893Please respect copyright.PENANAh4YUtWZqMh
So this893Please respect copyright.PENANAuVPN0bxZ1B
is finally it.893Please respect copyright.PENANA07QZekX5Uq
893Please respect copyright.PENANA4PD0kpuJK1
893Please respect copyright.PENANAdUOAfIuIcm
893Please respect copyright.PENANANeuqdmxi43
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and893Please respect copyright.PENANAsWVMitNp30
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to893Please respect copyright.PENANABrpnSxWKMn
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.893Please respect copyright.PENANAucadHi31QF
893Please respect copyright.PENANALSi6K4Uz67
893Please respect copyright.PENANAx9UitJIbkB
893Please respect copyright.PENANA9kBwTxYDVj
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to893Please respect copyright.PENANAV6RasjbN88
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.893Please respect copyright.PENANAcEnQyO4Dl6
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,893Please respect copyright.PENANAmGozgb5YGG
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...893Please respect copyright.PENANAJi4FaOZMzi
893Please respect copyright.PENANAzQGT3n7KUg
893Please respect copyright.PENANA7jknUoNrhJ
893Please respect copyright.PENANAXkaUUSn7jq
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last893Please respect copyright.PENANAVVaytrJVz0
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for893Please respect copyright.PENANA4P6L0XiMDy
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate893Please respect copyright.PENANADzk0YJjFNQ
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.893Please respect copyright.PENANA71QtHFBAtG
893Please respect copyright.PENANAoduDiemHBT
893Please respect copyright.PENANAfpvsEU8iPi
893Please respect copyright.PENANArHmo0r02p5
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.893Please respect copyright.PENANA9ouihNcxnC
893Please respect copyright.PENANA5bFTkPrKJk
893Please respect copyright.PENANAf2ZvsFZix4
893Please respect copyright.PENANAGHPQjMk12j
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before893Please respect copyright.PENANA4z0kzF96AK
him."893Please respect copyright.PENANAmAqBMcz6Vh
893Please respect copyright.PENANAg5Gno84lSL
893Please respect copyright.PENANAjbdsWYsNUF
893Please respect copyright.PENANAuJFDtbCeGH
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.893Please respect copyright.PENANAmhzoGVWiYl
893Please respect copyright.PENANAx26RvfvpIJ
893Please respect copyright.PENANADzdTjuU70P
893Please respect copyright.PENANAgcBdoYR3pn
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."893Please respect copyright.PENANA40n4xdpJV0
893Please respect copyright.PENANAGVoiR5p82D
893Please respect copyright.PENANAVdTKwYUNQt
893Please respect copyright.PENANAIElmkIlG3q
"You may pass."893Please respect copyright.PENANAChtWpbsU1V
893Please respect copyright.PENANAaYU6DQHIvA
893Please respect copyright.PENANAAUwKfXvi12
893Please respect copyright.PENANA1XeVLacg8i
Serene893Please respect copyright.PENANAibMhwsAd5w
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but893Please respect copyright.PENANAlsU63JTX7U
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big893Please respect copyright.PENANAPlNbCKsJHI
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 893Please respect copyright.PENANAtMylqhVj3e
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or893Please respect copyright.PENANAKdTSltCmyx
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.893Please respect copyright.PENANAqAFJ2uf8Iv
893Please respect copyright.PENANAaa1JA43Txp
But the893Please respect copyright.PENANAKPfMX5GFmm
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way893Please respect copyright.PENANAX8lLJQGS1x
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but893Please respect copyright.PENANA0RrK8auOIo
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any893Please respect copyright.PENANAHxbHvofNhe
longer. He had to keep going.893Please respect copyright.PENANAlbmd6JbX1L
893Please respect copyright.PENANAznTkSCekbf
First893Please respect copyright.PENANA1BlmIUZP1V
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.893Please respect copyright.PENANAgiV2bRHRzU
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main893Please respect copyright.PENANAAonJpGuFtu
temple with their grand doors open.893Please respect copyright.PENANA30YdbMRpAu
893Please respect copyright.PENANAX8c9zJ1bf5
The first893Please respect copyright.PENANAA1ctJauxp5
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he893Please respect copyright.PENANAekrKbDBuwX
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of893Please respect copyright.PENANAstR6LCL3xa
light leading further in. 893Please respect copyright.PENANAqLoopKzwzd
893Please respect copyright.PENANAXkxT4hxQLX
893Please respect copyright.PENANAwGgpgklcCm
