840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9k0ng1w1NK
So this840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9vSzfq6WJ
is finally it.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTfRWaoxOMb
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOjgs9Liqo
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jpbTBmQkM
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCh9SQN1x3M
A man in rags stood in front of the gate. The gate to where it all began and840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TB9MdzFwK
where it would all end. A thousand steps it took him but he was reluctant to840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGRXNZ8nqZd
take the last step. After all who'd be willing to walk to their deaths.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrJrVf98Yv
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUEs4G51LL
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2kAhePIaZ
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSeTRsiue6g
Yet his mind was ready. His body steeled. The man took the hood off his head to840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfdqlUm7mD
reveal an aged face. With many wrinkles and more scars. He took a deep breath.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwfjVUjbDF
Breathing in the fresh mountain air and the bloomed sakura trees. This beauty,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHbfEyEwSp
he wondered if he'd be able to appreciate this picturesque view after...840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmRyCjADWc9
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoiNMqcMZMW
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcO1sTPuHhc
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0KysX3iaP
"I have finally come my brothers." Finally he took that last840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFYJlgekmE
step and knocked, three times. First time, for the beginning, second time, for840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3jOh5rzkA
the journey, third time, for the end. One second, two seconds, three...The gate840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVcL3AOO4Y
opened, with a creak echoing through all the mountains.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA81pJXZhns
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYVHeKy2pl
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqS2DtN44K
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNHvuX6TZI
"Who goes there?" A voice boomed.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eVDbUCnbB
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ293oPRMVxc
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILyS5yoCje
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtSLp1d4sj
"I have come for my rest, as my master before me and his master before840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY9qgJtMT0d
him."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pyMMhRAY9
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRHo3FEask
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvnAOAmc0wQ
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlHGhE2e7wf
"What're you called?" The voice asked once again.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWiPqa8QMfZ
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyYvNvFGOS
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQAMkGMRiV
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5kGosU3o5
"I am Serene Dancer. 10th Master of the Golden Columns."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD1gqGbdqe
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFvSWaX152
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1IjwtYlBw
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZInQtW8gOx
"You may pass."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEPMLh72bX
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcgvILcp7c7
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDkcSics8w
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwSuhZsqLe
Serene840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYAIjdjeAw
Dancer passed the threshold. He knew he could've done so before hand but840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUm8iy1y2X
traditions were important. Especially in this sacred place. Tradition...how big840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8lxwJHXSki
part of his life has that been ever since he joined the Golden Columns. 840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tTCwK7cqo
How it moulded him, made him the man he was today. Should he be proud, or840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEPnKSeTDMR
should he be ashamed? He could not truly answer that.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCcs8xiyCV
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyCrzzbWju1
But the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzGu9cA0xwy
being atop the stairs would. The stairs that begun from the gates all the way840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfQ1IqlrUo
up to the Kami Temple. It was truly majestic, Serene Dancer could not help but840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIEvptQCvj
take a few moments to appreciate it. But he knew he could not wait any840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLm04gI1VO
longer. He had to keep going.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQRldcxU8O
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlmMNEfaWoJ
First840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo39n2lAHZ4
step, ten steps...twenty...Serene Dancer counted each and every last step.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6zYAvI6xT
Taking in every last blade of grass and pebble, until he reached the main840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyJNLpHEdN
temple with their grand doors open.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHzSZWn2Ku
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NjBEKVVh9
The first840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTUoTxbUm5
step tentative, each one helped Serene Dancer gather more courage, until he840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTapNWc9kIS
entered the temple itself. Inside the temple was darkness, with a path of840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbD4AiDNiu
light leading further in. 840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoycoe8yZp
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuEg7aP4my
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm14TheAr4
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx410CbatrO
Serene Dancer was surprised, he was expecting splendour. Beauty to match the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriFvhOKN12
outside, but the darkness felt as if it would swallow you whole. It felt as if840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLadMT5KrZs
Serene Dancer would lose his mind inside this darkness and would be forever840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkq4yFuA80
trapped.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdREIZX8lar
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqtxxSNlgY
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrimVhNCZvP
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyynpvDr2TT
"Calm840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmM3pLEMFXr
mind, calm spirit. The great one shall guide you." His mantra. He kept840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JPPUK9Trk
repeating those words until he had renewed courage to challenge the darkness.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT11LvC7AJ1
The courage did not come But he knew he could not turn back, thus muttering the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQV19KO7CKg
words under his breath he followed the path of light.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZQ0lE9rSi
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczcu6eQ6B7
He walked840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2iU7aWBdm
and walked, ten minutes, twenty an hour. "Calm mind, calm spirit..."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPFEkVNtwq
The only words echoing in the darkness. As it kept encroaching the path of840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvRKvCPDObC
light, dwindling it down. 840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mmKncEXqg
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHcbinIQAP
"Enough."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2dEVaGkEs
A voice joined Serene Dancer's prayers as the darkness retreated from the path840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbfyD11hgi
and revealed a figure sitting upon a throne, shining so brightly that it overtook840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62S3BAytKD
the darkness and there was only light.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1uYeZN8ma
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaJlY1B0QX
"You840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3WbRHP59G
have come far, Bongzhon."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pqJEGRFiQ
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgB4NW3cD7M
Serene840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRSrbjmpRf
Dancer wept, for he was so overwhelmed by the sheer presence.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqxUXS3CcE
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzZInzQyqI
"Come,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEptWq3mdC9
let us talk." Serene Dancer felt his legs move on their own as he walked840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD00qErHmaw
closer to God. Upon reaching the light he bent his knees, laying his, bald,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWavFpmbVNI
