Chapter 2505: Story 2506: The Road to Blackstone Ridge

The western frontier stretched endlessly before the four riders.

Victoria Kane led the way atop Midnight, his powerful hooves striking the dry earth with steady determination. Fastened securely to her belt, the black steel badge of the First Marshal pulsed with a faint warmth, almost as if it were guiding her toward an unseen destination.

Behind her rode Cole Mercer, his rifle resting across his saddle. His sharp eyes constantly searched the rocky hills for movement.

Lucas Reed, though exhausted from his desperate journey, had regained enough strength to ride beside Father Gabriel Ward.

For several hours, no one spoke.

The silence of the desert felt unnatural.

Not a bird circled overhead.

Not a single animal crossed their path.

Only abandoned wagons, broken fences, and scattered human skeletons remained to remind them that life had once flourished there.

Finally, Lucas broke the silence.

"I’ve never seen the land this empty."

Cole nodded grimly.

"The infected have changed."

"They’re no longer wandering."

"They’re gathering."

Father Gabriel tightened his grip on the silver cross hanging around his neck.

"When an army prepares for war, the wilderness grows quiet."

Victoria glanced toward the distant mountains.

"And we’re riding straight into it."

As the sun climbed higher, they reached an abandoned railway station.

The weathered sign still read:

RAVEN’S CROSSING

Rusted train tracks disappeared into the western hills.

Several freight cars sat motionless beside the platform, their doors hanging open.

Victoria raised one hand.

"Something’s wrong."

Midnight stopped immediately.

Cole slid from his horse and examined the dusty ground.

"There are tracks."

He pointed toward several deep hoofprints.

"Fresh."

Lucas knelt beside them.

"Not just horses."

"Armored horses."

The prints were unusually large, and each horseshoe had left behind the same crowned symbol carved into the black steel badge.

Father Gabriel’s expression darkened.

"The Hollow Guard."

Before anyone could react, a frightened cry echoed from inside one of the abandoned train cars.

"Help!"

Victoria sprinted toward the sound.

Inside the carriage, a young woman struggled against broken wooden beams that had collapsed around her legs.

Her clothes were torn, and dried blood covered one sleeve.

"I’m trapped!"

Victoria holstered her revolver and pulled away the heavy debris while Cole lifted a rusted steel beam.

Moments later, the woman was free.

She leaned against the carriage wall, breathing heavily.

"My name is Dr. Evelyn Brooks."

Cole looked surprised.

"The virologist from Silver Creek?"

She nodded.

"I was transporting medical supplies when we were ambushed."

Victoria noticed deep claw marks across the outside of the train.

"This wasn’t ordinary infected."

Evelyn’s face turned pale.

"They weren’t infected."

"They were soldiers."

Everyone fell silent.

"They wore black armor covered with ancient symbols."

"They never spoke."

"They simply slaughtered everyone."

Lucas exchanged an uneasy glance with Father Gabriel.

"The Hollow Guard," he whispered.

Evelyn opened a worn leather satchel she had managed to save.

Inside were several notebooks, maps, and sealed glass vials containing dark crimson liquid.

"I couldn’t save the medicine."

"But I protected my research."

Victoria looked at the mysterious vials.

"What is it?"

Evelyn hesitated.

"I don’t know if it’s a cure..."

"...or the very blood that created this nightmare."

A cold wind suddenly swept through Raven’s Crossing.

The black steel badge began glowing brighter than ever before.

Then Midnight reared violently.

Far down the railway tracks, four silent horsemen emerged through the swirling dust.

Each wore ancient black armor scarred by time.

Their empty helmets revealed only darkness within.

At the front of the formation rode a knight carrying a long banner bearing the crowned symbol of the Hollow King.

None of them drew a weapon.

None of them made a sound.

They simply continued riding toward the survivors with slow, unstoppable purpose.

Victoria gripped her revolver.

Cole chambered a round into his rifle.

Father Gabriel quietly whispered a prayer.

The Hollow Guard had finally found them.