The Doom of Gunmar and the Arrival of Morgana

                                    

                                          
"Any word?" Vendel questioned, walking up to Nomura, who was leaning back against the bridge.
                          
"They've  only been in there for an hour," Nomura rolled her eyes. "They're good,  but not they can beat Gunmar and his goons in an hour good."
                          
"Any news?" Draal asked, entering the room containing the bridge.
                          
"Ugh, what are you doing here?" Nomura questioned.
                          
"Checking in," Draal responded, frowning at Nomura. "I do not care to be besmirched by you, Nomura."
                          
"Whatever," Nomura scoffed. "Like I told beardie over there---"
                          
"It's Vendel!"
                          
"They still are in the Darklands," Nomura finished. "And no one has been out that bridge since they came in."
                          
"We  must go into the Darklands this instant!" Merlin yelled, running  towards the bridge with Archie not far behind. Nomura stepped in front  of the bridge and forced Merlin to come to a stop.
                          
"Not another step, wizard," Nomura threatened.
                          
"You don't understand! We must warn the configuration!" Merlin scrambled.
                          
"And why would we need to do that?" Vendel questioned.
                          
"A changeling by the name of Otto has stolen Merlin's staff and is going to use it to free Morgana!" Archie explained.
                          
"Bushigal! That witch will not be freed," Draal laughed.
                          
"I'm  afraid the threat is genuine," Merlin frowned. "Otto could be in  Trollmarket at this very moment with all the tools necessary to free  Morgana."
                          
"Why would the changeling come here?" Vendel asked.
                          
"Morgana is underneath our feet trapped in stasis," Merlin admitted.
                          
"You mean to tell me that Morgana La Fey, the Pale Lady, the Eldritch Queen, is directly underneath our feet?" Vendel repeated, growing louder with each name.
                          
"That would be...correct," Archie concluded.
                          
"Which is why we need to go into the Darklands and warn them!" Merlin intruded.
                          
"We  can't do that," Nomura replied. "By my guess, they would be fighting  Gunmar right now. And while I've been to the Darklands, I definitely  don't know how to navigate it, which means we'd be on our own with high  chances of getting lost."
                          
"Nomura is right. In their stead, we must prepare for a war with the witch," Draal said.
                          
"We  will lockdown Trollmarket in the hopes that Otto has yet to make his  way into our home," Vendel conceded. "Draal gather trolls who are ready  to fight just in case."
                          
"Yes, Vendel," Draal nodded, walking out of the room.
                          
"Merlin, are you able to fight without your staff?" Vendel questioned.
                          
"I am weak but not useless," Merlin said.
                          
"Stay  with Nomura and guard the bridge. I shall seal this room off and make  sure it's properly locked. As soon as Jim and the others return, inform  them of our current situation."
                          
Merlin and Nomura nodded. Nomura  unsheathed her scimitars and held them with an iron grip. Archie perched  himself on top of Killahead bridge in his dragon form and prepared to  fight. Merlin stood straight, anxiety clear in his eyes as Vendel sealed  them off from Trollmarket.
                          
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The doors were completely  open, Gunmar stood up from his throne. Gumm gumms surrounded the entire  area, and the Ninth Configuration knew this wouldn't be an easy fight.