Trollhunters: welcome to the darklands

Chapter 10:DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

"After a long march, the Gumm-Gumm search party shoved a shackled Nomura into the Crucible Pit. Dictatious approached the throne and bowed to Gunmar.
"Dark Underlord, we have yet to find any evidence of the Trollhunter's presence in the Darklands," Dictatious began. "But this rogue Impure we discovered may bring you some small measure of satisfaction."
Gunmar stood, and Nomura's defiant posture faltered. But she quickly recovered and stared back into his lone, livid eye.
"I recognize you," Gunmar said, his stinking breath hitting Nomura like a fist.
Kodanth scrambled into the Crucible Pit, late to the scene. He glanced at Dictatious, who wagged four disapproving fingers—one on each hand—at Kodanth.
"Tell me, Kodanth, does she seem familiar to you, as well?" Gunmar went on."

"Y-yes, Master," stammered Kodanth, relieved that Gunmar hadn't mentioned his tardiness. "Nomura is a member of my Janus Order."
"Is that so?" Gunmar asked, still not taking his eye off Nomura. "I, too, remember her. As one of the Changelings who failed me when Bular last tried to return me to the surface lands. You do know the price of failure, do you not?"
Gunmar flexed his right claw, and strands of energy weaved the Decimaar Blade into his grasp. Dictatious tried get Gunmar's attention, to stay Nomura's execution. But she beat him to it.
Nomura bent at the knees and flipped high into the air. On her descent, Nomura tucked in her legs, pulled her cuffed arms in front of her body, and landed gracefully. The Gumm-Gumms immediately slashed at her with their axes. But Nomura held out her manacles so that their weapons split the chains that bound her instead. Now freed, she grabbed the scimitars from her scabbards and fought back. Her curved blades struck against the Gumm-"

"Gumms' rusty weapons, setting off showers of sparks that lit up the Crucible Pit.
After clearing a wide circle in the arena, Nomura held out her left sword to keep her attackers at bay. With her right, she traced a fast map into the black sand floor, marking nine distinct spots with large Xs.
"These are the locations where Skarlagk's fortress crawls every few days," Nomura finally said. "I have tracked them since I first arrived in the Darklands, and only I know their timing and pattern."
Gunmar glared at Nomura, the Decimaar Blade still held firmly in his grasp. Behind him, Dictatious and Kodanth traded an uncertain look.
"Let me live, Gunmar, and I will share these with you," Nomura offered. "If not, well . . ."
Nomura swept away the map with her sword, erasing the Xs. Gunmar just stood there breathing for quite some time before he said, "Come, Nomura. Whisper what you know into my ear so that you may live and serve Gunmar once again."

"Nomura hesitated, her eyes flicking toward Dictatious. But he just held up all his hands in uncertainty. Realizing she didn't have much of a choice, Nomura sheathed her scimitars, walked over to Gunmar, and whispered. She had to stand on the tips of her toes just to reach his ear, even as he hunched over. When she was done, Gunmar nodded and said, "You have kept your end of the bargain. So shall I."
Gunmar cast his eye toward the Gumm-Gumms, and they seized Nomura.
"What's the meaning of this?!" Nomura shouted. "You said that I would live! That I would still serve you!"
She struggled against the Gumm-Gumms, but they ultimately overpowered her.
"You do live," Gunmar answered with an ugly grin. "And you shall serve—a lifetime imprisoned in my dungeons."
"Curse you, Gunmar!" Nomura spat in rage. "Curse you!"
"I already am," Gunmar replied.
The Gumm-Gumms dragged Nomura, twisting and kicking, into a tunnel. More of those orange spikes slid into place behind them like the bars of a crystal prison.

"Lord Gunmar," Kodanth began after Nomura's anguished cries finally faded. "Surely you've considered that Nomura's information might just be a trap set by Skarlagk herself?"
"I have," said Gunmar. "For I have already suffered the folly of trusting a Changeling."
Dictatious watched with glee as Gunmar took a lumbering step toward Kodanth, the Decimaar Blade alight. Under his cloak, Dictatious silently clapped his four hands together.
"W-what?" Kodanth groveled. "You couldn't possibly mean—"
"Such an unpredictable lot," Gunmar continued, taking another step. "Tell me, Kodanth, have you discovered who let my Eye fall into the Trollhunter's hands?"
Kodanth swallowed hard and said, "It could only have been Strickler, sire. He was entrusted with safeguarding the Eye until your triumphant return to—"
"Ah, another Changeling, then," said Gunmar as he brandished his Decimaar Blade.
"Yes! I mean, no!" Kodanth fumbled. "I mean, I think he sought to use it as a bargaining chip. I think—I think—""Kodanth found he could no longer speak. The orange Changeling looked down and saw the tip of the Decimaar Blade grazing his chest, its pale energies now spiraling around him.
"You think too much," said Gunmar. "So stop."
The wispy tendrils of energy crawled up Kodanth's stricken face and turned his eyes into two mirrored orbs. Gunmar removed his Decimaar Blade, and Kodanth stood still and silent before him. Skulking in the background, Dictatious wanted to whoop in joy. Instead, he forced himself to wear a more somber expression.
"Kodanth, make yourself useful for a change. March down to the pens and offer yourself to my Horde—as a meal," Gunmar suggested rather plainly.
Without protest, Kodanth turned and shambled over to the entrance of the Horde pens. The crystal spikes retracted, Kodanth descended underground, and Dictatious heard the starving Horde roar in delight.
Gunmar returned to the sand and used the Decimaar Blade to recreate the entire map as Nomura had described it to him in"

"Nomura had described it to him in her whispers. Still white-hot with energy, its searing tip drew all the nine Xs that represented Skarlagk's hideouts.
"Dictatious," Gunmar said to his one remaining adviser. "I give you the honor of preparing my forces for battle."
"At once, Dark Underlord," said Dictatious with false humility. "And let me be the first to address you by your glorious new title—Gunmar the Warbringer!"
Gunmar heard the words and bared his fangs in a twisted smile."