LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Chapter 304: Swarm

The soldiers, now settled atop the colossal tree-like mountain alongside the resting beast, began to unwind.

The strange comfort of the tree, with its glowing spores casting a soft, golden light, and the rhythmic rumbling of the beast's breath, seemed to lull them into an unfamiliar sense of security.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, there was no immediate danger, no tremors of battle or alien terrain threatening their existence.

Some of them stretched out across the wide, bark-like platform beneath them, while others leaned against the beast's massive feathers, which radiated warmth like a living furnace.

As the moments passed, curiosity began to gnaw at the soldiers.

They huddled in small groups, whispering and glancing occasionally at Lyerin, who stood at the edge of the platform, gazing out into the endless skies. His stance was relaxed, but his silence carried the weight of authority.

Reva broke the silence first, nudging Callen. "Should we ask him? About where we're going?"

Callen shook his head. "You ask. Last time I questioned him, he gave me that look—the one that makes you feel two inches tall."

Harlin, sitting cross-legged and inspecting a small glowing spore he had caught earlier, chimed in. "He's been leading us this whole time, and none of us have a clue what his plan is. Don't you think we deserve to know?"

Tova snorted, tossing a chunk of hardened rations into her mouth. "Deserve? After how we all panicked on the beast during the mating thing? I'm surprised he hasn't thrown us off."

Lucas, sitting apart from the group but close enough to hear, glanced over at Lyerin. His gaze was sharp, thoughtful. "We'll never know unless someone asks directly."

Reva sighed, brushing her hair out of her face. "Fine. If no one else will do it, I will." She stood, brushing off her clothes, and approached Lyerin cautiously.

Reva hesitated a moment before speaking. "Lyerin?"

Without turning, Lyerin responded, his voice calm but commanding. "What is it?"

"We've been... traveling for so long now. Through skies, over strange places, riding on this beast. And now we're here, resting on a tree that makes mountains look like pebbles." She gestured vaguely around them. "Can you at least tell us where we're going? What's next?"

Lyerin turned slightly, his piercing gaze making her instinctively step back. His expression wasn't harsh, but it held a firmness that brooked no argument. "You're asking questions beyond your station."

Reva frowned, gathering her courage. "But how are we supposed to follow you blindly? We're risking everything here. Don't we at least deserve to know the destination?"

A faint smirk tugged at Lyerin's lips, though his eyes remained unreadable. "You think knowing the destination will make the journey easier? Tell me, Reva, do you think a soldier's worth is measured by how much they know... or by how well they obey?"

Reva opened her mouth to respond, but Lyerin cut her off, his tone sharp.

"You are not permanent members of my tribe. You are temporary. Borrowed strength for a borrowed purpose. Until you've proven yourself worthy of permanence, you don't need to know anything beyond what I choose to tell you."

Reva returned to the group, her expression a mix of frustration and resignation.

"Well?" Harlin asked eagerly.

"He's not telling us," Reva muttered, sitting down with a huff.

"Of course he isn't," Tova said with a roll of her eyes. "Why did we even think he would?"

"Maybe he doesn't even know," Callen speculated, earning him a sharp glare from Lucas.

"Don't be stupid," Lucas said. "Lyerin always knows what he's doing. If he says we don't need to know, then we don't."

"That doesn't mean we can't be curious!" Harlin argued. "We've trusted him this far, yes, but how much longer are we supposed to follow him blindly?"

"Until he decides otherwise," Lucas replied firmly.

Harlin, emboldened by his frustration, stood and approached Lyerin next.

"Lyerin, I don't mean to challenge you," he began cautiously, "but we're all feeling a little... unmoored here. Could you at least tell us how far we have left to go?"

Lyerin didn't even glance at him. "Farther than you're prepared for."

"But—"

"Silence." Lyerin's tone was not angry, but it carried the weight of finality. "You've rested your bodies. Use this time to rest your minds. You'll need both when the time comes."

Harlin returned to the group, defeated.

The soldiers, still unsatisfied but unwilling to press further, turned their energy back toward speculation and idle chatter.

"I still don't understand this world," Reva admitted. "Everything here feels... unnatural. Giant trees, glowing rivers, fish with wings... it's all so strange."

"I keep thinking about those trilobites," Callen said with a shudder. "Do you think we'll run into more of them?"

"Or worse?" Harlin added grimly.

"Don't jinx it," Tova snapped.

Lucas, who had been silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke. "Whatever comes next, we'll face it together. And we'll survive. That's all that matters."

