The Queen froze for a moment, then looked up at the ghostly figures above the well.
Her lips moved. Then she gathered up her skirts and knelt beside the well.
Seeing this, the Grand Tutor knelt as well. The female officials behind her exchanged glances and soon dropped to their knees.
"As descendants of Western Liang, we bow in gratitude to our ancestors."
The Queen bowed low. When she raised her head again, her voice was strained.
"You have all suffered. Western Liang only exists as it does today because of the path to survival you left us."
"You have remained here for hundreds of years. Now, it is time for you to go."
She drew a deep breath, gazing at the figures that had already grown indistinct within the clear light.
"Leave the road ahead to us."
"We will protect our Kingdom of Women."
As her words fell, the last woman to leave the spring finally moved.
She slowly raised her hand. The Queen did not retreat, only watched her quietly.
That nearly transparent hand reached out little by little, finally stopping above the Queen's head.
Though she could no longer touch anything, her fingers still moved gently, as if stroking her head.
The Queen stared at her, and tears suddenly rolled down her cheeks.
The woman seemed to smile, but her soul was too faint for anyone to make it out clearly.
A moment later, she withdrew her hand, turned toward the Jade Pure Water Vase, and became a speck of white light that sank into it.
As she departed, the Rakshasa women's souls behind her finally moved as well. There was no weeping, and none looked back again.
Streak after streak of white light entered the Jade Pure Water Vase, and silence returned to the well.
Guanyin