Chapter One: The Game Begins
Our story begins with a legend.
A legend that has been passed down for generations, throughout universes. The legend of a land that is nowhere, and yet it is everywhere. A land that created all dimensions, yet it is the creation of all dimensions. A land in which the lines between one realm and another, reality and fantasy, good and evil, are blurred. It is a world without boundaries, where even the most hard-coded of logic is subject to change. It is a land where heroes are born, and it is a land where villains are born. And all, when their time comes, shall return to this place.
It is a realm known as the Dimensional Rift.
The knowledge of this legend is like a thread, tying all dimensions together in unison. Not a soul in all of creation doesn't know of its existence, although no one would believe that there were other dimensions like theirs, just beyond the rift. Most people would laugh at the thought that their dimension was accompanied by countless others. But all that changed one day, as the Dimensional Rift, the window to other worlds, once only a legend in the mind's eye, revealed itself in a most spectacular way…
Deep within the Dimensional Rift…
It stood still, floating in an ethereal soup of subspace, contemplating Its plan. It wouldn't be fair to call It he, or she, or even refer to It as a living being. It was what It chose to be, because It controlled the Dimensional Rift, and had complete power over Its inhabitants. It had found long ago that one who freed their mind of earthly limitations had unlimited might in this realm, the cradle of all dimensions. But It wanted more… the ability to reign over all dimensions. And It was known to get It's way.
Out of the darkness appeared a pair of oversized white floating gloves, large enough to crush a large cottage, approaching slowly, like phantoms. The gloves moved as though they were puppets, and It was the puppeteer. Where the arm of a human would be, the gloves trailed off into the darkness, leaving a white mist behind them.
"Speak" It said. It couldn't really speak any more than the floating gloves could, but instead It communicated by pulling chords deep within an object's soul.
The two gloves, as if in rehearsed unison, proceeded to explain, in some form of sign language unknown to anybody but themselves and It, just what had happened. They moved at an unnaturally fast pace, filling the black void with a continuous Swoosh.The entire ritual lasted about a minute. Then all became eerily quiet. After a few moments, It shattered the silence.
"So… the plan is complete. The challengers have been assembled. The game has begun… I propose a toast." Immediately, two gargantuan goblets appeared in front of the gloves. A devilish grin appeared on Its face as It watched the gloves determine what to do with the drinks.
The one on the right, which It had dubbed 'Master Hand', imitated actual drinking motions, as if it had a head. The red potion within the goblet was sent hurtling down into the dark abyss.
The left hand, referred to by It as 'Crazy Hand', twisted the goblet around as if contemplating it, then crushed it in his palm, sending a red spray over both hand's white gloves.
With a flick of the wrist, or rather, a thought sent to the hands conveying a flick of the wrist, It dismissed the two ghastly gloves. It had undergone rigorous training long ago to choke out any hint of emotion, but even It was genuinely intrigued by these strange creatures. This was partially due to the fact that these gloves were the only things It didn't have complete control of in the Dimensional Rift. This bothered It because, even though the gloves still followed It's orders, their thoughts and intentions, if they had any, were veiled. It was not particularly worried, however, because if it came down to a duel between the three of them, It could easily obliterate them.
The other reason It was so fascinated with these gloves is that It knew their origin. They were once the gloves of a great hero, whom It had battled once. Although It had lost that battle, It managed to obtain the gloves and bring them here, where they took a life of their own. Just another testament to the strange, incomprehensible influence this realm possessed. An influence that even It did not understand. The thought angered It. If It could not produce answers to the mysteries of this land, he would destroy this place once It had become master of all Dimensions.
A cloud of shadows formed in front of it, as if being molded by some unseen force. The cloud became larger and larger, like a snowball rolled across frosty grass. When it seemed as if it could be no larger, a hole was created in the midst of the dark matter, as if torn by unseen hands. Through the hole, It saw the group of challengers, standing in an entrance hall designed for their arrival. Some looked scared, others, angry. Most of them just looked confused. None of them were aware of Its presence. It would change that soon. Slowly, the vision faded.
For the first time in a long span of years, It chuckled.
"The curtains have been drawn. The ultimate show has begun."