head down until his forehead touched the path of light.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxrEtOIz77A
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqBrhqNzzq
"You,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCXGrp2TpU
as many before you, have come to be judged. Do you swear to accept my840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrti9gS5pF
judgement, whatever it may be"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeW1m9S4lC
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgpsC3lGu5
"I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1CDujPgMd
do so swear." Serene Dancer's voice sounded so tiny, so miniscule in his840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTFy32SjS8
ears. Especially compared to the voice of god.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtJGawsDRw
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UMFOr1Vl5
"Very,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpP6eRN8PE
well. Raise your head." As he did so, God's shape began to change,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhUgsA7td6o
morphing into something else, something smaller. Until the light stopped fluctuating840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uiJMSSvyF
and a small boy appeared out of the light.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95uwd4EVBI
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGozLMnBi2
"This840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡas9esozuVO
is the past you." Voice still unchanged. "Tell me why did you decide840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHS1rKsQqD8
to join your order at such a young age?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJ9jZUVxrj
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8gqlOmAok
Serene840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjdQfnRQR25
Dancer sat in silence for a while, gathering his thoughts. "I wanted more840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrA5lKfCG5c
out of my life. My parents were honest people, but poor. They were not able to840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8HnlWwmMp
provide for me and my siblings..."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlGODr5lBP
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc586jYyhI
"Is840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGrs5fQ0f2
that why you abandoned them without saying a word?" Gods words cut through840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIc15DUILol
Serene Dancer's as if knife cutting butter. "Do you know that they have840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPul0dWMfg
spent years searching for you? That they blamed themselves for your disappearance?840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpB9aAsV1L
They died, 10 years after you joined the order. Thinking they have failed you,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2VL5ZJZiod
leaving your siblings on their own. They are all dead now aswell."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9Ud3uiBoq
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LxGuFVs9Q
Serene840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwDVhbmv1n
Dancer sat in contemplation. It was his family, but it has been so long ago840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6bWdgUsCU
since he stopped being Bongzhon that it mattered little to him. The loss of840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6lPxIQB9X
life was horrible, but it was all in the past.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiX6s82lWKI
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5EoNLqv50
"Do840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqs1TqKV8uE
you still believe you have made the correct choice? Of abandoning your family840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wAS6r92sZ
leading them to ruin?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3iVvjtB6QT
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpkOqQpVaHF
"Yes."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT9nTHUCehQ
Was the only word Serene Dancer said, for that life would lead to ruin whether840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyV8tDHgAg
he would've stayed or not.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMlvmTNuFk
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T463crzAe
"Very840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡid4AKZeA5C
well." The light changed form again. This time to a grown man. With well840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBUWj75LYE
developed muscles and a shaved head. "This is you when you have taken the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6U8nShmDdY
mantle of master. Tell me, do you believe you were worthy?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3MaxuyCD8
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLWa0ICAew
"I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD31SL0mzac
do." For believing otherwise would be dishonouring the choice made by840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQIUbxQVb3
everyone who chose him. The mantle of master is passed on through vote. With840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1kcTKQt3q
everyone in the order eligible to vote, from the youngest acolyte to the840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxAfHdjtYe
hardened elder. Serene Dancer would respect their choice.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtDGO54nT5
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNgmXXmHwV
"And840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIBCeb793V
what of your choices? Would you do anything else or do you believe you were840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHu0hpWheBs
perfect in your role?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8QPChY7Za
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsympIlI74
"I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWhuOgH5eF
was not the perfect master, but I would not change any of the choices I840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVT34Z8lZM
made." Before, the answer would've been yes. But not anymore. Did all his840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuQxOSrHXCB
choices lead to a good conclusion? No. But they were his choices and he would840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8u8k6Wh6Cr
stand by them.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkq7iJKo7QB
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLIgWbtO9F
"Good."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoxAikUkbv
A shift again, and this time Serene Dancer saw an older man. A man with a bent840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9m2TN1Es5
down posture and beard that only ended at the waist. A man who had both840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GI0TGEBV4
wrinkles and scars on his face. A man that was him.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzFQFZYROl
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYDxYwk6AQ
"This840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnw9xtNXEui
is you now, with all of your experience and wisdom you have gained. Tell me,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MKloj5Pde
why did you decide to rest now?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAZXsIAvVD
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfpU22FaCu
"Because840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pFgGsSACJ
I am tired." Tired of seeing his friends die, tired of seeing people in a840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm9uM5uNKh
cycle of poverty and violence, tired of seeing the young ones deny tradition840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEITBU8NKmg
and stray further away from the righteous path. His time has come to an end.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpAdXa1lDlh
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzaHRKkK6H
"Any840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVh2X395ri
last words before I begin my judgement?"840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZEcbFtHkw
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaxhaE0hA4
"No."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JS1jmSGVP
Serene Dancer cleared his mind, it was time to let go. 840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqtez72CJM
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJsw3S49MVu
"Bongzhon,840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8pbYnScUY
Serene Dancer, I have judged you worthy of the land of light. Go and find your840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUSwg8guOm
rest."840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SGrow7r9J
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCHQ8FvF1I
The light840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUfP43oWaJ
enveloped Serene Dancer, as he felt it's light touch and warmth. He felt840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCwccUVwhr
his body slowly disappearing as it joined the light and he felt, for the first840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoLdnwdP9u
time in decades, happy and in peace.840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOi8T4WLtu
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVYqPLNC9p
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2itmRoEO7
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0VW3vg9oN
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKBxdfzcYk
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZ7RclbERU
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKVSKK1GEx
840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEC8fqpnKuM
