Chapter 2510: Story 2511: The Breach of the Iron Gate

The roar of the undead army shook Blackstone Ridge.

Like a black tide surging across the valley, thousands of zombies charged toward the fortress walls. Dust rose beneath countless feet while siege towers rolled forward behind towering iron shields.

Victoria Kane stood upon the battlements, the Marshal’s golden sword shining against the storm-darkened sky.

"Hold the walls!" she shouted.

Her voice echoed through the ancient fortress.

For the first time in generations, the defenders of Blackstone Ridge prepared for war.

Cole Mercer positioned himself atop the western tower with an old repeating rifle.

Lucas Reed filled his quiver with arrows recovered from the fortress armory.

Dr. Evelyn Brooks carried medical supplies into the chapel, transforming it into a field hospital for the wounded.

Father Gabriel Ward walked calmly along the walls, offering words of courage to every defender.

Gideon Black stood beside Victoria.

His weathered eyes never left the battlefield.

"They’re testing us."

Victoria tightened her grip on the glowing sword.

"They’ll find we’re not easy to break."

A thunderous boom echoed across the valley.

The first undead cannon fired.

A massive stone smashed into the outer wall, sending fragments of black granite crashing into the courtyard below.

Another explosion followed.

Then another.

Smoke swallowed the fortress.

"They’re targeting the western gate!" Lucas yelled from the watchtower.

Cole looked through his rifle scope.

"Hundreds of them!"

The first wave reached the walls.

Undead soldiers climbed ladders while others pushed enormous battering rams toward the iron gate.

Victoria raised the Marshal’s sword.

Golden light erupted from the blade.

"Fire!"

Ancient cannons hidden along the battlements thundered together.

Iron cannonballs tore through the advancing horde, scattering broken bodies across the valley.

Archers released volleys of arrows while Cole’s rifle echoed again and again, dropping Hollow Guard officers directing the assault.

Yet the undead never hesitated.

For every zombie destroyed, another stepped forward.

"They don’t fear death," Evelyn whispered from below.

Father Gabriel looked toward the battlefield.

"They’ve already lost it."

A deafening crash shook the fortress.

The battering ram struck the great iron gate.

The ancient doors groaned but held firm.

Again.

The ram slammed into the gate.

Massive hinges trembled.

Victoria could hear the old metal crying beneath the impact.

"They won’t last forever," Gideon warned.

Suddenly a terrifying roar echoed from the battlefield.

The zombies parted.

Out from their ranks emerged a monstrous creature twice the height of any man.

Its body was stitched together from dozens of corpses, its massive arms wrapped in rusted chains.

Each step shook the earth.

Lucas stared in horror.

"What is that?"

Father Gabriel’s face turned pale.

"The Gatebreaker."

"A beast created to destroy fortresses."

The monster seized the battering ram with one enormous hand and lifted it effortlessly.

The undead surrounding it stepped back.

Then the Gatebreaker charged.

BOOM!

The iron gate buckled inward.

Cracks spread across the ancient metal.

Dust poured from the fortress walls.

Cole fired repeatedly at the creature’s head.

Every bullet disappeared into its decaying flesh without slowing it.

Victoria mounted Midnight.

"I’m ending this."

Before anyone could stop her, she galloped through the inner courtyard toward the gate.

Gideon called after her.

"Wait!"

But Victoria was already moving.

The Gatebreaker raised the battering ram once more.

With a roar that shook the mountains, it swung toward the weakening gate.

At that instant, Victoria burst through a narrow side passage and met the monster head-on.

Midnight leaped across fallen rubble.

Victoria raised the Marshal’s sword high above her head.

The golden blade blazed like the rising sun.

With one powerful strike, she brought the sword down across the creature’s massive chains.

A blinding flash of golden light exploded across the battlefield.

The Gatebreaker let out a deafening scream that echoed through the valley.

Every zombie froze.

Even the Crimson Rider turned to watch.

As the brilliant light faded, the broken chains lay scattered across the ground, and the towering monster slowly fell to one knee.

But before Victoria could deliver the final blow, a deep voice echoed from within the dark storm clouds above.

"Impressive..."

The voice was ancient.

Cold.

Filled with limitless hatred.

"The chosen one has finally arrived."

For the first time since the apocalypse began, Victoria heard the voice of the Hollow King himself.