LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Chapter 300: Fall

The trembling began subtly at first, a slight quiver that rippled through the massive creature's body. Some of the soldiers barely noticed it, still reeling from the deafening roars they had just heard. But the tremor grew stronger by the second, escalating into a violent shudder that made the soldiers grip the feathers beneath them as if their lives depended on it.

"What the hell is happening now?!" Harlin shouted, his voice breaking through the chaos.

"It's worse than before!" Reva screamed, clutching a feather so tightly her knuckles turned white. "What's it doing?!"

The beast let out another low, guttural growl, the sound vibrating through its massive frame. The soldiers felt the reverberations in their bones, a constant reminder of how small and powerless they were atop such a colossal creature.

"It's shaking too much!" Tova yelled, her voice cracking with fear. She leaned down, trying to secure herself against the shifting mass. "We're going to fall!"

"Don't let go!" Kell bellowed, his face pale. He was sprawled flat against the feathers, his arms stretched wide to hold onto anything he could find. "Just hold on!"

The tremors became erratic now, the beast twisting and jerking as though something enormous was attacking it. The soldiers were thrown about like leaves in a storm, their screams mingling with the beast's own cries.

"I can't hold on!" Reva wailed, her fingers slipping from the feather she was gripping.

Your next read awaits at ???

"You have to!" Harlin yelled, crawling toward her with agonizing slowness, his body trembling with every jolt. "Don't you dare let go!"

The beast let out another thunderous roar, its voice filled with rage and pain. The sound was so loud it felt as if the entire world shook with it.

"What's attacking it?" Tova cried, her eyes wide with terror.

"I don't know!" Kell shouted back, his voice barely audible over the cacophony. "And I don't want to find out!"

Suddenly, the beast jerked to the side, almost tilting completely. The soldiers screamed as they slid across its back, scrambling for purchase.

"I'm slipping!" Reva shrieked, her body sliding toward the edge.

Harlin lunged forward, grabbing her arm just in time. "I've got you!" he panted, his grip barely holding. "Don't let go!"

The trembling intensified, each movement more violent than the last. The soldiers clung desperately to the beast, their hearts pounding in their chests. The air was thick with the sounds of their panicked cries and the beast's furious roars.

"It's like it's fighting something," Kell muttered, his face drenched in sweat.

"No kidding!" Harlin snapped, his voice trembling. "What gave it away? The shaking or the roaring?"

Tova, her face pale and drawn, turned to Lyerin. "Lyerin! What do we do?" she demanded, her voice edged with desperation.

But Lyerin didn't answer. He was crouched low, his eyes fixed ahead, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Another roar echoed through the air, deeper and more menacing than the beast's. It was distant but unmistakably powerful, a sound that sent a shiver down the soldiers' spines.

"What was that?!" Reva whispered, her voice barely audible.

"It's... another one," Kell said, his voice shaking.

"Another what?" Harlin demanded, his eyes wild.

"Another monster!" Tova screamed, her voice breaking.

The beast beneath them let out a ferocious roar in response, its entire body vibrating with the force of its cry. The soldiers were thrown about again, their screams filling the air.

"We're going to die!" Reva cried, tears streaming down her face.

"No, we're not!" Harlin shouted, though his voice betrayed his own fear.

The trembling grew worse, each jolt threatening to send the soldiers flying. The beast twisted and turned, its wings flapping furiously as it battled the unseen enemy.

"I can't take this!" Tova sobbed, her face buried in the feathers.

"None of us can!" Kell snapped, his voice tinged with hysteria.

The roars of the two monsters grew louder, each one more deafening than the last. The sound seemed to shake the very sky, the sheer force of it making the soldiers' ears ring.

"What's happening?!" Reva screamed, her voice barely audible over the chaos.

"It's fighting!" Lyerin said suddenly, his voice calm and firm despite the chaos.

"What?!" Harlin shouted, his face a mask of confusion.

"It's fighting something," Lyerin repeated, his eyes narrowing.

The beast roared again, the sound filled with raw power. The soldiers clung to it desperately, their hearts pounding as the fight raged on.

Minutes felt like hours as the trembling continued, the beast twisting and turning in its desperate battle. The soldiers could only hold on and pray, their screams mingling with the monstrous roars.

And then, just as suddenly as it had started, the trembling began to subside. The beast let out one final roar, a triumphant sound that echoed through the sky.

The soldiers were left trembling themselves, their bodies bruised and battered from the ordeal.

"Is... is it over?" Reva whispered, her voice shaky.

The beast beneath them steadied, its massive body no longer jerking and twisting.

Lyerin smirked, his gaze still focused ahead. "It's over," he said quietly.

The calm didn't last long.

The beast beneath them, still trembling slightly from its previous encounter, suddenly let out a low rumble. It started as a faint growl that vibrated through its body and then grew into a louder, more ominous sound.

"Please tell me that's just it breathing," Harlin muttered, gripping tightly to the feathers beneath him.

"Something tells me it's not," Tova said, her voice tinged with fear.

The air grew tense, the atmosphere heavy with an unnatural pressure. Before anyone could react, the beast jerked to the side again, harder this time, nearly tossing several soldiers off its back.

