872Please respect copyright.PENANAVjecvqrjyZ
So this872Please respect copyright.PENANAMnlhG4dRVc
is finally it.872Please respect copyright.PENANAcMNil1O0yD
872Please respect copyright.PENANAMoSaZWQeQA
872Please respect copyright.PENANApk19xzrxPy
872Please respect copyright.PENANAzkfNnAA8AV
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and872Please respect copyright.PENANAAyykwCBQJX
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to872Please respect copyright.PENANAxcoHTaP6nG
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.872Please respect copyright.PENANAHOh79OHPaK
872Please respect copyright.PENANALEZQt6XeNi
872Please respect copyright.PENANAAFVXlxZARf
872Please respect copyright.PENANAY7t4TOgE9t
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to872Please respect copyright.PENANAocqwj3UuVB
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.872Please respect copyright.PENANAmGNQKaA5PT
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,872Please respect copyright.PENANAT29ISQBuRL
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...872Please respect copyright.PENANARiz784AgZ0
872Please respect copyright.PENANApNiUNYj8LK
872Please respect copyright.PENANANKbQTXFoo6
872Please respect copyright.PENANA9zC8ALHQI5
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last872Please respect copyright.PENANAKNozFXkJjo
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for872Please respect copyright.PENANAyokbuec87A
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate872Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ks62K58jR
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.872Please respect copyright.PENANARm6a17y369
872Please respect copyright.PENANAxc1wySFUiK
872Please respect copyright.PENANAOARcnwUGuY
872Please respect copyright.PENANAb8emZe2JZb
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.872Please respect copyright.PENANAsGYXyzTXlr
872Please respect copyright.PENANACoeH9z1t8j
872Please respect copyright.PENANAHyHcqgT9Km
872Please respect copyright.PENANAeiXpCq7kmb
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before872Please respect copyright.PENANAfgNahTocLi
him."872Please respect copyright.PENANAoGjznWpQGF
872Please respect copyright.PENANAOg83A6nAAH
872Please respect copyright.PENANAmrApr4g8y9
872Please respect copyright.PENANADgGVPbOcYm
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.872Please respect copyright.PENANAKcHuo9U07l
872Please respect copyright.PENANAqAdoiYvMcH
872Please respect copyright.PENANA0ODqnoomOo
872Please respect copyright.PENANAFL7ckOIPRZ
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."872Please respect copyright.PENANA1fgHM7r0jU
872Please respect copyright.PENANA9WbbpjBccG
872Please respect copyright.PENANAvwwLslaXIw
872Please respect copyright.PENANAdNE3HVwJr4
"You may pass."872Please respect copyright.PENANAfNTVfV8S8J
872Please respect copyright.PENANAmCyEcRf5TU
872Please respect copyright.PENANAfkMHFcpJ4n
872Please respect copyright.PENANAiscqXfYiPq
Serene872Please respect copyright.PENANAWjTwnII6od
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but872Please respect copyright.PENANAJUgCLwfVHv
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big872Please respect copyright.PENANAdhTN3GTD4F
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 872Please respect copyright.PENANA20t5UhyLNe
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or872Please respect copyright.PENANAIZqsWCeWLQ
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.872Please respect copyright.PENANAzQyot2HeR4
872Please respect copyright.PENANA9DaoA8tBOi
But the872Please respect copyright.PENANA0lZ8zzPvu7
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way872Please respect copyright.PENANARJ95glzzRq
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but872Please respect copyright.PENANATWy95s0lvQ
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any872Please respect copyright.PENANA2FnPplWAXg
longer. He had to keep going.872Please respect copyright.PENANAcjc94o6E3y
872Please respect copyright.PENANAY1bwkOZKNB
First872Please respect copyright.PENANAWGXT8yHSgU
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.872Please respect copyright.PENANAgR0tkENpvD
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main872Please respect copyright.PENANADjAeRTkbpg
temple with their grand doors open.872Please respect copyright.PENANAT2ios9DMlJ
872Please respect copyright.PENANAItoTlZHOgC
The first872Please respect copyright.PENANAn7xk5woiy9
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he872Please respect copyright.PENANAIogvHtc67m
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of872Please respect copyright.PENANAtyuNyYUED9
light leading further in. 872Please respect copyright.PENANAIQBkrj37t6
872Please respect copyright.PENANAd5ZIwg2p0J
