569Please respect copyright.PENANAIBxQwgMGgm
So this569Please respect copyright.PENANACp8H6OO7SD
is finally it.569Please respect copyright.PENANADy0ZcBNyAk
569Please respect copyright.PENANAYfBAmLNYIQ
569Please respect copyright.PENANA1E1c61cRry
569Please respect copyright.PENANAarRyQXtEHb
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and569Please respect copyright.PENANAQz4QobX0E0
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to569Please respect copyright.PENANARRZchpjnYg
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.569Please respect copyright.PENANAnMHCnxsiWX
569Please respect copyright.PENANA1RPHCbQoQ5
569Please respect copyright.PENANAIKhrp7E0GW
569Please respect copyright.PENANAT381hOf1Me
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to569Please respect copyright.PENANAUaKtQisxrl
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.569Please respect copyright.PENANAgr4aTfIZME
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,569Please respect copyright.PENANA3yaqhKfTPq
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...569Please respect copyright.PENANAX0mRs9ev2y
569Please respect copyright.PENANA2CJyyrd7PR
569Please respect copyright.PENANAlAgRT5eD5n
569Please respect copyright.PENANA3aYduoEDku
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last569Please respect copyright.PENANAdXoXUDkH3Z
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for569Please respect copyright.PENANAtXmFIYHuMN
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate569Please respect copyright.PENANArSti9eQ4GW
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.569Please respect copyright.PENANAFZuTy9Hapq
569Please respect copyright.PENANAO4MN7YKotX
569Please respect copyright.PENANAvVomRAmlPQ
569Please respect copyright.PENANAlScYI4woKJ
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.569Please respect copyright.PENANATPSUu2hZRc
569Please respect copyright.PENANArAlciKrXau
569Please respect copyright.PENANAXQDYe4WvMV
569Please respect copyright.PENANA6wsYuJrD8j
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before569Please respect copyright.PENANAnYoDo5iwvZ
him."569Please respect copyright.PENANAeT0Sdz6Xlw
569Please respect copyright.PENANAlq4z869pRh
569Please respect copyright.PENANAYtny7SZv9H
569Please respect copyright.PENANAe5Dxtzp7pX
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.569Please respect copyright.PENANAjXhyC9nVNg
569Please respect copyright.PENANAa7na2X5mJa
569Please respect copyright.PENANA0fo9waZUEF
569Please respect copyright.PENANAYT5xHwJYbR
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."569Please respect copyright.PENANAjZEjFjTW89
569Please respect copyright.PENANAWnkJAYcq6n
569Please respect copyright.PENANAgsjxUNoixh
569Please respect copyright.PENANAW58spykyMk
"You may pass."569Please respect copyright.PENANAlQUyqandq7
569Please respect copyright.PENANAlzJRYP253g
569Please respect copyright.PENANAoPUkrvWCJi
569Please respect copyright.PENANAqX3iPk4rZD
Serene569Please respect copyright.PENANAHYJcjPVGDQ
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but569Please respect copyright.PENANAtrnLVJ4kHq
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big569Please respect copyright.PENANAHIoJrDeryo
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 569Please respect copyright.PENANANOq0CItlzc
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or569Please respect copyright.PENANAAT5tOb6enk
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.569Please respect copyright.PENANASg76Ajz5wM
569Please respect copyright.PENANAZZLi9N8M6r
But the569Please respect copyright.PENANAAUFpATNVNA
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way569Please respect copyright.PENANAcPTG51EtvF
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but569Please respect copyright.PENANApSH9yisPti
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any569Please respect copyright.PENANACe6u4lTi3C
longer. He had to keep going.569Please respect copyright.PENANAXSJ8fWAvq6
569Please respect copyright.PENANAdcKwqzNAZH
First569Please respect copyright.PENANAPXzNvW93Lv
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.569Please respect copyright.PENANAFerUI0ahIe
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main569Please respect copyright.PENANAEbMlpVxWsy
temple with their grand doors open.569Please respect copyright.PENANAi6RHfh0dLa
569Please respect copyright.PENANAqDIP9NrBSq
The first569Please respect copyright.PENANAadhNN4KCgR
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he569Please respect copyright.PENANA1kMTKuJuRh
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of569Please respect copyright.PENANAlSAqxMPdEe
light leading further in. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAsUAQwXiQbc
569Please respect copyright.PENANAJiuEnAyd1P
