Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 167: The Stronghold’s Drones

Chapter 167: The Stronghold’s Drones

Noon’s relentless sun scorched a fortified Nexus remnant base, a sprawling desert stronghold south of the western valley, its steel walls and rune-etched turrets shimmering with faint golden veins. Kael El led his team—Drayce, Rhea, Veyna, Vren, Sira, Jory, and ten militia and Dusk Enclave hunters—in a preemptive strike, breaching the outer defenses to dismantle the remnant’s operations. Stormforged Blade blazed in his grip, shard-pommel roaring, its hum a defiant pulse against the desert’s oppressive heat. EX: Dragonflame Reaver burned at his hip, Stormhide Armor dusted with sand, Lyra’s fierce spirit and Rhea’s gentle love fueling his resolve. His flirty smirk was absent, replaced by a steely focus, masking a surging alertness—a swarm of corrupted rune-enhanced battle drones, sleek and spiked, poured from the stronghold’s gates, led by a remnant warlord in red-rune armor wielding a dual-bladed axe. He brushed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins flaring through the sand, molten and fierce, amplifying his team’s reflexes.

The stronghold erupted in chaos—drones, their red-rune cores glowing, swooped with mechanical precision, firing plasma bolts and slashing with bladed wings, while the warlord’s axe unleashed shockwaves of corrupted energy. Kael’s team, a mix of Kin, survivors, and enclave, wielded Thora’s rune-etched weapons, their training under Drayce battle-ready. The base held Nexus tech and plans, critical to ending the remnant, but the drones and warlord defended it. The conflict was physical and strategic—destroy the drones, defeat the warlord, and purify the corrupted runes to seize the stronghold. Jory’s courage and leadership, forged in the militia, made him key to rallying the team under pressure, his resolve a rallying cry. Blood hunts. Kael’s blood stirred, heavy with a new truth: Devourer, you are the valley’s charge. The shard blazed—vision: the stronghold, drones shattered, runes purified, unity forged: Devourer, your blood binds us. His blood roared, the sand trembling—binds? Jory blocked a drone’s wing with his spear, voice steady. "Lord, they’re fast—my squad’s holding, but we need you!" His eyes burned—courage fierce.

Kael’s voice was fierce, blade slashing a drone’s core. "Need? I’m the storm, Jory—lead ’em!" But the warlord’s axe unnerved him—Vara, what’s their endgame? Rhea’s flames flared, torching a drone, her voice steady. "Love, they’re fierce—Jory’s our heart!" Her trust glowed—Level Up: Flame Precision, Enhanced Core Burn.

Veyna’s wolves, Grim and Shade, tackled a drone, her bow loosing rune-tipped arrows, voice calm. "Kael, wolves smell steel—warlord’s the key!" Her trust held—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Speed, Enhanced Multi-Shot. Vren dodged a bolt, his red shard flaring, voice strained. "Key? These runes—Nexus warped flight, like my crew’s traps. I’ll purify ’em, Kael—cover me!" His hands carved counter-runes—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Swarm Disruption.

Drayce’s glaive smashed a drone’s frame, voice gruff. "Cover? Militia’s 3,700—Sira, flank!" His rune-glaive flashed—Level Up: Rune-Glaive Power, Enhanced Core Cleave. Sira’s spear pierced a drone’s core, voice sharp. "Kael, my hunters know drones—Jory’s right!" Her scar gleamed—Level Up: Enclave Spear Accuracy, Enhanced Drone Counter.

Kael’s jaw clenched, shard blazing—vision: the stronghold, warlord down, Jory rallying, runes pure. He roared, "Militia, enclave—left flank, drones! Veyna, pin ’em! Sira, guard Vren! Rhea, Drayce, Jory, with me!" His blood surged, EX: Dragonflame Reaver igniting—flames roared, melting a drone swarm, leveling his mastery of EX: Vitality Reaper to heal team wounds—Level Up: EX: Vitality Reaper Potency, Enhanced Group Recovery.

The battle raged, Kael charging the warlord, Stormforged Blade clashing with his axe, sparks flying as pure runes met corrupted ones. EX: Gold Dominion pulsed, golden veins cracking the sand, boosting his strength—Level Up: EX: Gold Dominion Strength, Enhanced Power Surge. He blocked a shockwave, flames searing the warlord’s armor, voice fierce. "Nexus falls—valley’s mine!" A drone’s bolt grazed his chest, pain flaring, but EX: Vitality Reaper mended it, his blood roaring.

