LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

Chapter 305: Taking Turns

"I don't know, but I don't want to find out the hard way!" Harlin shouted, backing away from the edge.

"They're coming right at us!" Reva screamed. "What do we do, Lyerin?"

"Stay calm," Lyerin commanded, though his tone was sharp. "Panic won't save you."

"Easy for you to say!" Callen snapped, his voice shaking. "You're the one who dragged us here!"

"Enough!" Lyerin's voice cut through the chaos like a whip. "You wanted to know what's out there, didn't you? Well, now you'll see."

The soldiers fell silent, their gazes fixed on the approaching swarm. The creatures were close enough now to reveal their features—razor-sharp talons, glowing eyes, and wings that sliced through the air with deadly precision.

"What do we do?" Lucas asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.

Lyerin's lips curled into a smirk. "First, we see what they want. Then... we respond."

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances as the creatures closed the distance, their cries echoing through the flesh of the beast they were riding on.

Just as the first of the creatures broke through the canopy of the massive tree, its cry resonated through the air like a haunting horn, silencing even the faint hum of their wings.

The soldiers stood frozen, their breaths caught in their throats as they stared at the swarm now circling their resting place.

The creatures were magnificent and terrifying in equal measure.

Each one was easily the size of a small vehicle, their sleek bodies glinting like molten silver.

Their talons gleamed sharp enough to carve through stone, and their eyes burned with a predatory intensity that made the soldiers instinctively step back.

"Tell me we're dreaming," Harlin muttered, clutching his spear tightly.

"If this is a dream, it's a nightmare," Tova replied, her voice trembling.

"What do we do?" Reva repeated, her gaze flicking nervously between Lyerin and the approaching creatures.

Lyerin, in stark contrast to the soldiers' panic, stood perfectly still, his eyes scanning the swarm with a calculating gaze. "Stay where you are," he said, his voice steady and cold.

"What?" Callen's voice cracked. "Stay here? Are you insane? Those things are going to—"

"They haven't attacked yet, have they?" Lyerin interrupted, his tone cutting through Callen's panic.

Callen opened his mouth to argue but shut it again, his eyes darting back to the swarm. The creatures were circling closer now, their cries echoing like a chorus of knives against glass.

"Why are they circling?" Lucas asked, his voice steady but tense.

"They're waiting," Lyerin said simply.

"For what?" Harlin asked, his grip on his weapon tightening.

Lyerin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer to the edge of the platform, his sharp eyes fixed on the lead creature.

It was larger than the rest, its wingspan nearly twice as wide and its talons glowing faintly with an otherworldly light.

"They're testing us," Lyerin finally said, his voice low. "They want to see if we're a threat—or prey."

"Prey?" Reva repeated, her voice rising in pitch. "And what happens if they decide we're prey?"

"They attack," Lyerin said bluntly, his gaze never leaving the lead creature.

The silence that followed was suffocating. The soldiers shifted nervously, their weapons drawn but their hands trembling. The swarm was closer now, the hum of their wings so loud it felt like it was vibrating through their bones.

"What's the plan?" Lucas asked, stepping closer to Lyerin.

"The plan," Lyerin said, his lips curling into a faint smirk, "is not to give them a reason to attack."

"How do we do that?" Tova asked, her voice shaking.

"By not acting like prey," Lyerin said, turning to face the group. "Hold your ground. Do not run. Do not flinch. And for the love of all things, do not attack unless I give the order."

As the soldiers struggled to steady their breathing, the lead creature let out a deafening screech, diving closer to the platform.

The soldiers instinctively ducked, their weapons raised, but the creature didn't attack. Instead, it hovered just above the platform, its glowing eyes scanning the group with unsettling intelligence.

"I think it's looking at us," Harlin whispered, his voice barely audible.

"Of course it is," Lyerin snapped. "Now stop cowering and stand tall."

The soldiers exchanged nervous glances but did as they were told, forcing themselves to stand upright.

The lead creature tilted its head, as if studying them, before letting out another ear-piercing screech.

Suddenly, the swarm's formation shifted. Instead of circling the tree, the creatures began to line up, their wings folding slightly as they perched on the massive branches surrounding the platform.

The soldiers watched in stunned silence as more and more of the creatures landed, their glowing eyes never leaving the group.

"What are they doing?" Reva asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lyerin didn't answer immediately. His sharp gaze flicked between the creatures and the beast they had been riding, which was still resting peacefully nearby.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and almost amused. "They're... waiting."

