“- Monera.”

. . . 

“Master Monera!”

The little creature sighs and reaches above itself to rest its hand on its master’s head. It feels a slight energy. “Hm,” the creature grunts. It closes its eyes and in the next moment is standing, barely double the size of the width of the entity, on the dais where Monera lies, unmoving. So still that one wonders if the being is even alive.

The deity had no face. All that could be seen of its visage were hollow sockets of eyes that seemed to lead into a void. Hiding mysteries that would take eons to unearth. The being was striking, and yet so vague that it could be forgotten in a blink of the eye. The rest of its body was wrapped in an impenetrable, hair-like drapery, that flowed without an end, immersing itself into its surroundings.

The servant watches Monera for a time with cold, empty eyes becoming motionless itself, almost as if any semblance of consciousness had left its body as well. Could have been minutes, could have been days. It is hard to tell such a thing in this existence. 

The creature finally blinked its empty eyes seeming to have finally escaped its daze. “What a strange assessment. Master Monera should be awake by now.” It takes in its surroundings observing the Aenotis.

“It is almost empty. Few souls remain from the previous icovre and the amount that remain alive is futile. If Master Monera awaits any longer, the filament will only get weaker making the next icovre unstable.” The creature takes a moment to ponder. It takes a step towards the edge of the dais and peers over into the bottomless pit. There is no sense of fear in the creature's eyes from the colossal drop. Just a slight recognition and then . . . remorse. 

The creature turns once again to face its master and takes its hand to the being’s arm, closing its eyes. Time passes, souls drift, but nothing moves. The two deities are still.

Master . . . where are you?

There is a snap and everything collapses.

*   *   *

“Master Monera,” the creature whispers. The pair now reside in suspended air. Floating where the filament once strung across the Icovre. All that remains are billions of small fibers, drifting like ghosts in the wind. Monera is finally upright, conscious, lively even, with their back to the creature. “Master Monera . . .” the creature calls. There is emotion in its voice never heard before. The creature had always kept it’s heart hidden. Monera remains silent.

“Master Monera, do not ignore me after what you have done. You have torn all of existence. This is not something you can ignore. This is a blunder we cannot pass!”

“. . .” 

“Speak Monera! Confess to your sins! You must face the consequences!”

The being remains silent. Unbothered by the heckles of its conere, only causing the smaller creature’s ferosity to grow.

“EWENOHK, DO NOT STAY SILENT! MASTER QUELIN SHOULD HAVE NEVER TRUSTED AN IMPUDENT MORT-”

The deity snaps and the creature suddenly appears at the face of Monera. The creature’s size is greatly dwarfed in the presence of the being only being as tall as the deity’s head.  Monera’s eyes are solemn, grim even, but the creature holds its rage in its eyes, defying the titan as it floats, suspended. His body now out of his control. 

The air goes cold as the two’s standoff continues. It is an ant and a God, yet the former seems too stubborn to give up. And finally, Monera smiles regaining composure, and releases the tension across their body, releasing the creature from it’s hold as well. The creature huffs and slowly backs away. Although the space did not provide any safety, it did bring some comforts. “Do not fret my, conere. Anger will get you nowhere.” The disembodies voice that surrounds the little creature is suave and yet overbearing, and a disdainful grunt escapes it.

“You have ravaged the balance of all existence,” the creature snarls. “Do not minimize your actions. The Corde that Master Quelin dedicated his entire being to maintain, that has been here since the dawn of existence and now it floats as pointless filament! Don’t you know what this means?” The conere points its finger accusingly at Master Monera, spitting his words like poisoned daggers across the chasm.

“Do you?” Master Monera lets the question hang in the air. Moments pass and no answer is given. The question almost sickens the conere. “Have you ever even pondered what could happen if the Corde ever snapped? Ever frayed? One fiber after another peeling off to drift endlessly through the abyss?” Another deep silence follows.

“The Corde,” the conere starts cautiously, “has always been in good health. The fact that it has fallen to such a state is only a result of your poor service. Master Quelin should have never entrusted someone of your king to such a grave role, and now all of reality shall suffer because of it.” As the conere finishes, the tension in its body releases, and his anger dissipates, replaced by a sadness the creature had never felt before. A grief of an infinite loss now bears itself on the conere’s shoulders.

The greater deity slowly approaches its conere, slowly reaching out the tendrils of drapery. Seemingly as an attempt for comfort, and in defeat, the conere does not reject. “My conere, a truth has been hidden from you for a very long time. The Corde’s fall from glory started millennias before I was ever appointed to this role. Master Quelin slowed its deterioration, but it was never something that could be stopped. He hid it from you with a mirage to maintain your peace, but peace can never be kept forever.”