"It's happening again!" Reva cried, clutching desperately to the nearest feather.

The beast tilted sharply, its wings flapping furiously to stabilize itself. A roar—this one louder and more guttural than before—echoed through the sky, not from their beast but from something else.

"There's another one!" Kell shouted, his eyes wide with terror.

"No way! It just finished fighting!" Harlin exclaimed, his voice cracking.

"It doesn't matter!" Reva screamed. "We're still on it!"

The soldiers scrambled to secure themselves as the beast bucked and twisted violently. The sky seemed to darken, shadows cast by the sheer size of the two massive creatures squaring off.

"Hold on!" Lyerin shouted over the chaos, his voice cutting through the panic. "Do not let go, no matter what!"

The soldiers cried out in unison as the beast dropped suddenly, plummeting a short distance before catching itself. The wind whipped around them, making it nearly impossible to see clearly, but the outline of another colossal figure became visible through the haze.

"It's bigger!" Tova screamed, her voice barely audible over the roaring wind.

"It can't be bigger!" Harlin shouted back, his voice trembling.

But it was. The approaching monster was massive, its wings stretching wide and darkening the sky like an enormous storm cloud. Its body glistened with what looked like molten rock, and its eyes glowed an eerie crimson, locking onto their beast with predatory intent.

"Is that... lava?!" Reva shrieked, pointing at the creature's skin.

"It's not lava," Lyerin said sharply. "It's something worse. Don't let it touch you, or you'll burn alive."

The soldiers paled at his words, their grips tightening as their beast roared in defiance.

"What do we do?!" Kell shouted, his voice filled with desperation.

"Stay low, hold tight, and pray it doesn't come for us," Lyerin barked.

The two beasts collided midair, the impact creating a shockwave that nearly sent the soldiers flying. The sound of their clash was deafening, a mix of roaring, snapping, and the sickening crunch of flesh and bone.

"We're going to die!" Reva screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"No, you're not!" Lyerin snapped, his voice cutting through her hysteria. "Not if you listen to me!"

The soldiers tried to follow his orders, but the violent movements of the beast beneath them made it nearly impossible. The creature twisted and turned, diving and ascending as it fought its opponent.

The molten-skinned monster let out a horrific screech, its wings slicing through the air as it lunged at their beast. Claws like molten daggers scraped against the feathers, narrowly missing the soldiers.

"Duck!" Lyerin shouted, pulling Lucas down just in time as a massive talon swiped overhead.

"This is insane!" Harlin shouted, his voice cracking. "How are we supposed to survive this?!"

"You will survive," Lyerin growled. "Because I said so."

The beast they were riding roared in fury, flapping its wings to create distance from its opponent. It circled, its movements sharp and calculated, waiting for an opening.

"It's thinking," Tova muttered, her voice filled with awe despite the chaos. "It's actually strategizing."

"That's great and all," Kell said, his voice trembling, "but what happens if it loses?"

"Then we die," Lyerin said bluntly.

The soldiers froze, their panic momentarily replaced by stunned silence.

"Not helping, Lyerin!" Harlin snapped, his grip tightening on a feather.

The molten beast let out another screech, lunging forward with terrifying speed. Their beast countered, ramming its massive head into its opponent's chest. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, and the soldiers screamed as they were jolted violently.

"Hang on!" Lyerin shouted, his voice carrying above the chaos.

The two creatures clawed and bit at each other, their movements so fast and brutal that the soldiers could barely comprehend what was happening. Blood—thick and dark—spattered across the sky, raining down on the soldiers and staining their clothes.

"Is that... its blood?!" Reva cried, wiping at her face in horror.

"Focus!" Lyerin barked. "Don't worry about the blood! Just stay alive!"

The molten beast screeched again, its claws sinking into their beast's side. The soldiers screamed as the creature shuddered beneath them, nearly throwing them off.

"It's too strong!" Harlin yelled, his voice filled with despair.

"No, it's not," Lyerin said firmly, his eyes blazing with determination. "Our beast will win. Trust me."

The soldiers didn't have a choice. They clung to the feathers, their hearts pounding as the fight raged on.

Their beast roared, twisting sharply to throw off its opponent. The movement was so violent that several soldiers nearly lost their grip, their screams echoing through the sky.

"Hold on!" Lyerin shouted, his voice unyielding.

The molten beast lunged again, its jaws snapping mere feet from the soldiers. Their beast retaliated, slamming its massive tail into its opponent with a force that shook the air.

"Yes!" Harlin shouted, his voice filled with hope. "It's winning!"

"Don't get cocky," Lyerin warned. "It's not over yet."

The battle continued, each clash more brutal than the last. The soldiers could do nothing but hold on and hope, their screams and prayers lost in the chaos.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the molten beast let out a final, pitiful screech. Their beast roared in triumph, its massive wings beating the air as it drove its opponent away.

The soldiers were left trembling, their bodies bruised and battered from the ordeal.

"Is... is it over?" Reva whispered, her voice shaky.

Their beast steadied itself, its body no longer trembling with the force of the fight.

Lyerin smirked, his gaze still fixed on the horizon. "I hope," he said quietly.