"Waiting for what?" Lucas asked.

Lyerin's smirk widened. "For us to prove we're worth leaving alive."

Before anyone could respond, the lead creature let out one final screech, its wings unfurling as it took flight once more.

The soldiers tensed, their breaths caught in their throats, as the rest of the swarm followed suit.

As the creatures disappeared into the distance, the soldiers turned to Lyerin, their expressions a mixture of confusion and relief.

"What just happened?" Callen asked.

Lyerin's smirk faded slightly as he looked toward the horizon. "You survived."

But his tone carried an unspoken warning: For now.

The soldiers, their nerves still frayed from the tense encounter with the swarm, hesitated before finally settling back onto the mossy platform.

The beast they were riding lay still once again, its massive chest rising and falling in a slow, rhythmic pattern.

The faint glow of the massive tree cast long shadows across the group, creating an eerie yet oddly serene atmosphere.

"Can't believe we're actually lying down again after that," Harlin muttered, his eyes darting nervously toward the horizon.

"Do we even have a choice?" Reva replied, stretching out on her makeshift bed of moss. "If we don't rest now, we'll drop dead from exhaustion."

"Better to drop dead from exhaustion than to be eaten alive," Tova quipped, shivering at the memory of the creatures' glowing eyes.

The group exchanged uneasy glances but eventually began to relax, their bodies demanding the rest they so desperately needed. Callen was the first to lie down fully, folding his arms behind his head.

"Let's just hope nothing else shows up," he said, his tone half-joking.

"You're tempting fate," Lucas muttered, sitting cross-legged with his spear resting across his lap.

"Fate's already been tempted enough today," Lyerin cut in sharply. He remained standing, his posture tense as he surveyed the horizon.

"Not joining us, boss?" Callen asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't sleep when danger lingers," Lyerin replied curtly.

"Great. So danger does still linger," Tova mumbled, her tone sarcastic.

Despite their fears, exhaustion soon overcame most of the soldiers. Their breathing grew steady as they drifted into an uneasy sleep, though a few twitched occasionally, no doubt haunted by dreams of glowing eyes and razor-sharp talons.

Only Lucas remained awake, sitting near Lyerin. He glanced at the quiet beast they were riding, then at Lyerin, who stood unmoving like a sentinel.

"You don't rest at all, do you?" Lucas asked quietly.

Lyerin's eyes flicked to Lucas, his expression unreadable. "Rest is a luxury you can't afford when you're responsible for others."

Lucas nodded slowly, his respect for Lyerin growing. "Still, you could use it. Even the strongest need to recharge."

Lyerin didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

The peace didn't last long. Lyerin's sharp voice shattered the silence. "Wake up!"

Reva groaned, rolling over. "Oh, come on... not again..."

"I'm not playing games," Lyerin snapped, his tone as cold as steel. "Get up, or you'll regret it."

One by one, the soldiers began to stir, grumbling and groaning as they sat up.

"What now?" Callen asked, rubbing his eyes.

Lyerin pointed toward the edge of the platform, his expression grim. "Look."

The group scrambled to their feet, their exhaustion forgotten as they peered into the distance.

There, just beyond the tree's canopy, were more creatures—smaller than the last swarm but just as menacing, their sleek bodies weaving through the air with unnerving precision.

"Not again," Harlin groaned, gripping his spear tightly.

"What do we do this time?" Reva asked, panic creeping into her voice.

Lyerin's gaze didn't waver. "If they come closer, we fight."

"And if they don't?" Lucas asked.

"Then we do nothing," Lyerin replied firmly. "But from now on, no one sleeps unless someone is awake to keep watch."

"Great," Callen muttered, slumping back onto the moss. "So much for rest."

"Would you rather be eaten alive?" Lyerin shot back.

"No," Callen admitted, his tone grudging.

"Then we take turns," Lyerin said. "Two awake at all times. No exceptions."

The group exchanged uneasy glances but nodded in agreement.

"Guess I'll take the first watch," Lucas volunteered, gripping his spear tightly.

"Me too," Harlin said, stepping forward. "Not like I was going to get much sleep anyway."

Reva sighed, lying back down. "Wake me when it's my turn. And try not to die before then."

Lyerin smirked faintly, though his eyes remained sharp. "Good. At least some of you are learning."

As the group settled into their new routine, the distant creatures circled once before disappearing into the night. But none of them could shake the feeling that it wouldn't be the last time they were tested.