Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 102: The Lieutenant’s Truth

Chapter 102: The Lieutenant’s Truth

The ninety-sixth dawn seared across Kael El’s Ashen Empire with a fractured golden blaze, the continental dominion—a sprawling titan—quaking under an unseen pulse. The capital’s skyline gleamed—bone steel keeps dwarfed by the Golden Colossus, its hundred-meter frame a radiant fortress, core pulsing a volatile violet-gold that cast glitching shadows over the plaza. Kael stood in the war room, Stormforged Blade across the table, shard-pommel screaming like a chained storm. EX: Dragonflame Reaver glowed at his hip, Stormhide Armor scorched and dented, the construct’s beams and Lyra’s chaos burning in his grazed arm. His flirty smirk flickered, a cool dominance veiling a gnawing dread—the Empress’s voice, the "Error Rift," and Rhea’s trembling plea clawed at his blood. He flexed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins surging through the stone floor, molten but heavy, answering the shard’s jagged wail.

Day 96. Her voice echoes—her pawn moves. His dark eyes gleamed, pride a blazing inferno despite the ache—dozens lost, her Nexus vision, the Colossus’s glacial pulse gnawed deeper. My empire’s iron—millions strong, lands vast—but rifts shatter iron. The Nexus roared through the room: "Kael’s reign defies!" He grinned, jaw tight, arm stinging. Defy? I break.

Day 96: Post-Peace Period. Territory Level: 6 – Continental Lord. Territory Size: Vast. Population: Millions. Food Stock: Thin. Resource Yield: High (Lord’s Blessing). Resources: Vast. Summon Limit: Ample. Territory Lv. 7 Conditions: Reach Greater Power, Global Empire (More Strongholds), Defeat Greater Foe, Immense Wealth, Grand Treasury, Army of Greater Elite, Build Greater Wonder.

Lord Nexus Leaderboard: Kael El reigns, Myra gone, Lyra broken, Gavrin fallen, Sylth dust, others fade.

Kael tapped the shard, its scream piercing as he eyed Lena’s map—golden light tracing the east, silent until now. First place, unchallenged—enemies dust, but the Empress’s words burned: Devourer, seal or break. He rubbed his arm, pain flaring—the rift’s shadow loomed, tied to the Colossus’s glitching pulse. Blood chooses. Veyna burst in, bow taut, wolves snarling. "Lord! Rift’s spawning—east, 1,200 kilometers, Nexus lieutenant, violet-gold staff. Constructs guard her—her voice hums through ’em." Her hunter’s edge burned, but her eyes flicked to Kael’s arm—Rhea’s fear mirrored.

Kael’s grin sharpened, blade in hand. "Her pawn? I’ll crack it." He turned to Drayce, glaive against the wall, eyes fierce but worn. "Elite—5,000, gold-clad. Hit hard, take her alive."

Drayce nodded, grip tightening. "Hard’s good—dozens gone last fight, we’re gold but sore. Lieutenant’s her—don’t let her slip." His voice held a brother’s fire, trust iron—her voice had steeled him.

Lena unrolled her map, quill steady despite the tension. "Lord, the capital grows—keeps pile higher, gold flows thicker, resources stack endless. Food’s tight—days left. Her voice spreads—subjects fear her." Her calm wavered, eyes on Kael’s scorched armor—raw, red—then the east. "Lieutenant’s her blade?"

Kael winked, masking a wince. "Blade? I’m sharper—take her, dig her truth." He strode out, shard screaming, the Colossus’s pulse rippling—colder, glitch flickering. Her cage—like Rhea’s eyes. "East, 1,200 kilometers—move."

The eastern plain crackled, air heavy as constructs loomed—hundreds, violet-gold, Nexus energy pulsing, crystal limbs glinting, beams sparking. At their core, a lieutenant—female, violet-gold staff glowing, cloak shimmering, her voice humming: Devourer, come. Kael laughed, blade raised. "Her dog? Let’s leash it."

He charged, EX: Stormwing Prime blurring him in, thousands following—gold-clad elite gleaming, Colossus’s morale fueling them. Drayce’s vanguard struck—glaives slashing constructs, crystal shattering, beams glancing off gold. Veyna’s wolves flanked, frost fangs snapping limbs, her arrows piercing cores—constructs falling, staves clattering. Thora’s turrets fired—golden bolts shredding dozens, earth trembling.

Bone golems rose, EX: Bone Dominion summoning a handful, crushing machines, claws splintering crystal. The lieutenant swung her staff, beams lashing—dozens caught, armor sizzling, screams fading. Kael dodged, arm burning—damn rift. EX: Volcanic Tsunami roared, fire melting dozens, crystal sizzling. The lieutenant thrust, beam grazing Kael’s shoulder—pain flared, blood humming. He parried with the Stormforged Blade, shard screaming, EX: Gold Dominion flaring—gold veins bound her staff, EX: Vitality Reaper draining energy—she staggered, cloak dimming.

Dragons dove, fire and ice raining, constructs vaporized. Elys’s lightning cracked, frying cores—her shout fierce: "Kael, she’s her Nexus—your blood’s louder!" Rhea torched machines, flames steady, but her eyes flicked to Kael—yesterday’s burns haunting. Lyra—his Lyra—blasted violet chaos, her wink strained: "Bind her, lover—her truth’s ours!" The constructs died, the lieutenant bound in gold veins, her staff clattering.

