiant One believers are organizing,” Keeva reported. “Around twenty of them, meeting in a warehouse near the oasis. They’re planning something. A demonstration, I think. To prove their God is superior.”

“The Guardian’s priests are fracturing,” Osric added. “Half want to maintain faith, half are considering conversion. It’s going to collapse within days.”

“Sooner,” Deacon said quietly. His golden eyes fixed on Finn. “Something’s changed. The Truth of the situation shifted in the last hour. I can’t see what, but… something’s coming. A decision point.”

Finn met his gaze steadily, revealing nothing.

“We should head back,” he said. “Thalia needs the full report.”

They began the trek back to the dunes, moving silently through darkness.

But Finn’s mind was made up.

Tomorrow, he’d make his move.

Tomorrow, he’d find out if stealing a God’s identity was genius or suicide.

He just had to figure out how to explain it to the others first…

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