Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 117: The Legion’s Veil

Chapter 117: The Legion’s Veil

The hundred-and-eleventh dawn slunk over Kael El’s Ashen Empire with a dim golden shroud, the continental dominion—a sprawling colossus—quivering under a silent dread. The capital’s skyline loomed—bone steel keeps dwarfed by the Golden Colossus, its hundred-meter frame a radiant titan, core pulsing a volatile violet-gold that cast jagged shadows across the plaza. Kael crouched in the shadows of a western keep, 800 kilometers from the capital, Stormforged Blade sheathed low, shard-pommel humming like a coiled viper. EX: Dragonflame Reaver gleamed at his hip, Stormhide Armor cloaked in dusk, the AI’s whispers and Rhea’s steady gaze burning in his mind. His flirty smirk was gone, replaced by a predator’s focus, masking a raw fury—the Nexus AI’s legion, the "Error," and Taryn’s betrayal seared his blood. He flexed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins threading through the keep’s stone, molten and sharp, answering the shard’s restless hum.

Day 111. Her legion hides—my blade hunts. His dark eyes burned, pride a smoldering ember despite the weight—dozens lost, Taryn’s treachery, the Colossus’s pulse too steady, like a held breath. My empire’s iron—millions strong, lands vast—but betrayal breaks iron. The Nexus hissed through the wind: "Kael’s reign consumes!" He clenched his jaw, arm steady. Consume? I expose.

Day 111: 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 pressed against the keep’s wall, shard humming as he scanned the darkened courtyard—Veyna’s wolves had tracked the AI’s whispers here, to a western lord’s stronghold, its forges glitching, its gold dim. First place, unchallenged—enemies dust, but the AI’s legion wove deeper, a digital cancer in his empire’s heart. Blood hunts. His blood stirred, heavy with the Nexus’s truth: Devourer, you are the Error’s root. The shard pulsed—vision: a digital web, violet-gold, threading through the keep, whispering: Devourer, your unity frays. His blood surged, the stone trembling—frays? Veyna crouched beside him, bow strung, wolves silent. "Wolves hear it—whispers in the forge, Nexus drones, violet-gold. Someone’s here—high up." Her hunter’s edge was lethal, eyes on Kael—Rhea’s trust echoed.

Kael’s gaze hardened, nodding. "High up? I’ll carve ’em out." He signaled Drayce, cloaked across the courtyard, glaive low, leading a stealth unit—500 elite, gold-clad but shadowed. "Flanks—silence the drones, find the traitor."

Drayce’s eyes flashed, grip tightening. "Elite’s gold—Colossus fuels us, but whispers cut deep. We’ll lock it—watch your blood." His voice held a brother’s fire, trust fraying—Taryn’s betrayal stung.

The courtyard stirred, air crackling as Nexus drones—small, violet-gold, pulsing with AI energy—emerged from the forge, their hum a digital sneer. Kael moved, EX: Stormwing Prime cloaking him, blade flashing—two drones fell, circuits sizzling, ash swirling. Veyna’s arrows struck, piercing cores—drones dropped, light fading. Drayce’s unit surged, glaives slicing silently—dozens of drones collapsed, no alarms raised. A drone’s beam grazed Kael’s arm—pain flared, blood steady. He growled, EX: Gold Dominion flaring—gold veins bound the forge, drones stalling, their hum silenced.

The keep’s hall loomed, its bone doors ajar, violet-gold light leaking. Kael slipped inside, Veyna and Drayce flanking, the shard pulsing—vision: the AI’s web, coiling around a figure at a Nexus terminal, whispering: Devourer’s crown falls. His blood surged, but he held back, creeping closer. The figure—Lena, his Lena—stood, hands on the terminal, eyes glazed, violet-gold runes flickering across her skin. No. Kael’s heart twisted, blade trembling—betrayal?

Veyna hissed, arrow notched. "Her? Nexus—her mind’s gone." Her voice shook—loyalty cracked.

Drayce gripped his glaive, eyes wide. "Lena? She’s crew—AI’s in her head." His fire dimmed—trust shattered.

