839Please respect copyright.PENANAFD8R8PcHM7
So this839Please respect copyright.PENANA2G8pRkRjLi
is finally it.839Please respect copyright.PENANAGROuCxQnJ6
839Please respect copyright.PENANABaUbSmIToU
839Please respect copyright.PENANAGyOrucEH2R
839Please respect copyright.PENANAq6WM3cQ7mf
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and839Please respect copyright.PENANAVPMWTouDm8
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to839Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZEigjYYvc
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.839Please respect copyright.PENANAv136yxKubD
839Please respect copyright.PENANADSrkt47LNN
839Please respect copyright.PENANAuAo81aXHrj
839Please respect copyright.PENANA2sayLgvYvB
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to839Please respect copyright.PENANAcGlexoNwti
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.839Please respect copyright.PENANA8w0X1ro6NG
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,839Please respect copyright.PENANALHJV7hLB0k
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...839Please respect copyright.PENANAJ4LFfmswrS
839Please respect copyright.PENANAypPsVfCbOS
839Please respect copyright.PENANAN3wA2kKkIG
839Please respect copyright.PENANAM2x1UnBtiJ
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last839Please respect copyright.PENANA1YM5klyfvr
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for839Please respect copyright.PENANAATqt0eFxEp
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate839Please respect copyright.PENANAjZaPzPtH39
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.839Please respect copyright.PENANAFGJj1PiFDv
839Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3hDbhD6Xz
839Please respect copyright.PENANABIdiFQlT24
839Please respect copyright.PENANADbEwkFbqzE
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.839Please respect copyright.PENANAvvi0pyTaUg
839Please respect copyright.PENANAX2WN1MJcwr
839Please respect copyright.PENANAI1LKby2wpb
839Please respect copyright.PENANApNrr1OeIPw
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before839Please respect copyright.PENANAhMcI8ZZmrp
him."839Please respect copyright.PENANA4O9VKhVoDM
839Please respect copyright.PENANAMfSlNgwX77
839Please respect copyright.PENANAsH49lBb4fZ
839Please respect copyright.PENANA7bXEFDngU4
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.839Please respect copyright.PENANAwvJbdMN4hD
839Please respect copyright.PENANAQ0pWEdWXGM
839Please respect copyright.PENANAkZo0PSt0Pz
839Please respect copyright.PENANACHNeeY0UGJ
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."839Please respect copyright.PENANAus55DyMUDi
839Please respect copyright.PENANAiSkyLD3pEb
839Please respect copyright.PENANAYwTSHcAGyr
839Please respect copyright.PENANAND0a7ne5pz
"You may pass."839Please respect copyright.PENANAb9FjOcbMFl
839Please respect copyright.PENANACR4YD2RiXa
839Please respect copyright.PENANAT4719JlM2m
839Please respect copyright.PENANAuwnYLtPsYr
Serene839Please respect copyright.PENANAKZzfY6KHU0
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but839Please respect copyright.PENANAbfin6U7wKk
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big839Please respect copyright.PENANA11ZsT1Sw5D
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 839Please respect copyright.PENANAsA4yfWRPZr
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or839Please respect copyright.PENANAnunuhUGqx4
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.839Please respect copyright.PENANAjZgVMRBFO6
839Please respect copyright.PENANAZcFlAndTQt
But the839Please respect copyright.PENANA5lrQ8Udr0U
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way839Please respect copyright.PENANAm69C6wHHuy
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but839Please respect copyright.PENANAxluTXa1PQg
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any839Please respect copyright.PENANA4m43thsaRf
longer. He had to keep going.839Please respect copyright.PENANAvtsyyPcIAX
839Please respect copyright.PENANAX1eOdufXFm
First839Please respect copyright.PENANAWL6ZQU2WbH
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.839Please respect copyright.PENANATlWIh8euwp
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main839Please respect copyright.PENANA2FA7LLKBi1
temple with their grand doors open.839Please respect copyright.PENANAVw7O6rtq25
839Please respect copyright.PENANAJJFqFVcl1P
The first839Please respect copyright.PENANAbYONbBkSQX
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he839Please respect copyright.PENANAqf5Pax7OCf
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of839Please respect copyright.PENANAndFPZFnun5
light leading further in. 839Please respect copyright.PENANApK26OQOpJF
839Please respect copyright.PENANAiWY4Rm6ijH
