591Please respect copyright.PENANAAN8KE4rFfx
So this591Please respect copyright.PENANAgtVKcCToph
is finally it.591Please respect copyright.PENANA3bekCLreLE
591Please respect copyright.PENANAucH2LK5PQV
591Please respect copyright.PENANAzAse54iLXQ
591Please respect copyright.PENANAGpE5coiqWu
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and591Please respect copyright.PENANAKtrBuC8Ket
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to591Please respect copyright.PENANAo2VO9mg2yg
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.591Please respect copyright.PENANAPxmQ4u0A6V
591Please respect copyright.PENANAdvM1lkDA99
591Please respect copyright.PENANAye0QPrKt30
591Please respect copyright.PENANAQB8CUXeZtH
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to591Please respect copyright.PENANA0qWmn1YIYR
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.591Please respect copyright.PENANAjPQf3eZbUJ
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,591Please respect copyright.PENANAcxJpr3EXer
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...591Please respect copyright.PENANAKbmm3djMAL
591Please respect copyright.PENANAT9wXjHxB8W
591Please respect copyright.PENANAK4MW7MZUOW
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"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last591Please respect copyright.PENANAvrLFoXdly0
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for591Please respect copyright.PENANABA5sEI7opp
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate591Please respect copyright.PENANA11jsvPsFzO
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.591Please respect copyright.PENANAk37yOpnstd
591Please respect copyright.PENANA99IX7Vg1KH
591Please respect copyright.PENANApgo11ej47l
591Please respect copyright.PENANAPsinQWP2TV
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.591Please respect copyright.PENANAU1wdeU2O0t
591Please respect copyright.PENANAWnoyLpXO0o
591Please respect copyright.PENANA20BeMgs07I
591Please respect copyright.PENANAw50FMzJtab
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before591Please respect copyright.PENANAuTc3yEor7J
him."591Please respect copyright.PENANA8HjZJHFVOR
591Please respect copyright.PENANAmbRvskRZ1o
591Please respect copyright.PENANAa9ti2poRH5
591Please respect copyright.PENANADmNhKoV26r
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.591Please respect copyright.PENANATsW2eunkxF
591Please respect copyright.PENANAxqBmyCBF22
591Please respect copyright.PENANAu6BOhujMFN
591Please respect copyright.PENANAPbzIMdRyQn
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."591Please respect copyright.PENANAeUVj5nTKgH
591Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2FsZyvUpR
591Please respect copyright.PENANAxM9DY3xoLc
591Please respect copyright.PENANAh6v2Z6VhAM
"You may pass."591Please respect copyright.PENANAqtpMPGT0IG
591Please respect copyright.PENANAEB1huVlFou
591Please respect copyright.PENANAGfcFBm9AqD
591Please respect copyright.PENANAIzOo8LypBT
Serene591Please respect copyright.PENANA7YE2NTAJMm
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but591Please respect copyright.PENANAWAmz2fNaQC
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big591Please respect copyright.PENANAI5648phVAZ
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 591Please respect copyright.PENANAbcAt4ZFn3Q
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or591Please respect copyright.PENANA65zlMaW1uW
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.591Please respect copyright.PENANAmiFovJDOet
591Please respect copyright.PENANAd7n6ffKSdX
But the591Please respect copyright.PENANAUIx13pf69U
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way591Please respect copyright.PENANA7OWtgwjO7i
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but591Please respect copyright.PENANAazxCFL2d7O
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any591Please respect copyright.PENANAWUuHlfinxW
longer. He had to keep going.591Please respect copyright.PENANAz74ZUq9pbs
591Please respect copyright.PENANAz4DkrGFCH1
First591Please respect copyright.PENANADbzvGJE0Cq
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.591Please respect copyright.PENANA5RdPEcVYlC
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main591Please respect copyright.PENANAu4R0K9HAvL
temple with their grand doors open.591Please respect copyright.PENANAaZtHbxlPDD
591Please respect copyright.PENANATujKc6HqPM
The first591Please respect copyright.PENANAcHqCqrb1m0
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he591Please respect copyright.PENANAUo2kYUJWMA
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of591Please respect copyright.PENANAP7wlIKnFZO
light leading further in. 591Please respect copyright.PENANAPUdE4mhQcH
591Please respect copyright.PENANACmU91oXQiz