569Please respect copyright.PENANAgZRZQksAFu
569Please respect copyright.PENANAX1RwgN4hLo
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the569Please respect copyright.PENANACcNEfYNfkr
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if569Please respect copyright.PENANAxKS2W2Gylf
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever569Please respect copyright.PENANAAizDvVGnTB
trapped.569Please respect copyright.PENANAK9faELCcL2
569Please respect copyright.PENANAkk9REjmq5I
569Please respect copyright.PENANAFqUv0Khei0
569Please respect copyright.PENANAX1JdbPsySQ
"Calm569Please respect copyright.PENANAjnFHRmYAyc
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept569Please respect copyright.PENANAu3HqR1kmBG
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.569Please respect copyright.PENANA0CSNRmeJZ2
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the569Please respect copyright.PENANAfRX82Kx7ky
words under his breath he followed the path of light.569Please respect copyright.PENANA40BUioFxwf
569Please respect copyright.PENANAQuVmIg5k50
He walked569Please respect copyright.PENANA84x6QEJUsh
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."569Please respect copyright.PENANA3dxzVzTVSW
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of569Please respect copyright.PENANANKi009qZ2Y
light, dwindling it down. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAwdjnfmghyl
569Please respect copyright.PENANAcn6An5Wqdd
"Enough."569Please respect copyright.PENANAnEdTkEKofK
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path569Please respect copyright.PENANAXxkB5x0bWX
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook569Please respect copyright.PENANAhxH2a1fdSQ
the darkness and there was only light.569Please respect copyright.PENANARwURHx8GAn
569Please respect copyright.PENANAL2k3HhE8K9
"You569Please respect copyright.PENANA2jk4mhJAZg
have come far, Bongzhon."569Please respect copyright.PENANAuqP6zOqRji
569Please respect copyright.PENANAe1WsmJ0Poc
Serene569Please respect copyright.PENANAUt83LMWB8N
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.569Please respect copyright.PENANASpQtVROakz
569Please respect copyright.PENANAPjUnloCcrr
"Come,569Please respect copyright.PENANAY5eR0Ayfhj
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked569Please respect copyright.PENANAcg8r9RBPRT
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,569Please respect copyright.PENANAGfTs4o661v
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.569Please respect copyright.PENANAsXY6oWgyHy
569Please respect copyright.PENANAZFXu2ag6od
"You,569Please respect copyright.PENANAHs6he702EK
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my569Please respect copyright.PENANAqIO7aLBfz8
judgement, whatever it may be"569Please respect copyright.PENANARDM1KzvV7l
569Please respect copyright.PENANA2avY6YOjd1
"I569Please respect copyright.PENANABov6CScQHW
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his569Please respect copyright.PENANAzWMy7viI61
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.569Please respect copyright.PENANAH2NVp6xB2K
569Please respect copyright.PENANAYqDWB48XMD
"Very,569Please respect copyright.PENANABjDOQGop0v
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,569Please respect copyright.PENANArPqgqyUQuo
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating569Please respect copyright.PENANA0hEU5cazY6
and a small boy appeared out of the light.569Please respect copyright.PENANA3dfpFEPvKY
569Please respect copyright.PENANAd6tocRoAq8
"This569Please respect copyright.PENANAZT0cqBiZsG
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide569Please respect copyright.PENANA9Ad3p35W9b
to join your order at such a young age?"569Please respect copyright.PENANAaV2d6kajAm
569Please respect copyright.PENANAqtmNdFM6S1
Serene569Please respect copyright.PENANAGij0lQY6eV
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more569Please respect copyright.PENANAOQ4KDq8Zbv
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to569Please respect copyright.PENANAqGymYJZ0xQ
provide for me and my siblings..."569Please respect copyright.PENANAChAhAqJUZX
569Please respect copyright.PENANA1IZ9imLOQ7
"Is569Please respect copyright.PENANARacthiYIDX
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through569Please respect copyright.PENANARZOGSjO8Zq
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have569Please respect copyright.PENANA688ELmp7NU
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?569Please respect copyright.PENANA8DdltuqtvH
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,569Please respect copyright.PENANA56ILIdKWed
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."569Please respect copyright.PENANAWfMA6Pxy7K
569Please respect copyright.PENANAybywyVZQ94
Serene569Please respect copyright.PENANArD8myoKQze
