Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 107: The Empress’s Gaze

Chapter 107: The Empress’s Gaze

The hundred-and-first dawn draped Kael El’s Ashen Empire in a fractured golden veil, the continental dominion—a sprawling colossus—shuddering under an unseen pulse. The capital’s skyline gleamed—bone steel keeps dwarfed by the Golden Colossus, its hundred-meter frame a radiant titan, core pulsing a volatile violet-gold that cast glitching shadows across the plaza. Kael stood in the Lord’s Estate hall, Stormforged Blade across his lap, shard-pommel screaming like a chained storm. EX: Dragonflame Reaver glowed at his hip, Stormhide Armor scorched and dented, the wraiths’ claws and Lyra’s chaos burning in his grazed arm. His flirty smirk flickered, a cool dominance masking a raw dread—the Empress’s cage, the "Error Rift," and Rhea’s trembling plea clawed deeper at his blood. He flexed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins surging through the stone floor, molten and heavy, answering the shard’s jagged wail.Day 101. Her gaze burns—my blood answers. His dark eyes gleamed, pride a blazing inferno despite the ache—dozens lost, the rift’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 thundered through the hall: "Kael’s reign consumes!" He grinned, jaw tight, arm stinging. Consume? I forge.Day 101: 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 voice burned: Devourer, choose soon. He rubbed his arm, pain flaring—the rift’s shadow loomed, tied to the Colossus’s glitching pulse. Blood chooses. The shard jolted—vision: the Empress, gold-veined armor gleaming, rift pulsing behind her, eyes locking on his. "Devourer, my cage awaits—face me." His blood surged, the hall trembling—face her? Veyna burst in, bow taut, wolves snarling. "Lord! Rift’s spawning—east, 1,200 kilometers, Nexus specters, violet-gold. Her voice hums through ’em—your blood’s pulling it."Kael’s grin sharpened, blade in hand. "Her gaze? I’ll stare back." He turned to Drayce, glaive against the wall, eyes fierce but worn. "Elite—5,000, gold-clad. Clear specters, guard me—I’m meeting her."Drayce nodded, grip tightening. "Guard’s good—dozens gone last fight, we’re gold but raw. Specters sound like her—don’t let ’em linger." His voice held a brother’s fire, trust iron—wraith losses lingered.Veyna’s eyes burned, hunter’s edge sharp. "Wolves smell ’em—Nexus specters, no flesh, pure energy. Her voice drives ’em—east’s silent otherwise." Her glance flicked to Kael’s arm—Rhea’s fear mirrored.Lena unrolled her map, quill steady despite the tension. "Lord, keeps pile higher, gold flows thicker, resources stack endless. Food’s tight—days left. Her voice spreads—subjects fear her gaze." Her calm wavered, eyes on Kael’s scorched armor—raw, red—then the east. "Specters—her eyes?"Kael winked, masking a wince. "Eyes? I’m the storm—clear ’em, face her cage." He strode out, shard screaming, the Colossus’s pulse rippling—colder, glitch flickering. Her gaze—like Rhea’s eyes. "East, 1,200 kilometers—light force."The eastern plain crackled, air heavy as specters emerged—hundreds, violet-gold, Nexus energy swirling, formless but sharp, blades of light pulsing. Beyond them, a rift pulsed—violet-gold, glitching, her voice humming: Devourer, come. Kael laughed, blade raised. "Her shadows? Let’s cut ’em."He charged, EX: Stormwing Prime blurring him toward the rift, thousands following—gold-clad elite gleaming, Colossus’s morale a blazing tide. Drayce’s vanguard struck—glaives slashing specters, energy scattering, blades dissolving. Veyna’s wolves flanked, frost fangs snapping at pulses, her arrows piercing cores—specters fading, light dimming. Thora’s turrets fired—golden bolts shredding dozens, earth trembling.Bone golems rose, EX: Bone Dominion summoning a handful, crushing specters, claws splintering energy. A specter 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 specter struck, blade 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—specters collapsed, ash swirling.Dragons dove, fire and ice raining, specters vaporized. Elys’s lightning cracked, frying cores—her shout fierce: "Kael, it’s her Nexus—your blood’s louder!" Rhea torched specters, flames blazing, but her eyes flicked to Kael—yesterday’s burns haunting. Lyra—his Lyra—blasted violet chaos, her wink strained: "Meet her, lover—her cage’s weak!" The specters died, the rift pulsing—Kael reached it, shard screaming.He gripped the shard, EX: Devourer Blood flaring—gold veins surged into the rift, his blood humming, Nexus energy clashing. The shard jolted—vision: the Empress, standing in a glitching void, rift pulsing, her armor radiant, eyes cold. "Devourer, your blood is my key—seal my cage, or shatter it. Choose, or burn." Her voice cut, the rift trembling—key or flaw? Kael pushed, EX: Gold Dominion binding the rift, veins threading its core—energy surged, a violet-gold pulse ripping through. He staggered, blood humming—stronger, but no leap. The rift stabilized, her form fading, voice lingering: Choose, or I claim.Kael sheathed the blade, chest heaving, rushing to Rhea—she stood, burns faint, eyes fierce but scared. "You’re reckless," she said, voice raw—fear, not anger. He pulled her close, jaw tight. "Losses?"Drayce approached, glaive bloodied. "Light—dozens gone, specters hit soft. Rift’s quiet—east’s clear." His voice held relief, eyes on Rhea—crew’s bond tighter.Veyna tossed Kael a violet-gold shard—specter core, Nexus-charged. "Her spark—strong as wraiths. 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 gaze spreads fear." Her eyes flicked to Kael’s arm—raw, bleeding—then Rhea, burns faint.Kael nodded, wincing—power surging, a titan’s might. 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 cage breaks for me." But the chill deepened—her gaze, my blood. He turned to the crew, voice a rough drawl. "Her gaze burns, rift’s hers—Empress’s game. Thoughts?"Elys sparked, grim but fierce. "You’re a titan, Kael—her cage is poison. Why you?" Her lightning dimmed—losses 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. Rift’s stable—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 wavering, her voice: Devourer, I await. He blinked back, pulse icy—await or claim? "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 gaze falls, 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 specter core, locked with the others—Your blood forges. "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 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 and you can do nothing about it ."