“But they return to a paradise,” the professor said. “Surely that must be a comfort.”

“It’s comfort of a sort,” the Star said, “but what purpose will they have in that paradise? They’ve been guardians of rivers and lakes, forests and fields. Of a single tree or a humble hectare of land. Even if no more than a half-dozen farmers pray to them for a good harvest of beans, they’ve had a purpose.”

Her brightness shone on the book of Legends. Tales of Fox Spirits, Volume I.

“I see you’ve been reading, Professor. It’s not necessary to bring out the books anymore. The pages of the Library conjured up spirits, woke them up to begin the exodus. Now the exodus has gained momentum. Look, over there.”

She pointed at the road below where a procession was coming into view. It was a vision of gaiety, the merrymakers holding red lanterns, banners fluttering from long poles. Every now and then, there was the snap and sparkle of firecrackers. The revelers carried cymbals and wooden clappers; they walked alongside musicians playing bamboo flutes.

The shadows they cast under moonlight were of foxes, bushy tailed and slender legged.

“Fox spirits,” the Star said, “young ones. They can’t just walk. It has to be a game. These spirits are dancing all the way to the Kunlun Mountains.”

When he looked again, the dancing figures belied the parade’s apparent festivity. He sensed melancholy beneath a determined effort at exuberance. Thin reedy notes floated up to his ears, a tune that spoke of loss and departure. The professor and the Star watched in silence until the cavalcade of young Foxes vanished behind the hills. Every now and then the professor thought he heard the faint clash of cymbals, until finally the landscape was silent once more.

“The only supernatural beings I’ve noticed leaving have been guardian spirits, benevolent immortals,” the professor said. “May I ask, what about the other creatures described in the Library of Legends? The demons and ghosts, the evil spirits?”

“Death, suffering, and brutality run unchecked in this war,” the Star said. “Why would they leave when the pleasures they enjoy are all right here?”

The professor sagged at the harsh truth of her words. They sat in silence for a while, then she touched him lightly on the sleeve.

“In all this time, you’ve never asked me,” she said, “what happens after the Palace gates close.”

“I’m guessing we’ll be left to find our own way,” Kang said, after a moment. “No matter how badly we do it.”