872Please respect copyright.PENANAPHiekyyPxO
872Please respect copyright.PENANA3818ij6Wx4
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the872Please respect copyright.PENANAL8Xf4jVpDc
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if872Please respect copyright.PENANAqly6Qpojz7
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever872Please respect copyright.PENANAtALXQ1UwfA
trapped.872Please respect copyright.PENANA0lleMdCycT
872Please respect copyright.PENANAyRPRn4CwDa
872Please respect copyright.PENANAHJApz9aMGv
872Please respect copyright.PENANAbWPsHafNMP
"Calm872Please respect copyright.PENANAVW4XpXAkkz
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept872Please respect copyright.PENANAiWmuXxJTaB
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.872Please respect copyright.PENANAYCRXtFJuN7
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the872Please respect copyright.PENANA2XjLvu7Ic4
words under his breath he followed the path of light.872Please respect copyright.PENANA81K5R1V4xl
872Please respect copyright.PENANARf6Ik1jDrc
He walked872Please respect copyright.PENANANYhHIQzNbp
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."872Please respect copyright.PENANAb9FLgeIPqj
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of872Please respect copyright.PENANA8p5rMAv1wU
light, dwindling it down. 872Please respect copyright.PENANAx8O7wSAMMD
872Please respect copyright.PENANAa1uZvS2gWj
"Enough."872Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8Clm3d8UI
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path872Please respect copyright.PENANAWsjSn0GNCS
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook872Please respect copyright.PENANAZ0O336d17U
the darkness and there was only light.872Please respect copyright.PENANAynevltGz3B
872Please respect copyright.PENANAaD22YujCdu
"You872Please respect copyright.PENANAmBrQs4xhkO
have come far, Bongzhon."872Please respect copyright.PENANAT6jtx2CZJH
872Please respect copyright.PENANAN9E9kXw26S
Serene872Please respect copyright.PENANA6V5by8kGha
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.872Please respect copyright.PENANACxhFLKxjEI
872Please respect copyright.PENANAIzTuVOv4if
"Come,872Please respect copyright.PENANAcgkea1UAK9
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked872Please respect copyright.PENANAHGkRagUk2K
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,872Please respect copyright.PENANA9WdiQumThv
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.872Please respect copyright.PENANAvGxf7fCskx
872Please respect copyright.PENANAkQKJOyAef9
"You,872Please respect copyright.PENANAYnQ8YnWF6m
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my872Please respect copyright.PENANAml11peE8cX
judgement, whatever it may be"872Please respect copyright.PENANA6sTdv6J5H4
872Please respect copyright.PENANAGn6NQXvoZY
"I872Please respect copyright.PENANA6JCMqeyezU
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his872Please respect copyright.PENANAvwF9rDR054
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.872Please respect copyright.PENANAXwJhYxurbk
872Please respect copyright.PENANAbCwFhKROPF
"Very,872Please respect copyright.PENANAIIN44o2nXF
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,872Please respect copyright.PENANATmJhrz6vuw
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating872Please respect copyright.PENANA2yHcIDW8zA
and a small boy appeared out of the light.872Please respect copyright.PENANAO5cGasqTN8
872Please respect copyright.PENANAtfr5A4TgOM
"This872Please respect copyright.PENANA86MhKGe9NL
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide872Please respect copyright.PENANAD0npju5tx3
to join your order at such a young age?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAb5ACvrFb2u
872Please respect copyright.PENANAUfre70FLqK
Serene872Please respect copyright.PENANA4g70X8uHS9
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more872Please respect copyright.PENANAvKZUFbuLDX
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to872Please respect copyright.PENANADetGpk2m3W
provide for me and my siblings..."872Please respect copyright.PENANAjv7dn685rR
872Please respect copyright.PENANA99EpMBaqPN
"Is872Please respect copyright.PENANA4TcNw1UPmq
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through872Please respect copyright.PENANAQJWMTCVapA
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have872Please respect copyright.PENANAGK92xpmc1Q
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?872Please respect copyright.PENANA9j6a9SkpyM
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,872Please respect copyright.PENANAEcbMzHRR0l
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."872Please respect copyright.PENANAVeMEkaJAOh
872Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5l8v8EkjZ