Kael felt power surge, blood roaring—leveled up. He dragged her to her feet, her eyes defiant but trembling. "Talk—her cage, now." She spat, voice low. "Empress seals the rift—Level 100, her crown. Your blood—Devourer—breaks it. She needs you—her cage crumbles." Kael’s smirk faltered, shard jolting—vision: the Empress, rift pulsing, gold veins shattering, her voice: Choose, or burn. He blinked back, veins tightening.

Drayce approached, glaive bloodied. "Losses light—dozens, not hundreds. She’s yours—east’s clear." His voice held relief, eyes on Rhea—crew’s bond tighter.

Veyna tossed Kael a violet-gold shard—lieutenant’s core, Nexus-charged. "Her spark—stronger than constructs. Wolves say east’s silent—her voice lingers." Her smirk softened, eyes on Rhea—losses weighed.

Back at the capital by dusk, the Colossus pulsed—jagged, colder, glitch rippling. Lena met him, map glowing, voice steady. "Lord, keeps soar—strongholds stack, gold flows, resources pile endless. Losses light—subjects cheer, but her voice grows." Her eyes flicked to Kael’s shoulder—raw, bleeding—then the lieutenant, bound nearby.

Kael nodded, wincing—power surging, stronger. He strode to the Colossus, shard screaming, Rhea trailing—flames dim, hand on his. "You’re hers," she said, eyes searching. "Rift, blood—’The Error’—it’s pulling you."

Kael’s smirk faltered, pulling her close. "Pulling? I’m gold, Rhea—her cage breaks for me." But the chill deepened—her voice, my blood. He turned to the crew, voice a rough drawl. "Lieutenant’s ours, her cage cracks—Empress’s game. Thoughts?"

Elys sparked, grim but fierce. "You’re a titan, Kael—her cage is poison. Why you?" Her lightning dimmed—rift’s shadow stung.

Lyra—his Lyra—grinned, violet flickering. "Why? You’re the blade, lover—her cage needs you. Break it." Her tease hid fear—her voice lingered.

Veyna notched an arrow, sharp. "Break? East’s silent—wolves smell nothing. Her game’s real—don’t dive blind." Her gaze lingered on Rhea—hunter’s edge softened.

Thora stomped up, hammer slung, gold dust thick. "Game? Core’s glitching worse—her tech, your blood’s screaming. She’s yours—but it’s colder." Her pride cracked, eyes on the core—pulse glacial.

Kael’s grin hardened, gold veins pulsing—EX: Gold Dominion heavier, like a throne’s crown. Error Rift—my blood. The shard screamed—vision: the Empress, rift pulsing, gold veins shattering, her voice: Devourer, you are mine. He blinked back, pulse icy—hers or mine? "Lena, map her—Thora, crack the cores—Veyna, scout—Drayce, sharpen ’em."

The council lingered, the harem gathering—Elys sparking, Rhea’s warmth fading, Lyra’s violet subdued. Kael waved them closer, voice teasing but strained. "Ladies, her pawn’s ours, rift’s hers—Empress’s game grows. Truth?"

Rhea’s flames flickered, voice soft. "Truth? Your blood’s her rift—’The Error.’ Choose us, Kael." Her hand trembled—fear raw, burns aching.

Elys nodded, lightning dim. "She’s right—you’re a storm, but storms break. Her cage—let it lie." Her voice shook—losses echoed.

Lyra tossed a violet spark, smirk faint. "Lie? He’s the prize, ladies—her cage needs him. Break it, lover." Her tease wavered—her voice hit hard.

Kael laughed, rough and warm, blade spinning. "Break? I dance—her cage is mine." But Rhea’s tremble burned—Error Rift, in me? He turned to the lieutenant, eyes cold. "More—her truth." She glared, voice low. "She’s Level 100—rift’s her prison. You break it, or seal it—Devourer’s choice." Kael’s blood surged, shard jolting—vision: the rift, glitching void, his blood pulsing. "Choice’s mine..."

The day waned, forges thundering as keeps rose—strongholds climbing, gold flowing, resources endless. Kael paced the plaza, shard humming, her truth heavy—Devourer, choose. Drayce rallied the elite, voice gruff but strong. "Gold’s iron—ready, Lord." His trust blazed—victory held.

Lena scribbled, map glowing, voice steady. "Capital’s mightier—keeps stack, gold’s heavy, lands vast. Her voice spreads—subjects fear it, Colossus steadies ’em." Her calm held, eyes on Kael—crew’s worry mirrored Rhea’s.

Rhea stood closer, flames soft, voice low. "You’re not hers—rift, blood, ’The Error.’ Choose us, Kael." Her hand tightened, fear raw—burns, grazes, losses.

Kael’s laugh was rough, pulling her close. "Choose? I’m the storm, Rhea—her cage breaks for you." But her fear burned—Error Rift, in me? He gripped the shard, its song jagged, pulse colder—glitchy, whispering: Blood chooses... A memory stirred—Vex’s cry: Rift’s end! He smirked into the dusk, gold molten. "End or cage—I’m the blade."

By night, the empire stood mightier—keeps soaring, gold heavy, lands vast, resources endless. Kael leaned on the ramparts, shard glowing, her truth heavy—dozens gone, Rhea’s fear heavier. The Colossus pulsed—jagged, shadow flickering, subjects chanting below. The east was silent—her game deepened. He spun the blade, gold veins flaring. "Cage or crown—I’m the storm breaking free."