My adventures in Sabah are kept alive in Kota Belud – a place where the natives are firm believers of paganism and the practice of dark Magic since hundreds of years ago. According to the locals, the remote areas of this town were once infested by a type of spine-chilling creature known as the Balan-balan, and its very presence has lingered on to this very day. To better understand the origin of the notorious Balan-balan, I sought help from various individuals who have had first-hand experience on this subject. These insights collectively helped me in mentally preparing myself before I attended a ritual that would result in my very first encounter with a Balan-balan. Generally, a Balan-balan is believed to be a product of dark magic that is brought to life through a continuous recitation of mantras. Others claim that it is a genetic disease, where the abilities of a Balan-balan are passed down through the generations. This entity sustains its life by feeding on the blood of women who have just given birth, new born babies and corpses, and this in turn gives it power, beauty, and even immortality. There are two distinctive types of Balan-balan – one which possesses […]