"Time to move on then." said Darvid standing up and stretching. "Sneck," he asked "do you know how far it is to the Great Doors of the Ork Mines?""Much climbing yet," she replied, "Why you go there?"
Tem told her of their meeting with Arcorn and the task he had set. Sneck look puzzled, she said that she often wandered into the town at night and heard the humans talk, she had never heard of Arcorn.
Soolin said, "I expect they are careful of what they say in case any of Zorin's spies are about." But what Sneck had said worried her. She asked Sneck if she had ever been in the mines.
"Sneck not go there, no food in mines. No one go to the mines now. Shut tight are the Great Doors."
"I'm sure we'll find a way in." said Darvid. "Come on, let's get going."
They loaded up the donkey and headed on up the mountain.
Soon the air became colder and the path steeper. The donkey was finding it hard to make its way on the narrow, stony path. As they moved on they finally saw the Great Doors in front of them.
"Not far now." said Tem.
"Far, is still far." said Sneck, "Great Doors very great, only look close."
And she was right. For an hour they climbed and the Great Doors grew bigger and bigger. When, at last, they came to them they were facing two solid wooden doors that rose above their heads as high as twenty men.
"These must have been made by giants!" said Tem.
"Right, giants." Sneck told them. "Long ago when land was new giants there were. Helped Orks they did. Much gold in mines then. Needed strong doors to keep humans out."
Arcorn had told them that the magic defending the mines would only stop those born in Sellardore getting in. But none of them could see how to move the heavy doors even if they were unlocked.
"Let's start with the magic we do know." said Soolin. Tem walked towards the doors. There were no marks on them as far as he could see. He cast several spells he remembered that had opened doors before but none of them worked.
"Perhaps we should just try knocking." Tem said. He knocked on the door with his fist. Nothing happened.
"There has to be a simple way." said Darvid. "There is no keyhole, no bolts, no handle and the doors are too heavy to push anyway. But Orks used these doors for years so there has to be a way. LET US IN!" he shouted.
Soolin had been looking around the cliff at the side of the doors, she gave a shout and the others ran over to her. "Look," she said "There's a lever in the wall."
"Then what are we waiting for?" said Darvid, "Pull it!"
Sneck started to shout a warning but it was too late. The ground opened up under Soolin's feet and she was gone.
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