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As Kellen drew in a steadying breath, he heard two arrows whistle by. He felt his sides squeeze, but managed to relax when he saw the arrows lodge themselves in the bandits to his side. He could do this. He just needed to keep his head, and keep breathing. 

[color=FFAB66]“Asshole!”[/color] Kellen felt a lump settle in his throat as he turned to see Jorah shout an obscenity in his direction. That might be enough to set him back. But before he could spiral, he realized that the Deer’s ire wasn’t directed towards him, but towards the Adrestian Prince who was beginning to glow with a strange light. He hadn’t been paying enough attention to what had got the Prince in the altercation in the first place, and whether or not Jorah’s curses were warranted he could not say. 

As he thought about this, he saw Kayden pulled by Tomai and offered a healing concoction. For half a moment, there was calm. He looked at Imogen and Clarissa, who were standing over the dead bandits. He nodded towards the both of them as Imogen offered praise. [color=63a2e4]“Thanks. ”[/color] His voice was trembling, but his hands were steady. 

A wave of powerful magic radiated from the top of the carriage, where Kellen saw Kaira standing. He could feel it diffuse through him, and noted with a bit of relief that it didn’t come accompanied with the odd and not-pleasant feeling that came when wounds closed themselves. Or maybe he wouldn’t feel that either, were his crest to kick in? He shook his head, banishing the thought half-successfully.

He moved up to get closer to the group, his head whipping to check behind every few seconds. He witnessed Euphemia hurtle through the air, and felt his heart quicken as her assailant shot forward. He was a giant. And worse than that, he was quick. Kellen's eyes shut on instinct as Derec moved in, only to be saved by Isolde. He felt the pressure set in his ears as they were sent flying, and as much as he wanted to see if his classmates were alright, his head refused to turn witness their prone figures. The fragile equilibrium he had managed to set in himself would have surely collapsed. In this way, perhaps, Kellen’s well-honed but involuntary aversion to that which might harm him was useful. 

He heard Michail and Euphemia’s instructions. There were mages behind. They had been source of the first explosion, and would be the source of another if they weren’t stopped. Kellen could hardly bring himself to look at the monstrous bandit without a cold chill running over him.  Of course, his House Leader, a fire burning in his eyes that Kellen had only seen in the pious or the crazed, called out a challenge as he launched a spear in the bandits direction. For half a moment, Kellen felt obliged to stand by him, but he realized quickly that Auberon was trying to create an opening. 

Kellen wouldn’t forsake the opportunity. As Imogen cut off to one side, Kellen went in the opposite direction. There was no way, he hoped, that the bandit could keep them all away from the mages he was trying to protect.