Rusl didn't sleep that night. For one, his mind was crowded with his thoughts, unable to sort through them all. He repeated his conversation over with Dorian in his mind. He thought about what Dorian had told him about Kohga and the Yiga Clan. And he fretted with how much longer he would have with his children.

Not only that, but he was occupied with his daughter, comforting her when she came into his room with tears in her eyes. He couldn't quite make out what she said as she sobbed, but he was sure she was frightened from all that had occurred over the last few days, and even the last few months. Her brother had suddenly become a large absence in her life as he was off saving Hyrule, and when he did make an appearance, it was clear that he was not okay, and Aryll couldn't understand why.

Eventually, she fell asleep against her father, comforted by his presence, and Rusl stared at the ceiling as he absentmindedly ran his hand through her hair. After a moment, he noticed movement at the corner of his eye, and he looked over at his son as he stood in the doorway. He offered him a tired smile.

"Another nightmare?" Link asked with a frown.

Rusl moved his hand through Aryll's hair as she slept and sighed softly. "I guess so."

Link moved into the room and dropped onto the bed beside his father with a heavy sigh.

"You know," Rusl said, turning his gaze to the ceiling. "If I wanted to share my bed, I'd get a dog."

"You chose to have kids instead."

"A dog would have been easier," Rusl confirmed with a nod. He turned to Link. "Are there monsters under your bed, too?"

"I kill monsters."

Rusl smiled. "Agree to disagree."

Link met his gaze, his brows furrowed.

Rusl sighed. "Why do you always look at me like that?"

"Because I know you're up to something."

Rusl turned his gaze to the ceiling. "And what if I am?"

Link sat up, his gaze fierce. "I want to know."

"You know that's not going to happen."

"Don't you think after everything I've done, I deserve the truth?"

He glanced at his son. "I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

Rusl hesitated. He searched his son's eyes, then turned his gaze back to the ceiling. "When I was nine, I was almost beaten to death. For being Hylian." His brows furrowed. "My whole life, people treated me like I was a monster. And I believed them. I didn't know anything about myself or who I was. I didn't think I had anything to live for. I thought I was just meant to die." He paused for a moment. "As I got older, I had these dreams. They were always the same kind of dreams, with a voice I couldn't understand. Until I started to listen. And I saw my entire future. I saw you. I knew everything; that you were Hylia's Chosen Hero. That you were destined to save the world. And for whatever reason, I was a part of that destiny. I wanted no part of that. I desperately tried to run from that." He sighed. "And then you were born. And nothing else mattered. I didn't care who you were destined to be. I wanted to protect you from that life. I wanted to protect you from ever feeling the way I felt. I wanted to shelter you from the hatred in the world. And most of all, I swore that I would do whatever I had to do to keep you safe, no matter the cost." He turned his gaze back to Link; his face had softened by this point.

"Please trust me," Rusl continued. "Stay out of this. I don't like lying to you, but you can't get involved." He hesitated. "You changed my life. You gave me something to live for. I can't lose you."

Link's brows furrowed again as he held his gaze on Rusl. After a moment, he fell back against the bed with a sigh and turned his gaze to the ceiling. "Okay," he said softly. "Just promise me something."

"Anything."

"Don't get yourself killed or anything." He hesitated. "We need you, too."

Rusl frowned and looked up at the ceiling, too. He closed his eyes after a moment and continued to run his hand through Aryll's hair. He had to force the words out, knowing all too well it would be a broken promise. "I promise."

It seemed he had just fallen asleep when he was rudely awoken. Rusl groaned and turned over. His eyes opened slowly, and he peered angrily at the phone vibrating noisily on the nightstand. As his tired vision focused, he recognized Dorian's name on the screen, and he quickly answered it. "Yeah?" He turned his gaze to his sleeping children as Dorian spoke.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Rusl hesitated for a moment. Had Dorian finally come around to letting him help? He moved his gaze to Link, studying him for a moment. He was sure Link was awake and listening, though his eyes remained close and his breathing steady. "Yes."

"Are you going to tell him?"

"No."

The line was quiet for a moment. "I'll give you as much time as I can."

Rusl turned his gaze to the floor. "I know." He hesitated. "Where are you?"

"At the shrine."

"I'll be right there." He ended the call, then moved across the room to his closet. He holstered his weapon, threw on a jacket, and turned briefly to his sleeping children one more time before leaving them alone.

Though dawn wasn't far off, the sky was still dark, the air cool, and the city slept peacefully as he drove through the quiet streets toward the shrine. Impa and Dorian were outside when he pulled up, seemingly waiting for him, and he shoved his hands in his pockets as he approached them.

"Do you people have any sense of time?" he said to them.

"Time is merely a nuisance of the mortal," Impa said sourly.

"Well, sure, when you put it that way."

