Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 179

Chapter 179: Chapter 179

Starlight’s icy sheen illuminated a Nexus remnant vanguard, a sleek warship adrift within the starveil rift, a shimmering cosmic tear where rune-etched panels and golden-veined conduits pulsed with an erratic hum. Kael El led his team—Drayce, Rhea, Veyna, Vren, Sira, Jory, and twenty-two militia and Dusk Enclave hunters—through the warship’s breached hangar, guided by the probe’s logs to sabotage a Nexus relay fueling the remnant armada. Stormforged Blade blazed in his grip, shard-pommel roaring, its hum a defiant pulse against the rift’s disorienting hum. EX: Dragonflame Reaver burned at his hip, Stormhide Armor flecked with cosmic dust, 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—the warship’s defenses activated, unleashing corrupted rune-enhanced sentries, agile constructs with red-rune cores and plasma claws, led by a Nexus vanguard in rune-forged armor wielding a halberd of volatile stellar energy. He brushed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins flaring through the hull, molten and fierce, amplifying his team’s agility.

The warship erupted in chaos—sentries darted through corridors, their plasma claws slashing with lethal precision, while their rune-cores fired red energy blasts that scorched the walls. The vanguard’s halberd unleashed stellar arcs, distorting gravity to unsteady the team. Kael’s team, a mix of Kin, survivors, and enclave, wielded Thora’s rune-etched weapons, their unity forged through battles. The relay powered the armada’s coordination, critical to halting their advance, but the sentries and vanguard guarded it. The conflict was physical and strategic—destroy the sentries, neutralize the vanguard’s halberd, and purify the corrupted runes to disable the relay. Sira’s tactical instincts, honed through enclave loyalty and valley battles, made her key to navigating the warship’s maze, her precision a guiding force. Blood hunts. Kael’s blood stirred, heavy with a new truth: Devourer, you are the valley’s spear. The shard blazed—vision: the warship, sentries shattered, runes purified, unity forged: Devourer, your blood binds us. His blood roared, the hull trembling—binds? Sira deflected a blast with her spear, voice sharp. "Kael, their paths—enclave tracks! Vren, break those runes!" Her scar gleamed—loyalty fierce.

Kael’s voice was fierce, blade slashing a sentry’s core. "Break? I’m the storm, Sira—guide us!" But the vanguard’s arcs unnerved him—Vara, what drives this armada? Rhea’s flames flared, torching a sentry, her voice steady. "Love, they’re swift—Sira’s our vision!" Her trust glowed—Level Up: Flame Precision, Enhanced Core Scorch.

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

Drayce’s glaive smashed a sentry’s frame, voice gruff. "Cover? Militia’s 4,700—Jory, flank!" His rune-glaive flashed—Level Up: Rune-Glaive Force, Enhanced Core Cleave. Jory’s spear pierced a sentry’s core, voice steady. "Lord, I’m gold—valley’s one!" His courage surged—Level Up: Militia Spear Accuracy, Enhanced Core Thrusts.

Kael’s jaw clenched, shard blazing—vision: the warship, vanguard down, Sira leading, runes pure. He roared, "Militia, enclave—right flank, sentries! Veyna, pin ’em! Sira, take point! Rhea, Drayce, Jory, with me!" His blood surged, EX: Dragonflame Reaver igniting—flames roared, melting a sentry 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 vanguard, Stormforged Blade clashing with his halberd’s stellar field, sparks flying as pure runes met corrupted ones. EX: Gold Dominion pulsed, golden veins cracking the hull, boosting his strength—Level Up: EX: Gold Dominion Strength, Enhanced Impact Surge. He shattered a field, flames searing the vanguard’s armor, voice fierce. "Nexus fades—valley’s mine!" A stellar arc grazed his leg, pain flaring, but EX: Vitality Reaper mended it, his blood roaring.

Sira took point, her spear deflecting blasts, guiding the team through the warship’s twisting corridors. Her instincts shone, voice sharp, "Kael, left passage—relay’s there!" Her leadership solidified—Level Up: Enclave Strategic Command, Enhanced Pathfinding. The hunters followed, their rune-spears banishing sentries, trust in Sira binding them—Level Up: Enclave Team Coordination, Enhanced Strike Sync. "Valley’s home!" Sira shouted, her loyalty a beacon.

Rhea fought beside Kael, her flames engulfing sentries, her love anchoring him—Level Up: Flame Range, Enhanced Fire Barrage. "Kael, love, hit the halberd’s rune!" Her fire shielded the team, her presence rallying—Level Up: Fire Aura, Enhanced Team Resilience. Her trust in Sira burned, steadying her aim.

Veyna’s wolves tore at a sentry’s frame, her arrows piercing the vanguard’s field, rune-enhanced precision lethal—Level Up: Rune-Arrow Power, Enhanced Field Shots. Grim and Shade flanked, snarling, Veyna’s voice steady. "Kael, core rune—strike there!" Her leadership shone—Level Up: Wolf Command, Enhanced Pack Assault. She loosed an arrow, cracking the vanguard’s rune, her trust in Sira sharpening her aim.

Drayce led the militia, his glaive slashing sentries, his voice booming, "V formation—hunters, sweep left!" His leadership burned—Level Up: Militia Strategic Command, Enhanced Flank Coordination. "Jory, hit their cores!" His orders unified the team—Level Up: Battle Synergy, Enhanced Team Flow. Jory’s spear jabbed a sentry’s core, his voice rallying, "Valley’s ours!"—Level Up: Militia Spear Rally, Enhanced Squad Courage.

Vren knelt by a rune-console, his red shard blazing, counter-runes glowing, disrupting the sentries’ corrupted relays. His redemption drove him—Level Up: First Code Rune Mastery, Area Neutralization. "Kael, sentries faltering—vanguard’s next!" His voice was raw, runes flaring, blasts stuttering, their runes dimming—I’m valley.

The team converged on the vanguard, his halberd summoning stellar arcs, sentries dwindling. Kael charged, Stormforged Blade slashing the halberd’s 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 neutralizing the halberd, its glow fading—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Master Relay Hack.

Kael leaped, Stormforged Blade driving into the vanguard’s chest, flames from EX: Dragonflame Reaver exploding, shattering his rune—Level Up: EX: Dragonflame Reaver Force, Enhanced Rune Blast. The vanguard collapsed, sentries deactivating, the relay revealing armada coordinates and a cryptic warning: a Nexus nexus awakening in the starveil’s core. The warship quieted, starlight glowing softly, the team panting, bloodied but victorious. Kael’s leg ached, but EX: Vitality Reaper healed it, his blood calming.

Sira approached, spear lowered, offering a rune-etched pendant, bone and steel. "Kael, for you—not hunter, but kin. I led, valley won." Her voice was raw—Sira’s heart. Kael hung it beside Veyna’s claw, blood stirring—Vara, a nexus? "Kin? Sira, you’re our vision. Guide us." His trust burned—new bond.

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

Drayce’s grin was wide, glaive bloodied. "One? Militia’s 4,800—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 Sira—valley’s pack, Kael’s wise. Coordinates are ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

Jory’s spear stood high, voice steady. "Ours? Lord, I’m militia—valley’s one!" His hope burned—trust held.

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

The warship glowed, golden veins strong, the team rallying. Kael faced the relay, blade raised, voice a rough hum. "Valley’s ours—sentries gone, nexus next. Speak."

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

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

The valley’s edge stood firm, golden veins pulsing, the starveil’s core beckoning—Kael’s empire kindled anew, its heart forged in a rift’s vanguard.