Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine-Chapter 249 - 248- For the last time~1

Alex, who could still see everything clearly even though the Curse had taken over, was stunned. A chill ran through him, not just from fear, but from something deeper—horror, sadness, helplessness all mixed into one.

The entire arena trembled. The space around the platform felt like it was shrinking, crushed under the weight of the enraged Goddess's presence.

Alex had met many powerful beings before. He had always believed himself to be strong—strong enough to stand against even the Gods if needed.

But now, looking at the green-haired woman he had hugged only moments ago, he realized something terrifying: he wasn't even close. He wasn't even standing at the base of the ladder. Her presence… it was something he couldn't explain. It was too much—too vast, too raw, too broken.

"H-Hey, why don't you calm down your Mother?" His voice shook, and his fingers trembled.

She had been sobbing just a moment ago. A mother is grieving. And now, Alex couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye. He just wanted to vanish from her sight.

[I can't do anything right now. Just like you, I—and everyone else—am frozen in fear.]

The Curse's voice rang in his head. It sounded steady, but Alex could feel it—underneath the words was a deep, aching helplessness. He was grieving as well, but too stunned by her presence to do anything.

She never asked for this. She had no part in the lies, the curses, or the war. She didn't even know why her son had pulled away from her. All she was told was that he had run away from home. And later, she was told he had died.

Her world must've shattered then.

To her, Veyra wasn't just a son. He was her world. Her light. The child she held in her arms sang to sleep and dreamed of. The one piece of love she had poured her soul into.

And now, the one man she trusted blindly—her husband has betrayed her. She had all the reasons to cry...to feel aggrieved.

"…If this goes on," Alex whispered, voice barely there, "I think… a lot of people might die."

She was the Goddess of Creation—the one who breathed life into countless stars, shaped worlds with her hands, and gave birth to every living being across the cosmos.

And now, as her fury surged through the arena like a storm, Alex couldn't begin to imagine the ripple it sent across her creations. Planets trembled. Skies wept. The very fabric of reality felt like it was shrinking in fear.

Veyra, too, understood the weight of her emotions. That's why, in a soft, aching voice, he spoke, forcing the words past the lump in his throat.

"M-Mother... y-you're hurting me…"

It was a lie. But he had to say it.

The other gods stood frozen, powerless. His father, Thalor, stood in silence, drowned in his own guilt, unable to even raise his head.

And then—everything shifted.

The crushing pressure disappeared. The suffocating presence faded like mist under sunlight. It was as if all they had felt just moments ago had never existed.

Gaia's head snapped toward her son. Panic overtook her divine expression. She dropped to her knees, reaching for him, her hands trembling as they cupped his face.

"I-I hurt you… I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… please forgive me, my child… forgive—"

"It's okay, Mother," Veyra said gently, his voice firm but kind. "I'm fine. But I won't be... if you keep being angry like this. We just found each other again after so long. Please… don't make me regret standing in front of you today."

Every word came from his heart. He knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if billions of lives were lost because of him. Because of this reunion.

Gaia wiped her tears in an instant and shook her head fiercely, like a mother trying to calm her baby.

"No, no. Mother won't be angry anymore. So don't be sad, okay?"

Veyra gave her a soft nod. A small smile curled at his lips—tired, but sincere.

"…Dear—"

"Don't."

Thalor's hand froze mid-reach.

Gaia didn't raise her voice. She didn't need to. That one word, spoken from a place of pain, was enough to stop him.

For the first time, she told him to stay away. And he listened.

He stepped back, folding his arms, and spoke with the weight of his shame.

"I should've told you. I should've trusted you… instead of making that choice alone. But now, all I can do is regret."

Gaia slowly rose to her feet and turned toward the others. Her voice was no longer trembling. It was clear. Sharp. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ

"Tell me something," she said, her eyes scanning the faces around her. "How many of you knew that Veyra was still alive?"

The question made the air turn thick and heavy.