839Please respect copyright.PENANAqV6qoosYuu
839Please respect copyright.PENANAQXxPWceQXI
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the839Please respect copyright.PENANADbHuwH7fwo
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if839Please respect copyright.PENANAVzOTq0zrWB
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever839Please respect copyright.PENANA5nunbtEl3d
trapped.839Please respect copyright.PENANAlwSprsFSzN
839Please respect copyright.PENANAalZWrGSXE9
839Please respect copyright.PENANAxDYGU6x4KN
839Please respect copyright.PENANA5LlHTH3ncA
"Calm839Please respect copyright.PENANAXjYkMK3vbe
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept839Please respect copyright.PENANAhO9dvRGOWj
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.839Please respect copyright.PENANAlQSHmWYMcR
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the839Please respect copyright.PENANA8sO3wojBAA
words under his breath he followed the path of light.839Please respect copyright.PENANAnt170TwKzg
839Please respect copyright.PENANAq71VitLVFD
He walked839Please respect copyright.PENANAwWAQSxOqvz
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."839Please respect copyright.PENANAKnEvcSySzH
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of839Please respect copyright.PENANAKywDHrzlv7
light, dwindling it down. 839Please respect copyright.PENANAB2CmxRzcyr
839Please respect copyright.PENANAev232M8TyJ
"Enough."839Please respect copyright.PENANAcsk0oMbTqC
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path839Please respect copyright.PENANA4kM0WUkGYz
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook839Please respect copyright.PENANAMkCV017BOR
the darkness and there was only light.839Please respect copyright.PENANA96QRBH0tuR
839Please respect copyright.PENANAvhHAPBfDM1
"You839Please respect copyright.PENANADaE6W286wu
have come far, Bongzhon."839Please respect copyright.PENANAjdcfvVquSz
839Please respect copyright.PENANAw5dZ2CboF1
Serene839Please respect copyright.PENANAkkAwIo8sCt
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.839Please respect copyright.PENANANImCZfuQpw
839Please respect copyright.PENANAgY33y3kyWf
"Come,839Please respect copyright.PENANAqKDLIqmmim
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked839Please respect copyright.PENANAGQmkCHlWJQ
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,839Please respect copyright.PENANAIdtPoJgeMW
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.839Please respect copyright.PENANAGT8cvjgcTj
839Please respect copyright.PENANAsBsbOFYi1D
"You,839Please respect copyright.PENANAzBEDmrpZZP
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my839Please respect copyright.PENANAticvRItBlG
judgement, whatever it may be"839Please respect copyright.PENANAekVNgIRckW
839Please respect copyright.PENANAijkhhngDp3
"I839Please respect copyright.PENANAeOuGSL1lXW
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his839Please respect copyright.PENANArU6JaUCqn5
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.839Please respect copyright.PENANAbfWV6xK44Y
839Please respect copyright.PENANATHGDGfoi3U
"Very,839Please respect copyright.PENANAswb31zMorS
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,839Please respect copyright.PENANAA6vUiktxHD
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating839Please respect copyright.PENANA04cS0Mpovj
and a small boy appeared out of the light.839Please respect copyright.PENANApYHeYNPSg2
839Please respect copyright.PENANAzPxxH7wj7l
"This839Please respect copyright.PENANACM7VunhqnB
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide839Please respect copyright.PENANAdfY1fU2iG4
to join your order at such a young age?"839Please respect copyright.PENANARDys2Z9q7Y
839Please respect copyright.PENANA9UircaXnp0
Serene839Please respect copyright.PENANAUIJCNt3aMr
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more839Please respect copyright.PENANATF5QSJba1o
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to839Please respect copyright.PENANAGMYbm9Mh9N
provide for me and my siblings..."839Please respect copyright.PENANAWXyeWPVguc
839Please respect copyright.PENANAdkILKlkYfz
"Is839Please respect copyright.PENANANOllxXjEeP
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through839Please respect copyright.PENANAhrGSbwVD5h
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have839Please respect copyright.PENANAvutorTa1Vl
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?839Please respect copyright.PENANAdEC7ZPmD9l
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,839Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9pdbpe48V
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."839Please respect copyright.PENANAQycTea2xSW
839Please respect copyright.PENANAVZjtUDNEws
Serene839Please respect copyright.PENANApwUpTjZgTx
