On a night, a night as pitch as black, I first stepped onto a strange world. A world only a few people dared to walk into, whereupon at second glance, whatever light reaches the ground is being reflected back by effervescent crystals on dark earth.  The stillness of the darkness envelopes my entire being as if I am being consumed by it. Its cool tendrils bring shivers to my spine with an ever increasing crescendo as a gentle breeze makes it way between me and whatever that lies ahead.

For what lies between reality and the beyond is a gateway into a world of enchantment and of all things that cannot be explained by man in his current understanding of how things appear to be. This is the reality of Ophir and this is where I must find my way in the greater scheme of things.

Fearful of the unknown, I hesitantly move forward for I know that I can no longer go back to where I have come from. There already separates a great distance between me and my former self. I have to move on to the darkness of the unknown. With a heavy heart, I made one final glance to the light which slowly fades with the distance.

Life it seems is a labyrinth of passages and doors. You do not know what you will step unto. You do not know either if you will be travelling alone until that final moment when you are about to open the door to a new chapter of your life.

I closed my eyes for a minute strengthening my resolve, to calm my nerves and my reverberating heart. As I opened my eyes, I saw a flickering light making its way towards me. Like a ball of fire only in hues of bluish-white, I reached out. As I extended my hand, it rested on my palm. There was no sense of danger or animosity. It does not burn nor does it seem cold to the touch. What I felt instead is a swirling mass of air bringing warmth to my cold self, empowering my whole being ushering me to an unfamiliar destination.

It seems that sometimes you have to be in the dark to grasp the reality of light.

I know for a fact that a multitude of challenges await me. I could feel their unscrupulous gaze for I am their prey. But I refuse to back down; I must maintain an overwhelming presence to discourage those from overtaking me then consuming whatever I may have left in me.

I must have walked for miles and miles, yet the ghostly glow of that ball of light in the palm of hand never wavered. Whenever shadows would approach and whenever the air thickens that I could barely breathe, it would increase its intensity dissuading the darkness from enveloping me once more.

It is no ordinary ball of light. In essence, it has life. In this new world I had been ushered into, I have found my first friend...

Not for long, the ball of light left my palm. In a dreamlike display, it grew in volume as slivers of light swirl around. Shooting in all directions, it illuminated the dark surround. In that moment in time, all my inhibitions and fears left as warmth wrapped me in its mantle. I no longer felt afraid…

For a split second, it vanished and what now lay in front me is a creature from the myths and the lore of old who is as beautiful as it is headstrong, as pure as it is fierce with gleaming blue eyes that can instill fear and trepidation to a weakened spirit... a Sigbin.

He encircled me, as if he's checking on whether I am ready to go and face my ultimate destiny. I knelt down then offered my hand as a gesture of this newfound friendship. He lifted his paw and put it above mine then we looked at each other directly in the eyes. I knew in that moment that our spirits had now become one, as a master and a subsidiary and much more so as friends.

I gave him a name. A name that is going to mark an adventure that is about to unfold... Chase

He made a whimpering sound as he playfully wagged his tail as if he is in agreement with his new forename.

He then turned around ushering me to come follow suit. I slid unto his back and he nodded to motion me that it is now time. I held unto him as firmly as I could. He ran as fast as the wind and together in the stillness of the dark surround, a strong gust blew away the shadows into oblivion.