"Listen to me closely, Rusl," she said, her gaze narrowing on him. "I'm sick of the two of you bickering like fucking girls."

"Did you drag my ass out here to ground me?"

"Silence," she hissed. "I'm in no mood for your shit."

Rusl frowned. He turned his gaze to Dorian. "Why did you have to tattle?"

"You're here because I need you, Rusl," Impa started. "Would you like me to change my mind?"

"Do you have some kind of plan?"

"Dorian will be full time with the Yiga Clan," Impa explained. "We cannot afford to have him in the city. I need his eyes on Kohga at all times. That means I'll need someone here in the city to be my right hand man."

"I'm no one's right hand man," Rusl said.

"He's his own right hand man," Dorian said with a grin.

"Who needs a woman when I have Jill?" Rusl held up his right hand, wiggled his fingers, and Dorian snorted.

"I hate men," Impa said with a heavy sigh. "You're a child."

"What hell's mission are you sending me on, then?" Rusl asked.

"Nothing right now," Impa said. "But don't get comfortable. We have a lot on our plate as it is." She hesitated. "I don't know what the future has in store for Hyrule," she said softly. "But we must be proactive. Robbie and Purah are doing everything they can to give us our best defenses, including uncovering the Divine Beasts."

"Divine Beasts?" Rusl raised a brow.

"Ancient Sheikah technology that was used thousands of years ago," she said. "So far, only two of the four have been uncovered. I had hoped to have them at our defense for Ganondorf. In any case, they should help in our war with the Yiga Clan. If we can destroy their base, we will give ourselves an advantage."

"The Divine Beasts cannot be activated without the Sheikah Slate," Dorian continued for her. "The location of it remains unknown."

"I suppose you'll want me to help find it?"

"In time," Impa said. "I am waiting for further intel from Purah. She has studied the two Divine Beasts that have been found at length. She'll be able to tell us more soon. And hopefully she will have an idea as to the location of the slate, or even the other two Divine Beasts." She met Rusl's gaze, her brows furrowed. "I don't need to remind you that the Yiga Clan are hunting you," she said. "I did not make the decision to send you out there lightly. But Dorian believes you are our best option. And given your power, I have no doubt you'll be able to defend yourself."

Rusl shot a glance at Dorian. Just a few hours ago, he was dead set on sending Rusl outside of the city. "Of course he does." Rus's gaze narrowed on him. "He's just begging for the day Kohga gets his hands on me."

Dorian moved his gaze to the ground.

Rusl sighed. "So, I have permission to do what I want, then?"

Impa's gaze narrowed on him. "Please be reasonable," she said. "You of all people know the position Hylians are in. Do not forget that your actions may come with consequences. And the Yiga will stop at nothing to get their hands on you."

"Got it," Rusl said. "Be smart and don't give the humans reason to hate us even more." He shrugged. "Because I'm not fighting to keep their damn asses alive."

Impa smiled. "Welcome back, Rusl."

Rusl winked at her. Impa waved a hand at them, dismissing them, and she made her way back inside the shrine. Dorian remained outside with Rusl and silence hung between them for a moment.

"I guess I wore you down?" Rusl said.

"I thought it would be smarter to give you permission and know where you are than to have you take off behind my back and put yourself in a dangerous situation."

Rusl smiled. "When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow night."

Rusl nodded. "Guess this is where we part ways, then."

Dorian met his gaze. "Please -"

"Yeah, yeah. Stay alive. I got this. I don't need you to babysit me anymore. Besides." He hesitated. "You need to stay alive, too."

Dorian's gaze softened. "I will."

"Okay," Rusl said with a nod. "Good."

"Are we okay?"

Rusl smiled. "Yeah. We're good." He shrugged. "Because I will kill you myself if we're not."

"As if you stand a chance against me," Dorian said.

"Big talk," Rusl started. "I admit, you've got the tough guy thing going for ya, but that's just to cover up the fact that for the first time in your life, I'm stronger than you are."

"You think so," Dorian muttered.

"Don't believe it?" He grinned. "A wager, then? Whoever kills Kohga."

"You underestimate his power."

Rusl's grin widened. "You underestimate me."

Dorian frowned. "I know what you're capable of," he said. "That's what scares me."

"I promised you I'd stay alive, didn't I?"

But Dorian seemed unconvinced. He pulled his gaze away.

Rusl's brows furrowed. "And you promised, too."

"Yes," Dorian said softly. "But, just in case -"

"No," Rusl said fiercely. "There's no just in case. We're getting out of this alive. Me and you. Got it?"

Dorian met his gaze. He forced a smile. He tried to remind himself that they had always gotten out alive. Still, he was terrified. "Yeah."

Rusl pulled Dorian toward him and wrapped his arms around him. He felt Dorian hug him back, and he closed his eyes, sighing lightly. After a moment, he pulled away and moved back to his car. "See ya later, brother."