591Please respect copyright.PENANA07l8bGwXRw
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Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the591Please respect copyright.PENANA4DY7PrAmzp
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if591Please respect copyright.PENANAeqa2iCOATa
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever591Please respect copyright.PENANAUqhV4jSVI5
trapped.591Please respect copyright.PENANA8CB4cDzEEf
591Please respect copyright.PENANAGZT384QmUt
591Please respect copyright.PENANAV2JJKXv847
591Please respect copyright.PENANATqf3GXcBNE
"Calm591Please respect copyright.PENANAv1mfWu1an0
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept591Please respect copyright.PENANAVx2amyVBBK
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.591Please respect copyright.PENANA2N7F32MDk2
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the591Please respect copyright.PENANArKH9xhB3E4
words under his breath he followed the path of light.591Please respect copyright.PENANAZELw05TDYN
591Please respect copyright.PENANAfniSJcH3h3
He walked591Please respect copyright.PENANAa53ZooMT6A
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."591Please respect copyright.PENANAlWcsPg6zOa
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of591Please respect copyright.PENANAueBaLG9Io0
light, dwindling it down. 591Please respect copyright.PENANAeuRieFfvau
591Please respect copyright.PENANAMwReIEMFpS
"Enough."591Please respect copyright.PENANAvMG5BLAQt7
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path591Please respect copyright.PENANAEP1jJvTb3A
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook591Please respect copyright.PENANAZ5WUWhgsCq
the darkness and there was only light.591Please respect copyright.PENANAAwP4jpNgno
591Please respect copyright.PENANAY3cFQL7ePQ
"You591Please respect copyright.PENANAap8GeGnmYx
have come far, Bongzhon."591Please respect copyright.PENANAxVhbWNrxeP
591Please respect copyright.PENANA05DGM3hQ7L
Serene591Please respect copyright.PENANAkdH12C5Ntx
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.591Please respect copyright.PENANA9VUroQFQv0
591Please respect copyright.PENANAlfk0SAiwCS
"Come,591Please respect copyright.PENANAuqU9cZj4hb
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked591Please respect copyright.PENANAWTuokkojTk
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,591Please respect copyright.PENANAzGPeEVpyM3
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.591Please respect copyright.PENANAGFfTtVxTmu
591Please respect copyright.PENANATW5C9Ka9t7
"You,591Please respect copyright.PENANAcl9r29DXQP
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my591Please respect copyright.PENANAanUtt3nHZk
judgement, whatever it may be"591Please respect copyright.PENANA5eJrZQhdmC
591Please respect copyright.PENANAb620w8zfvY
"I591Please respect copyright.PENANARo9ssPfI1n
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his591Please respect copyright.PENANAP0uovKJHQj
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.591Please respect copyright.PENANAlKpHkFNatb
591Please respect copyright.PENANAm68sPuAGZu
"Very,591Please respect copyright.PENANAl4GV25C3Aj
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,591Please respect copyright.PENANAVDMdTTVJqA
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating591Please respect copyright.PENANAfCmrr3HRS7
and a small boy appeared out of the light.591Please respect copyright.PENANA535Zf7sKdu
591Please respect copyright.PENANAt8Nnizh4bh
"This591Please respect copyright.PENANAFOhddKmrio
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide591Please respect copyright.PENANAYIDFdMakLV
to join your order at such a young age?"591Please respect copyright.PENANA8M1cw7mXJO
591Please respect copyright.PENANAxz41fYL2dn
Serene591Please respect copyright.PENANAvih9w6SIRe
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more591Please respect copyright.PENANAz7NQL0NwZU
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to591Please respect copyright.PENANAI3U1vSzAaf
provide for me and my siblings..."591Please respect copyright.PENANASA8e8FEdMy
591Please respect copyright.PENANAp8LgjHUjuH
"Is591Please respect copyright.PENANALjEndZxQvk
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through591Please respect copyright.PENANAPQZGsexsvp
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have591Please respect copyright.PENANAjPGJB8QoZA
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?591Please respect copyright.PENANA7vOiRmvfBY
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,591Please respect copyright.PENANA7s963GGm7T
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."591Please respect copyright.PENANAEbBQqXQ8Fq
591Please respect copyright.PENANAartuTL3Zty
Serene591Please respect copyright.PENANAn6dMAcydpn
