The Promises at Sundown (Ophie & Marie)

“Got you interested, did I?” the young woman grinned, almost cheekily so. Perhaps it spoke volumes about this scholar’s youth more than anything else. For her personality was as refined as her vocation, but which at present still coated with playfulness typical of inexperience. Perhaps decades later she would be as stiff as a wooden board when she spoke- but not now. Now, let the willow danced happily in the wind before its branches were cut and it became the instrument of wisdom it was destined to be.

She lifted her head from her sweeping duty and stared at the face of the general for a moment before continuing. “It all began –let’s see now- around twenty years ago. During the event now known as The Great Disturbance. It started right here in Gerudo Desert. In the far distance –if you squint you might be able to see some kind of structure. That is The Bulblin Camp. It is mostly pacified now, but twenty years ago a savage, giant beast appeared there. A monster known only as The Beast, and no worse being ever came out of Bulblin Camp, before or since.”

The young woman clearly had quite a flair for storytelling. Her voice was gentle, rising and falling in harmony with her story. It reminded one of the rays of dawn in a cloudy sky –it softly captures one’s attention without forcing it, and suddenly one does not realize he has been staring at it for hours. “The Beast subdued other monsters and formed one of the largest monster invasion Hyrule had ever seen. Monsters attack Hyrule regularly, as I am sure you are well aware, Ma’am.” She glanced at Ophelia’s dagger with a knowing smile. “But The Beast’s Horde was strangely organized, almost like a real army, if I may put it like that.”

Then, her eyes dimmed. She lowered her head and slowly began sweeping again, talking as she did so. “The Horde rampaged through Hyrule, defeating our army at every turn. Three of five provinces of Hyrule were engulfed in war. It was rumored that The Beast had a lofty aim rather than simply pillaging it’s way: It was aiming for Hyrule Castle and The Royal Family themselves....

“General Redwing’s army was stationed in a fort near Gerudo Desert,” she continued, “And it was the first to be utterly annihilated. General Redwing –not yet a general at that time- survived and continued to wage war with his Gerudo allies. He had Gerudo blood in him, you see, and he respected them and was close to them. and the Gerudo tribes loved him in return. He gathered many surviving soldiers –the chain of command was devastated by the suddenness of the monster’s assault and over time, they became the core of his army: the now famous Redwing Battalion.”

The young woman had almost make one full round of sweeping around the statue now. Apparently, the next part excited her somewhat for her voice became more animated. “After long months of heroic battles and sacrifices, General Redwing and the Hyrule military finally managed to push The Beast’s Horde back. And it was then that The King elevated his rank to a General, and tasked him to lead an invasion army to destroy The Horde at its source, once and for all. The memorial we are standing now marks the exact spot where General Redwing and his army first entered Gerudo Desert, on their way to bring the fight to The Beast in what would eventually became one of Hyrule Military finest campaigns.... What happened next were long days of relentless battles of steel and wits, but it would take too long of our time!”

Chuckling airily, the young woman resumed her story, “In the end the Beast was slain by a Gerudo swordsman. The army celebrated that night, for the Beast’s Horde dispersed with its death. They were sure that peace had returned to Hyrule….”

And then, she let out a sad sigh. “But The Goddesses love tragedies, see? The very next morning the camp was ambushed in a surprise vengeful strike, decimating the unprepared army. It was then that General Redwing sacrificed himself to close off the assault and allowed the bulk of his army to escape to Hyrule. Some say that he ordered his mages to bring down a cliff, while he and a small force held the line with all the strength and strategies they could muster. The various eyewitnesses’ account of what actually happened were contradictory. What is certain is that, none of the task force ever returned. General Redwing, the mages, the soldiers, and the Royal Knights which stayed behind –their bodies were never found.”

So ended the story, perfectly in time with her finishing her sweeping. The young woman returned the broom to its place behind the pedestal, before appearing again to Ophelia with a small smile.

“I am sorry. I said “a little” but I ended up recounting the whole story,” she said, clearly apologetic. “But yes. That is about General Redwing, and the monument we are standing on to commemorate the heroes of that campaign.” She stood beside Ophelia and turned towards the statue, her arms folded in front of her chest. When she spoke again, seemingly more to herself, there was a surprising bitterness in her voice.