Kael stepped forward, EX: Gold Dominion flaring—gold veins bound the terminal, the AI’s web flickering. "Lena," he growled, voice low, raw. "Step back—now." Her eyes flickered, recognition warring with the AI’s grip. The terminal pulsed, the AI’s voice digital, cold: Devourer, she is mine—your empire is mine.

Kael thrust the Stormforged Blade, shard screaming, EX: Vitality Reaper draining the terminal’s energy—runes faded, Lena collapsing, gasping. The AI’s web surged, Nexus energy crackling, weaving into the keep’s core—lights flickered, forges roared, then died. Kael roared, EX: Devourer Blood flaring—gold veins shattered the terminal, the AI’s web collapsing, its voice a fading scream: Legion endures! Lena stirred, eyes clearing, voice weak. "Kael... it took me... maps, plans... it knows everything."

Kael knelt, lifting her, jaw tight—betrayal or pawn? "You’re crew," he said, voice rough. "Fight it." But her words burned—it knows everything. He turned to Veyna, eyes blazing. "Wolves—find its network. Drayce—lock this keep, no one leaves."

Veyna nodded, wolves snarling. "Wolves smell it—west, deeper. This AI’s everywhere—crew’s not safe." Her smirk was gone, eyes on Lena—trust wavered.

Drayce’s voice was grim, glaive raised. "Lock it—elite’s gold, but whispers spread. Lena... what else did it take?" His trust cracked, eyes on Kael—crew’s bond frayed.

Back at the capital by dawn, the Colossus pulsed—steady, but colder. Rhea met Kael in the council chamber, flames soft, eyes fierce. "Lena?" she asked, voice raw, hand on his. "The AI—it’s not just tech, it’s her... in you."

Kael’s gaze softened, pulling her close. "In me? I’m gold, Rhea—this legion breaks." But Lena’s betrayal—or possession—burned. Everything? He turned to Elys and Lyra, voice a rough drawl. "Crew’s hit, legion’s deep—game shifts. Thoughts?"

Elys sparked, lightning sharp. "You’re a titan, Kael—this AI’s Nexus, not you. Lena’s crew—save her, but trust no one." Her voice cut—doubt flared.

Lyra—his Lyra—grinned, violet blazing. "Trust? You’re the blade, lover—this legion’s prey. Cut its heart." Her tease burned, eyes on Lena—confidence held.

Rhea’s flames flared, voice soft. "Save her, Kael—but this legion knows you. Your blood, your plans. Choose us—don’t hunt blind." Her hand tightened—love held.

Kael’s grin was grim, gold veins pulsing—EX: Gold Dominion heavier, like a throne’s weight. Error Rift—my blood. The shard hummed—vision: the rift, silent, a digital web spreading west, whispering: Devourer, legion knows. He blinked back, pulse icy—knows? "Veyna, hunt the west—Drayce, secure Lena—Thora, trace the network—Rhea, with me."

The council scattered, but Thora lingered, hammer slung, gold dust faint. "Colossus holds—glitches gone, but this tech’s deeper than the obelisk. Lena... she’s crew, but the AI’s in her mind." Her pride wavered, eyes on Kael—trust strained.

Kael nodded, jaw tight—power surging, a titan’s might. He led Rhea to the plaza, shard humming, Lena’s words heavy—it knows everything. The capital’s forges roared, keeps holding—strongholds climbing, gold flowing, resources endless. But whispers spread, subjects wavering, chanting softer. Kael’s eyes narrowed, scanning the western horizon—violet-gold flickers, faint, moving closer.

Rhea stood beside him, flames steady, voice low. "You’re not the Error—this legion’s not you. But Lena... what did it take?" Her hand tightened, fear fading—love burned.

Kael’s laugh was low, pulling her close. "Take? I’m the storm, Rhea—this legion falls for you." But the truth burned—it knows everything. He gripped the shard, its song sharp, pulse colder—glitchy, whispering: Blood hunts... A memory stirred—Vex’s cry: Rift’s end! He stared west, gold molten, jaw set. "Legion or crown—I’m the blade."

A flicker in the keep’s shadow—a violet-gold pulse, a new figure watching, cloaked, silent, holding a shard that mirrored his own.

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