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago591Please respect copyright.PENANA6K3Ha4DxvD
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of591Please respect copyright.PENANAofFnag0NyP
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.591Please respect copyright.PENANArn6w93Q6Pz
591Please respect copyright.PENANAw3oaSBqezk
"Do591Please respect copyright.PENANAH4FjhtLyau
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family591Please respect copyright.PENANAu7JNVTZSlk
leading them to ruin?"591Please respect copyright.PENANAd8Y9FiyiUn
591Please respect copyright.PENANAkY6CNfNP0v
"Yes."591Please respect copyright.PENANAsuKDWiVQ7e
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether591Please respect copyright.PENANAc6J0L8Poqx
he would've stayed or not.591Please respect copyright.PENANAcudnjDxVT6
591Please respect copyright.PENANAtkx8UGF2ho
"Very591Please respect copyright.PENANAfvK5pxy80j
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well591Please respect copyright.PENANA7B83gSfy7h
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the591Please respect copyright.PENANAm6BUXgWaL1
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"591Please respect copyright.PENANAcULm5SpPcy
591Please respect copyright.PENANAGaZP64zAuB
"I591Please respect copyright.PENANAb1mJJqrT23
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by591Please respect copyright.PENANAIWCqO8nIap
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With591Please respect copyright.PENANAHsUDMpJQKU
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the591Please respect copyright.PENANAL2oN06IHjY
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.591Please respect copyright.PENANAxw8ynAmdYQ
591Please respect copyright.PENANAsoyF5m8QHM
"And591Please respect copyright.PENANABTiV9oqiFW
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were591Please respect copyright.PENANAASXIYzy3W9
perfect in your role?"591Please respect copyright.PENANAVc7Q8UvFQa
591Please respect copyright.PENANA7kKvlncngC
"I591Please respect copyright.PENANAnYi4liYjZY
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I591Please respect copyright.PENANAhtXF1RBd05
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his591Please respect copyright.PENANALCRYvNk1vO
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would591Please respect copyright.PENANAv9WMtkpT4P
stand by them.591Please respect copyright.PENANAhATPzfVP9e
591Please respect copyright.PENANAvRwYfuO7oZ
"Good."591Please respect copyright.PENANA050McIqRBL
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent591Please respect copyright.PENANAx6WirNfRdT
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both591Please respect copyright.PENANAMQUvXvN5Gt
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.591Please respect copyright.PENANA8lzGQ5alUO
591Please respect copyright.PENANADEDWnKnkvN
"This591Please respect copyright.PENANAWweL3jqlDB
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,591Please respect copyright.PENANA3tzYZBavBk
why did you decide to rest now?"591Please respect copyright.PENANAMr9ZQ1tkD1
591Please respect copyright.PENANAX7ik7JRMXu
"Because591Please respect copyright.PENANAq29JSq7k1n
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a591Please respect copyright.PENANAaLGrpb3DJs
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition591Please respect copyright.PENANAd3HiTBbeFI
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.591Please respect copyright.PENANAKiKYhkO3xh
591Please respect copyright.PENANAGIqNGLev3C
"Any591Please respect copyright.PENANAaMhmqvg8mt
last words before I begin my judgement?"591Please respect copyright.PENANAmJ3SOdCO1n
591Please respect copyright.PENANANjFKTAnzAF
"No."591Please respect copyright.PENANAkthNyYZRML
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 591Please respect copyright.PENANAtJmMCJmFJd
591Please respect copyright.PENANAltaBa4n5El
"Bongzhon,591Please respect copyright.PENANAixWh6RmWJ2
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your591Please respect copyright.PENANAVyXN6CdyND
rest."591Please respect copyright.PENANAlFF9VEgXwD
591Please respect copyright.PENANAgaZDNBpOOp
The light591Please respect copyright.PENANAmmLfAeU90C
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt591Please respect copyright.PENANA0mbOxYrMsX
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first591Please respect copyright.PENANAbVqTzUxxFF
time in decades, happy and in peace.591Please respect copyright.PENANAl9UVhzOIQd
591Please respect copyright.PENANA4LKcx7ui0l
591Please respect copyright.PENANAVVMiWCd3oj
591Please respect copyright.PENANAhXcI4Ozdc6
591Please respect copyright.PENANAE3trcVSTsl
591Please respect copyright.PENANAOZrCGRH5yZ
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591Please respect copyright.PENANA5nilohL2KM