The Other Detective - Book 3 (Riverdale Season 3)

Survive the Night - Part 2

"The good news is, if Penelope wanted us dead, we would be," Jughead said as they made their way through the woods at a brisk pace.

"Unless this is her way of killing us," Aminity pointed out. "Who knows what's happening in her head?"

"She wants us alive," Jughead told her.

"Yeah, well, at least long enough to complete her bizarre social experiment," Betty agreed with Aminity.

"Yeah, or die trying."

"We don't even know where to go," Veronica let out after Archie.

"Actually, Enchantress, we might," Jughead said, stopping and pointing his flashlight at a tree which had a G&G marking with an arrow.

"Come on. Let's go," Archie told them. They continued through the woods, Aminity coughing after a little while.

"I'm fine," she told them. "Just a tickle." They nodded and walked until they found a scroll hanging under a Red Paladin card nailed to a tree.

"It's a Red Paladin card," Jughead told them as he pulled the scroll off. "Archie, this quest is for you."

"'The Red Paladin must conquer the grizzled beast. He must battle alone in the Pit to save his home,'" he read.

"What is a grizzled beast?" Veronica asked before they heard a distant roaring.

"Oh, crap. Not again." They walked closer to the sound, finding a fire at the bottom of a hill, a man standing in a bear pelt.

"Archie," Veronica turned to him, "don't do this. That guy is eight feet tall and jacked."

"It's just a fight," Archie told her as he took off his jacket and handed it to Aminity. "I've been fighting all year. Don't forget, I survived a real bear attack, remember? If I don't make it," he took off his vest, "tell my mom and dad I love them. And you guys." He ripped off his bowtie next as he walked down the hill before running at the beast, the beast's arm coming up and knocking Archie to the ground. Jughead put his hand over his mouth as the girls held onto each other. The beast stepped on Archie's back before pulling him up and dropping him on the ground again. They watched as the fight continued, Archie sorely losing. Every time he tried to land a punch, the beast dodged and landed one of his own. Archie was kicked away before he managed to sweep his leg under the beast's, sending him to the ground long enough for Archie to grab one of the sticks from the fire, hitting the beast over the head, blocking the punches to his sides, before landing back on the ground after the beast gave him a right hook. Archie was then dragged along the ground before being tossed to the side. The beast picked up a bone and went to hit Archie, but he ducked before managing to land a couple of pouches on the beast's stomach. He then kept punching over and over until he got the beast on the ground before taking the bone and hitting him in the head and body multiple times until he stopped moving. Archie's chest heaved as he dropped the bone and they walked down towards him.

Jughead put his jacket over his shoulders. "Hey," he said gently.

"Come here," Veronica pulled him into a hug before he stood back up again. "Archie, are you sure you're okay?"

"Apart from every inch of my body?" he asked with a small smile.

"What do we do now?" Betty asked.

"We gotta keep moving. Penelope's already left us more clues," Jughead said as his flashlight found a sign with an arrow. "Come on." They continued walking until they came upon the next challenge. An Enchantress card sitting next to a scroll on a tall stump with chalices placed around the edges. "'The Fate and Fortune Challenge,'" Jughead read the scroll. "'Before you are six chalices, each filled with Gargoyle blood. The Enchantress,'" he glanced at Veronica, "'must choose her closest companion. They will each take turns spinning the bottle and drinking from the chosen chalice. But beware, for one of the chalices contains a lethal, rapid acting venom.'"