893Please respect copyright.PENANAqTHsEQI1Kx
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the893Please respect copyright.PENANAvL6dnuQqyy
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if893Please respect copyright.PENANAjVqS8yg2AD
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever893Please respect copyright.PENANAg8oQSI64G8
trapped.893Please respect copyright.PENANAFX41XDKInD
893Please respect copyright.PENANA9Mdy8UQjJH
893Please respect copyright.PENANAUqqAKYfeys
893Please respect copyright.PENANA6NV9sCM2oX
"Calm893Please respect copyright.PENANAB3KUUTTLVu
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept893Please respect copyright.PENANAuev8jVB4vB
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.893Please respect copyright.PENANAxVZdtSAZFo
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the893Please respect copyright.PENANAv4xItkK1yO
words under his breath he followed the path of light.893Please respect copyright.PENANAQu3fUrEdxQ
893Please respect copyright.PENANAn7K9cg0kpu
He walked893Please respect copyright.PENANA0zlM6kwxpK
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."893Please respect copyright.PENANAvTN0nY38v3
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of893Please respect copyright.PENANA9fLYXA1kiC
light, dwindling it down. 893Please respect copyright.PENANA3Cma4E3O2q
893Please respect copyright.PENANAFNttPuUVCd
"Enough."893Please respect copyright.PENANAcK7Wf1yS66
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path893Please respect copyright.PENANAd7WVsBJy8T
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook893Please respect copyright.PENANAMF7ovqshTo
the darkness and there was only light.893Please respect copyright.PENANABgF4IHua7k
893Please respect copyright.PENANAc5tGp3r80r
"You893Please respect copyright.PENANAfGj7vdDxHX
have come far, Bongzhon."893Please respect copyright.PENANAIwtZ9VR5f8
893Please respect copyright.PENANAEhQrGupV6F
Serene893Please respect copyright.PENANAXk9gW28DBa
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.893Please respect copyright.PENANAclmz2uZC1M
893Please respect copyright.PENANAn0NgjZY4l2
"Come,893Please respect copyright.PENANAuGbWScDup0
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked893Please respect copyright.PENANAYDe7ViIegy
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,893Please respect copyright.PENANABf2eZhWTMc
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.893Please respect copyright.PENANAjIXLL8ZNnt
893Please respect copyright.PENANAuwvIbnSme2
"You,893Please respect copyright.PENANAL6Hvf1l6OA
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my893Please respect copyright.PENANAT8EzA1vm3E
judgement, whatever it may be"893Please respect copyright.PENANAuEFERo0UeN
893Please respect copyright.PENANA2ENPPmJCDP
"I893Please respect copyright.PENANArbQPgT6OlI
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his893Please respect copyright.PENANAfHWt5vOuAC
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.893Please respect copyright.PENANAwa24yHOggT
893Please respect copyright.PENANAggXXyRnLUi
"Very,893Please respect copyright.PENANADXlsEkNadv
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,893Please respect copyright.PENANAIels0raVRR
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating893Please respect copyright.PENANAs2Bqvtsiu9
and a small boy appeared out of the light.893Please respect copyright.PENANAiUhQOnsnWP
893Please respect copyright.PENANAVUCqr7iZdh
"This893Please respect copyright.PENANAiqVZoFawE4
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide893Please respect copyright.PENANAcZqQovUz0g
to join your order at such a young age?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2FswRU4CH
893Please respect copyright.PENANA7jOpyragTu
Serene893Please respect copyright.PENANAjFkdAJqThR
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more893Please respect copyright.PENANAPK5Tijg4Pa
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to893Please respect copyright.PENANATiVyJQYCvy
provide for me and my siblings..."893Please respect copyright.PENANAcazUmthvzP
893Please respect copyright.PENANA7Zb3272tDm
"Is893Please respect copyright.PENANAFuSEphVWzB
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through893Please respect copyright.PENANAQsdrOCt0Ly
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have893Please respect copyright.PENANAoMndhhuGwF
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?893Please respect copyright.PENANAnx24vfsYnl
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,893Please respect copyright.PENANA8sb6gkk002
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."893Please respect copyright.PENANAaFr5kWFVSP
893Please respect copyright.PENANA0Ty3ygIhiX
Serene893Please respect copyright.PENANAFzx8bVxwGv
