882Please respect copyright.PENANAgfpnspgXp6
So this882Please respect copyright.PENANAIbzvHgQ8CX
is finally it.882Please respect copyright.PENANAaG3Sp7567y
882Please respect copyright.PENANAUIAeUUHFog
882Please respect copyright.PENANAQo28B7Oww2
882Please respect copyright.PENANADW5fpfIdzg
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and882Please respect copyright.PENANAS7y7nnoL8P
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to882Please respect copyright.PENANAV8PHSfgdBf
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.882Please respect copyright.PENANAjdjvbsSJP8
882Please respect copyright.PENANAcd4HTQaJW1
882Please respect copyright.PENANAtEF1cTFiFf
882Please respect copyright.PENANA2i06mJvkBE
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to882Please respect copyright.PENANAUocB92b4Hu
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.882Please respect copyright.PENANArOf57XGoYb
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,882Please respect copyright.PENANA07hrqnPBnm
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...882Please respect copyright.PENANANgLqR3oyW4
882Please respect copyright.PENANAVLT4rAEEy9
882Please respect copyright.PENANAG3RKqR5Tb7
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"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last882Please respect copyright.PENANAqYjTavy0ku
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for882Please respect copyright.PENANAhOIW2DCSKN
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate882Please respect copyright.PENANAuCELKEx0uy
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.882Please respect copyright.PENANAX8rTuZEuCe
882Please respect copyright.PENANAIcRnFez4fu
882Please respect copyright.PENANARahByP8U0R
882Please respect copyright.PENANAHzZgcHV666
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.882Please respect copyright.PENANA1mK9knGUjm
882Please respect copyright.PENANAlc5BbWa07R
882Please respect copyright.PENANAKVjCAJICkP
882Please respect copyright.PENANAI2rWS8I8q2
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before882Please respect copyright.PENANAvUwTM6P85J
him."882Please respect copyright.PENANAOMNdrmgLi5
882Please respect copyright.PENANA6ARIh5igq9
882Please respect copyright.PENANA9t4sMKY8sn
882Please respect copyright.PENANAbD2GvV6m2R
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.882Please respect copyright.PENANA2TkPUnjjxX
882Please respect copyright.PENANAouEbeMsv85
882Please respect copyright.PENANAU7BEwVdsQm
882Please respect copyright.PENANA3J9sUHPwTE
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."882Please respect copyright.PENANAzg61SMmfv3
882Please respect copyright.PENANACDtmn4Az72
882Please respect copyright.PENANAKmCptMcUuF
882Please respect copyright.PENANAI1peAwkSam
"You may pass."882Please respect copyright.PENANA9ijSjym4AG
882Please respect copyright.PENANAkv5G3Vw0TS
882Please respect copyright.PENANAixdv1URq1z
882Please respect copyright.PENANAv7pCRc5Uml
Serene882Please respect copyright.PENANAD68T9nUAcs
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but882Please respect copyright.PENANAQjJHfTCuBy
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big882Please respect copyright.PENANAC6xXBsK0oO
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 882Please respect copyright.PENANA2C0NvRktkH
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or882Please respect copyright.PENANAs55w3aNoe5
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.882Please respect copyright.PENANAemL7EGNaxp
882Please respect copyright.PENANALLQdD0rMVZ
But the882Please respect copyright.PENANA4yCFNx74FE
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way882Please respect copyright.PENANAPfzkiGtS2E
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but882Please respect copyright.PENANA4n5uJxG6UQ
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any882Please respect copyright.PENANAt4rc862fd0
longer. He had to keep going.882Please respect copyright.PENANAlp47pCZQQs
882Please respect copyright.PENANAijvj1eDGDK
First882Please respect copyright.PENANAyJzlSvuDQr
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.882Please respect copyright.PENANAbMwNME6aXz
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main882Please respect copyright.PENANA5mzbQLt2pj
temple with their grand doors open.882Please respect copyright.PENANAhsMDiJhG28
882Please respect copyright.PENANAzY5Wgz6iBq
The first882Please respect copyright.PENANAUsuKsAjXZI
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he882Please respect copyright.PENANA8JV6HNOPcZ
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of882Please respect copyright.PENANAdftGUpMdqo
light leading further in. 882Please respect copyright.PENANA6zdJWev8ie
882Please respect copyright.PENANABTs7qurT8O
882Please respect copyright.PENANAOyfSWBeIuB
