880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKKSFAaqUq
So this880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBO63cZ3yr
is finally it.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEW0FrqJKU
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ojE4dG5vO
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiytOYLr0W
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1mTmt4sLQ
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoEN6uQOBq
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0122TXNKdO
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hOC4aDZqd
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztwKHpjgzI
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByaexDJBLu
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9YFV9UyYJ
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaTBTmGCZN
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡla2SSMWfZh
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1pb5eC7BSZ
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhK4LFlwaY
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdaKTjZ8eq
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkaudg7mZM
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvy5qO9NhzR
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIn5rN4hPU
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEQaug5ZSB
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6KQY78LkBB
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxQWXsDc6N
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qcKZ7JOaT
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0zKMm6jxm
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRoYnB1lVdd
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeCG7Evmai
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulXabNaBMm
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspReWu2nps
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxM57q6Dtq
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNIc3DoT0Q
him."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOjroHF3BDH
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGvvaWtkUB
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PgKNu7ZwK
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmjGucbyg0
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0hAPDiANm
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBVeuIS5Uy
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIVHsVqUS6
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKhUdILPFp
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaeOyleXcE
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs8VUqulcW
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzL0nVGPaxc
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITY7LlGp3N
"You may pass."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozrzhUzqFp
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK693Su51lW
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrh88tJRB62
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YU4qoFamy
Serene880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqzaLO9mrU
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJ5hFUFzTY
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m0bi0hUBK
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJcI2Vg7qfx
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBebfsU4syI
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX2nsu7m4I
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDEEQyrZfXN
But the880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6kgFXUWvC
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUxtsqUn4V
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZkFMmJibf
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWK1MCJJmY
longer. He had to keep going.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU0gChP31vo
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQHKH3M9ScC
First880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9zyts8hyx
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hPCNPoRVx
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBBE9oYGL5E
temple with their grand doors open.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98Vq3Qcc6P
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6GjCBmmrK
The first880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLBkUb62SC
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlq075cy3R
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Xxl2ueIfN
light leading further in. 880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh51zwCxVSr
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOawNMz3U8Q
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkdYTX5jmqP
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYbD8FVabB
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYY1Mb2sWm8
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUjlBdKRn3
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl7F6khjUB
trapped.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlPtSajCVw
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLrRndBHkh
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVShLxdxDi1
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhUF1SNHgV
"Calm880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWm8CiNhIF
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAeoEx2f7U
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29yWs3e95c
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH78mDJQjws
words under his breath he followed the path of light.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSmPkl1cOaB
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpj1IZdou7
He walked880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGstqTOxId
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgc3pNF9ES
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡad7k9IjTmy
light, dwindling it down. 880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKcAEV811b
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpABVM9CTjf
"Enough."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7T50GHakbx
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekbur5cWmf
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67NpZBCsnk
the darkness and there was only light.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBYHpJsoWxn
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA36wc4cPe2
"You880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkGRbdS72f
have come far, Bongzhon."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHERTKMtoD
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl5Otqh35L
Serene880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMzbq9f9bM
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSEFK64Vfq
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mtZNWw7p4
"Come,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0xvVxJsrp
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFnZ0dahTD
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBeORhl0cO
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzayOfH1nB
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7DOgykYt9
"You,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nmvmO97T8
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VtEZxLhCS
judgement, whatever it may be"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zBCmge1sH
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrpQ8gu0gv
"I880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1PGAIOGGQ
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNa7Tdti7W
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2fYFR0PM9
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdLqDgfVGy
"Very,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uzpnvpApD
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXMFXf8fNu
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DlgTvDqQI
and a small boy appeared out of the light.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtyoUAyZUi
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAqTFOHlP0
"This880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH1lsMJ83T
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFznUk8gxuv
to join your order at such a young age?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen8eWcb37D
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPiCEmi5Vf
Serene880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vheV9NWOk
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUNvFf5ueF
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUql20htpZ
provide for me and my siblings..."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bkLw7ZTt6
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx0sDoTYry
"Is880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURGYYhH1bi
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2pmTPbo3R
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3VfXiTtk2
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuQtGp6X82
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2nFw3W43h
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyck0e4Svyp
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPastHzBrcF
Serene880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMzzpPRzpM
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXhLXbxvM0
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezkHuiowmd
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSe7YJ0ghss
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhcAXPzdpdY
"Do880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoZiFg2C77
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnKVffBb8T
leading them to ruin?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GUkocePg5
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0HUgxrxrz
"Yes."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3oDqCfw1JH
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiuBkGdRrw
he would've stayed or not.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu6nuKpRad4
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlIblxjjeT
"Very880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvKRC2Qdp6
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQkSiWUoyK
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcuh4mOL9r
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqARYHUYw4U
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0NuVVoWVn
"I880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdISUQupnj
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIg4uShXsh
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHFa82atkb
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQjWixJIy1
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOm7s7EQAo
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fWrN0HTFM
"And880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yot3TLv9b
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCtoOFjSJT
perfect in your role?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1onrBww4j
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk31Zv2FyIx
"I880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHQgZgDTLU
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxXNh2mQI7
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVZsYFDfvD
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgXMjx62s2
stand by them.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1kzXLBBpF
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡANX0aglq5B
"Good."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1oAOTrJE1
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VlGJskA7m
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXFLU6Y8KH
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7jZ7yTBgy
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8voXiDwqO
"This880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnYrQEGSVc
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzs7Q3NUHjQ
why did you decide to rest now?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6mAafiJZm
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IPWgslVU5
"Because880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JmiqJwvsh
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZVXklUnKM
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbygRqKYsN
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjQ4MmzWbl
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJfkcuu4nc4
"Any880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96zB3h37y5
last words before I begin my judgement?"880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHddfxO0C2
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXGukQW23g
"No."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3c3yZyrpJv
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFF0gLm7lc9
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvQpB5FqFu
"Bongzhon,880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLiR1f4C41B
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyqj2L8dbd
rest."880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9JQQumgWs
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh00ywfBziE
The light880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ2bxEJ3L5
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1870qHpUzA
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNtnsjERpF
time in decades, happy and in peace.880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KoTUbD0BU
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4hm5CiHEa
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡma4QmvxzNQ
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITSyG6IC5a
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9c3EnYH5s
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3bp8PWzdB
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF2p02PCl9
880Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12DKIhI6qD
