With a sly grin on her face, she looked at Yuki and said: “Since Junior Sister Yuki and Junior Sister Nana have pulled a draw, you two will draw lots to see who goes first. It is normally customary for the winner to go first, so we will have to decide in this fashion.”

Yuki and Nana nodded and stepped forward. Yuki drew first and then Nana did. They both looked at the lots in their hands and Yuki had a token with the number one on it, while Nana had one that said number five. “Then it is settled. Junior Sister Yuki will go over the bridge of destiny first! Junior Sister Yuki remembers that a clear mind and a calm heart are the only way to cross this bridge without issues.”

Yuki nodded and really did not seem bothered by this at all. After all, she felt nothing. What could bother her if she did not feel anything in the first place? The worst that can happen is she will see images of what happened to her in that cave. But even then, she would not feel much of anything. She already dealt with it all anyway.

What Yuki and the other disciples did not know was that no one has ever passed the bridge of destiny. Everyone always had something in their heart that would now allow them to stay calm. But this bridge could help them to leave behind the issues they had in the mortal world. They were now embarking on a new path not bound by mortal laws.

Yuki stepped on the old rickety bridge that even had a few planks missing here and there. She did not seem scared in the slightest as she took another step then another. Even with the wind that made the bridge sway, Yuki calmly walked forward with her broken sword in hand.

But for some reason, as they looked at the frail girl who walked slowly yet steadily across the bridge, they could not help but feel she had an air of loneliness to her, like she had a weight on her shoulder greater than they could ever imagine.

“She seems to be doing fine….” Takeichi elbowed Rin lightly.

“Mmm…. It’s weird. It's obvious that she has issues that she will not talk about, but why…. Why does it seem that, at the same time, she has such a steady aura?” Rin couldn’t help but wonder about Yuki’s past. The small frail girl who had appeared on the first day wearing ragged clothing.

“Maybe her thoughts are deeper than our own?” Takeichi let out a small sigh. “I think she will surprise us now and even more in the future.”

“Let’s hope so. While most of the elders and the sect master are friendly, the disciples are different. The outer sect is a huge competition ground. I know Elder Nishikawa wants these two golden girls to understand what the world is truly like, But I have a feeling that they already know. They should just be nurtured but sadly….” Rin sighed she felt it was unfair. Both girls were excellent talents, yet they would be stuck in the outer sect for quite some time.

“Everyone has their own paths. Sometimes it is not best to lock down talents such as these two. They both seem to be carrying something heavy on their shoulders. This is why they became close even though they did not speak very much.” Takeichi had been watching from the side. He had noticed that even though the two girls did not say much, they had some kind of tactic understanding of each other.

“Maybe you are right….” Rin nodded as she continued to watch Yuki walk forward.

The bridge is long…. This was Yuki’s current thought process. The bridge was indeed long. The distance across the chasm to the other side was at least ten minutes on foot for a normal person. Then you add in the wind that made the bridge sway, the broken and loose planks, and you are adding in another twenty minutes or so to pass over it.

Yuki did not understand what the bridge of destiny was supposed to do since nothing had happened yet but she continued forward, nimbly judging each step. She was not worried about falling. She had stood on tree limbs much thinner than these planks that swayed in the wind. She had gotten very good and adjusted her body’s gravity. She did not know why she was able to do this, but she was. She could step very lightly without issue.

When she got to a part of the bridge that was missing many planks, she did not do what most people would. Normally a person would either hold on to the rope railing and use it to shimmy their way over to the other side, or if they had confidence and the guts, they might try to jump to the other side. But, for Yuki, she did not do any of this. She just jumped up on top of the rope railing and began walking across it like it was nothing. She was like a tightrope walker without the need for a balancing bar or holding her hands out to her sides. She walked as if she was walking normally, only foot over foot, since she had no choice.

Everyone who watched her do this kind of feat like it was nothing began to wonder if they, too, could do such a thing. Only a handful of people thought they could do it, but many knew their own limits and shook their heads when such thoughts entered their minds. Especially with how Yuki’s robes were blowing in the breeze as if she was a flag. The wind was strong, yet it seemed like it did not exist to Yuki.

After almost twenty minutes, Yuki did finally reach the other side. She would have gone at a faster speed if she was not lost in thought, wondering when the trick of the bridge was going to happen. But since nothing happened, she just took a seat and sat down, looking across the bridge to watch the others cross….