882Please respect copyright.PENANAZFbtVtROPz
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the882Please respect copyright.PENANAk7qKAOBIws
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if882Please respect copyright.PENANAbYzzu0SG4l
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever882Please respect copyright.PENANATnORiHAAx2
trapped.882Please respect copyright.PENANA2M49Ftr4Hl
882Please respect copyright.PENANAHI3LU2HIjU
882Please respect copyright.PENANAfF4ipRgfXU
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"Calm882Please respect copyright.PENANAikSYTLHsWJ
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept882Please respect copyright.PENANArjDMk7vPNq
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.882Please respect copyright.PENANAV0kO1oHP1y
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the882Please respect copyright.PENANAuS03qm60S4
words under his breath he followed the path of light.882Please respect copyright.PENANADAp3PxH0Ro
882Please respect copyright.PENANAScVVw1iWvW
He walked882Please respect copyright.PENANAra2WSI38Ug
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."882Please respect copyright.PENANA28u6bJyJ8F
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of882Please respect copyright.PENANAElu0SMrtY0
light, dwindling it down. 882Please respect copyright.PENANAmtyBU4P91C
882Please respect copyright.PENANAY7gxlVDT5W
"Enough."882Please respect copyright.PENANA3cW7AxZMER
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path882Please respect copyright.PENANAP99hqh6hyV
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook882Please respect copyright.PENANA7yobjkFxF3
the darkness and there was only light.882Please respect copyright.PENANAgqKACNAcCY
882Please respect copyright.PENANAcV6KdJOnuz
"You882Please respect copyright.PENANAeKcNDPL9PV
have come far, Bongzhon."882Please respect copyright.PENANA6EC0iIsPEE
882Please respect copyright.PENANAA3A6qjiXsq
Serene882Please respect copyright.PENANAVXkV8lbv17
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.882Please respect copyright.PENANARu4CuAknBh
882Please respect copyright.PENANAcmMPgnNRCO
"Come,882Please respect copyright.PENANA3hYtJFdJSa
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked882Please respect copyright.PENANANPVD58bq6N
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,882Please respect copyright.PENANALXrzXpXI0S
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.882Please respect copyright.PENANAqWb2BOdiT7
882Please respect copyright.PENANANNf0mq5Wmy
"You,882Please respect copyright.PENANAYPzytADAr2
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my882Please respect copyright.PENANAr9Fg6k8Slz
judgement, whatever it may be"882Please respect copyright.PENANAQaJU3Vjydw
882Please respect copyright.PENANAOzoHX9ZRbE
"I882Please respect copyright.PENANAXOF5wP8nPI
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his882Please respect copyright.PENANAF1szHW1Xg8
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.882Please respect copyright.PENANAkWo02RAlOu
882Please respect copyright.PENANAY3k99WN8DW
"Very,882Please respect copyright.PENANAQpnHSjpCeW
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,882Please respect copyright.PENANA81V8Nn0eGQ
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating882Please respect copyright.PENANAFxKM9O0rji
and a small boy appeared out of the light.882Please respect copyright.PENANAkT69X8BAsT
882Please respect copyright.PENANAytjgAQpyLM
"This882Please respect copyright.PENANAtZt1K0zGA1
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide882Please respect copyright.PENANA9ho6zZzGDl
to join your order at such a young age?"882Please respect copyright.PENANAzzt2gzA49V
882Please respect copyright.PENANASz3RjLHHCp
Serene882Please respect copyright.PENANAe3zr6Scj7o
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more882Please respect copyright.PENANA19kAM6c0mq
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to882Please respect copyright.PENANA9rsX3I52OI
provide for me and my siblings..."882Please respect copyright.PENANAXCTfsLjb2S
882Please respect copyright.PENANAqOhkVFgL03
"Is882Please respect copyright.PENANAZgNfQPR1xY
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through882Please respect copyright.PENANAGi8CVDls5m
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have882Please respect copyright.PENANAjor9gQNxZQ
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?882Please respect copyright.PENANAEgilLxtojm
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,882Please respect copyright.PENANAoMVuhhVEBX
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."882Please respect copyright.PENANArB1A3AOf84
882Please respect copyright.PENANA2iHGBYMYJZ
Serene882Please respect copyright.PENANA6rG5HLWhu1
