Rebirth: Childhood friend of the heroine-Chapter 245 - 244- Unexpected arrival

"Damn, man… that was quite a twist." Edric let out a soft laugh, shaking his head, a smile tugging at his lips.

He honestly hadn't seen it coming—that Alex had such a strong connection with one of the ten contenders. Strong enough that the contender gave up his own spot without hesitation.

Alex gave a small shrug. "I found him a few weeks ago. After seeing how respectful and loyal he was to his father, I figured he'd be a good fit."

At first, Alex had actually planned to force someone to give up their spot. But then… a better, quieter path had appeared. One that didn't need threats.

"Wait," Rebecca frowned, something clicking in her mind, "if you already had the elf… why did you say you might replace Edric?"

The memory hit Edric like a slap.

His eyes widened slightly.

How could he forget that day? Alex had casually mentioned replacing him, and the thought had nearly crushed him. He'd been so tense afterward that he could barely focus on training—convinced he'd lose his place in the trials.

Alex just chuckled, offering no answer. freewёbnoνel.com

Meanwhile, the angel leading the group was growing more and more nervous with every step they took toward the venue.

She hadn't told her liege everything yet. Especially not the part about him—the Curse—also coming.

Because if Solaris found out, he'd probably order her to throw everyone from Nebula into the River of Eternity just to be safe.

But if she did that, she'd tear a hole in reality itself. And that would draw the Allfather's attention… which was far worse.

'Forget it. Both paths are dangerous. I'll just act like I don't know he's coming and lead them there,' she thought, biting her lip.

She'd left everything to fate now.

God help them.

…Wait.

They were the gods.

Then who was going to help them?

°°°°°°°

In the grand arena, champions from many worlds had begun to appear—each one chosen, each one bearing the hopes of their realm.

At the highest point stood seven thrones, each belonging to a god who watched over the world.

On the far left sat the Goddess of Life, Lumiera—the one who had blessed Sarah. Her green hair flowed like leaves in the wind, and her golden eyes held the warmth of a thousand suns.

Next to her was Eldorin, the God of Wisdom. He was thin and calm, with soft blue hair that shimmered faintly like morning mist. His eyes were always quiet, always thinking.

Beside him sat Varkion, the God of War. He was strong and tall, with long black hair and shoulders like a mountain. His gaze was sharp, his presence heavy.

On the far right sat Nythea, the Goddess of Darkness and Death. She was the most beautiful of them all, with flowing purple hair and eyes that seemed to see into one's soul. Her smile was both gentle and dangerous.

Beside her was Elunara, the Goddess of Spirits. Her light yellow hair fell softly over her shoulders, and her moon-white eyes looked far beyond the present. She carried peace with her.

Next to Elunara sat Medir, the oldest among them—the God of Time and Destiny. His white hair glowed faintly, and his eyes had seen the rise and fall of countless ages.

And in the center of them all sat Solaris, the God of Light. His presence was bold, his light warm but strong. He was the one who stood between shadow and flame.

Nythea leaned back with a teasing smile. "You're smiling a lot today, brother."

Solaris nodded, his golden hair catching the sunlight. "Yes. I'm glad. What I feared would happen in this Trial... it didn't. And I'm happy to be proven wrong."

Nythea chuckled softly. "Still thinking about that Curse, huh? He really got to you."

The light in Solaris' smile faded. He turned to her, his voice quieter now. "You say that as if you wouldn't be frozen in fear... if the Allfather had sensed he's still alive."

"Who is alive?"

That voice.

…!!!

Every god froze.

In an instant, they vanished from the thrones. Medir raised his hand and stopped time across the entire arena, freezing the movement of every contender so not a single one could witness what was to come.

Because they all knew.

The moment they heard that voice… they knew who had arrived.

A chill spread through the divine halls.

Two figures appeared—one glowing with endless light, the other as firm as the world's core.

And in a trembling whisper, a god murmured:

"F-Father… and… m-mother too…"

The Allfather and the Mother of Gods had descended—the only two beings who could erase anything from existence with a mere thought. Even the gods bowed in silence, for the ones who stood before them were not just creators.

They were the beginning and the end.

On the left was the Mother of Gods, the first light before the world began. The Titan Goddess, older than time, and the gentle giver of life. Her presence is calm like a quiet sunrise, warm and comforting.

Her hair flows like rivers of green, soft and endless as if the earth itself grows from her. Flowers bloom where she walks. Her golden eyes hold kindness deeper than oceans and a wisdom that feels like home. When she speaks, even the wind slows to listen.

The mother of Life, Gaia.

"How are you, my children?" Her soft voice sent a wave of warmth through the group, allowing them to take a breath finally after who knows how long.

However, they still couldn't completely relax because of the being they were facing.

Thalor, the Allfather—the first spark, the one who shaped the world with his will. He is the weaver of reality, the one who sees all paths and holds the threads of fate in his hands.

His hair is white like starlight, flowing past his shoulders. His body is dark green, strong like an ancient tree, marked with glowing lines that shift like rivers. His frame is tall and broad, like a mountain that cannot be moved.

His very presence made the fabric of reality tremble. If he hadn't held back his aura, even the seven deities—each a god in their own right—would have struggled to breathe in his shadow.

He held the power to erase or reshape anything. Not just the world, not just time—but even the gods themselves.

"...Ah, it's quite surprising to see you here."

Lumiera stepped forward, her voice soft and warm. She gently wrapped her arms around the woman standing beside the Allfather—her mother—and held her close.

The two looked nearly the same. Both shone with a beauty beyond words, a kind of grace that could shatter a mortal's mind if they dared to stare too long. The only difference was that the mother's features were a touch more youthful, her smile softer as if time itself bowed to her presence.

It was a quiet moment in a world that had forgotten what quiet truly meant.

Even gods stood still.

"We had nothing going on that's why we decided to watch the Trials." The Allfather spoke in a light tone. He wasn't here to request, and that could be seen how there were two more thrones, taller than the others, appearing in the middle.

"You never told us ..." Solaris quietly said, and seeing those raised brows, he hurriedly added, "If you had we would have made arrangements. You see, father, we cannot resume the matches while you two are here."

Their presence would surely influence the contenders. They were suppressing their auras, but still, they would gather everyone's attention even if they tried to remain focused somewhere else.

"Well, we can do this." Gaia chimed, a soft smile on her face as she summoned two bracelets that seemed to be made of twisted leaves.

"This will absorb our presence so that we remain away from the sights of the contenders." She inserted one in her husband's hand, and instantly, the quivering space around them attained calmness.

Gaia wore one as well before asking, "Is there anything else that bothers you, Solaris?"

The blond one instantly shook his head, "Nothing at all, Mother. You two are more than welcome to enjoy the contest."

He gestured towards the thrones and invited them.

Gaia and Thalor sat down, as the lady invited, "Come here, Lumiera. Mother wants to talk to you a lot."

Solaris had to give his throne to his sister with a stiff smile on his face, "Yes, go ahead."

Lumiera also didn't hesitate and sat down beside her.

The two Goddesses began chatting, while Thalor told his eldest son, "Isn't it time you resume it?"

"Ah, yes." Medir instantly nodded and snapped his finger to unfreeze the void.

The contenders resumed walking towards the center of the stage.

Meanwhile, the only Goddess, Lumiera, who knows that Alex is still alive, couldn't help but mutter under her breath,

'This is going to be chaotic...'

°°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Well, well, well. I hyped up the battle so much, only for it not to happen.

I had this in mind since the beginning...but I didn't want to spoil it. Thanks for reading.