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago569Please respect copyright.PENANAMs6vutFJi5
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of569Please respect copyright.PENANA3mLSRr0N4B
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.569Please respect copyright.PENANAT6q7oIjrDO
569Please respect copyright.PENANAmGrPk8nLnO
"Do569Please respect copyright.PENANAedESo5icPh
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family569Please respect copyright.PENANA9dIV3ss0KZ
leading them to ruin?"569Please respect copyright.PENANAfNfYjkN4XS
569Please respect copyright.PENANA1J9xWTJVPw
"Yes."569Please respect copyright.PENANAINkhVjnCr2
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether569Please respect copyright.PENANAVSgGvESFCc
he would've stayed or not.569Please respect copyright.PENANABuwf1wDsCX
569Please respect copyright.PENANA3p2HE8U5I4
"Very569Please respect copyright.PENANAwHkFPKrNuE
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well569Please respect copyright.PENANA3gZeTDfWme
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the569Please respect copyright.PENANAKxSdXQjRLA
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"569Please respect copyright.PENANAR8pI4w19Dd
569Please respect copyright.PENANAQFs0Koxiv0
"I569Please respect copyright.PENANABdtKlO7TIg
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by569Please respect copyright.PENANAT4tVV9w5Et
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With569Please respect copyright.PENANAIByEeJPB1b
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the569Please respect copyright.PENANADxYZRIFb9p
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.569Please respect copyright.PENANAhj6UfBbO1K
569Please respect copyright.PENANAtQVqIdRVbK
"And569Please respect copyright.PENANASd7uC83v4r
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were569Please respect copyright.PENANAQoc97MjxGY
perfect in your role?"569Please respect copyright.PENANA1I0UmM8woW
569Please respect copyright.PENANAwgx2rlS1y8
"I569Please respect copyright.PENANAPiPoYuj2gW
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I569Please respect copyright.PENANAwZUwYE0n7m
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his569Please respect copyright.PENANAjeeXhK6vB8
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would569Please respect copyright.PENANAFJihdb4iR8
stand by them.569Please respect copyright.PENANA2EGDGaKoYK
569Please respect copyright.PENANARszw9zua9n
"Good."569Please respect copyright.PENANAI2orUsRYmw
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent569Please respect copyright.PENANApOtH8IMrgo
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both569Please respect copyright.PENANAiEBxzEbpS6
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.569Please respect copyright.PENANAZfTuHbdr1d
569Please respect copyright.PENANAuILah4zXZN
"This569Please respect copyright.PENANAqK90wXjCHe
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,569Please respect copyright.PENANAk6zWxUM6LU
why did you decide to rest now?"569Please respect copyright.PENANAPEqG3VLsyX
569Please respect copyright.PENANA3ihcpG1csD
"Because569Please respect copyright.PENANAI7KDECB7EF
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a569Please respect copyright.PENANAiknbxSiyVZ
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition569Please respect copyright.PENANAGbdx3ZEcek
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.569Please respect copyright.PENANAhlc0pW7u67
569Please respect copyright.PENANAo73ljEmZAP
"Any569Please respect copyright.PENANAKjzZKGtBH2
last words before I begin my judgement?"569Please respect copyright.PENANA15IG8UQ7qN
569Please respect copyright.PENANAH1sxXK7Bah
"No."569Please respect copyright.PENANApJi5BGyUbA
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 569Please respect copyright.PENANAiZ7Tk2ipbg
569Please respect copyright.PENANA6OUpapq41d
"Bongzhon,569Please respect copyright.PENANAjz2zDfiNmV
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your569Please respect copyright.PENANATlLP0DRHao
rest."569Please respect copyright.PENANATtv2ykn1yy
569Please respect copyright.PENANAq1yq0dnNYV
The light569Please respect copyright.PENANAE0jY74a5iT
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt569Please respect copyright.PENANAyBMuwdmT56
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first569Please respect copyright.PENANAo6GFTqTaAY
time in decades, happy and in peace.569Please respect copyright.PENANAiMl4dJvmcW
569Please respect copyright.PENANAY9lDheT4tQ
569Please respect copyright.PENANAQWXnqJ97Xa
569Please respect copyright.PENANAzKVTvFCtIe
569Please respect copyright.PENANAOzLqYwxt2J
569Please respect copyright.PENANAnanYZ2gqaD
569Please respect copyright.PENANAdcb2FEjLx4
569Please respect copyright.PENANAJZs9p5AAdA