Donovan nodded to both Sae'Ka and Dean. "We all got what we came here for. Let's take only that and get the hells-..."<br/><br/>Something tipped Donovan off - a scent, a tiny sound, perhaps the faintest change in the air around them, but Donovan's heightened combat senses told him -we are no longer alone-. At the speed of thought, Donovan summoned a barrier, the quickest and oldest cantrip he knew - just as the faint sounds of wood clicking against wood could be heard near the entrance to the spacious chamber.<br/><br/>Just as quickly, six men appeared as if out of nowhere, standing in a ragged line between the intruders and the doorway. They had been cloaked with invisibility, by spell, potion, or scroll, Donovan did not know, but their cloak had vanished the moment they attacked. Each of the six held a crossbow up to their shoulders, and by the time Donovan's eyes settled on them, they had already fired. But thankfully, thought was quicker than the flight of a crossbow bolt, and as the six shots neared the intruders - two headed for Donovan, two for Dean, and two intended for Sae'Ka, the bolts struck some sort of invisible 'wall' just in front of them (none were targeting the fox, of course), slowing the bolts down so drastically that they fell harmlessly to the floor of the chamber.<br/><br/>The six guards looked rather stunned, the element of surprise lost with the ineffectual surprise attack, but they quickly recovered, tossing their weapons to the side in order to reach for blades at their hips. Perhaps they had been in the room the entire time, simply waiting for them. Or perhaps they had filed in after the three of them had entered the room, under the effects of a silence and invisibility spell. Or perhaps they had been portaled in somehow while the three were distracted, the treasures they sought in sight. It didn't really matter. All that mattered was that they were now obstacles to the three of them making good their escape.<br/><br/>"Dean -<em> do what you do!</em>" Donovan hissed as he strode forward, the small box tucked lovingly beneath one arm, his other arm holding one of his blades in position as he assumed an offensive stance and strode forward. And as he did so, a single thought ushered a surge of power in the space separating him and Dean, a transfer that took only an instant, as if a damn across a river had suddenly been breached. The missile barrier was gone now - it would be useless against swords anyway - but in its place Donovan 'fed' Dean a smorgasboard of energy, enough to allow Dean to become the offensive weapon that they knew he could be. If Donovan was the defensive-minded one between them, Dean was quite the opposite.<br/><br/>As for Sae'Ka and her pet - Donovan had faith that the woman would know what to do. She was a drow - which meant she was likely trained from birth for such things. Of course, depending on how important the pet was to her, the drow woman might take a defensive posture to protect the animal instead of joining them in facing off against the six guards. Then again, if these six guards knew they were here, it was quite possible the entire -tower- knew they were here, and if that was the case - Zozo herself could be about, perhaps even watching them at that very moment.<br/><br/>Yes, Donovan realized - it had been -<em>entirely</em>- too easy....