In times immemorial, when nothing existed and all was void, an event occurred—an event of such immense magnitude that its effects still reverberate today. They called it the Big Bang.
A violent explosion of energy born from the implosion of a singularity, perhaps the most devastating event ever to occur… though there wasn't much else at the time.
Afterward, new elements were created; things finally began to change. Now filled with an ever-expanding, boundless space, what would later be named the "universe" was born.
This universe consisted of a sort of emptiness, yet not quite. It was nicknamed "dark matter" due to fairly obvious descriptions. Newly created particles, propelled at nearly the speed of light, set off to conquer the vast space that awaited them.
This represents the beginning of the well-known theory of the birth of the universe. But contrary to what everyone believes, it is not the whole story—far from it.
At the very heart of this universe, as particles intertwined to form more complex elements, a second, equally incredible phenomenon occurred. Even as the newly born universe lay plunged in darkness darker than darkness itself, a glimmer flickered on the horizon.
The world shifted with the appearance of the Ora, an unknown energy that emerged without warning in the heart of the expanding universe.
It was not a mere force, but with its evolution, it seemed to possess a conscious essence, an intelligence that sought to create, organize, and transform.
Manifesting initially as luminous pulses, like crystalline iridescent flashes, this slightly greenish light spread everywhere, reaching the farthest corners of the cosmos, imprinting itself and reshaping it.
The universe merged with the Ora, initiating a cycle of transformations and metamorphoses. Where there was only silence, vibrations, pulses, and energetic flows appeared.
Once embedded in the universe, the Ora began manifesting in more concrete forces, contributing to the creation and reformation of the essence of all existing elements, drawing from its infinite energy.
Each element was now intertwined with the Ora, bearing its own unique signature, and their interaction formed the architecture of this new universe—new not only because it had just come into being, but also because it had been entirely reshaped.
A few billion years after its appearance, the first spark of a star emerged, then a second, and finally entire galaxies lit up the interstellar void.
Elements, driven by the pulsations of the Ora, fused, attracted and repelled each other, forming a cosmic dance that birthed stars and planets.
But the Ora was not limited to physical creation; it altered the very laws of this nascent universe. Attraction, repulsion, the flow of time—all these concepts were imbued with its energy and became dependent on its presence to function.
The laws of gravity and thermodynamics, the nature of space and time—everything was reconfigured to bend to the Ora.
It thus became the invisible pillar of the universe, a vital force connecting each particle, atom, star, and being to its essence. Without it, the very foundations of reality would crumble.
The Ora continued its expansion, giving rise to countless other forms of existence. Some areas of the universe came to harbor more complex manifestations of this energy, such as planetary systems capable of supporting life.
On these worlds, the fusion of Ora and the elements gave birth to creatures endowed with mind and perception. They sensed the Ora within them, an instinctive force, a subtle pulse linking them to the depths of the universe… or so it should have been.
Billions of years had passed since then, and in a planetary system located on one of the spirals at the edge of a galaxy called the Milky Way, life was born on a planet named Terra Nova.
Because it was the first in the universe to harbor any form of life, it was an exceptional phenomenon. Nevertheless, all credit went to the Ora, for it was thanks to it that all this had come to be.
As if satisfied with its work, the green energy gathered at a point on a small, isolated island, condensing, compacting into a single point. The concentration was so intense that it caused storms, raised reefs from the ocean, and shook the ground for miles around. It seemed to seek protection.
Suddenly, the green glow vanished, replaced by a fabulous, resplendent door, shining brightly and adorned with incomprehensible patterns that did nothing to detract from its beauty. It exuded a mystical, enchanting aura.
It was there—the gateway that would later become known as the path to Shangri-La, the paradisiacal world.
As much time passed as for the first stars to appear, when the first somewhat intelligent life forms came into being. Contrary to what should have been, or perhaps due to the crystallization of the Ora, these individuals proved incapable of using or even perceiving the energy surrounding them.
Thus, they developed without ever knowing that immense power lay near them, and they lived for hundreds of thousands of years until a rather unexpected event occurred.
The door, revered as a kind of benevolent deity, began to move. This caused panic among the people, who thought their god was angry.
But, to everyone's surprise, the door opened, and individuals who looked exactly like them emerged.
The natives felt a kind of wave, like an impulse, following the opening of the door. They did not know what caused it, but they knelt before the visitors.
In reality, it was the Ora spilling from the visitors' world into that of the natives. The visitors had come to see how those on the other side lived, how they had tamed their energy, but they were surprised to find that no one could even sense its presence.
And so, for a long time, the door remained open, with the visitors explaining to the natives that they came from another universe, where the Ora flowed abundantly, so densely concentrated that it had almost changed them.
Listening to this, the locals did not fully understand what they were talking about. And so, for centuries and centuries, the visitors used the door to travel to this universe, teaching the natives how to sense and manipulate the energy around them so that their world might become as radiant as theirs.
Few people went to the other side, but those who did confirmed the prosperity of that world, convincing others to learn what the visitors taught them.
Meanwhile, civilization grew, from villages to regions, eventually becoming kingdoms. Monarchies were established, and since the Ora now played a central role in the functioning of their small island, the rulers of the kingdoms gained excellent mastery of the Ora, even surpassing their teachers.
With much of the population sensing and controlling the Ora, peace and prosperity seemed to reign on the island, and the visitors deemed it time to leave, feeling their help was no longer needed.
They cared little about the outside world, as the reefs and storms surrounding the island prevented them from leaving. They didn't even know if there was land beyond, and frankly, they didn't care.
With no obligation to stay in this world, they departed. But before they did, the rulers of the kingdoms joined them, and the visitors gave them two instructions.
The first was regarding the key—the key that opened the door. Because of its golden appearance, they called it the Golden Key. It wasn't really a key, as the door had no lock, nor did it even have a shape. It was more like a raw mass of energy than anything else. Unable to describe it otherwise, they entrusted it to the king of the kingdom where the door was located, instructing him to keep it safe.
The second instruction referred to the use of the key, and they were adamant about this: they must, after the visitors' departure, never attempt to open the door—not until they knew exactly when. The rulers agreed, and an unspoken agreement was sealed.
Finally, the visitors returned home, and for the first time in centuries, the door closed.
Millennia passed, people forgot, conflicts arose, wars followed, and eventually, this story became nothing more than a legend, a myth told to children like you on stormy nights like tonight. "And now, everyone to bed," said a smiling old lady to the group of children listening to her.