[@ERode][@AThousandCurses][@Psyker Landshark]

[b][h3]NORTHERN NERO ROAD[/h3][/b]

Alto stood up and dusted himself off, assessing himself after Chunji’s warning. Realizing that he was absolutely coated in blood, to the point that finding out whose was whose would be a fool’s errand, he shrugged weakly towards the boy. “Guess I’ll roll the dice until a professional analysis. Kann might be putting more work in than expected.” He began to turn, looking both ways down the road to ensure that no other bandits or low-lives remained as reinforcements. 

As if on cue, Rio would stumble to his feet with Iraleth’s assistance, and silent gratitude lingered in his eyes towards the paladin. “Would’ve won if we could’ve done anything,” he would mutter. “Cowards.” Kicking a pebble, he gave Iraleth a nod and then stumbled his way towards the center of the road where the skeletal tower once stood - now a pile of scraps that appeared to be rapidly crumbling into dust without its conjurer nearby to sustain it.

Fianchetto would hobble over towards the aftermath, looking at Otis. There was weary recognition in the old man’s eyes, and with a nod, he stored away his spellbook. “It was a banishing spell. A fight with those brigands would have been long and drawn out, but a banish would have whisked them away to unknown lands; long enough to be rid of them, at least. In times like these, I would have considered that victory enough.”

After regrouping and ensuring everyone’s wellbeing, Kann would make the rounds, casting healing spells and bandaging the injured - nearly throwing up when moving over to Alto. Despite his best efforts, however, Kann found himself unable to repair the most severe and painful injuries of those present, leaving the hardest hits as pain to hold onto until they could find rest or a proper clinic. It was in the midst of this healing that Alto, knelt against the still intact carriage in the middle of the road, would say his piece. “...While unfortunate, it's the same thing I was thinking," he would exhale, releasing some of the pain with a labored breath before continuing. "Don't know why they wanted to make this ambush happen so badly, but this goes beyond lax patrols. That man with the green blade was... definitely above the paygrade of average bandits, at least. Well-equipped and well-trained, with a clear goal in mind."

The professor, slowly rising to his feet, would turn towards the elderly wizard with a small bow. "Apologies, sir, but it's best we allow the church to come to us at Wingram on this matter. It would be reckless of us to press on as we are now."

Fianchetto, in response, would wave his hand and begin limping his way towards the intact carriage. "Life happens, and it happens fast. I have seen the Neroites and their ways myriad times, but Wingram and its abundance of Ethos is a new anomaly indeed. It would be for the best that we retreat with haste, while fear and fatigue remain in the hearts of our enemies."

Chloe would pop her head out of the carriage just in time for Fianchetto to pass her by inside, before looking around. "Everyone is, er... unharmed, yes?" She would scan the road to see the state of everyone, eyes awash with uncertainty and shame. "Everything's peachy-keen, it sounds like," Michael would promptly reply from further down the road, stumbling to his feet for the first time since the crash. As if brushing off a hangover, he stumbled his way towards the carriage without bothering to dust himself off or assess himself for damage. Alto would also begin maneuvering Davil into the carriage, while Kann waited by the door to the carriage for one final quick scan of the students for any unnoticed injuries.