Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 103: The Devourer’s Trial

Chapter 103: The Devourer’s Trial

The ninety-seventh dawn cast a jagged golden haze over Kael El’s Ashen Empire, the continental dominion—a sprawling colossus—shuddering under an unseen pulse. The capital’s skyline shimmered—bone steel keeps dwarfed by the Golden Colossus, its hundred-meter frame a radiant bastion, core pulsing a volatile violet-gold that cast glitching shadows across the plaza. Kael stood in the war room, Stormforged Blade across the table, shard-pommel screaming like a chained beast. EX: Dragonflame Reaver glowed at his hip, Stormhide Armor scorched and dented, the lieutenant’s beams and Lyra’s chaos burning in his grazed shoulder. His flirty smirk flickered, a cool dominance veiling a churning dread—the Empress’s voice, the "Error Rift," and Rhea’s desperate plea clawed deeper 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 97. Her cage tightens—my blood answers. His dark eyes gleamed, pride a blazing inferno despite the ache—dozens lost, the lieutenant’s truth, the Colossus’s glacial pulse gnawed at his core. 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, shoulder stinging. Defy? I break.

Day 97: 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 lieutenant’s words burned: You break it, or seal it—Devourer’s choice. He rubbed his shoulder, pain flaring—the rift’s shadow loomed, tied to the Colossus’s glitching pulse. Blood chooses. The shard jolted—vision: the Empress, rift pulsing, gold veins shattering, her voice cold: "Devourer, face your blood—trial awaits." His blood surged, the room trembling—trial? Thora burst in, hammer slung, gold dust thick. "Lord! Core’s spiking—rift’s spawning east, 1,200 kilometers, Nexus shades, violet-gold. Her voice hums through ’em—your blood’s pulling it."

Kael’s grin sharpened, blade in hand. "My blood? Let’s test it." He turned to Drayce, glaive against the wall, eyes fierce but worn. "Elite—5,000, gold-clad. Hit fast, clear the shades—trial’s mine."

Drayce nodded, grip tightening. "Fast’s good—dozens gone last fight, we’re gold but raw. Shades sound like her—don’t let ’em linger." His voice held a brother’s fire, trust iron—her voice had steeled him.

Veyna slipped in, bow taut, wolves snarling. "Wolves smell ’em—Nexus shades, no flesh, just energy. Her voice drives ’em—east’s silent otherwise." Her hunter’s edge burned, but her eyes flicked to Kael’s shoulder—Rhea’s fear mirrored.

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 trial." Her calm wavered, eyes on Kael’s scorched armor—raw, red—then the east. "Shades—her test?"

Kael winked, masking a wince. "Test? I’m the storm—clear ’em, face her." He strode out, shard screaming, the Colossus’s pulse rippling—colder, glitch flickering. Her trial—like Rhea’s eyes. "East, 1,200 kilometers—light force."

The eastern plain crackled, air heavy as shades emerged—hundreds, violet-gold, Nexus energy swirling, formless but sharp, blades of light pulsing. No flesh, just glitching shadows, her voice humming: Devourer, prove. Kael laughed, blade raised. "Her ghosts? Let’s banish ’em."

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 shades, energy scattering, blades dissolving. Veyna’s wolves flanked, frost fangs snapping at pulses, her arrows piercing cores—shades fading, light dimming. Thora’s turrets fired—golden bolts shredding dozens, earth trembling.

Bone golems rose, EX: Bone Dominion summoning a handful, crushing shades, claws splintering energy. A shade slashed, beam lashing—dozens caught, armor sizzling, screams fading. Kael dodged, shoulder burning—damn rift. EX: Volcanic Tsunami roared, fire melting dozens, energy sizzling. A shade struck, beam grazing Kael’s arm—pain flared, blood humming. He thrust the Stormforged Blade, shard screaming, EX: Gold Dominion flaring—gold veins bound the core, EX: Vitality Reaper draining energy—shades collapsed, ash swirling.

Dragons dove, fire and ice raining, shades vaporized. Elys’s lightning cracked, frying cores—her shout fierce: "Kael, it’s her Nexus—your blood’s louder!" Rhea torched shades, flames steady, but her eyes flicked to Kael—yesterday’s burns haunting. Lyra—his Lyra—blasted violet chaos, her wink strained: "Pass it, lover—her trial’s weak!" The shades died, but the shard screamed—vision: a glitching void, Kael’s blood pulsing, the Empress’s voice: Devourer, your flaw—consume or seal. His blood roared, pain spiking—flaw or key?

Kael felt power surge, blood roaring—leveled up. He sheathed the blade, chest heaving, scanning for Rhea—she stood, steady, burns faint but eyes fierce. "You’re reckless," she said, voice raw—fear, not anger. He nodded, jaw tight. "Losses?"

Drayce approached, glaive clean. "Light—dozens, not hundreds. Shades’ energy was brittle—east’s clear." His voice held relief, eyes on Rhea—crew’s bond tighter.

Veyna tossed Kael a violet-gold shard—shade 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 trial spreads." Her eyes flicked to Kael’s arm—raw, bleeding—then Rhea, burns faint.

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 breaking you."

Kael’s smirk faltered, pulling her close. "Breaking? I’m gold, Rhea—her trial’s mine to break." But the chill deepened—her voice, my blood. He turned to the crew, voice a rough drawl. "Shades’ ash, her trial’s real—Empress’s game. Thoughts?"

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

Lyra—his Lyra—grinned, violet flickering. "Why? You’re the blade, lover—her trial 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. Trial’s gone—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, your flaw consumes. He blinked back, pulse icy—consume or seal? "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 trial tests, 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 trial—let it lie." Her voice shook—losses echoed.

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

Kael laughed, rough and warm, blade spinning. "Break? I dance—her trial’s mine." But Rhea’s tremble burned—Error Rift, in me? He turned to the shade core, locked with the others—Your flaw consumes. "Thora, dig deeper—Lena, trace her—Veyna, eyes out—Drayce, rest ’em."

The day waned, forges thundering as keeps rose—strongholds climbing, gold flowing, resources endless. Kael paced the plaza, shard humming, her trial heavy—Devourer, consume. 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 trial 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 trial breaks for you." But her fear burned—Error Rift, in me? He gripped the shard, its song jagged, pulse colder—glitchy, whispering: Blood consumes... A memory stirred—Vex’s cry: Rift’s end! He smirked into the dusk, gold molten. "End or trial—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 trial 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. "Trial or crown—I’m the storm breaking free."

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