TW: blood / gore, violence
(Yeah I haven't done these before but I felt like it was necessary)

Xisuma barging in must have startled controlled Ren.

The sword that he'd been holding to his chest plunged haphazardly into his side. Controlled Ren yanked the sword from himself and he and Other Iskall cackled in delight.

Ren cried out in agony and collapsed to the ground while Other-Iskall sprinted out. Xisuma dropped to his knees and whipped out his communicator to call Stress.

"Pick up, pick up pick up!" Xisuma wrapped an arm around Ren and pulled the wolf in closer.

"Ello Xisuma—"
"Stress! We're in Town Hall and Ren got stabbed! It was Xe—Other-Iskall!"
"I'm in the shopping district now, Im coming!"

Stress fought back a swell of tears and dashed towards Town Hall. She could hear Ren moaning and sobbing through her communicator. Xisuma was muttering what sounded like 'no no no' over and over.

Not a minute later she burst into the fancified building and frantically searched for Ren and Xisuma. "We're over here Stress!" She heard the admin yell. She ran into the makeshift cell room.

Xisuma sat on the floor, clutching Ren tightly in his arms. The two were surrounded by a small puddle of Ren's blood. Xisuma's eyes were wide with fear.

Stress was dumbfounded. The size of Ren's wound was something she'd never seen before. She quickly kneeled beside the two and placed a hand to Ren's side. It made an odd squelch noise that caused her to grimace, and almost look away. But Ren's pained expression snapped her back to attention. Stress took a deep breath and spread her fingers, repairing tissues and regenerating muscle.

"Ohmygosh!" Exclaimed a voice behind them, belonging to Scar. Stress jumped in shock, causing her hand to press harder into Ren's side by accident. The wolf shrieked in pain and gasped for air. He thrashed violently in Xisuma's lap.

"Ren! You're making it worse! Ren!" Stress grabbed his shoulders and tried to force him to stop moving. Scar appeared next to her and dig through a satchel he had. The wizard pulled out two bottles, pouring the contents of one into the other. He murmured an odd incantation. Stress had stopped Ren's thrashing and was continuing her healing process.

"This'll sting, but it'll help a lot" Scar showed off his concoction to Stress, who motioned for him to pour it over. Scar did so.

Ren groaned significantly louder. Xisuma patted his dog ears gently and stroked through his hair.

"It's working! Scar it's working!" Stress could see the potion kicking in. With its assistance, she was able to close the wound. There was still some internal damage, but Ren would live!

Scar didn't seem as excited. "Stress, you may not want to celebrate just yet... blood loss may still be an issue." Scar stared at the pool they were sitting in.

Stress pondered for a little. "I'm going to step outside and talk with Scar." She suddenly grabbed Scar's hand and dragged him out of the room, leaving Xisuma and Ren alone.

The admin rocked back and forth slowly. Though Ren was healed, his breathing was labored.

"Ren.. I'm so sorry, I never should have left." He hugged the wolf a little tighter.

"N-not your fau -lt" Ren answered, attempting a smile.

"It's gonna be okay Ren..." Xisuma doubted his own words. He was so confused by what he'd witnessed. How Ren has stabbed himself. He'd been controlled, right? How had Other-Iskall gotten out?

Someone peeled through the door. Xisuma looked up, expecting them to be Stress it Scar, but it was Keralis.

His wide eyed friend stepped into the room, eyes growing even wider.

"Shishwammi? What happened to Ren?"

Xisuma hesitated, glancing down at the puddle of blood he was still sitting in. How could he explain what happened if he didn't know himself? Fortunately, Keralis kept talking.

"I heard yelling, s-so I came..." Suddenly, Xisuma felt himself heat up with anger.

"I leave for OnE gOD DaMN miNuTe and Ren almost DIES!!!" Keralis gasped at Xisuma's rage. The level headed admin was never this mad, nor had he heard him cuss before.

"Was it-"
"Other-Iskall."

Ren squirmed about in Xisuma's lap as if he was trying to get up. The admin shuffled to the front of the room and gently propped Ren against the wall. He mumbled a small 'thanks.'