The group fell silent, each lost in their thoughts. Above them, the skies darkened as twilight descended, the stars of this strange world twinkling like diamonds scattered across velvet.

As the soldiers settled in, some falling into an uneasy sleep, Lyerin remained where he was, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

His mind churned with plans and calculations, each piece of the puzzle slowly falling into place.

Though he refused to share his thoughts with the soldiers, one thing was certain: their journey was far from over. And the challenges ahead would test them in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

…

The soft glow of the massive tree enveloped the group as they slept, their exhaustion overriding the unease of the unfamiliar environment.

The rhythmic sound of the massive beast's breathing and the occasional rustle of the tree's leaves created a strange, soothing lullaby.

For the first time in days, they rested deeply, some sprawled against the giant feathers, others nestled among the soft moss that covered the bark-like platform beneath them.

But Lyerin, seated cross-legged near the edge of the resting beast, was not asleep.

His sharp eyes scanned the horizon, his instincts honed to catch the faintest hint of danger.

It was subtle at first—a strange vibration in the air, like the distant hum of wings. His gaze narrowed.

He rose to his feet, his voice cutting through the heavy silence. "Wake up!"

No response. The soldiers remained deeply asleep, their faces slack with exhaustion.

"Get up," he repeated, louder this time.

A groan came from Harlin, who swatted at the air as if dismissing an invisible fly. "Five more minutes..." he mumbled, turning over and burying his face into the moss.

Lyerin's jaw tightened. "This is not a request. Get up!"

Still, the soldiers remained motionless, save for a few muttered protests. Callen snored loudly, while Reva curled tighter into her makeshift moss pillow. Tova even let out a soft chuckle in her sleep, as if enjoying a pleasant dream.

Lyerin pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath. "I am surrounded by imbeciles."

He stomped over to Lucas, who was the closest. Lyerin gave him a nudge with his boot. "Lucas. Up."

Lucas mumbled something incoherent but didn't stir.

With a sigh of exasperation, Lyerin bent down and gave him a harder shove. "Lucas, I swear if you don't—"

Lucas groaned and cracked one eye open. "Lyerin... what time is it?"

"Time for you to wake up!" Lyerin snapped. "Something's coming!"

But before Lucas could even process the words, he let out a long yawn, flopped back down, and promptly fell asleep again.

Lyerin straightened, glaring at the group. "Fine. You've left me no choice."

He strode toward the moss where Harlin, Tova, and Callen were sleeping and kicked it hard enough to send a tremor through the platform.

"Get up, or I will make sure you regret it!"

Harlin bolted upright, his hair a mess and his eyes wide. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

Tova mumbled groggily, "What's the big deal, Lyerin? Let us sleep for once."

"The 'big deal,'" Lyerin growled, "is that you're about to get ambushed if you don't move!"

The words seemed to partially register, as Harlin shook Callen awake. "Come on, man. He sounds serious."

Callen rubbed his eyes, still half-asleep. "Ambushed? By what? Another mating beast?"

"I will throw you off this tree if you don't take this seriously," Lyerin snapped.

Gradually, more of the soldiers began to stir, though their grogginess and irritation were evident.

Reva sat up, stretching and yawning. "Lyerin, you've woken us up how many times now? Are we really in danger, or is this just another one of your tests?"

Lyerin glared at her. "Do you think I enjoy wasting my breath on waking you fools? If you don't believe me, look for yourselves." He gestured toward the horizon.

The soldiers followed his gaze, though their sleep-clouded eyes took a moment to focus. At first, they saw nothing but the endless sky and the faint glow of distant floating islands.

"Nothing's there," Harlin muttered.

"Look closer," Lyerin barked.

As they squinted into the distance, the faint hum that Lyerin had noticed earlier began to grow louder. It was an unsettling sound, like the buzzing of a swarm magnified a thousandfold. Then they saw it—a dark, undulating mass moving swiftly through the sky.

"What... is that?" Callen's voice was barely above a whisper.

Reva clutched her chest. "That's not another beast, is it? Please don't tell me it's another beast."

Lucas, now fully awake, stood beside Lyerin. "It's moving fast. Too fast. Whatever it is, it's coming straight for us."

The hum grew louder, more ominous, and the dark mass began to take shape—creatures, hundreds of them, with sleek bodies and wings that shimmered like liquid metal under the faint light.

"What are those?!" Tova exclaimed, scrambling to her feet.