Author's Note: Yes, these pictures are getting weirder. But don't worry, this one is actually kind of appropriate considering pirates and bandits are similar to each other. But anyway, on with the chapter!

Your Author, Marbella. <3

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"We turn around and see..."

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Valentina's POV:

We turn around and see the bandit standing right behind the arcade.

We run; Lia, the twins, and Zach to the pump station and us to the nearest blue light.

"Where the heck are the blue lights?" Lizzie panted, worn out from rushing.

We noticed a blue light outside of Laceline Rockettes.

Which is really lucky, since we were considering going there to solve the clue about the harp.

"So, find the harp that can fit under your wing. But be careful not to break it when you touch it by the sling? What the hell does that mean?" Oli pondered, his hand on his chin.

"Maybe a box where you store a harp?" Gear shared.

"A harp box! We could try to find one. It's in the diner because you can do musical acts." I advised, pointing to the diner door.

"That's smart thinking. Now let's get inside before the bandit finds us." Victor said as we all ran inside to uncover the harp box.

When we got inside, we all raced to the pole room, since that's the first logical place we could think of.

I look around and I see this box behind the couch.

"Guys, there's a box behind the couch! Oli, the one nearest to you." I call out.

Oli: 'So, Valentina finds this box behind the couch nearest to me, so I try to pull it out. The problem is... the box is stuck.'

"Why is this box not moving!?" Gear yelled in frustration, attempting to pull the box out, despite it being stuck.

"You guys know... you could just move the couch?" Lizzie wondered, looking at the boys, confused.

Lana and I were trying very hard to not burst out laughing as we help the boys move the couch and get the box.

"Phew! Thanks for the help, babe." Gear sighed, kissing Lana on the forehead.

Everybody was trying hard not to lose focus.

Lizzie: 'How. Is. This. Couple. So. CUTE?!'

"So, not trying to be rude, guys, but the box has a lock on it. It's a number lock again." Oli noted, turning it around to show us.

We go to the main dining area, put the box on a table, and look around for anything that has numbers on it. And I mean, anything.

Valentina: 'As we searched around the main diner for anything that could lead us to this code and the first bell, Gear spots something.'

"Guys, I found a bottle with some numbers on it. I will not smash this one off of a table, don't worry," He said, causing us to chuckle after what happened an hour ago. He jumped off the bar-stool he was standing on and showed us the green bottle.

"It says 1543. Try that on the harp box."

I put the code in and the box popped open. Inside was a harp, and the first bell was attached to it.

"Got the bell!" Lizzie shouted.

We all raced outside to put it on the hat, but as we did, I saw Lia standing underneath the blue light outside of the diner.

"Lia, is everything alright?" Oli pondered, slightly concerned.

"Did somebody get taken out of the hunt?"

"No, it's just we got the advantage and the bandit's chasing us now, so...." she informed, looking quite scared.

Suddenly, we saw the bandit, chasing us and shooting blanks.

"FUCK!" I screamed, sprinting away.

Everybody else follows.

We decided again to split up; Lia and her team distract the bandit whilst we finish solving the clues. I think they gave the advantage to Heidi, but I'm not sure.

We sprint over quickly and put the first bell on the jester's hat. A second drawer opens up with another clue. Oli snatches it and reads it:

'If you see me late at night, catch your bell before I take flight.'

"The owl statue!" I say, immediately recognising it.

Lizzie: 'I don't know what these guys are talking about with this owl statue. The only thing I know is that owls can fly and are nocturnal. So, that must be the connection.'

"This town has an owl statue?" Lizzie queried.

"Yes, you just weren't there to see it. It's near where we did the acrobat's challenge." I confirmed.

Gear: 'I am now incredibly grateful I chose Val to be in my alliance; she's really smart, really friendly, and she's probably going to get us through tonight.'

We race over to where the acrobat's tent was, surprised it was still standing, but still that was beside the point; we just needed the owl statue.

"Is that it over there?" Lizzie squeaked, pointing at something that looked like an owl and had a bell around its neck.

"That is it!" Oli stated, rushing over and grabbing the bell.

"That one was easy, but..." Gear began but stopped as he saw the bandit chasing Vanessa.

"Yeah, where's the blue light?" He quivered.

Oli ran to put the bell on the hat and then ran off with the rest of our group to find the nearest blue light.

We all joined the group under two different, but close together, blue lights.

"How are you guys doing with the bells?" Vanessa and Veronica said, wanting to get our attention. And they succeeded.

"Yeah. We just need one more." I disclosed.

And with that, the bandit vanished from the area and we all split up again.

We raced over to the jester's hat and grabbed the last clue to the bells. Lana grabbed it and read it.

It read:

'Only one door split into four panes; to find the last bell, look between the lanes.'

"So, a door split into fours? I'm sure we've seen one of them before, but I can't remember where." Gear indicated.

"Wait! The back door of the arcade; it's got bars on it." Lizzie considered.

"Good thinking, let's check around there." I quipped. We all ran around to the back of the arcade. Lizzie was right. There were bars on the back door. On one of those bars, we found the bell tied to it.

"Found it!" Lana observed, jumping up on one foot to untie the bell. Never knew she was that short, but who am I to judge?

We race back to the jester's hat and put the last bell on. The final drawer opens, and it contains a box, a key, and a note.

Oli: 'So, we put the last bell on the hat and the last drawer pops open. And then, suddenly, before we can figure out what we need to be doing, I hear Lia screaming.'

"GUYS!" Lia screamed, still sprinting. "Get under a blue light; the bandit is coming!"

We do what she says and race to the blue light nearest to the arcade, Heidi following them with a large box.

I use the key on the box and it opens.

Inside is the rings we need.

"Wait, guys!" Lizzie called out, waving to the other group. "We got the rings! Get into the arcade!"

We all follow Lizzie into the arcade and try to figure out what the advantage is. Whilst we try to do so, Oli puts the four rings we found on the hat.

"So, what's with the giant box?" Gear questioned, looking very confused.

"Oh, we don't know what's in it. All we know is we need a gold and a silver key to open it. That's all we know for now." Vanessa explained, clearing up so much confusion.

I took the note that we found and read it out to the group.

It read:

'The Blood Ring can only be recovered by learning the name of the nameless bandit. Two must be selected by vote to enter his lair and take the ring from him. But choose wisely; the cost of this ring is a life.'

"So, the Blood Ring is the big ring in the centre, right?" Lia asked. We all nodded.

"One thing I will say, though, is that I helped a lot with the puzzles and I went into the last challenge. So, I think I've proven myself. Same with most of the people here." I shared.

"I gotta agree with Val; Gear, Lana, Oli, and Lizzie have been helpful tonight, as well. I think the fairest option would be for us all to put our names in and just let the cards decide." Vanessa sighed, resting her cheek on her hand.

We still needed to form an opinion on it. Soon, though, we decided against it.

But now, onto pleading our cases...