841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWbnrt2rqP
So this841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgxsmH4uoW
is finally it.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgNl2HjShS
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpg3pbqkr5v
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybLvp1fD8w
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauei2g6Aa5
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO0Of6UYUeS
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmzvRKc2nH7
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Ne4RVtZLD
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LBwSA1ieu
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGHjl4aNNh
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfGJhSdKVbR
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwIlVsALA6
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBlEYr03VJ
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4hwkEgZinE
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GiXWFMbME
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nqDGFp2UY
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhD5hrOmgzs
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIh02rdnIS
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYPJPkT3hv
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxQhitwemF
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RMxvtXc2O
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaU8R5rcOVZ
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGBrJiMEv4
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvJgWc9h5b
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqNNbWM3Hq9
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gfKN2qWuG
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7LTetoHtzL
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipyLsd4lch
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiRU9NDNqR
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡui0Zv6QQ8P
him."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kDT0FF9MG
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tD5b71xDH
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTkyVPO9TGU
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yRddsMtcW
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBfLMDkKGp
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDztcY8yCZ
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc86v26HJI8
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpljZBtk8l
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ljegukfHH
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqctQ46a8ly
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrMYwd2P3o
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKfI6QXN7u
"You may pass."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0GtuVFHrv
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHefYVeSmK
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpxQT1CxKw
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVH3zyZYOlA
Serene841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZjAOTvbPV
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHE6MuyogQ
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8XhztTLPR
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4FrgOkXm9
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoGTRQgTQt
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eUBdtOjfp
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42RJ041Hw2
But the841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRizzfnU9G9
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ5Jvq3F0IG
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDVIdVCaYai
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1MUoycSrz
longer. He had to keep going.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQpfjKF63bX
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrrAtMCUnk
First841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Jh1U6zhYa
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1QFBMV3bX
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKLGqSmKwu
temple with their grand doors open.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgCXcJuym3
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5ZKF9JBed
The first841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcwEqnAzG9
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXmdPqXeC4
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfpnQnzcsAX
light leading further in. 841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFftD26wzy
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskc4CKIVMb
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdXN2hHr9a
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxiFcEAalT8
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy00GG9f1I
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU1oUbJsuPH
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEB177SJwI
trapped.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQjFO4PRw2
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnujvENQcv
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5s2mGAXf29
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstDKMvduY5
"Calm841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXp1rVy3Vh7
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSUpsx0E22
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi61REtBucy
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoAhrETEQ5
words under his breath he followed the path of light.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjUkAVHyVP
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFXQyO5IKQ
He walked841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGlUkD2ih6
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyAen49jBB
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lKJx1wdMj
light, dwindling it down. 841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGci29QJSsY
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NZ1l3dUAi
"Enough."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92ua5DoIMw
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjfj5pdVPb
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6a5IykPQRH
the darkness and there was only light.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDwX0GrDKb
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIr22gtn1p
"You841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tkTXuDhAi
have come far, Bongzhon."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToERAewTJF
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2JkiGS18c
Serene841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxbSFgGkTk
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfl58hl6HD
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngXga76xyh
"Come,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cu2rqe9CL
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp589ag3LGS
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxweKzTbWmy
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXCc2s8A9s
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpjrhfBZ9E
"You,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeaZrA5jVk
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvTH8OBZLp
judgement, whatever it may be"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD1j9j1y5m
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIUwdGoAjO
"I841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrb0XyIVxPD
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzp30pLCAi
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi35Wirskm
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLj8qGEZ2WQ
"Very,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxSRUsUyWu
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjwursIcmz
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNdVXB8ess
and a small boy appeared out of the light.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfKA6E7l0Y
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITyUjWryUR
"This841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkYi9m2vaA
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4N7SBbal9P
to join your order at such a young age?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCpvp7rqHT
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4pDt9O1mV
Serene841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKklQAzPJa
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioPlRE4WOQ
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTXqY0HzzE9
provide for me and my siblings..."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99gvmdy1vf
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pPby1tcHe
"Is841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnirGEVUMvZ
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvh0W3mgWHx
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0MoPgzMiED
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGkVxO9zdH
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkMWWXbrGb
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRadz2BlPw
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgEECa605f
Serene841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXq0AWPQkZs
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1k5WThJzw9
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkz7enSeaNs
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYKhBvEkPW
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLQZofSkVe
"Do841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwa4bOxqppX
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVlwBBrkuNK
leading them to ruin?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aSLzuOZtA
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUndgukTTuV
"Yes."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLS6vq6etjb
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXr0dFoKsZc
he would've stayed or not.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPD5H6wRRWz
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnCPdwndHk
"Very841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcPoRFxqLp
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bxxe82jRg
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8AcCXmDfM2
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0mtHdrElG
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq7V8OOLYM
"I841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwRKaBZxFG
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4oG78ojyl
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcrjYoX0WH
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡap8pmBL3xl
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPN71mu5q2
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8aO8081GQ
"And841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTk2DqLjGn
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4inEG7P2x
perfect in your role?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOASbnBb5n
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBVqJiWTqw
"I841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhXGhb9kRc
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkiTSbpWkT1
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYF3Llq1YX
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9wZpszOuA
stand by them.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡet49Z2WC6g
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRfW0xaFzX
"Good."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzsL9t40ul
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiXG4bk6bU
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSWgvEFSEf
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeEoQzkDRby
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECnhJARybM
"This841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHpFTNkiNz
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZkqZFn9L06
why did you decide to rest now?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAs9rLFkGTJ
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrdnLXwFmw
"Because841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9nOZjC1WHi
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvkb5dpg9s
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5N8bM3ARD
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbhs0ZPJK6l
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpeeh626yr
"Any841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKaKnQpxwSL
last words before I begin my judgement?"841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡie4Blory7Z
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdETTExMZR
"No."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdebytebuP
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcMR6QSSYdJ
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXf47OMEPy6
"Bongzhon,841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygc6dLqMkt
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbnt1PROzK
rest."841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoafPSOgFFB
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlJcN0tya0
The light841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoHROH9tiWb
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RgYTAP6X4
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjc6pPZlnUN
time in decades, happy and in peace.841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1l7pfEVgeY
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2wG1iaXks
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtCgxIwaca
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEgO3rZdmiE
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDy30H9qbk
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXaKEOjDCQE
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKsCB8LOH7s
841Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2St2qVZl17