Jory led the militia, his spear thrusting, voice booming, "Squad, hold tight—valley’s one!" His leadership shone, courage unwavering—Level Up: Militia Leadership, Enhanced Rally Cry. "Lord, we’re yours!" His spear pierced a drone’s core, rallying recruits—Level Up: Militia Spear Precision, Enhanced Core Strikes. The militia formed a tight line, their rune-spears felling drones.

Rhea fought beside Kael, her flames engulfing drones, her love anchoring him—Level Up: Flame Range, Enhanced Fire Barrage. "Kael, love, hit the warlord’s rune!" Her fire shielded the team, her presence rallying—Level Up: Fire Aura, Enhanced Team Fortitude. Her trust in Jory burned, steadying his resolve.

Veyna’s wolves tore at a drone’s wings, her arrows piercing the warlord’s armor, rune-enhanced precision lethal—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Power, Enhanced Armor Shots. Grim and Shade flanked, snarling, Veyna’s voice steady. "Kael, chest rune—strike there!" Her leadership shone—Level Up: Wolf Command, Enhanced Pack Assault. She loosed an arrow, cracking the warlord’s rune, her trust in Jory sharpening her aim.

Drayce led the hunters, his glaive slashing drones, his voice booming, "V formation—hunters, sweep right!" His leadership burned—Level Up: Militia Strategic Command, Enhanced Flank Coordination. "Sira, hit their cores!" His orders unified the team—Level Up: Battle Synergy, Enhanced Team Flow. Sira’s spear jabbed a drone’s core, her voice sharp, "Valley’s ours!"—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Core Penetration.

Vren knelt behind cover, his red shard blazing, counter-runes glowing, disrupting the drones’ corrupted flight runes. His redemption drove him—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Area Neutralization. "Kael, drones faltering—warlord’s next!" His voice was raw, runes flaring, drones crashing, their runes dimming—I’m valley.

The team converged on the warlord, his axe swinging, drones dwindling. Kael charged, Stormforged Blade slashing the chest rune, pure runes shattering corrupted metal—Level Up: Stormforged Blade Impact, Enhanced Rune Cleave. Rhea’s flames weakened his armor, Veyna’s arrow pierced his rune, Drayce’s glaive slashed his arm, Jory’s spear pinned his leg, Sira’s spear jabbed his side. Vren’s runes flared, a final pulse purifying the warlord’s rune, its glow fading—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Master Neutralization.

Kael leaped, Stormforged Blade driving into the warlord’s chest, flames from EX: Dragonflame Reaver exploding, shattering his rune—Level Up: EX: Dragonflame Reaver Force, Enhanced Rune Blast. The warlord collapsed, drones deactivating, the stronghold’s core revealing Nexus tech and maps. The desert quieted, the team panting, bloodied but victorious. Kael’s chest ached, but EX: Vitality Reaper healed it, his blood calming.

Jory approached, spear high, offering a militia rune-etched medallion, iron and bone. "Lord, for you—not squad, but kin. I led, valley won." His voice was raw—Jory’s heart. Kael hung it beside Sira’s amulet, blood stirring—Vara, we’re advancing. "Kin? Jory, you’re our fire. Rally us." His trust burned—new bond.

Rhea stepped forward, flames dimming, her hand on Kael’s. "Rally? You’re gold, love—Jory, Sira, all of you. Valley’s one." Her love burned—trust glowed.

Drayce’s grin was wide, glaive bloodied. "One? Militia’s 3,800—Kin, survivors, enclave fire. Kael, you’re the storm!" His trust glowed—Drayce’s fire.

Veyna’s wolves licked wounds, her voice calm. "Storm? Wolves see Jory—valley’s pack, Kael’s wise. Maps are ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

Vren’s voice was steady, runes dim. "Ours? Runes are clean—valley’s safe, Kael’s charge." His trust glowed—hope held.

Sira’s voice was firm, spear lowered. "Safe? Kael, Jory—valley’s strong. Tech’s ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

The stronghold glowed, golden veins strong, the team rallying. Kael faced the core, blade raised, voice a rough hum. "Valley’s ours—drones gone, bases next. Speak."

Rhea’s voice was soft. "You’ve bound us, Kael—Jory’s fire, Vren’s runes, we’re stronger. Lead on." Her hand tightened—love held.

Jory’s voice was steady, medallion gone but heart full. "Stronger? You’re my kin, Kael—valley’s one. I’m yours." His hope glowed—trust burned.

The valley’s edge stood firm, golden veins pulsing, the maps beckoning—Kael’s empire kindled anew, its heart forged in a stronghold’s drones.