The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel (Fanfic) - Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten - Perenelle Flamel

The monstrous creatures were marginally similar to dogs. They were huge, a few times Perenelle’s size, with big muscly bodies, and shiny fur. Their mouths were full of razor sharp teeth, that were dribbling black saliva, which Perenelle recognized as venom. Their huge feet, which each occupied four large talons, were carrying the creatures faster and faster towards the two sorcerers and the trapped magician.
In the narrow alleyway, the six creatures couldn’t possibly run all together. So two by two, they entered the alleyway, growling and howling savagely at the group.
“We have to get out of here!” Perenelle shouted. “Try to avoid being bit!”
“I’ll try.” Machiavelli’s short answer was barley audible over the noise the hounds were making.
One of the houdns reached Perenelle, and opened it’s jaws to try and bite her neck. Perenlle, quick as lightning, focused her aura in her palm, and touched the creature’s chest. Immediately, the creature fell to the ground, barely moving, and only the slightest twitch of it’s jaw, indicated it was alive.
The launching hounds stopped their attack, and glared at their companion’s body, hesitating.
“What did you do to it?” Machiavelli asked Perenelle.
“Simple muscle freeze. It won’t be able to move for about six to seven hours.” Perenelle felt tired already. “I don’t think I’ll be able to do that again.”
“What are these creatures?”
Perenelle smiled bitterly. “These are hell dogs. The common name for them is hell hounds.”
“Well,” Machiavelli stepped to stand near Perenelle, “they don’t look very friendly.”
“No.” Perenelle agreed. “They are not.”
And then, without a warning, all the five monsters that were left, attacked.
“Perenelle-” Machiavelli tried to push the weary sorceress aside, but instead, staggering back, he fell. One of the hounds opened his jaws, and locked them on Machiavelli’s thigh, splattering black sizzeling saliva everywhere.
Machiavelli screamed. A long, high-pitched scream of agony, that echoed across the alleyway and into the street.
Perenelle was in panic. She couldn’t risk fainting in the middle of battle, but she had to save the screaming man to her legs. Another hound managed to slip by Perenelle, this time catching Machiavelli’s right arm. The man screamed again, and tried desperately to shake off the monsters, but without sucess. The monsters who bit the man kept wriggling what’s in their mouth, causing him to lose all control of himself.
When a third hound almost reached for Machiavelli’s hip, Perenelle decided it was their time to leave. “Hold on Machiavelli!” she shouted.
“I can’t-” Mahciavelli gasped. Small, white and opaque tears fell down his cheeks uncontrollably, and he started feeling as if it was getting harder to breath.
Another dog launched himself at Perenelle, and as she jumped back, she found the solution. Two dirty alley cats were watching the fight from behind a trash bin, licking their paws occasionally. Without a warning, Perenelle caught one of the cats, an elegant brown cat, whispered “sorry, it’s you or us,” and threw it near Machiavelli’s body. The five hounds froze almost immediately, glaring at the poor cat.
The cat let out a scared shriek, and fled away from the alley. The hounds leaped from their frozen positions after it, leaving Machiavelli alone, barking and shaking the ground as they ran.
After Perenelle saw the last of the hounds disappearing from her sight, she breathed with relief. Luckily, dogs were dogs, no matter what.
When Perenelle turned around, a wry smile spread on her face, a smile which seemed so out of place.
The doctor was gone, leaving after him one ripped thread of frozen aura.