The deity could see the disbelief and fear in the conere’s eyes and felt a tinge of disgust deep in its core covered by pity for such a powerless creature. The drapery that covered Master Monera’s body opened to reveal a pale, four fingered hand that gently caressed the head of the lesser.

“I loved Master Quelin. He was a kind and just god like no other, but he carried himself with many faults. He was conceited and came to a point where he believed he knew all-”

“Do not disparage the fallen.” The conere interrupts sharply causing Monera to swiftly remove its hand and return it to its place.

“Hm. He was stagnant. He refused to develop, to innovate and the Corde suffered because of it. I tried to keep his wishes and continue reality as he planned for it, but as you have said I did not come from the same roots as you and Master Quelin have. Curiosities had to be explored and I pursued them as such.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“The Corde as you know it is no longer necessary. I have been very busy during my period of respite.” Master Monera raises the conere to meet its eyes. “I have met new friends, gods and coneres like you and I. I’ve seen wonderful realities. New mechanisms Master Quelin would have never dreamed of. Networks we have yet to touch.”

“This is foolishness. A childish dream! Nothing exists outside of the fibers that now float around us-” the conere says with frustration.

“And that is where the problem lies. Where it has lied for eons,” Master Monera’s suave voice raises with a hint of both exasperation and excitement. “And that is why I have deemed you as futile as the Corde once was. You are stuck in the ways of old, and that cannot be maintained in our new era.”

The eyes of the conere seem to brighten with realization, “You tore the Corde,” the creature snarls.

“I just finished a job that had already been started by time itself. “

“You risked all of reality for a damned fantasy. You are the conceited one, not Master Quelin!”

“And all you have done is proven me right.” Master Monera sighs, its eyes filling with a sense of disappointment as the deity reaches out again grabbing the smaller entity firmly. The conere starts to struggle against its new restraints. “Don’t be too upset. You will not be wasted away.” Master Monera’s voice returns to its cold and gentle state.

“Release me from your filthy hands!” The conere’s resistance becomes more adamant.

“Master Quelin’s power still resides in you,” Monera continues. “With the dawn of a new era no amount of power can be wasted.” 

Monera’s hands begin to illuminate with a white light as well as billions of threads spread throughout the space. “After all that Master Quelin has done, you betray him like this!”

“You will be a part of the new network, that connects each dimension. Each god.” The fibers of the Corde start to surround them and reconnect into new threads. You are being dedicated to a purpose that is more than you have ever known. You may not be grateful, but you have only yet to realize what greatness will come of you.”

A string of curses and insults, each worse than the last fly from the conere’s mouth until they develop into screams of pain as its body starts to tear apart into smaller, thinner pieces merging and connecting with the surrounding threads. Finally, a shining, white web spreads throughout the abyss, as far as the eye can see.

Monera reaches out and touches its new creation, enlightened by its beauty. “My creation,” Monera whispers to itself. The being then returns itself to its dais taking in the web for all of its glory. 

“Master Monera!” A booming voice calls. Monera turns to meet it as the tall golden figure approaches it. “It appears the deed has finally been done. Congratulations!” 

“Thank you, Master Asdien.”

“I have come bearing gifts. As a sort of, welcome, to your return to the Wekenva.” Master Asdien sets out a hand in which a clay-like form appears. “It is not much, but it should make forming your own . . . conere, isn’t it?” Master Monera eyes crease into a smile like form.

“Yes, thank you. That was the next thing on my agenda not that the position has just opened.” Master Asdien laughs, as Monera releases a smoky haze that swallows the gift, making it disappear from the former’s hand. 

“And here arrives my second gift.” A smaller four legged creature comes to a stop, bowing its head to show the beautiful golden chest strapped to its back. Master Asdien grabs the chest and opens it to present its treasures. “In here lies two souls from my Godame that have treated me well for centuries in the tournament. It has come time for them to be released from my hand, so I shall gift them to you as your servants. They should come as a great help in the coming Hilo.” 

Master Monera blankly stares at the souls before snapping back into a grateful posture. “Thank you Master Asdien, I will make good use of your gifts and I will return your generosity in this coming era.” Master Monera snaps and the chest disappears as well.

Master Asdien places a shining hand on the shoulder of Monera who hides a sense of disgust. “Of course you will. Now, I’ll leave you to this new creation of yours. I’m excited to see what’s to come.” A shimmering oval materializes beneath Master Asdien and he and his four-legged servant return to their Godame. 

With the two’s departure, disdain creeps into Master Monera’s eyes. “Anasha.” Shadows start to accumulate behind Monera, accumulating in a hazy apparition. Long arms ending with sharp talons, pure white eyes that almost appear as if they illuminate, a slender, almost sickly figure. But there is still a strong power within. 

“Yes, Lord Monera,” a voice as coarse as gravel seeps out. 

“Is everything in order, my friend?”

“Yes, master.”

“It's time to begin.”