Trollhunters: welcome to the darklands

Chapter 9:Underground resistance

"Much to his surprise, the Trollhunter woke up alive.
Jim winced. His ribs were still sore from earlier. His tongue felt like sandpaper inside of his dry, sticky mouth. His skull throbbed with a splitting headache. And now he found himself on top of another Nyarlagroth as it moved through the Darklands. Reacting on instinct, Jim jumped to his feet. The Sword of Eclipse returned to his armored hand in a whirl of mist and magic.
"You'll find this Nyarlagroth a little tamer than the last," said a husky voice.
Jim spun around and found Skarlagk standing at the head of the enormous eel, controlling its motions with the chains in her hands. Approaching carefully, Jim looked over Skarlagk's shoulder and saw how her reins connected to a bridle in the Nyarlagroth's jaws."

"She pulled left, and with another splitting screech, so did the Nyarlagroth.
More screeches resounded behind Jim. Looking back, he saw three more domesticated Nyarlagroths obey their Gumm-Gumm riders.
"No offense, but I didn't take you for the animal-loving type," Jim said. "Seeing as how you speared that other Nyarlagroth and all."
"Would you prefer that I had speared you instead?" Skarlagk asked flatly. "Put you out of your misery before the Nyarlagroth devoured you?"
Jim thought it over and said, "Fair point. Thank you . . . Skarlagk, is it?"
She nodded, the spears in her quiver clattering together as the Nyarlagroth carried them over a particularly rugged stretch of wasteland. Jim raised his eyebrows, impressed by how much ground they were covering in such a short time.
"I guess Nyarlagroths are the only way to travel in the Darklands, huh?" he joked feebly.
"My rebels and I choose to survive alongside the creatures native to this dark dimension, unlike Gunmar. He would crush them under his heel without a second thought,"

"under his heel without a second thought," Skarlagk answered.
"Yeah, about Gunmar," Jim resumed. "I seem to recall you mentioning something about us teaming up against him. Before I, y'know, passed out."
Skarlagk looked upon Jim with eyes as dark as storm clouds, then nodded again. Jim pointed his sword at the three Gumm-Gumms who piloted the Nyarlagroths in formation behind them.
"Well, not that I don't appreciate the extra help," Jim continued. "But I don't see how a handful of rebels on overgrown earthworms necessarily improves our chances. Especially against a guy who uses the word 'Skullcrusher' in his job description!"
"A handful won't help you against Gunmar," said Skarlagk as she pulled back on her reins, halting the Nyarlagroth on top of a high ridge. "But an army might."
Jim's jaw hung open as he took in the sight of the blighted valley below them. There, a titanic stone fortress teemed with hundreds upon hundreds of rebel Gumm-Gumms. They ran drills along its battlements and practiced"

"close combat in the open ward at the center. A bulky obsidian roof covered the ramparts, the black volcanic glass glinting in the endless twilight, while thick fog obscured the castle's foundation. From the highest tower, a billowing flag bore an image of Gunmar's eye with a red slash painted across it.
Jim stood in awe before a fully armed fighting force. From her Nyarlagroth steed, Skarlagk held a spear high in the air. The rebels on the fortress returned the salute, chanting, "SKARLAGK! SKARLAGK! SKARLAGK!"
• • •
Once the Nyarlagroths had been stabled, Skarlagk led Jim inside her stronghold. He stared agog at the fearsome rebels who looked back from the parapets. Most of the Gumm-Gumms cursed under their breath at the sight of the Trollhunter. Some even spat at his armor.
"Your soldiers remind me a lot of this guy I know, Steve," said Jim as he dodged the phlegmy spitballs and stuck close to Skarlagk. "He likes to bully people too."

"Pay them no mind," Skarlagk said. "Some still harbor ill will against one of your predecessors, Deya. But even that grudge pales in comparison to the one they hold for Gunmar."
Jim stepped over a heaping pile of dung—he didn't want to guess what had left it—and said, "And here I thought all Gumm-Gumms worshipped him."
"Not all . . . ," answered Skarlagk.
Her face tightened momentarily before returning to its usual impassive state. This was the first hint of emotion Skarlagk had shown since Jim met her. Recovering, she pointed her spear at the soldiers around them. Every one of them knelt before their warrior queen's presence.
"And these ones broke from Gunmar after our defeat at the Battle of Killahead," Skarlagk said. "Many still blame him for losing to Deya and, thus, for our exile to the Darklands. When I started this rebellion to seek retribution against Gunmar, they were only too eager to enlist."
Reaching the heart of the keep, Skarlagk threw open the doors to the mess hall, where dozens of Gumm-Gumm rebels gathered. She"