(upbeat music)
- All right, girls, one story, and then it's bedtime, okay.
I mean it.
- Okay daddy. Is it the
- Yes Yang, I promise you
it is filled with monsters and fighting.
- Yes!
- Fight season, fighting
- All right, all right. Get in bed.
Now,
a long time ago,
there was a village surrounded by an enormous forest,
the village had been safe from the creatures of grim
for as long as anyone could remember.
It had been so long that the villagers believed
that their forest had been charmed
and would keep the monsters at bay.
So long as no one entered it.
But as time went on,
the people became complacent.
- Complacent?
- Oh, eh, careless.
- Oh
(monster roaring)
(sword flicking)
- Go home.
You never saw me.
- Wait.
Thank you.
- When the boy made it back to his village,
he told no one of the warrior who had saved him.
But he described the terrible monster,
he had narrowly escaped.
Those who believed him,
took his safe return as proof that the woods protected them.
Everyone continued living exactly as they had, everyone.
Except the boy.
(sharpening sword)
(monster roaring)
- You again?
- You remember me?
- I remember everyone I've saved,
and everyone I didn't.
I told you not to come back.
- I had to find you to bring you this.
- I'll take it if it means you'll leave.
- Thank you.
- Next time you enter the woods,
you're on your own.
(upbeat battle music )
(slaying monsters)
- I knew you'd still come to my rescue.
Thank you.
- I told you I wouldn't save you this time.
Why do you keep coming back here?
- I have a question for you.
- Go ahead and ask.
I don't promise an answer.
- Why?
And why do you live in the woods alone?
Why do you risk your life to save strangers?
Why do you protect the village?
Why?
- That's five questions,
but they all have the same answer.
I live here alone because I am alone.
And as a general rule, I don't like people.
Most of my own people were killed long ago.
My family, everyone I've ever known is dead.
And if there are other survivors like me,
they're scattered all over remnant.
- Killed by The Grim?
- Murdered by other people.
- Oh.
But then why do you protect others?
- Because I can,
because no one else will.
And because some people are good like you,
and that gives me hope.
Why do you keep coming back to the woods?
- You've spent all these years looking after us.
I thought maybe it would be nice
if someone looked after you for a change.
- Well, don't come back.
- Of course he would come back, but not for another year.
(upbeat battle music)
The villagers wondered why the monsters had returned.
But the young boy, now young man,
he knew that they had never left.
That until now,
the village had been protected by an unseen warrior.
And on the appointed day of his annual visit,
he fought tirelessly to find her.
Only this time, she was nowhere to be found.
The woods would become too dangerous without their guardian.
But the young man was gonna do his best
to protect the village in her place.
And finally, tell others of her story.
So they would always know who they had to thank
for the many years of good days that they'd enjoyed.
- Why did you keep going back there year after year?
- Because that's what I could do
because no one else would,
because,
I fell for her.
The moment I saw her silver eyes.
- What's wrong, daddy?
- Oh,
it's nothing, baby.
Do you wanna hear another story?
- Nope.
That one was perfect.