LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

The oppressive silence of the forest was broken by Lyerin's chilling laughter.

The six of them—Scarred Soldier, Younger Woman, Donovan, Theran, Miriam, and Mikhail—were frozen in fear and exhaustion, their bodies barely holding together after their desperate attempts to escape.

Lyerin loomed over them like a predator savoring its victory, his grin widening as he studied their battered and broken forms.

"Well?" Lyerin said, his voice deceptively light but carrying a cold undertone. "Didn't you hear me? Crawl."

He tilted his head, his gaze flicking between them. "You're tired, your mana is gone, your bodies are failing… but I didn't say you could stop moving. Crawl."

None of them moved.

Their minds screamed at them to obey, but their bodies refused to cooperate. The Scarred Soldier clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms as he tried to summon the strength to defy him.

The Younger Woman's breathing hitched, her eyes wide with a mix of terror and disbelief.

Donovan let out a shaky breath, his legs trembling beneath him, while Theran, Miriam, and Mikhail simply stared at the ground, unable to lift their heads.

Lyerin's grin faltered for the briefest of moments, his expression darkening. "Oh, come now," he said, crouching down to their level. "I thought you understood how this worked. I give the orders, and you follow. Isn't that how it's been all along?"

When none of them responded, he sighed dramatically, standing back up. "Fine. If you won't crawl willingly, I'll give you some… motivation."

Reaching into a small pouch at his side, Lyerin produced a strange, writhing creature.

It was a small, grotesque-looking insect with segmented legs and a glistening, almost metallic exoskeleton.

The way it squirmed in his hand was unnerving, its movements quick and erratic as if it were desperate to escape.

"Do you know what this is?" Lyerin asked, holding the bug up for them to see. He didn't wait for an answer.

"This," he said, his grin returning, "is something I picked up back on Earth. You see, I was quite… curious. There's no shortage of terrifying things in nature if you know where to look."

The group's eyes were fixed on the bug, their fear intensifying with every word.

Lyerin's voice took on an almost giddy tone as he continued, "This little guy is special. It's a burrowing parasite. Once it finds a host—well, let's just say it makes itself comfortable. It digs under the skin, finds its way into the bloodstream, and from there, it… eats."

His grin widened as he added, "Slowly. Painfully. It starts with the soft tissues—muscles, organs—and then, eventually, the brain."

The Younger Woman let out a choked gasp, her trembling hands clutching at her chest as if to shield herself.

Mikhail muttered a curse under his breath, his voice shaking.

Donovan clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing in defiance despite the fear etched across his face.

Lyerin's gaze darted between them, his amusement growing. "Don't believe me? Well, why don't I show you?" Without hesitation, he dropped the insect onto the Scarred Soldier's arm.

The man flinched, his body instinctively trying to pull away, but he was too weak to stop the bug as it began to burrow into his skin.

The Scarred Soldier let out a cry of pain, his hand instinctively clawing at his arm, but it was too late—the bug had already disappeared beneath the surface.

The others watched in horror as the man's veins began to darken, the path of the insect's movement visible beneath his skin.

Lyerin's laughter rang out again, louder this time. "Ah, see? Isn't it fascinating? Truly one of Earth's hidden gems. Of course, I had to go to great lengths to find these little guys. Spent quite some time searching for them, actually.

"Did you know I was looking for them earlier? Back when you were hiding among those pathetic government soldiers? Oh, I knew you were there. But I was busy. Busy finding these."

He reached into his pouch again, pulling out several more of the writhing bugs. "Now," he said, his tone turning sharp, "are you going to move, or am I going to have to release the rest of them?"

The group didn't need to be told twice. Despite their exhaustion, they forced themselves to move, crawling on their hands and knees across the uneven ground.

Every movement was agony, their bodies protesting with every inch they gained. But the alternative was unthinkable.

