HERMITCRAFT: the protector (HERO AU) (ADOPTED)

Chapter 2: Stay

 "Stress! Stress, wake up!" Impulse cried and shook with his friend, as if it could wake her up.
"Stop it. You're just making it worse," Ace said and carefully pushed him away.

"Will-Will she survive?!" Impulse asked and wiped tears from his face.

"I'll do what I can," Ace answered, kneeling down to the witch. "Go get some healing or regeneration potions, if you can. Since I used a lot of my power already, her life may depend on it." Impulse nodded and ran away to look if anyone has some. Ace started inspecting the stab wound in witch's stomach.

She's got devil's luck, Ace thought. If the hit would go one inch lower, and she would be dead by now. He took a deep breath, and got to stabilizing her until Impulse gets back with potions.

After a while, Impulse got back with a handful of healing potions. Ace thankfully nodded at him and grabbed one.

"Is she going to- will she be alright?" Impulse asked once again.

"Now, yes," Ace confirmed. "You saved her life, man. Now, go sit down somewhere... please. You should rest, this much stress isn't good for anyone. I'll call you when it's done, okay?" he added when he saw that Impulse wasn't moving.

"F-Fine," Impulse whispered and walked away.

Well, let's get to it, Ace thought, pouring a bit of the potion on Stress' wound.

°°°

Thankfully, witch's body was used to being healed with magic, so it was pretty easy for Ace to completely get her out of danger of dying.

"She's all good now. Maybe just... get her to bed," Ace called at Impulse. "And get someone to help you, fine? You could get hurt as well."
"Okay," Impulse confirmed and turned at Scar, who was standing next to him for a few moments now. "Scar, will you help me."

"Sure, no problem," Scar answered.

They'll handle it, Ace thought and turned around, searching for Grian.

"Ace, was it?" Xisuma asked, putting his hand on Ace's shoulder. "We should talk. Come with me."
"Look, admin, I get that you are angry that I'm here, messing with your business," Ace started. "But it's kinda my duty. To watch over people, especially those who escaped from Watcher's grasp."

"I didn't want to say that!" Xisuma answered. "Actually, I wanted to say thank you, from all of the Hermits. Your trick saved us."

"I wouldn't call it a trick," Ace said, smiling at Xisuma. "It's... something I got from one of the Watcher rituals... well, going totally into shit, if I have to say so myself."

"So, you are a Watcher."

"I was," Ace corrected him simply, and turned around to look at the shop with firework rockets. "Nice place you have there, by the way. I've been in a lot, lot of worlds, and most of them look like absolute mess. And this is so... clean." Xisuma smiled under his helmet. He felt proud of the community he built, especially when some powerful entity said it looked nice.

"Thanks. And I have something to talk about which has a lot to do with this place." Xisuma took a deep breath, sighing. "Can... can you stay here?"

"Here?" Ace asked, trying to make sense out of what admin just said. "Like... in this world?"

"Yeah," Xisuma answered, looking down. "I get that you're busy, but we need you. You've seen the fight, we almost couldn't win. I can't think how we would end up if you wouldn't come."