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago839Please respect copyright.PENANAfqWa1SLxFP
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of839Please respect copyright.PENANAvb5D21YBNa
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.839Please respect copyright.PENANAuBYwWq3ki9
839Please respect copyright.PENANANwJnTIcc8o
"Do839Please respect copyright.PENANAwh3shRLARt
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family839Please respect copyright.PENANASWfuS5qlJd
leading them to ruin?"839Please respect copyright.PENANA8LT1jIibmT
839Please respect copyright.PENANATlYoH4Igqj
"Yes."839Please respect copyright.PENANAO0pBURuzbs
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether839Please respect copyright.PENANAmBzpBRc7ik
he would've stayed or not.839Please respect copyright.PENANAwCzhdjqGqo
839Please respect copyright.PENANA6Xg5BqWnrR
"Very839Please respect copyright.PENANAdUJLUj4yuG
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well839Please respect copyright.PENANARFqZ6y6pPv
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the839Please respect copyright.PENANAp9J0i5Vlm0
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"839Please respect copyright.PENANANwn9BHB3lC
839Please respect copyright.PENANAUt4pIfvXl8
"I839Please respect copyright.PENANABSXQePym2t
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by839Please respect copyright.PENANAbsFInu49Yz
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With839Please respect copyright.PENANAnJxaxun563
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the839Please respect copyright.PENANAr2ePvenKvw
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.839Please respect copyright.PENANA7JdwffC1wY
839Please respect copyright.PENANAaqRgiBUSJ3
"And839Please respect copyright.PENANAY8t3XM8h7m
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were839Please respect copyright.PENANA6vSnMI1X8u
perfect in your role?"839Please respect copyright.PENANAtNxX7bJUaU
839Please respect copyright.PENANAKtspjgxKFW
"I839Please respect copyright.PENANAsGj7UCim66
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I839Please respect copyright.PENANAKvrooW9DJC
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his839Please respect copyright.PENANAPWrdNVnE6P
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would839Please respect copyright.PENANAJMJm4Iv2O1
stand by them.839Please respect copyright.PENANASgk7oIBCOL
839Please respect copyright.PENANAL5JyEtpxo5
"Good."839Please respect copyright.PENANA3eknWg9Sf5
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent839Please respect copyright.PENANAgAAkX290zP
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both839Please respect copyright.PENANASTOzM6Rg4N
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.839Please respect copyright.PENANAqGBaq3vxwf
839Please respect copyright.PENANAOrvhuU2npT
"This839Please respect copyright.PENANAGYH5OBGVYQ
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,839Please respect copyright.PENANA8qF2vKHdgk
why did you decide to rest now?"839Please respect copyright.PENANAuJJ0Nsy95h
839Please respect copyright.PENANAbGfwZFvxTu
"Because839Please respect copyright.PENANAsnY7flcKLO
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a839Please respect copyright.PENANAQomYi6xzJJ
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition839Please respect copyright.PENANAtFRCpYdUek
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.839Please respect copyright.PENANA1kctMq8xWA
839Please respect copyright.PENANAgj2QlIGFMD
"Any839Please respect copyright.PENANA7iZOwUfrRU
last words before I begin my judgement?"839Please respect copyright.PENANAKDzhzMLicS
839Please respect copyright.PENANAmqmxakHhKH
"No."839Please respect copyright.PENANAQDbn2xEUwX
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 839Please respect copyright.PENANAVvUI43eh5k
839Please respect copyright.PENANAozl2XOc5Ig
"Bongzhon,839Please respect copyright.PENANAqJ97llnQ6u
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your839Please respect copyright.PENANADpC3zBNboC
rest."839Please respect copyright.PENANAuv4pQubt0z
839Please respect copyright.PENANA9mjUpldrxi
The light839Please respect copyright.PENANAkJnXTds4tU
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt839Please respect copyright.PENANAqsvMpta62W
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first839Please respect copyright.PENANAKzGBFjgw5S
time in decades, happy and in peace.839Please respect copyright.PENANAQJEFGT3AzV
839Please respect copyright.PENANApkv7LY7c91
839Please respect copyright.PENANAXZRcxi6LnU
839Please respect copyright.PENANArhWUJN5IHf
839Please respect copyright.PENANAus6AARLInM
839Please respect copyright.PENANAq3N3cnelN6
839Please respect copyright.PENANASqjkzcnOhI
839Please respect copyright.PENANA5pglX5e5bN