Lyerin watched them with a twisted grin, his laughter echoing through the forest as they crawled. "That's it," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Keep going. One foot in front of the other. Crawl like your lives depend on it—because they do."

He walked alongside them, his steps slow and deliberate as he continued to taunt them.

"You know," he said, his tone conversational, "I almost admire you. Most people would have given up by now. But you? You're stubborn. I like that. It makes this so much more entertaining."

The Scarred Soldier gritted his teeth, his hands digging into the dirt as he pushed himself forward.

The Younger Woman bit her lip, tears streaming down her face as she fought to keep moving.

Donovan let out a pained groan, his arms trembling with the effort it took to crawl. Theran, Miriam, and Mikhail followed suit, their bodies shaking with every step.

Lyerin's laughter grew louder, his amusement reaching its peak as he watched them struggle.

"Oh, this is priceless," he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Absolutely priceless. You're like worms, squirming in the dirt. But don't worry—I'll let you go. Eventually. Once I've had my fun."

The group didn't respond.

They couldn't.

As the six crawled desperately through the forest floor, their bodies trembling with exhaustion, Lyerin's voice cut through the night like a blade.

"Faster!" he barked, his tone sharp and filled with mockery. "What are you, slugs? Even the bugs on your skin are faster than this pathetic display!"

Miriam, barely able to lift her arms, let out a strained whimper as her knees scraped against the rough terrain. Scarred Soldier gritted his teeth, his muscles trembling from the strain, while Donovan let out a ragged breath, unable to suppress his groan of pain.

But Lyerin wasn't satisfied. He stalked behind them, his footsteps deliberate and heavy as he closed the distance between himself and the group.

Suddenly, without warning, he lashed out with his foot, kicking Theran square in the ribs. The man let out a pained cry as he collapsed face-first into the dirt, clutching his side.

"Pathetic," Lyerin sneered, circling around to Miriam. With one swift motion, he grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head back, forcing her to look up at him. Her tear-streaked face quivered with fear, but she didn't dare speak.

"Is this all you've got?" Lyerin taunted, leaning down to meet her gaze. "You've made it this far, and now you're just going to collapse? Come on, show me some spirit!" He shoved her head back down, letting her crumple to the ground before turning his attention to the others.

The Younger Woman flinched as Lyerin's shadow loomed over her. She scrambled to crawl faster, her hands and knees bloodied from the rough ground. But Lyerin wasn't satisfied with her pace.

With a cruel smile, he kicked at her legs, sending her sprawling.

"Move faster!" he bellowed, his laughter echoing in the night. "I said crawl! Not lie there like the worms you are!"

The group tried to comply, pushing their broken bodies to the limit as Lyerin continued to torment them.

He kicked at their sides, shoved them into the dirt, and mocked their every struggle.

Each time one of them slowed down, he was there, prodding and abusing them with a sickening glee.

"You thought you could escape me?" Lyerin said, his voice dripping with venom. "You thought you could outsmart me? Look at you now. Crawling in the dirt like insects, while I stand above you."

He kicked Mikhail in the back, causing the man to collapse with a grunt of pain. "You call this running?" Lyerin sneered. "You call this fighting back? I've seen rats with more determination!"

The group couldn't respond. They couldn't even look up. All they could do was keep moving, their bodies screaming in agony as Lyerin's abuse rained down on them.

Suddenly, Lyerin's voice turned mocking, almost playful. "Maybe I should bring out more bugs," he said, his grin widening. "You know, just to motivate you. Would you like that? Another little friend to crawl under your skin? Or maybe I'll just sit back and watch as you collapse one by one."

He laughed again, the sound cruel and unrelenting. "Oh, this is too good. You're all so weak, so pathetic. And yet, you keep going. Why? What's the point? You know you can't win. You know you're at my mercy. So why bother?"

But even as he mocked them, the group kept moving. They didn't have a choice. Every time one of them faltered, Lyerin was there, his kicks were outrageous and physically harmful, making them grit his teeth.