Even those who hadn't been directly involved in Veyra's isolation—or his attempted murder—felt a cold shiver race down their spines. Shame spread like a silent wave across the assembly.

Gaia's gaze darkened. Her voice, when it came, was not a shout. But somehow, it hurt more.

"So you all knew."

There wasn't just fury in her tone. It carried disappointment… and a grief so deep it ached. She had been wounded, not just as a Goddess, but as a mother.

Her eyes landed on someone she trusted.

"Lumiera... you too? I thought you never kept anything from me."

The Goddess of Life flinched, her hands clenching at her sides. She answered quickly, her voice trembling.

"I was… convinced by Solaris. He said the brother was a threat—an evil entity. I was brainwashed into believing that having him near you, or in the Upper Realm, would bring disaster. I truly believed it... I'm sorry."

She didn't lie. She could have told Gaia the truth. But until recently, she believed Veyra was nothing more than a mistake—an existence better forgotten.

It was only when she saw through her Apostle's eyes that the lies began to unravel… and the truth pierced through her ignorance like a blade.

Gaia's expression shifted, softening slightly at Lumiera's words. She could feel the honesty in her voice—feel the guilt weighing on her soul.

But her gaze soon turned cold again as she faced another.

"Solaris," she said, her voice dangerously calm. "You're the one behind all of this, aren't you? The one who took my son and cast him into the mortal realm?"

Before Solaris could answer, another voice cut through the silence.

"Ah… he did more than that."

Veyra stepped forward, his tone bitter but steady.

He wasn't going to waste this moment. Not when they all deserved to know.

"After Father handed me over to Solaris," he began, "I was used as a weapon. He sent me to wipe out the Chaos residents—countless lives… gone, absorbed into me. I became stronger than Solaris could control."

He paused, his eyes sweeping across from him, before continuing.

"So with help from Nythea, Medir, and Varkion… they stripped me of my powers. My memories. Everything. And then they sealed me into a mortal's body."

If they were going to face judgment, then they might as well hear it all, every single scar they gave him.

Silence followed.

Nythea stood frozen, her eyes wide as she slowly turned toward her father, shaking her head in disbelief. As if refusing to accept the truth she had just heard.

But Solaris, Medir, and Varkion didn't move. They stood there quietly, heads bowed, not in denial, but in silent acceptance of their guilt.

Thalor gritted his teeth, "Solaris!" His voice boomed through the space, dozens of stars exploding and the sky brightening under their heat.

The God of Light didn't react and slowly raised his head, "Father."

"Do you have any answer to that?! Can you justify your actions?!"

Solaris was still calm, as if he had stopped feeling anything happening around him. While the other Gods, including Veyra, had to take a step back under his overwhelming presence, Solaris remained rooted in his spot.

With his golden eyes holding no emotion, he answered, "You handed him to me, gave me the responsibility to make him see what is right and what is wrong. He was not used during the war but fought with us. And after everything ended, he became an entity who considered himself above us...so we had to do something about him."

"So you chose to seal him off into a mortal's body and declared him dead? You planned to actually kill him?!"

Sealing memories and powers and leaving into the mortal world where death can knock on one's door any moment...it was apparent what Solaris truly wanted.

Thalor made up his mind, "For the crime you have committed-"

"Father." Veyra suddenly interrupted, knowing that if he commanded Solaris, it would perish instantly.

But he can't have that. Not so easily.

Stepping closer to his dear brother, he said, "It's between two Gods...let us settle this. I request you."

Solaris didn't react and just stood there as if he was ready to accept everything.

"Son but-"

"Don't you believe in me, Mother?" Veyra asked.

Gaia's arm lost its strength as, with a sigh, she said, "I trust you...but if I find your life at risk, I will intervene."

Veyra smirked, "You won't need to."

Today, he was going to humiliate and slaughter this being who has tormented Veyra for ages.

It's time for the final battle.

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A/N:- Three more chapters before we reach the end