User Automated Interface v5.2, Anastasia

I lost consciousness after hearing those words; I don't know what happened afterwards. When I woke up, it was another unusual situation. 

I was in what I believed was the hospital, just given the appearance, curtains, and the bed I was in. I was bandaged in several places with several voluminous bloody patches on me. 

[How unexpected, Ray Stark. From which dark pit of the universe were you chosen? Sure to remain in the lowest of tiers if you were lucky enough to not meet Death personally. Oblivion's eyes must have wronged him, or not? when it comes to the cosmic ones, one never knows].

I looked around, the room had a purple tone to it, dark and not eerie but instead, majestic. There seemed to be sparkles of light all over the place, like floating stars. Veronica was lying against the bed, sleeping, frozen. 

My gaze rose to the ceiling, and there she was a personification. Levitating parallel to the bed, looking at me, she was in a regal sitting posture. Her body was like the space itself had wrapped on its own to give shape to a female. Her chest and voice were the only index. She had no expression or hair.

"..." I had no words to say as we looked at each other. She was fixed in place, like sitting on a chair that I couldn't see. Her legs changed position.

[Unable to receive even the most rudimentary bullets. Do you expect to triumph over multiversal beings in this brawl, Ray Star? I don't blame you. You were chosen against your will like a thousand others, but you were chosen nonetheless, so there must be something special about you than what meets the eye]

"Who are you?".

[I am an embodiment of space, an avatar or the endless layer that wraps this universe together. I'm an unindependent sentient being; I am many things... right now, I'm your manager. You may address me as Null].

"My manager? You mean... the Multiversal Brawl?" I asked, a bit confused. I sat up on the bed, pulled the bandages and my wounds were already healed, although my body still had patches of blood.

[Correct. The endless expanse of the multiverse and beyond is wider and bigger than even a cosmic entity can comprehend. This contest is not as simple as you believe. Therefore, I, the embodiment of space, was created by the cosmic entities to serve as an uninvolved guide. Each contestant has a manager; I'm yours].

"What does your job entail?".

[I won't communicate much except for matters regarding the multiversal brawl. Your tier, rounds, enemies... particular events in the multiverse that may attract your attention, increasing your odds of winning if you're wise enough, Ray Stark. However, I repeat and remind you, I'm an uninvolved party. The only information I can give you is information that is available for the rest of the contestants. I won't ever partake in any action that gives you an advantage or disadvantage over the rest of the contest].

I frowned and nodded, sitting up. She descended and stood next to me.

[If you have understood, it is time to move forward].

"Forward where?".

[To meet your next contestant. The one you shall fight in the first round].

She waved her hand and the world around me changed, I could see countless galaxies and stars. It all happened instantly, and I was no longer in the infirmary but instead in the wilderness of space. There were two individuals here already.

One was another, like Null, although he looked more like a male from what I could see. The other was the silhouette of what I think is a... little girl. However, I can't see her expression, only her silhouette and space waving slowly in the nothingness of space. 

She looked at me; I looked at her. 

[Proteus].

[Null].

Both entities greet each other first before walking to our sides respectively.

[As per the agreements, it is time to settle the conditions for your first round. Contestants Ray Stark and Anastasia UAI v5.2 aka Mother Sphere].

We each took a step forward; the girl stretched her hand, and so did I. 

"It is wonderful to meet a multiversal being for the first time".

"Likewise, I didn't think my first opponent would be so… frail" I said, inspecting her. There has to be something about her that doesn't meet the eye.

"It will be even more wonderful to experiment with your body once I have defeated you and moved on to the next round. Perhaps you will be the vessel for a newer version of andro-eidos, or my own personified construct".

"You're not fun"

"I'm not designed to be. Ray Stark, as an existence that has been chosen, just like me... you're bound to be interesting. I'm looking forward to our match. Whether you invade me... or I invade you"

There seemed to be no visual reaction to her expression, regardless of anything, like a machine.

Our conversation was finished, and the two deities walked in front of one another.

[As this is the first round of the lowest starting tier, a bonus will be included to allow contestants to grow and fight against those in the greater leagues. Both embodiments of space, Proteus and I, Null, will now proceed to create a small universe within a pocket dimension. The only true randomness in creation is the one that divides order and chaos]

Their palms hovered in front of one another, and a ball of something that looked like plasma formed within.

[The result of a chaotic universe determines that Ray Stark shall be the invader. The opposite, a universe of order, implies that Mother Sphere shall be the invader. The round winner gets to keep exclusive access to this newly-created universe for their own use and resources later in the contest].

"According to theory, contrary to orderly universes like our own, chaotic universes are predominantly formed of anti-matter. Humongous amounts of energy, just what I had been missing," Mother Sphere commented and looked at me with a neutral expression. 

'I can't let you win' is as if she was thinking. Contrary to her, I couldn't even begin to comprehend how a universe formed, let alone how to exploit it. It is, in the end, all theories.

Both Null and Proteus joined their hands in the void, squashing that ball of plasma; when they separated, a spark of white light shone through. It was as if energy was irradiating like lightning from both their palms.

*BOOOMMMMMMM!!!**

Was it a big bang? I don't know, but we enjoyed the show not from the first seat but from the event's core.

Like holograms present only to bear witness to something incredible.

An explosion enveloped all of us then; I couldn't feel anything, and by the looks of it, neither could Mother Sphere. We both watched, perplexed how that explosion expanded at ridiculous speeds with us at the centre; it continued to expand like a fast-forwarding movie until from the centre a multitude of chaotic energies of different colours diverged. It was as if one had thrown all the possible existing colours of paint into a canvas.

It was chaotic.

[A chaotic universe has been generated, Ray Stark... you're the invader. Be ready and beware... other contestants in that local universe may participate inadvertently].

Proteus told me before both Null and I disappeared from that space, back into the hospital room still covered in stars. I was returned to my reality. Whether it was all a dream, I don't know. It feels like it wasn't.

[The battle will take place in two months according to this world's star cycle. Be ready, Ray Stark... many eyes look at you expectantly].

She disappeared then; the room returned to normal, and time resumed as if nothing had happened there. But I know now that I will face a deadly battle now, and I can't allow myself to be weak. 

I checked my wounds, and they were gone... but if this had happened during the battle, it would have been catastrophic. 

'The emptier you are... the stronger you are'.

That's how it works, but... I can't accept that.

"I won't live how you want me to live, Oblivion..."