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago882Please respect copyright.PENANAE1kior9JZp
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of882Please respect copyright.PENANA6Og6iQws6G
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.882Please respect copyright.PENANAGYcWL0aHvp
882Please respect copyright.PENANAXOpcvJtao6
"Do882Please respect copyright.PENANA5pYxFCFwNJ
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family882Please respect copyright.PENANAYGFQkBJa0A
leading them to ruin?"882Please respect copyright.PENANAKwwi1vaZoz
882Please respect copyright.PENANAVNPUze5uku
"Yes."882Please respect copyright.PENANAsnr3bZpsXS
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether882Please respect copyright.PENANAFvQv7e0HsT
he would've stayed or not.882Please respect copyright.PENANAf1pQPnZoFU
882Please respect copyright.PENANA8dQKzqhLeN
"Very882Please respect copyright.PENANAc4UisctGNj
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well882Please respect copyright.PENANAgAn2IwVXFR
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the882Please respect copyright.PENANAvXXAbS6UxQ
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"882Please respect copyright.PENANARwIUo71JTV
882Please respect copyright.PENANAjlHFS52Ion
"I882Please respect copyright.PENANAteRUoAw9Wb
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by882Please respect copyright.PENANAIYTU35XUuC
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With882Please respect copyright.PENANA80tzvw75YX
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the882Please respect copyright.PENANA1qRpolBxKr
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.882Please respect copyright.PENANAeNKyshfDuE
882Please respect copyright.PENANACOhP41svqL
"And882Please respect copyright.PENANAtXCm4gw9qx
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were882Please respect copyright.PENANAl8galdrSYg
perfect in your role?"882Please respect copyright.PENANAbUljzEcGR5
882Please respect copyright.PENANAsqnYRgDRPm
"I882Please respect copyright.PENANAzsTKyA9drp
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I882Please respect copyright.PENANAzb2kTx18mo
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his882Please respect copyright.PENANAdBjuCU3J65
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would882Please respect copyright.PENANA6JnA8cr7cW
stand by them.882Please respect copyright.PENANAxvPypXlAlW
882Please respect copyright.PENANAiMxAyiljei
"Good."882Please respect copyright.PENANAVL8I4Yy6u6
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent882Please respect copyright.PENANAbKATIXmkoA
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both882Please respect copyright.PENANABiL6IQaaMQ
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.882Please respect copyright.PENANAO0W279kA0X
882Please respect copyright.PENANAwoE1MWtikH
"This882Please respect copyright.PENANA0GnT0qWmEW
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,882Please respect copyright.PENANAYiB0i6IJO6
why did you decide to rest now?"882Please respect copyright.PENANALmxs6nvWLb
882Please respect copyright.PENANAoZkA2b9nBO
"Because882Please respect copyright.PENANAcYGMKdm79x
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a882Please respect copyright.PENANASr81EMb97j
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition882Please respect copyright.PENANAeAqb0JaDXS
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.882Please respect copyright.PENANAtZU2QKicve
882Please respect copyright.PENANAl5ABRx2cQp
"Any882Please respect copyright.PENANAWKYNxtDHjB
last words before I begin my judgement?"882Please respect copyright.PENANAczi3EuJItC
882Please respect copyright.PENANAwph09LPEFT
"No."882Please respect copyright.PENANAQdT58ORqdQ
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 882Please respect copyright.PENANAGo4cE3e2c4
882Please respect copyright.PENANAozlrsbKldi
"Bongzhon,882Please respect copyright.PENANAKVPMiaolRg
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your882Please respect copyright.PENANAOWVSF26Dnh
rest."882Please respect copyright.PENANAG3y0iga7Qb
882Please respect copyright.PENANAW5JYhVw8tT
The light882Please respect copyright.PENANAQzs3WxC8vY
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt882Please respect copyright.PENANAe767Sid24s
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first882Please respect copyright.PENANAvxpS7IV4O6
time in decades, happy and in peace.882Please respect copyright.PENANAc5UNLFhwWc
882Please respect copyright.PENANAe4hhpUapGU
882Please respect copyright.PENANAFiGqn47bQU
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882Please respect copyright.PENANAN33M1BXEd7
882Please respect copyright.PENANANGVLEfWTMl
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882Please respect copyright.PENANAdQwmYhtGhJ