And so, the band nerds walked some more, following Jazzrunner, their faithful guide, and pulling Bill the pit cart behind them.
"Where are you taking us?" Sami asked finally.
"To Singendell, to the house of Mandy," Jazzrunner replied. "But first, we shall stop and rest." He opened a door, leading them into an air-conditioned classroom. "I shall return."
Sami sat down and started napping, weary from her travels. Some time later, she woke up with a start, hearing flute music. "What are you doing?" she snapped, knocking the flutes away. "Stop playing, you fools, stop playing!"
"Why?" Minh-Bao asked.
"Look!" Eric exclaimed, peering out the window in the door. "The Black Marchers!"
The small group backed into a corner, clutching their instruments. Sami took out the One Oboe, and, as the Reedwraiths entered, began to play it.
One of the Wraiths strode up to them, and, pushing the other three aside, stabbed Sami in the shoulder with her tenor saxophone.
"Ahh!" Sami cried, taking the oboe out of her mouth.
"Miss Sami!" Eric shouted, just as Jazzrunner burst through the door. "Jazzrunner! Help us!"
Jazzrunner took out his bari sax and began playing a song, slowly driving the Reedwraiths away.
"What's wrong with Sami?" Melissa asked once all the wraiths were gone.
Jazzrunner peered at Sami's shoulder. "She has been stabbed by a Reedgul instrument. This is beyond my skill; we must go to Singendell."
"But we're too far from Singendell!" Minh-Bao exclaimed. "She'll never make it!"
Suddenly, a girl holding a flute appeared.
Jazzrunner raised an eyebrow in surprise, and was about to say something, but decided not to as the girl bent over Sami and whispered something in her ear.
"She's fading," she said finally. "She's not going to last. We must get her to Mandy."
Jazzrunner shrugged. "Okay, whatever, just watch out for the Reedwraiths."
"I do not fear them."
"Megan, march hard. Don't look back!"
"What are you doing?" Eric asked as Megan left with Sami. "Those Wraiths are still out there!"
***
Finally, Megan reached the hallway across from Singendell, barely beating the Marchers.
"Give up the band nerd!" cried one of the clarinetists.
Megan brandished her flute like a sword. "If you want her, come and claim her!" she called, challenging the Reedwraiths.
As the Wraiths started to cross the hallway, Megan put the flute to her mouth and began playing "Henry V". Suddenly, a herd of freshmen appeared, trampling the Black Marchers.
"Go me!" Megan exclaimed triumphantly. Then, she looked at Sami. "Shit," she said. "No, Sami, don't give in! Not now!"
***
"Where am I?" Sami asked dazedly, blinking as the fluorescent light hit her eyes.
"You are in Singendell," Elizabeth replied.
"Elizabeth? What happened to you?"
"I'm sorry, Sami. I was...delayed."
"Sami! Sami!" Eric exclaimed.
"Eric!"
"Eric has hardly left your side," Elizabeth explained.
"We were that worried about you, weren't we, Miss Elizabeth?"
"By the skills of Mandy, you are beginning to mend.
For the first time, Sami realized that there was another person in the room: a dark-haired girl holding a French horn.
"Welcome to Singendell, Sami," Mandy said simply.