Chapter 2520: Story 2521: The Crown of the Black Star

The hidden chamber glowed with breathtaking brilliance.

Suspended above a crystal pedestal, the Crown of the Black Star radiated streams of golden light that illuminated every corner of the Heart Forge. Ancient gemstones set within its black-gold frame shimmered like captured stars, while thirteen finely crafted points rose from its circular band, each bearing the crest of one of the original Marshals.

Roland Thorne’s crimson eye gleamed with triumph.

"So..."

"It still exists."

He stepped toward the crown without hesitation.

The molten rivers surrounding the chamber suddenly surged, sending towering walls of golden fire between him and the pedestal.

Gideon Black immediately recognized the warning.

"The Forge is testing him."

Roland merely smiled.

"I have waited a century."

"I will not be denied."

He raised his black sword and struck the wall of flame.

Instead of parting, the fire exploded outward with tremendous force.

The blast hurled Roland backward across the chamber.

His armored body crashed against a stone pillar, leaving deep cracks in the ancient rock.

Victoria Kane stared in surprise.

"The Forge rejected him."

Father Gabriel slowly nodded.

"The Crown cannot be taken."

"It must be accepted."

Roland rose to his feet, fury burning across his scarred face.

"I am the rightful heir!"

His roar echoed through the forge.

Golden letters suddenly appeared in the air above the pedestal.

Only one who carries courage without pride...

Strength without cruelty...

And hope without fear...

May wear the Crown.

The glowing words slowly faded.

Dr. Evelyn Brooks carefully wrote every sentence into her journal.

"These are the laws of the Black Star."

Lucas Reed looked toward Victoria.

"They describe you."

Victoria shook her head.

"I’ve made mistakes."

"So did every Marshal," Gideon replied quietly.

"The Crown seeks those who continue standing despite them."

Before anyone could move, the entire forge shook violently.

Far above, another explosion echoed through Blackstone Ridge.

Cole’s desperate voice crackled through the radio once more.

"Victoria!"

"The eastern courtyard has fallen!"

"The Earth Breakers are inside the fortress!"

The transmission ended in a burst of static.

Victoria closed her eyes for a single moment.

"We don’t have time."

Roland suddenly laughed.

"Exactly."

While all eyes had turned toward the radio, he had quietly stretched one hand toward the blazing Eternal Flame.

Dark crimson energy poured from his armor.

Instead of resisting it, he absorbed it.

The golden fire around his arm slowly darkened into black flames.

Father Gabriel gasped.

"He’s corrupting the Forge!"

Ancient warning bells rang throughout the chamber.

The molten rivers became unstable.

Cracks spread across the crystal floor.

Above them, chunks of burning stone crashed from the ceiling.

"The Forge is collapsing!" Evelyn shouted.

Elias Crow struggled to his feet despite his wounds.

"If the Eternal Flame dies..."

"...the Hollow King’s prison dies with it."

Victoria looked toward the Crown.

Then toward the collapsing chamber.

Then toward Roland.

There was only one choice.

"Lucas!"

"Take everyone to safety."

Lucas hesitated.

"What about you?"

"I’m ending this."

Without waiting for another reply, Victoria sprinted across the unstable platform toward Roland.

The Marshal’s golden sword blazed like the morning sun.

Roland answered with his black blade.

Their weapons collided again, unleashing another violent shockwave.

This time the force shattered several crystal bridges spanning the molten rivers.

Both warriors barely kept their footing.

Gideon watched with growing concern.

"She’s becoming stronger."

Elias nodded.

"So is Roland."

High above the forge, another of the Hollow King’s golden chains snapped apart.

A deafening roar rolled through the mountain.

Far beyond the fortress walls, every zombie, Abyss Walker, and Hollow Guard suddenly stopped moving.

Together, they turned toward Blackstone Ridge.

They were no longer attacking.

They were waiting.

Watching.

Listening.

Deep beneath the Heart Forge, an ancient mechanism awakened for the first time in centuries.

A massive stone seal slowly rotated open beneath the crystal pedestal.

From the darkness below came the slow, heavy footsteps of something that had remained imprisoned even longer than the Hollow King.

The guardian of the Crown had awakened.