Chapter 2508: Story 2509: The Last Marshal’s Secret

Silence filled the ancient chapel.

Victoria Kane could hardly believe what she was seeing.

The man standing before them looked no older than sixty, yet according to every legend, Gideon Black had vanished more than a century ago.

Cole Mercer slowly lowered his rifle.

"That’s impossible."

"The First Marshal died over one hundred years ago."

The old man smiled sadly.

"I should have."

He placed both hands upon the worn hilt of the sword embedded in the stone floor.

"But destiny demanded another price."

Father Gabriel stepped forward, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"I’ve read every surviving record."

"They all say you sacrificed yourself to imprison the Hollow King."

Gideon nodded.

"The stories are true."

"But they never told the ending."

Victoria cautiously approached him.

"If you’re really Gideon Black..."

"...why are you still alive?"

The Marshal’s expression became distant, as though remembering a terrible past.

"When we sealed the Hollow King beneath Whispering Canyon, twelve marshals gave their lives."

"The thirteenth remained behind."

"Someone had to guard the prison."

He slowly removed one leather glove.

Victoria gasped.

His hand was neither human nor undead.

Ancient cracks spread across his skin like weathered stone, glowing faintly with golden light.

"The seal bound my life to the fortress."

"I cannot grow old."

"I cannot truly die."

"I simply endure."

Dr. Evelyn Brooks studied the strange markings with fascination.

"So the energy sealing the Hollow King..."

"...flows through your body."

Gideon nodded.

"For one hundred and twenty-seven years."

Lucas Reed looked around the candlelit chapel.

"You’ve been here alone..."

"...all this time?"

A faint smile crossed the Marshal’s face.

"Not entirely."

He pointed toward the stained-glass windows.

Victoria turned.

Each colorful window portrayed one of the thirteen marshals riding into battle beneath a blazing sun.

The final window, however, had shattered long ago.

Only fragments remained.

Father Gabriel quietly whispered,

"The missing Marshal..."

Gideon lowered his eyes.

"His name was Elias Crow."

"He was my closest friend."

Cole frowned.

"What happened to him?"

The old Marshal’s voice grew heavy.

"When temptation came..."

"...Elias accepted it."

A cold wind suddenly swept through the chapel.

Every candle flickered at once.

"The Hollow King promised him eternal power."

"So he betrayed us."

Victoria’s grip tightened around the black steel badge.

"The Crimson Rider..."

Gideon slowly nodded.

"He was once Marshal Elias Crow."

The revelation struck everyone into stunned silence.

"The Hollow King spared his life."

"But stole his soul."

"He became the King’s greatest knight."

Victoria remembered the sorrowful gaze behind the Crimson Rider’s silver mask.

"He spared us."

Gideon looked toward the chapel doors.

"For now."

"Some part of Elias still remembers who he once was."

"But that part grows weaker every day."

Suddenly the black steel badge on Victoria’s belt flared with brilliant golden light.

The ancient sword planted in the stone floor began to hum.

A deep rumble echoed through the fortress.

Dust fell from the ceiling.

Lucas rushed to one of the narrow windows overlooking the valley.

His face turned pale.

"They’re here!"

Everyone hurried outside.

From the fortress walls they looked down upon the western plains.

An endless sea of undead stretched across the horizon.

Thousands upon thousands of zombies marched in perfect formation.

Behind them rode ranks of Hollow Guard carrying black banners that darkened the land like a gathering storm.

At the center of the army rode the Crimson Rider upon his crimson horse.

He slowly raised his sword toward Blackstone Ridge.

The undead army stopped as one.

A deafening war horn echoed through the mountains.

Gideon Black drew the ancient sword from the chapel floor for the first time in more than a century.

Golden light burst from the blade, illuminating the fortress walls.

He handed the sword to Victoria.

"It no longer belongs to me."

"It belongs to the one chosen by the badge."

Victoria accepted the weapon, feeling its power surge through her hands.

Far below, the Crimson Rider lowered his visor.

The Siege of Blackstone Ridge had begun.