“Nigel, silver hasn’t been used in armor for centuries. These men would have to be eight hundred years old,” Eyerthrein observed.
“You are a good student of history, Eyerthrein. I suspect nine families were heartbroken a long time ago when a loved one vanished. The Magick that we now struggle against created great hardship and heartache to those who lived many generations ago,” Knarra said.
The barrier in the door disappeared with the destruction of the knights. The fifteen comrades were reunited. When Eyerthrein dispelled the Darkness they saw the bodies of the other knights littering the room.
“Like I said, ‘nice move, Eyerthrein’,” Nigel conceded.
He turned to Erinnia and said, “Your turn!”
“One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine. I don’t know what it will be but room ten will have ten of it,” Cade predicted.
Erinnia said, “Why don’t we go the last door, #thirteen. It’ll be the tenth door we’ve opened.”
No one objected.
Erinnia listened at the rightmost door and reported that she heard faint sounds of Musick.
“Guard your ears!” Knarra warned.
“Do you think it’s another boogie man? I thought they were rare,” Nigel asked.
“I have some ear plugs,” Erinnia reported.
The elf gave two of the harmless little furry creatures to each member of the group.
“Don’t worry. Remember ear plugs are harmless. They saved us in the Banshee’s lair. They are fond of ear wax. They’ll clean your ears and you gain the added benefit that their furry bodies will protect you from harmful or unwanted noise,” Erinnia added. “They are fragile. They are sensitive. Their feelings are easily hurt! Please don’t hurt them. They are my friends.”
The elf then opened the door. They saw ten maidens in formal dress gracefully dancing across a polished floor. The elves could still detect Musick- faint Musick- chamber Musick- very pleasant chamber Musick!
“Shut the door, Erinnia,” Cara urged. “Then reopen the door.”
When Erinnia reopened the door the women were gone and the Musick stopped. There was an empty one hundred and sixty-nine by one hundred and sixty-nine foot room with a thirteen foot ceiling.
“Was it illusory?” Erinnia asked.
“No. They were real- Ten more heartbroken families. Musick doesn’t sound like that now!” Knarra said remorsefully.
Three doors remained- number ten, eleven, and twelve from the left.
“Open any one of them,” Cara said.
Nigel went to door number twelve. Faint pleasant smells wafted from the bottom of the door.
“Be ready!” Cara warned.
Nigel opened the door. The air was warm and humid. There was another thirteen by thirteen foot room. The ceiling was thirteen feet high. There were eleven barrels of pipe weed in the room. There were eleven finely carved briar pipes, eleven carved ivory pipes, and eleven corn cob pipes by each barrel.
“Eleven sets of pipes and pipe weed! What in the Lachinor…” Nigel said.
Boomer sighed and said, “I’d love a good smoke.”
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