Xisuma stood and leaned on the wall next to Ren. He pulled off his helmet and shook out his messy, chocolate colored hair. Combing his fingers through it, he let out a long sigh. Everything seemed to be frazzling and falling to pieces before him. He needed to find his brother, wherever he was. Was Other-Iskall even his brother? Who else could it be though?

...

Scar walked in and began talking with Xisuma and Keralis. Ren wasn't paying any attention, but he wondered why Stress wasn't there. He craned his neck and tried to peek around the doorframe to look for her, but didn't succeed. Ren was having a difficult time seeing or hearing anything, but he caught some fragments of conversation.

"Stress... having...hard time"
"too much..."
"Where do... you think"
"... t should we... ?"

He could also hear quiet sniffling from outside which he assumed to be Stress. But then he heard her scream.

... well well wellllllll  ',=/

... earlier ...

Other-Iskall sprinted away from the scene. Iskall was shocked by what he'd just viewed. The voice had managed to control two people at once.. its power was growing. Not good. They were halfway back to the hideout when Other-Iskall stopped in place.

"Iskall! I just had a thought... we've been chasing after the WRoNg targets. Our real threat is Stress, and she should be there now..." No! Don't hurt Stress! Anything but Stress! Other Iskall ran back in the direction they'd came.

"Without a healer, I can create CHAOS!"

Arriving back at town hall, they saw Stress and Scar talking together. Other-Iskall snuck up and hid behind a wall and out of view. Stress seemed very, well, stressed. She was frazzled and on the verge of crying. Did Ren... Iskall didn't want to think about it.

Stress slumped against the wall, head in her hands. Scar went back into the cell room. Now was Other-Iskall's chance. He tiptoed around the corner and lunged at Stress. He pulled the girl's arms behind her back and clamped a hand over her mouth.

However, Stress managed to let out a yelp as she was being grabbed, alerting the hermits in the other room. Xisuma, Scar, and Keralis rushed out.

Ren grabbed the wall and pulled himself through the doorframe. He winced as his stomach felt like it was pricked by a thousand cacti. Ouuuw. He looked up to see Stress in Other-Iskall's clutches. She was kicking furiously, but not making any headway.

Iskall was relieved to see that Ren was okay. The current hostage situation, however, was not okay. The three hermits standing before Other-Iskall pulled out their swords. He did as well.

"One step closer and Miss Stress Monster dies." Other-Iskall placed his sword at her neck.

"I'll, I'll get you what you want," stammered Xisuma, "just don't hurt her, please!" Other-Iskall chuckled, and his eyes lit up as if he'd had a great idea.

"Actually, you know what I want Xisuma? I want entertainment!"

Stress' eyes suddenly shifted to red and she stopped squirming. Other-Iskall handed her his sword.

"Stress... ATTACK."

Stress lunged towards the nearest hermit, Xisuma, who quickly blocked her sword with his own. She tried again, Xisuma parried. Keralis came from the other side, charging at Stress full speed. But the mind controlled healer was one step ahead. She ducked under Keralis, spinning low on her heels, and swiped her sword across his shin.

Keralis yelped and tripped over his own feet. Stress shot up, pushed Xisuma backwards, and loomed over him. Before Keralis had the chance to even try and get away, she dragged the tip of her sword down his arm.

Before she could strike again, Xisuma disarmed her, whacking her sword away with his own. He shook from the clang of the metals together. Stress rushed to grab her sword and Scar tossed Keralis a health potion. He caught it, but Stress, sword retrieved, kicked it out of his hands. It shattered on the floor.

Stress positioned herself over Keralis, ready to kill, by she had forgotten about someone. Xisuma leaped at Stress, striking her across the head with the flat of his sword. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Xisuma turned to face Other Iskall while Scar rushed to help Keralis. The admin held his sword at the ready. Right as the two were about to lunge into battle, Ren stood.

Yes. You heard me right. Ren. Stood.

He gripped the doorframe for dear life, but his footing was steady. Ren felt a wave of nausea, but ignored, and began to shout at Other-Iskall.

