Chapter-13: Private Meeting With The Moon Goddess Selene

"...what the-" Hael shut his eyes dazzled by the bright illumination.

"Woohoo! You're here finally. What took you so long to visit me?" A cheerful female voice echoed in his ears.

"Hm?" Hael opened squeezing his eyes slowly to see who was speaking.

"Hi! Wah, you're just as angel Lumi described. So cute," the female adored cupping the Omega's cheeks.

"Who-" Hael was cut off.

"Oh my, how can you not recognize me, child? I am Selene, the Moon Goddess," she introduced backing away a little and swirled around.

"Tada~"

That was when he saw the chirping bird-ahem! The Moon Goddess, clearly.

She was extremely beautiful radiating a soft, silvery light with shiny long platinum hair reaching down her knees. The intricate bun on the head has been embellished by a crown with a crescent moon.

She was wearing a flowing light blue gown adorned with tiny crescent moon symbols. She was simple yet elegant emanating the divine aura.

Hael smacked his lips with his palm and jumped back pointing at her with his other hand, "You... are the Moon Goddess?"

"Yes. Don't you see all these moon symbols on me?" Selene remarked pointing at symbols on her dress and all the jewelry she wore that had crescent moons.

"In that case, if I wear all the crescent moons then am I the Moon Goddess?" Hael joshed giving her bombastic side eyes.

"Eh?" Moon Goddess pondered over for a moment, "No, it's not possible without the permission of higher deities."

Hael didn't expect such a sincere answer from her.

"Anyway, why don't you all believe me when I say I am the Moon Goddess? That Davian was like that too. Those higher deities didn't sanction me an ID card like the ones you have in the mortal world. So I can't show you anything to confirm my identity, hmph!" 

Moon Goddess puffed her cheeks.

"Davian? The one that I met just now who was similar to my friend Emris in appearance, are you talking about him, Moon Goddess?" Hael queried, his brows knitted.

"Mh-hmm, three months back he was just like you now. Questioning me if I was real or fake on his wedding day but he soon realized who I was. After that, I gave him some advice in turn of him offering me chocolates for thirty-one full moons, hehe~" Moon Goddess looked proud.

>>>Chocolates as offerings? This Moon Goddess... is so different from the one portrayed in all the Omegaverse mangas and novels I read in the past.

>>>Are Moon Goddesses supposed to be this childish?

"Ahem! I can hear you, my child," Moon Goddess cleared her throat trying to look sophisticated.

"Ah, can you now? Haha," Hael scratched his nape trying to look away then realized everything surrounding him was pure white and he couldn't see the cathedral or the people he came with.

"Am I dead again?" Hael questioned then he immediately rubbed his stomach, "My babies?" He had a concerned look on his face.

"No, don't get anxious. You aren't dead. The children in your womb are safe and sound. You just got teleported to my inner realm after touching my statue at the cathedral," Moon Goddess calmly expounded.

Hael heaved a breath of relief, "But why am I teleported here?"

"Because I allowed it. I wanted to see you once for a long time but you never came to the cathedral to pray and I can't casually intervene in the lives of the mortals due to all those damn shitty rules of the celestial realm," Selene, the Moon Goddess criticized with a displeasure expression on her face.

Hael was open-mouthed hearing her.

"What, why are you staring at me like that?" Moon Goddess narrowed her eyes in perplexity.

"Um, nothing. Can Gods and Goddesses curse too?" Hael jiggled his brows once in amusement.

"Uh... well, it depends on one's preference. I listen to everything mortals speak near my cathedrals so it kind of rubbed on me I guess..." Moon Goddess smiled, awkwardly.

"Oh, you have such a great hobby to only listen and never respond! Anyway, why am I here again?" Hael's voice grimmed, at the last sentence as he enquired once more after his fake cheerful comment.

Moon Goddess poked the inside of her right cheek with her tongue and inclined her head, "I see you practice an interesting way of speaking." 

Hael was silent his lips were in a straight line as he clenched his teeth showing an artificial smile.

Well, the Omega was annoyed talking with the Moon Goddess. No matter what fucked up rules there were the Moon Goddess had the responsibility to care for her children who only believe in her.

But she never ever helped him in any way or at any time. No matter how much suffering he had endured or how desperately he prayed for her to keep his babies safe in his first life... she not once aided him.

The angel who came to him when his soul was about to be perished and gave him the chance wasn't sent by the Moon Goddess. He was aware of that cause he mistook the angel for the Moon Goddess and she felt repulsed by that and asked him to never compare her with Selene.

The Moon Goddess was the mother of all the werewolves so how could she be so cruel to him, one of her children? And why did she appear now after everything was solved? Were deities only supposed to interfere when the person was special like a protagonist? 

Must villains like him and no-name characters face the cruelty of becoming stepping stones for that one blessed child of the world? Even though it wasn't the manga world it was just the same.

This was also one of the reasons why Hael didn't want to visit the cathedral. If Irwin had not convinced him that it was necessary to get baptized he decided to never set foot in any of the cathedrals in this life.

Moon Goddess perceived Hael's contemplations and feelings towards her. She sighed, 

"It's my fault. When I first took this position as the Moon Goddess three hundred years ago, I had to clean up the mess the previous Goddess left behind. The world was in chaos and I had to keep everything in check. After, using up too much power in correcting everything and introducing new rules for the new generation I fell into a deep slumber. Which was why I couldn't help any of my children in need including you for seventy years. I just woke up ten years ago and was waiting for you."

"Waiting for me, why?" Hael wasn't interested in her justification at all. 

He had enough of listening to the reasonings of everyone. So, what if they were in a predicament that made them unable to help him? Does it change anything?

