Cosmic Lord: The Error Awakens
Chapter 180

Chapter 180: Chapter 180

Starlight’s fractured glow pierced the starveil’s core, a chaotic nexus of swirling rune-etched asteroids and golden-veined conduits orbiting a pulsating Nexus core, a massive crystalline structure radiating an ominous hum. Kael El led his team—Drayce, Rhea, Veyna, Vren, Sira, Jory, and twenty-three militia and Dusk Enclave hunters—through the asteroid field aboard a salvaged Nexus shuttle, guided by the warship’s coordinates to destroy the Nexus core powering the remnant armada. Stormforged Blade blazed in his grip, shard-pommel roaring, its hum a defiant pulse against the core’s oppressive energy. EX: Dragonflame Reaver burned at his hip, Stormhide Armor scarred with cosmic grit, 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 core’s defenses activated, unleashing corrupted rune-enhanced wraiths, spectral constructs with red-rune cores and void tendrils, led by a Nexus hierarch in rune-forged exosuit wielding a scepter of chaotic stellar energy. He brushed EX: Gold Dominion, golden veins flaring through the asteroids, molten and fierce, amplifying his team’s resilience.

The nexus erupted in chaos—wraiths slithered through the void, their void tendrils lashing with ethereal precision, while their rune-cores fired red energy pulses that shattered asteroids. The hierarch’s scepter unleashed chaotic stellar waves, warping space to disorient the team. Kael’s team, a mix of Kin, survivors, and enclave, wielded Thora’s rune-etched weapons, their unity forged through battles. The core was the armada’s heart, and destroying it was critical to stopping the Nexus remnant. The conflict was physical and strategic—banish the wraiths, neutralize the hierarch’s scepter, and purify the corrupted runes to shatter the core. Jory’s courage and militia loyalty, forged through valley and cosmic battles, made him key to rallying the team in the alien void, his resolve a unifying force. Blood hunts. Kael’s blood stirred, heavy with a new truth: Devourer, you are the valley’s flame. The shard blazed—vision: the nexus, wraiths dispelled, runes purified, unity forged: Devourer, your blood binds us. His blood roared, the asteroids trembling—binds? Jory blocked a tendril with his spear, voice steady. "Lord, they’re ghosts—my squad’s holding, but you’re the storm!" His eyes burned—courage fierce.

Kael’s voice was fierce, blade slashing a wraith’s core. "Storm? I’m the fire, Jory—rally ’em!" But the hierarch’s waves unnerved him—Vara, what fuels this core? Rhea’s flames flared, torching a wraith, her voice steady. "Love, they’re relentless—Jory’s our heart!" Her trust glowed—Level Up: Flame Intensity, Enhanced Core Scorch.

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

Drayce’s glaive smashed a wraith’s form, voice gruff. "Cover? Militia’s 4,800—Sira, flank!" His rune-glaive flashed—Level Up: Rune-Glaive Force, Enhanced Void Cleave. Sira’s spear pierced a wraith’s core, voice sharp. "Kael, my hunters know specters—Jory’s right!" Her scar gleamed—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Core Pierce.

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

The battle raged, Kael charging the hierarch, Stormforged Blade clashing with his scepter’s chaotic field, sparks flying as pure runes met corrupted ones. EX: Gold Dominion pulsed, golden veins cracking the asteroids, boosting his endurance—Level Up: EX: Gold Dominion Endurance, Enhanced Stamina Surge. He shattered a field, flames searing the hierarch’s exosuit, voice fierce. "Nexus falls—valley’s mine!" A chaotic wave grazed his chest, pain flaring, but EX: Vitality Reaper mended it, his blood roaring.

Jory took point, 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 wraith’s core, rallying recruits—Level Up: Militia Spear Precision, Enhanced Core Strikes. The militia formed a tight line, their rune-spears felling wraiths.

Rhea fought beside Kael, her flames engulfing wraiths, her love anchoring him—Level Up: Flame Range, Enhanced Fire Barrage. "Kael, love, hit the scepter’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 wraith’s form, her arrows piercing the hierarch’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 hierarch’s rune, her trust in Jory sharpening her aim.

Drayce led the hunters, his glaive slashing wraiths, 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 wraith’s core, her voice sharp, "Valley’s ours!"—Level Up: Enclave Spear Power, Enhanced Core Penetration.

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

The team converged on the hierarch, his scepter summoning chaotic waves, wraiths dwindling. Kael charged, Stormforged Blade slashing the scepter’s rune, pure runes shattering corrupted metal—Level Up: Stormforged Blade Impact, Enhanced Rune Cleave. Rhea’s flames weakened his exosuit, 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 scepter, its glow fading—Level Up: First Code Rune Control, Master Core Hack.

Kael leaped, Stormforged Blade driving into the hierarch’s chest, flames from EX: Dragonflame Reaver exploding, shattering his rune—Level Up: EX: Dragonflame Reaver Force, Enhanced Rune Blast. The hierarch collapsed, wraiths dissipating, the Nexus core fracturing to reveal armada schematics and a final truth: a Nexus progenitor beyond the starveil. The nexus quieted, starlight glowing softly, 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 rune-etched band, iron and crystal. "Lord, for you—not squad, but kin. I led, valley won." His voice was raw—Jory’s heart. Kael slipped it beside Sira’s pendant, blood stirring—Vara, a progenitor? "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, Vren, all of you. Valley’s one." Her love burned—trust glowed.

Drayce’s grin was wide, glaive bloodied. "One? Militia’s 4,900—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. Schematics are ours." Her trust glowed—hope held.

Sira’s voice was firm, spear lowered. "Ours? Kael, Jory—valley’s strong. Core’s gone." Her trust glowed—hope held.

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

The nexus glowed, golden veins strong, the team rallying. Kael faced the shattered core, blade raised, voice a rough hum. "Valley’s ours—wraiths gone, progenitor 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, band 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 progenitor beckoning—Kael’s empire kindled anew, its heart forged in a nexus core.