"This Universe (196) is configured in an incomprehensibly massive grid pattern, spanning thousands of light-years across each void. Current understanding states that it is ever expanding. As of the last few months, with the use of the most powerful telescope known to Diambera, JER-2030, we have been able to find something incredible. Near the constellation Quill on the celestial sphere, there is what scientists here at the observatory have confirmed to be a celestial body bigger than any known stars. More research will have to be done to determine the nature of this celestial body."

Another few months, and another concept for how the universe works. This new idea is based around the understanding that the world is finite, and that there is a constant exchange of energy. I had a bit of trouble determining if I wanted the universe to be infinite in some kind of way, but it would be much too complicated to try to wrap my mind around an infinite world when I can barely understand the mechanics of the universe in real life. (An infinite universe means all sorts of messed up things; relativity would be the only way to map a universe like this, rather than there being an objective location, and, as a human, I cannot wrap my mind around the idea of something being truly infinite; everything dies in the end, and that energy is recycled.)

I first started off by trying to map out what this finite universe would look like- would it be spherical? Flat? Disc-shaped? I decided these kinds of questions would be determined by how the universe was expanding, which implies that it expands at all; but again, I cannot fathom universal mechanics that don't follow some of the laws of our own universe. But why does this universe expand?

(05/07/2026: As I learn more about the world, I learn more and more about how accurate a 'worldbuilding project' seems to be aligned with how things actually function in reality, who would have thought? Anyways. The real-life universe is indeed infinite, but at the level of scale. Rather than the space out-in-space itsself stretching on infinitely, which it might well do; the infinity is also contained within every thing which exists within that space; you contain infinity, and so do I, and so does every living and non living thing on the planet, and so does the planet itsself and also everything outside of it! That is where infinity truly lies. So worry not your human mind my past self, for as long as you do not limit yourself in your belief of your capabilites, well...)

In real life, the universe expands, as the (scientific) theory states, due to dark matter. This is interesting in itself. In real life, dark matter is not able to be detected, other than to explain the increasingly rapid expansion of the universe. (There is an interesting idea for a fantasy universe here; there are two universes living on top of eachother, indirectly influencing one another, and the cross between these two states of matter makes for some fucky physics nonsense... and this idea has been explored much in media already! [I'm thinking about the MCU and the Spider-verse, of course.]). But, in my idea of my fantasy world, Universe 196, the expansion of the universe is caused by something(s) at the center of it- ULT-CELs.

ULT-CELs are at the very top, in terms of power levels and the energy they emit. They are the equivalent of supermassive black holes in the real world (or gods, or the geometry which creates reality), except they are emitting massive amounts of energy rather than pulling it all in (okay, a neutron star?). These types of beings are highly hypothetical in Universe 196 though, since they would be like gods, and the highest known classification to ever be observed is ULT-IM. CELs, let alone ULT-CELs, would be highly theoretical (theoretical in the scientific sense, of course.)

But, in Fray Theory, there is a cluster of between 3 and 10 ULT-CELs at the center of the universe, and they are in charge of emitting the energy that creates the universe. It is up for debate on if these beings are sentient and capable of complex thought, but they could be considered living; for they move and writhe about like... waves?. It is also up for debate on whether these beings would share a hive mind, implying that they cooperate with eachother. It is fun to speculate, but it is known that these ULT-CELs would be at the center of the universe, weaving it out.

The radiate their energy in a very specific way, in a sort of grid-like pattern (like WAVES). It is unknown why this pattern in particular, but with it, some very interesting things happen. The closer one is to the center of the universe, the more solid this grid pattern is, which means one could map just how close they are to the center by how the celestial sphere looks around them (interesting, huh?). They could map their place in the universe without ever having to leave their solar system. There would be something else to explain where they are in the universe too; the stability of the physics around them would be much stronger, the closer they are to the center. This fact, however, leads to some very undesirable effects once someone goes further out.

Because physics becomes unstable the further out someone is, at some point, they would be too unstable to hold themselves together. And that is the Fray. Strange things begin to happen towards about the middle outside radius of the universe- this is where magic would seem to come from. The first, and most noticeable thing that one would see is that the space around them is much less grid-like, instead seeming to take up clusters. This breakdown of the grid is accompanied by things like the ability to manipulate the fabric of reality, which those like CELs and ULT-IMs can do very easily at this point.

At about the 80% mark, physics begins to unravel entirely. Here, one would get things like floating islands on planets (DIAMBERA) and easy use of magic, but also random disintegration of the material that holds beings together. It is dangerous out here, and attempting to play with the fabric of reality can lead to dire consequences without proper care. 'Magic' might seem like a curse or an evil onto the world, especially with deadlands and the random disintegration.

Finally, at 95% to the edge of the universe, things get horrifying. The random destruction of physics makes it nearly impossible for things to function- stars can suddenly burn out in the blink of an eye, and planets implode because the material at their core is suddenly deleted, causing it to collapse. It can be very cold and dead and lonely out there, especially since the universe is most spread out towards the edge. Reality is frayed, and eventually broken this far out into the universe. This energy gets reintegrated back into the universe though, and the cycle continues.

So, Fray Theory is the observation of ULT-CELs at the center of the universe, creating a sort of grid that begins to fray and create 'magic' as one goes out. But, eventually, this fray becomes destructive, and with matter destroyed, energy gets reintegrated back into the multiverse.

(04/07/2026): This can also be an interesting explanation for entropy! As we move away from the creative force into the force of destruction, this is the very definition for the increase of entropy. As we are less able to decipher and intepret the waves of creation, as they become more distorted, we increasingly, exponentially, move towards high entropy. Therefore, a unifying force like a belief in God, like a belief in a universal creator is needed to keep things together. Wooow. Wow, this is awesome.

Here is visual of Fray Theory. Visual

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