"StOp! You've hurt my friends, you've hurt me. I'm sick and tired of you! You're so rUDe! And cRuEL! You have yet to explain what you EVEN are and why you're even HERE!!! But I don't CARE anymore! Get OUT of Iskall. Get OUT of Hermitcraft. GET OUT OF MY LIFE!!!"

Xisuma gasped as Iskall's eyes shifted to their usual colors. He was absolutely and completely dumbfounded. How had Ren even had the energy to stand? Let alone yell! And that was all it took to get Xer— the voice to leave? Wha??

..

It left. The voice left. Iskall was shocked that he had his own body again. He ran towards Ren as fast as possible and locked the wolf into a tight embrace. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes. He clutched on to Ren's suspenders and sniffled into his bright red shirt.

"Ack! Too tight!" Iskall lightened his grip with a 'sorry'. As the two were sharing their heartfelt moment, Keralis spoke out of nowhere.

"I want to go home." He said monotonely. Keralis pulled his knees to his chest and hugged them tightly. "Heh. I sound like a child.." he mumbled.

...

Scar had only had one health potion left. Note to self, brew more! It mostly healed Keralis, to the point where he wasn't bleeding at least. His leg wound was completely healed, but the arm one was still open. He shouldn't go home just yet, Stress could help him when she woke up.

Turns out Xisuma was thinking the same thing. "Ker', you could wait until Stress is up, and she could help..." the admin said softly.

"No! I j-just want to go!" He pulled himself off the ground. "I've got b- bandages and stuff I-I'll be fine!" Keralis ran out before anyone could stop him.
...

Stress eventually came to, and she and Scar walked Ren home. Afterwards they headed to their own places. The evening sun gleamed peacefully through the jungle.

"Hey Stress?"
"Yeah?"
"Are... are you okay? Earlier you kind of broke down..."

"I'm fine"

"I can just, tell this whole.. situation.. is kind of doing a number on you..."

Stress hrumphed.

"I think.. you're under a lot of pressure. If you need anything, anything at all, your neighbor the wizard is here to help!"
"I- I..."

Stress felt herself begin to cry. She hadn't wanted to admit it, but Scar was totally right. She was living up to her name with the amount of stress she'd been enduring.

How many was it again? Five. Five of the hermits had been injured by Other-Iskall in the last week, most being near death experiences. What if Stress hadn't made it in time? Each time she felt like Atlas, the weight of the world on her shoulders.

All of that, not even mentioning The prophecy, or the other hermits mental health, which she would probably have to help fix. Also, whatever was possessing Iskall could get to any hermit! It had made her hurt Keralis. Stress would never hurt a fly. And any hermit, any time too. She could be walking among people who weren't real! Stress spiraled.

"I can't handle this anymore!" Stress opened up. She spilled all of her worries, her emotions, all of her distress onto Scar. And he did the same. They shared a lot of the same concerns. And somehow, someway, just speaking her fears made her feel a little more comfortable inside.

And Stress had a peaceful, dream free night. Zedaph did not.

————-

Warning. This A/N may contain Hermitcraft spoilers.

I has three things for you today!

1
This took absolutely forever to get out. Ya know why? It wasn't writers block, wasn't a tech issue, or the length, I just procrastinated. Yes the thing that I am best at. But anyways, this is probly the longest chapter in the book. It's about 2 thousand words if u can believe that!

2
Just a question I felt some of you may be asking. Why season seven? I mean, that's way long ago!! Simple. The setting. S8 has too much of an underlying plot and of course no shopping district. S9 is too underdeveloped at this point in time. Sooo I went for season seven! Yayyy

And 3
Let's take a moment to talk about Grian's latest episode (16). If your from the future this will be irrelevant. So nobody's talking about this!!(Or at least from my, barely goes on a lot of social medias, standpoint) When Grian goes down to see the RiFt, there is something IN it!!! Like before, with the mustache outline, (I forgot which ep.) there is a faint outline of a FaMILiar mayoral robot..........

Well. I'll leave you to ponder that

<3 Soe

PS, Atlas is from Greek mythology. He holds up the sky on his shoulders.
Or something like that.

:)