Flatline ((Jughead Jones)) 3

30

Chic lifted the ax, swinging it at Jughead who jumped backwards to avoid the blade. He kicked at Jughead, sending him to the floor before lifting the ax over his head and slamming it down. Jug shuffled backwards and jumped out of the way of.
"Why are you doing this?" Jughead asked as Chic turned to face him. I wanted to question why he was talking to the guy trying the hack at his body with an ax, but I knew this was his style of combat. Jug could hold his own in a fight and I knew he could easily beat Chic in an even brawl, but he preferred to try the diplomatic approach. "Why be the Gargoyle King?"
"Who doesn't wanna be King? Who doesn't want blood sacrifices made in their name? And after this, I can take your queen to rule by my side." He stated. Not only was Chic insane, but he also had an unhealthy obsession with me. The thought of him being the one to put me in this dress, whether it was true or not, gave me chills. Not only that, but liking the idea of people commiting suicide was more than any therapist could rehabilitate.
"Wow. Okay. That's not going to happen."

At his words, Chic lifted the ax over his head again. At the last second, Jughead moved, making the ax stick in the tree behind him. With no weapon, Jughead tackled him to the floor, knocking over one of the Gargoyle structures. It wasn't long before Jughead was on top of Chic, sending multiple punches into his face.

Clearly having enough of a loss, Chic flipped Jug off him, grabbing his shirt to lift him up off the ground before punching him back down. Once down and disorientated from the punch, Chic easily clamped his hands around Jug's throat. I stepped forward, feeling the others step forward with me as my king became red in the face, not getting enough oxygen. His hands were desperately grabbing onto Chic but nothing was pushing him away.

He looked at me, and my eyes were drawn to the skull that had fallen beside him. Catching where I was looking, Jughead grabbed the skull and slammed it into Chic's head and sent him falling to the floor. Then, he stood up, picking up his beanie that had fallen off and pulled it back onto his head, the only sounds being the crackling growls of the fire and Jughead's deep breaths.

Bett walked over and embraced him while he looked at me over her shoulder. My cheek felt wet, and as I moved my hand to it, I realised that I had shed a tear. Watching Jughead get nearly choked to death had taken a lot of my mental strength away.

"Guys." Veronica said from behind us. We all turned to see her and Archie stood beside a statue, looking at a scroll that was tied to the wing of one of the Gargoyle kings. We walked over. The scroll being on the wing meant that it was intended for me. Jughead moved past me and picked up the scroll. He read over it before looking at me, tears clearly in his eyes. Whatever was on the paper had shook Jughead to his core. I watched his jaw clench, wanting to reach out to him but knowing I couldn't.
"What's it say." Everyone had worked out by now this was my scroll, my task. He inhaled, finding the courage to speak once more.
"Angel of Death, it's time for you to face death again. You must prove yourself a queen and run the Gauntlet."

We were silent. Jughead threw his fist into the statue sending it falling to the floor after I took the scroll from his hands. Both him and I knew what the Gauntlet would be, he had run it himself. This time would be different. Not only was I weak anyway, but no doubt Gargoyles would make up both lines and unlike Serpents, they would be wanting to do as much damage as possible. I moved to the fire, dropping the paper into the flames and watching them swallow the scroll whole. Like it said, I had to prove myself a queen.

Without a word, I began to make my way towards my trail, the direction Chic had come from. The others were walking behind, Jughead explaining to them what happened during the Serpent initiation ceremony.

When it all came into view, there were double the amount of Gargoyles than there would have been Serpents. Every head turned to me, becoming me closer. There was no escape, no way out that would ensure the survival of my friends and me avoiding walking past each Gargoyle. So, I took my heels off, not needing to be falling over during all this.