The blows from Methuseld's men suddenly halted as the ceiling above them all started to give way. Dust and dirt began to fall as most of the men stood paralyzed, not sure what to do. Some of them looked to Methuseld for guidance, while a few of the smarter ones turned and headed toward the windows in through which they entered - but now those were covered in flames and did not make inviting escape routes.<br/><br/>The splintering of wood began as a single definable sound that seemed to generate echoes, more sounds of splitting wood, the volume of it all increasing rapidly. It was like an avalanche, starting small then rapidly escalating into something far more deadly than a simple snowball. The sound of wood cracking and tearing mingled with the cries of men, and off to the side Donovan was sure that Methuseld and Dean were going to fight on even as the building around them collapsed. Donovan wasn't too worried about Dean - he was a shadow, afterall. As for the fox, if it was quick and wise, it would escape-...<br/><br/>Right into Methuseld's clutches. Poor thing. It was so cute, too...<br/><br/>Donovan closed his eyes, focusing, turning his body into a pillar of fleshy steel. Wood and debris stuck him and bounced off as if he were made of steel, and within a handful of seconds - the entire second floor had collapsed upon the first, bringing walls and rooftop down along with it.<br/><br/>Donovan opened his eyes to see himself partially buried beneath the debris. He blinked, glancing around to see the utter destruction. One part of the outer wall still stood - the side facing the building to the west, but even it was leaning at a precarious angle, as if resisting the urge to follow its three fellows down to the ground where Donovan stood. Donovan quickly dusted himself off and glanced around, surveying the scene.<br/><br/>Dean was nowhere to be seen - but Donovan could feel his presence, knowing that he was nearby. Glancing to where he had last seen his shadow fighting the vizier's general, Donovan was surprised to see an unconscious Methuseld mostly covered in debris. And miracle or miracles, the fox had taken refuge beneath the big warrior-woman, able to avoid serious damage. But Methuseld herself was not so lucky. She had suffered several cuts, and a particularly nasty gash along the side of her neck that was pumping blood rather freely.<br/><br/>It took an entire building to stop her, but she had been stopped, thank the gods.<br/><br/>Donovan stepped through the debris, hearing a few random moans from a couple of nearby vizier's men that had survived the collapse. None of them were really moving, so Donovan didn't pay them much attention. Instead, he moved over to Methuseld and began removing the debris to free the fox who was almost completely covered in dust - making her look even more adorable: fluffy AND dusty.<br/><br/>Donovan saw that Methuseld was still breathing, and with a brief pause, he drew one of his short blades and clasped it in both hands, raising it up above his head. He'd put the woman out of her misery -AND- send the vizier a message at the same time: leave him and Dean alone.<br/><br/>But as he gazed down at Methuseld - the woman now in a calm state given her unconsciousness, he couldn't help but admire her. His hands tightened on the handle of his blade though, yet he still couldn't bring himself to lower it. His mind quickly began to make up excuses to allow her to live... what better hostage would there be, than her? Her men - however many of them would come for them next - wouldn't DARE risk endangering her life if he and Dean had her as a hostage, would they? What a bargaining chip she'd make.<br/><br/>"Fuck," he groaned softly, and lowered a hand to her bare forehead, laying his palm gently across it. His eyes closed and he breathed out through his nose, and that's how quick it was, the soft blue glow around his hand igniting like a candle, then quickly intensifying. He allowed the power to flow from him and into her - just enough to heal her, not enough to give her consciousness, as her wounds began to seal and shut. They'd be pink and a little itchy for a few days, but that would be far better than the alternative.<br/><br/>Taking a deep breath and blinking from all the power he had used during the fight - and during the healing of their enemy, Donovan glanced around. He smirked a bit when he saw the fox still there. "Come on, little one. Let's get you out of here. Dean would be quite upset if his pup got hurt on my account," he said, reaching forth to pick up the Fox and carry her out of the rubble. If the Fox darted away before he could grab her, Donovan would only chuckle a bit.<br/><br/>"Dean, come on. Quit acting all melodramatic. I know you're fine," Donovan called out, rising to his feet and quickly dusting himself off. There was dirt and debris all in his hair, too. damn it. "Grab your sparring partner and bring her along with us. Probably isn't any better hostage we could ask for in all the realms," the big man said as he began to carefully pick his way towards the -back- of the ruined house. He knew that out front, a few onlookers were gawking and trying to see what was going on, so they didn't want to go that way. Most of the fires had been snuffed out from the collapse, but a couple were still going, albeit weakly.<br/><br/>They needed to get out of there, and they needed to get moving fast.