884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo9rC8ka0E
So this884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnCMI0yrjy5
is finally it.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1dFtUrb4w
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrWlLwqgE4
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtQUJ3DJlD
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWYMcRQWiA
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeQwUrSlGSI
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKQIa5xZiv
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKiNTV9fOR
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkydFtlMSQV
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA47Z0Z5zik
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEBHoXD4HZj
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8e97OpxQH
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdNpmlwcsi
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ98OAEl6tpv
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IiHUaK5Ae
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESk8rrTcFb
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDFXYTkusr
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgg6Pyjc0J
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ4Ndn5pM6
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGh3jQP99le
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQEtCGkePR
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5G1KrkZTf
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFQtxljEDo
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnguhONhRg
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvko0iCDub4
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQWh0aRNZv
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoeS8Z6By3
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWq8mBOVJ6
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIEc7gSOVr
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRttRjykZfe
him."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFQ9Rjqwx6
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKsdQp3BdH
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtS5xuu5if
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡER2sHLl4Gq
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRvilNFY5a
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡagmSufvJwk
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkytupeK0pn
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1jemppmeP
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnjWZHKHaU
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqftadY64wy
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDEFEUvm8C
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8WmPEmhNx
"You may pass."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5H6m2jW2r
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFqKPc5olvq
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNEU8b5flbm
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgMQZ2tHzw
Serene884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMHHcnJr4v
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNaO5LYnTU
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeEcmzpzaZ
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQV97JeKZs
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡneo29KE59C
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIAfIn3dm0
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9AVt5jgad
But the884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlLjg1D1Q6
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ746x1vFqsS
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtgJwhHP0C
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAt68X34R4
longer. He had to keep going.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNAk4TicSp
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFbsaADpos
First884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe13sXhzWEC
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigM932yKv1
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfzc7NaCD5
temple with their grand doors open.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaECNbL0oWq
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7KOirVjM3
The first884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIUxkFihsL
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSXMxHnEDH
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Lq3RYMsn4
light leading further in. 884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQWV82baq0
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwrLMSw1Ge
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gPSdKqHRD
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfp59poHYF
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9tKvAGnXA
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8P33hMPrR
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQ7gvJ4Mjb
trapped.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdPwawIGXb
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGK5vlW0P7
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sP2mMKSRf
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQqQbb0GbGj
"Calm884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hu5au4tlX
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSPDoI6Mz5
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xtROLrAWp
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYPE86Ml34
words under his breath he followed the path of light.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4spQiFO8y
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgit3rmpTG
He walked884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQYCtwJ5eP
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysvLXQrrt5
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUjDTHxgZj
light, dwindling it down. 884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqghtjaphfc
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbLyOvOlja3
"Enough."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJO1yUACANT
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKPIXenkjd
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwAI7fiivox
the darkness and there was only light.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgQKVWhVwG
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQupQO0JDT
"You884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRz6cLch64
have come far, Bongzhon."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2YA0muEzh
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Baowee3Do
Serene884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yEVIpC1x8
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIBdItCKGJ
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6bQMTghWaM
"Come,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCuMMdAzno
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRqp7DP2TS
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVjqrlDWgf
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BdMmPl5BR
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGF7MBsPm4c
"You,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKS2sN2LHQV
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPpjFpXmS2
judgement, whatever it may be"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lMyxta01R
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTWSHJIj1q
"I884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQij9f5PkXk
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVHNFzqng4
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8ZqQyv384
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiporNOP85w
"Very,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmtnrFMmTiM
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIm6Wai7Pzj
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXVpYl4OEOy
and a small boy appeared out of the light.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyVLSuna6fQ
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡio6h756hmd
"This884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGC1Mp8P63
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA788IYxB07
to join your order at such a young age?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8K3SBXOq2
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6ZML40FIc
Serene884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSKEiKIBul
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOG8w6JcuE
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigqm2fSiGS
provide for me and my siblings..."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTtEbnFTNk
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaqW6Fxag8
"Is884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaFPnGDozF
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71oBb7FgLx
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTTUwpYrn3
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpjAp09JRZ
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBmsX7Izax
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9JqoJcH9M
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTxhK9UQWJ
Serene884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs209XKIwIw
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPFMvmMaVRb
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBnl2unALa9
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveQetuVr77
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlERV7I0i2
"Do884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm39no9o6E9
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tWR7V89qI
leading them to ruin?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpY6HY7yJl
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdi7KTabasq
"Yes."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5G9uEocmXG
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeZRhtYwWE
he would've stayed or not.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5UM1END9R
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9htaTI4zhO
"Very884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWhFNdxJNb
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOH9YsfTQb
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GNYaVIcY7
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8ll2gtEiN
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrzzIoV6hk
"I884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSolRmp08z
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpdpYClipDg
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QkssyH8Hp
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlRhX1TXva
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw48Ken2N0
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFrfPIj25X
"And884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrebuyBZ10M
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqp0EjscwF0
perfect in your role?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK2gKMUpq9
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJo4wdRDXV
"I884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AReGJ2PZb
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3s11kh14y
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl2qvcEYBA
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4uP0AXFMI
stand by them.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEIaaIoPzb
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XrRrw2GcQ
"Good."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUxOnA9aY7
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTjglgUUNC
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fxDaT8u66
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4vZivnS4V
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdMH92Ldj5
"This884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIb2MORgpG
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡivv8YX9zpY
why did you decide to rest now?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6S4kaf3cuN
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CLMayOE5v
"Because884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2PYQu6qOk
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EmRcnEK1J
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJf29QdROi
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NcMJCWm8n
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwFTFP300mU
"Any884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAQpeVtptw
last words before I begin my judgement?"884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTx8Tqa3F9
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4neWtH8rtV
"No."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55R7mdp4Pv
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRKKpfyYh9
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwHcYahR4u
"Bongzhon,884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvICz3E4Cxm
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LjSwmpABk
rest."884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UTxnnixr4
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMPbRKzAYP
The light884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2I4qlBBmG
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Se9P3Q0fZ
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmSzph0IJA7
time in decades, happy and in peace.884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6zULKDMPKB
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB4ypxtTWU
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxdIL4JPPg
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1onZxB0fgq
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQJJ0PeV8j
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTuEatAWAq
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbV3l09f5mb
884Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMw4Sxzo6u
