Rusl had only been home in Ordon an hour when he began to feel like he had left his comrades to fight alone. Ashei and Creina had ordered him to return home and wouldn't let him remain with them. They wouldn't take no for an answer. Ashei had almost resorted to violence to get him to leave, but he saw that her eyes tried to push back tears.
"Dear?" His wife Uli stood almost immediately in front of him while he had been gazing off into the distance in the way of Hyrule. "What's troubling you dear? Your eyes exhibit feelings of worry and regret."
"It's nothing, honey." Rusl reminded himself that this was what was truly important, defending his wife and children. He must be here to protect them. He must change the future, he must find a way. He used his quick mind to think of an excuse for such expressions. "I just wish I had been more help to Shad, Ashei, and Midna. They took care of it all without my help."
"I'm sorry. At least your home now dear. That's what matters to me." Uli embraced her husband. "Colin has found himself a girl he wants to make his wife someday."
"That's great. I'm proud of him." Rusl tried to clear his mind of the things that haunted him constantly. He contemplated telling his most treasured companion, but he couldn't. He was warned not to by Creina, one who had not been wrong yet. "Let us turn in for the evening. We shall be busy tomorrow."
"Yes dear." Uli walked arm in arm with her husband to their quaint home.
The night went peacefully, spending his time with Uli, Colin, and his second son he had named Link, in honor of the now deceased hero and friend.
As Rusl lay in bed with his slumbering wife in his arms, his mind wandered. He couldn't sleep. He couldn't focus on anything else. He knew that what had been predicted was inevitable, but maybe he could change the outcome. He had to do it!
The hours went by and Rusl began to see the sun begin to peek over the forest. His mind raced with preparations to be made for the conflict to come. He felt darkness approaching with the sunlight crawling across the land. His body didn't seem to notice the fatigue from events the days before. Adrenaline was already pumping throughout his body, remembering how he had saved everyone from the spirits in the Peak Manor.
Uli stirred slightly and her eyes opened. She rolled over in his arms and looked into his contemplative eyes.
"What is it Rusl? I haven't seen your eyes like that since you were part of the old Resistance." She had genuine concern in her voice. She feared a return to those days, never knowing how her husband was until he trudged home from some bloody battle with Ashei and the others months after he had left. He usually came home with even more new scars than when he had left. "There is something you're not telling me."
"Dearest… There are things you couldn't even begin to imagine coming for us…" Rusl couldn't keep it anymore. Her face twisted in confusion, but then in acceptance, seeing his stern expression. "The village will be overrun by demons sometime today… I can't explain how I know, but it's true. I can feel it in my soul. And I'm afraid one of our dear friends is the one responsible…"
"Which one?" Uli tightened her arms around her man.
"The one who has saved us twice before…" His gaze went back to the now half raised sun. It had an ominous dark spot in the center.
"…Dimitri?" Uli knew of his great heroism and deeds of legendary proportions from all the stories Rusl and his companions had told around the table night after night. "But why?"
"He has a demon dwelling within him, one that ruled over everything 5,000 years ago. It has awakened within him and I'm afraid there isn't anything we can do…" Rusl watched the dark spot slowly grow larger. "Ashei, Midna, and Zelda are going to try and stop him, but I'm afraid they won't be able to delay the destruction of Ordon. That is why I have come back to defend you and our sons."
"…Rusl…" Uli's tears could be felt on his bare chest. He knew there would be more tears at the end of this day, but who would be shedding them… he didn't know.
"I love you so much Uli and you are the greatest woman anyone could have asked for. You've made me beyond happy and my heart has been forever yours." Rusl kissed her neck and then her lips. "My life has been dedicated to you for these 19 years. Gods above give me the strength to make it to twenty."