Do the sufferings he went through disappear into thin air after hearing their side of the point of view?

No. 

It didn't resolve anything. However, because of the tough nature he gained from life experiences he could face any problems at present... what of his past self?

If he by some inequitable fate wasn't given a second chance then... what? Now, everyone was coming to him to apologize, to take responsibility, to show they didn't abandon him and were waiting to give their help but did he need any of it now?

An absolute... NO!

He was now strong enough to live on his own without anyone's help. Yes, he had to face some difficulties being an Omega and the path may not be a walk in a flowery park but he has the will to live and the determination to protect his babies.

He has an unwavering resolve to not trust the people who were accountable for the agony he bore in his first life.

He might have become a villain in other people's lives or in the manga written by someone but to him, he was just a person who wanted to live a normal life with his children, with his only family.

That was all he wished for but got trampled on as if it was some preposterous dream that he should never have.

The Moon Goddess closed her eyes feeling the ache of Hael in her heart. When she opened her eyes she was no longer the childish Goddess he saw.

She turned back to her usual somber and aloof self as she levitated in the space. She shined brilliantly increasing in size. A gleaming moon staff appeared in her hands.

Hael felt like an ant in front of her. He could now feel the divinity exuded from her. He unconsciously knelt before her, clasping his palms together, staring at her wonderstruck.

"Child, I understand your heart very well. I am the mother of this world and when any of my children go through unspeakable sufferings, I sustain that pain too." 

Moon Goddess placed her palm on her chest and had a sorrowful expression, her voice was calm, clear, precise, penetrating, and authoritative like the sound of a mellifluous harp.

"No mother wants their child to be hurt, I am the same but as a Moon Goddess I have responsibilities to run this world and many unknown restrictions that stop me from aiding any of you." 

She reduced in size and came down gliding in the space. She made him stand up and cupped one of Hael's cheeks, her eyes held a pained expression.

"Hael, you know the pain of a mother being helpless when their children get hurt, don't you?" 

Hael nodded his head caressing his belly, his eyes brimmed with tears remembering how he was rendered powerless in protecting his second child in the prison.

"I didn't bring you here to promise you that in this life you obtained by fate everything will go smooth and there won't be any hardships but to say that this time I am here, I got your back and will not let you suffer any injustice that isn't in your destiny. You got a second chance, right? So I ask you shamelessly to give me one too and trust me for at least one last time."

Hael felt the warmth of his deceased mother. He recalled it just before in the cathedral while talking with Irwin.

Nevertheless, now he could experience it directly from the Moon Goddess, the mother of the mothers, the supreme mother of all. 

After some time, Hael calmed down and broke the hug, sniffing, he wiped his remaining tears, "Then are you going to give me some superpowers to protect myself?"

"What?" Moon Goddess was baffled.

"You asked me to give you a second chance, right? Then give me some cool powers just like the characters get when they meet with deities like you, isn't that why you brought me here? So, don't waste time and tell me what powers you are going to give me. Superhuman strength? Necromancy? It's a hot skill these days or elemental magic, is it fire, ice-"

"Okay, stop. My child, you're expecting too much from me. I must break your fantasies but you ain't getting any powers," Moon Goddess declared, "... it's against the world rules."

"What? Ugh, then why did you drag me here?" Hael crossed his arms, puffing his cheeks.

"To give you and the children you're carrying my blessings, child," Moon Goddess put her hands on her waist and shook her head.

"Ah, blessings? I didn't expect you to be such a cheapskate, Moon Goddess. What's the use of blessing? Wait, I know in Omegaverse by blessing they make the protagonist a rare golden Omega only born one in a billion years with healing powers that can even bring back the dead, right? And now I am getting baptized so am I going to be a... why don't you make me a platinum Omega with healing and telekinesis powers, huh?"

The Moon Goddess face-palmed herself, "Why platinum? Isn't Rhodium the rarest metal on the earth you lived in your second life? Should I make you Rhodium Omega?"

"Is that possible? What are the powers of a rhodium Omega, Moon Goddess?"

The Moon Goddess rolled her eyes and sighed, "There is no such thing, you silly child. Alright, enough of this powers shit. Also, you ain't a protagonist, aren't you the villain in that manga and villains don't get any superpowers?" 

"What, you read that manga too?" Hael exclaimed.

Selene averted her gaze and mumbled, "Well, it was interesting to see two Alphas loving each other... so I read a little."

"Argh! Who the heck wrote that manga anyway? I am gonna kill that bastard if I get my hands on them," Hael shouted in frustration.

"You might meet him soon, if-ahem! Isn't it, your favorite manga, anyway?"

"Not anymore, how dare that writer make me a villain? I am a fucking victim!" Hael roared in irritation.

Moon Goddess giggled hearing him curse.

"Anyway, time is running up here take my blessings and go. Because you're whining about superpowers I am granting you a wish. You can come to any of the cathedrals and touch my statue to talk with me in my inner space like today." 

The Moon Goddess opened her palm and a white shimmer spread around Hael's body.

"Hmph, what's the use of talking with you?" Hael sulked.

"Sheesh, this ungrateful brat. You will need me soon and I know you'll come running to me. Now go away, my head is aching because of your blabber." 

Moon Goddess snapped her fingers, she faked annoyance but had the warm smile of a mother seeing Hael disappear slowly from her inner space.

The white light vanished in the Cathedral. It was only a blink of an eye for the others. Hael was glistering green and was unconscious on the floor before the statue.

"Hael!" Irwin, Maven, and Arik became frightened seeing him in such a state.

The Bishop and Popes clasped their hands together and bowed ninety degrees as they knew Hael was blessed by the Moon Goddess directly without him bathing in the holy water spring.

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