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago893Please respect copyright.PENANA4oc32wDTJ6
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of893Please respect copyright.PENANAkTZgI0uWXe
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.893Please respect copyright.PENANAExRtxeBhwU
893Please respect copyright.PENANAYV0kd6dFfn
"Do893Please respect copyright.PENANADHphPcBe71
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family893Please respect copyright.PENANA7PWFmwypYJ
leading them to ruin?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAf0WFDrgPge
893Please respect copyright.PENANA642ToXAQlG
"Yes."893Please respect copyright.PENANAHHbNH5MPRq
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether893Please respect copyright.PENANAkZZFBlWTMT
he would've stayed or not.893Please respect copyright.PENANAEiBwh9its4
893Please respect copyright.PENANAzHkKmx3UMm
"Very893Please respect copyright.PENANAEBX1JmREj8
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well893Please respect copyright.PENANAtHYxG0rQgh
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the893Please respect copyright.PENANATe3IEy6Hdz
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAikyimzDIzc
893Please respect copyright.PENANAfs2xLsZSFH
"I893Please respect copyright.PENANAOFJlFWxFvf
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by893Please respect copyright.PENANAIKLcOZxhN8
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With893Please respect copyright.PENANAfXgFhoCRxS
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the893Please respect copyright.PENANAXncJspBtHN
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.893Please respect copyright.PENANAy2715p6n8e
893Please respect copyright.PENANAg4k8dLATQH
"And893Please respect copyright.PENANApTHi1qSE95
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were893Please respect copyright.PENANAsrr4SpiVy6
perfect in your role?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAfnt8gVXAnm
893Please respect copyright.PENANAPmmikAnlWP
"I893Please respect copyright.PENANAPk7NZAZgfg
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I893Please respect copyright.PENANAaC9Ylsi9FK
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his893Please respect copyright.PENANA5Nthu1f7Iy
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would893Please respect copyright.PENANADrxl7kteqq
stand by them.893Please respect copyright.PENANAdj1So4PDUX
893Please respect copyright.PENANA1oJUVqjM1S
"Good."893Please respect copyright.PENANAh6UTSN6i53
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent893Please respect copyright.PENANAt2lUWp1y5O
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both893Please respect copyright.PENANAF6kMFBRajs
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.893Please respect copyright.PENANAjmpyw6DL1h
893Please respect copyright.PENANAiRPcAKEbkM
"This893Please respect copyright.PENANAOwV4zaHBHv
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,893Please respect copyright.PENANAaiT0fa9yHj
why did you decide to rest now?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAU8NFNDIKUq
893Please respect copyright.PENANA8WaeS8NJIo
"Because893Please respect copyright.PENANAd9cTtdLAng
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a893Please respect copyright.PENANA5znTEEoCIC
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition893Please respect copyright.PENANAeqkawEE7Jo
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.893Please respect copyright.PENANApcZGyM8gw3
893Please respect copyright.PENANApXM7pIbkaE
"Any893Please respect copyright.PENANAHSR799Khql
last words before I begin my judgement?"893Please respect copyright.PENANAd6bA4Wmb60
893Please respect copyright.PENANAk3vGTGlphH
"No."893Please respect copyright.PENANA2zhzPNucad
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 893Please respect copyright.PENANASyHnBnIqqP
893Please respect copyright.PENANAFiYT01f5ui
"Bongzhon,893Please respect copyright.PENANAWx2NVzK1qF
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your893Please respect copyright.PENANAikFCI29tar
rest."893Please respect copyright.PENANA0lfgpvzrm2
893Please respect copyright.PENANAMVubbly7yt
The light893Please respect copyright.PENANA7y4iC9C0DH
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt893Please respect copyright.PENANA0Cc4B4TD1N
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first893Please respect copyright.PENANAUNehYIX9Tm
time in decades, happy and in peace.893Please respect copyright.PENANApSV3By5eC3
893Please respect copyright.PENANAu9ZafPksHK
893Please respect copyright.PENANAYgw4ScxFZx
893Please respect copyright.PENANAjcGmAtsLlD
893Please respect copyright.PENANAZyEbDjoxRM
893Please respect copyright.PENANAMIEP4mt4d0
893Please respect copyright.PENANAMusUCHXI0W
893Please respect copyright.PENANAk5MDyRn8XL