Serene872Please respect copyright.PENANAVbPFrWQ1p2
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago872Please respect copyright.PENANAN5VthE5zR0
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of872Please respect copyright.PENANA9ePfL3Gjsy
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.872Please respect copyright.PENANAPe7kHV0Ac5
872Please respect copyright.PENANABhaz5HMqFT
"Do872Please respect copyright.PENANAdYarYHAw8t
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family872Please respect copyright.PENANA7MicgN6Yky
leading them to ruin?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAVffpN0qUwV
872Please respect copyright.PENANAmxHi6U7cXK
"Yes."872Please respect copyright.PENANATIvhVvKNIC
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether872Please respect copyright.PENANACfPBvrDBNS
he would've stayed or not.872Please respect copyright.PENANA9RHGKtIxa3
872Please respect copyright.PENANATcclVXV0T3
"Very872Please respect copyright.PENANAjkXhrGporJ
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well872Please respect copyright.PENANAaqf7YalJsB
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the872Please respect copyright.PENANAp6muo83aQJ
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAZJFWn1dbYA
872Please respect copyright.PENANAeMaJkb8yaz
"I872Please respect copyright.PENANA6L1AeJLsur
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by872Please respect copyright.PENANAZdRV606qEJ
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With872Please respect copyright.PENANAXz6d8Gnlcg
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the872Please respect copyright.PENANAB3Bz9gz9gs
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.872Please respect copyright.PENANA57Gs1TeAgX
872Please respect copyright.PENANAnsYEGGXl8T
"And872Please respect copyright.PENANAyVGVH7LpqC
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were872Please respect copyright.PENANAVS35UoDyK4
perfect in your role?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAFiv27TgYjE
872Please respect copyright.PENANASpidzegMdc
"I872Please respect copyright.PENANAQaA5UlCnBh
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I872Please respect copyright.PENANALS7cStFX8U
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his872Please respect copyright.PENANA9JD4wu0wFH
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would872Please respect copyright.PENANACfFe9nkhog
stand by them.872Please respect copyright.PENANAEe1L8bPUdx
872Please respect copyright.PENANAU7Bha5SimY
"Good."872Please respect copyright.PENANAz9Pr0z25Cc
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent872Please respect copyright.PENANAFdbJ3hixEL
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both872Please respect copyright.PENANAWKCEYD3cqM
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.872Please respect copyright.PENANArgFGUnhvtc
872Please respect copyright.PENANAsMJL4ekIe0
"This872Please respect copyright.PENANAGPhnRJWzVy
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,872Please respect copyright.PENANAe2WlOplzDb
why did you decide to rest now?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAUF0tQg74jN
872Please respect copyright.PENANA2XZZv5jFuY
"Because872Please respect copyright.PENANA5prDzun6FU
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a872Please respect copyright.PENANAr1BikzQuG2
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition872Please respect copyright.PENANAHH8Patptsa
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.872Please respect copyright.PENANAyakoPdFoLh
872Please respect copyright.PENANAvk9eLor2yO
"Any872Please respect copyright.PENANAKPsqDuj8F3
last words before I begin my judgement?"872Please respect copyright.PENANAgIzMoqCV0o
872Please respect copyright.PENANAhCOkNP99Yf
"No."872Please respect copyright.PENANApoDNlJMS5T
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 872Please respect copyright.PENANAD0KqwBOp9U
872Please respect copyright.PENANAwdQMsPCVKC
"Bongzhon,872Please respect copyright.PENANAjpoUlCG1nR
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your872Please respect copyright.PENANAnTzUk13Fnl
rest."872Please respect copyright.PENANAXJJT2va5My
872Please respect copyright.PENANAoZ47gJCNFE
The light872Please respect copyright.PENANAAerwtXEQzr
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt872Please respect copyright.PENANAv813fDK2zZ
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first872Please respect copyright.PENANAxfTMIYxAKF
time in decades, happy and in peace.872Please respect copyright.PENANAFg5hn0Hvi5
872Please respect copyright.PENANA0817kQxb0M
872Please respect copyright.PENANAGEeY8b6GWc
872Please respect copyright.PENANAoQDvJxtIze
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872Please respect copyright.PENANAukwzda0nX9