LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

The soldiers, still reeling from Lyerin's revelations, huddled together, their voices rising and falling in an urgent murmur.

The air was thick with tension, and their faces reflected a chaotic mix of disbelief, awe, and anxiety.

They spoke quickly, as if racing to make sense of it all before the opportunity slipped away.

"This… this can't be real," muttered a young soldier, barely out of his teens, his eyes darting around. "Revived after death? Stronger, bigger? It sounds like a fairy tale!"

"But it happened!" snapped another, older and scarred, his gaze shifting uneasily to the massive figure of their comrade. "You saw it. We all did. He was dead, and now… now look at him." Continue your journey at m_v--freewebnovel

The giant soldier stood at the center of their circle, towering and silent, his broad chest rising and falling with deep breaths.

He glanced at his massive hands, flexing them slowly, as if unsure they truly belonged to him.

The awe on his face was tempered by fear.

"Why us?" demanded a woman with short-cropped hair and fierce eyes. "Why would Lyerin grant us this power? We're not part of his tribe. Not really."

"Maybe he wants us to be," someone else muttered. "Think about it. If we're loyal to him, what does he gain?"

"Loyalty?" barked a soldier with a deep voice and skeptical eyes. "Or control? It's dangerous to put faith in anyone who can pull you back from death like that. Who knows what price comes with it?"

The young soldier bit his lip, his expression troubled. "Isn't it better to be with someone like that, though? At least we have a chance to survive this apocalypse. Isn't that why we joined the government in the first place? To protect ourselves, to protect our families?"

Several heads nodded. "He's right," another soldier said. "We joined to survive. But what if we had more? What if we didn't just survive, but thrived?"

A different voice, sharp and wary, cut through the group. "You mean joining the Families for real?"

There was a stunned silence. No one wanted to say it outright, but the thought was there, hanging heavily between them.

The Families—powerful, ancient, and shrouded in mystique—offered security, resources, power. And yet, here they were, under the protection of Lyerin's Stonehooves Tribe, even if only temporarily.

Was it enough?

"If we leave this place and go to the Families, what will happen to us?" asked a soldier, his voice trembling with fear and hope. "What if this… this power doesn't stay with us?"

Everyone turned their eyes to Lyerin, who stood apart from their group, silent and watchful.

He had been listening all along. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm but carried an edge that cut through the air like a blade.

"Since your membership is temporary, so too is the power granted by my tribe."

The revelation sent a wave of shock through the soldiers. Whispers erupted again, louder this time, more frantic. "Temporary? So, what? We get a taste of this power, and then it's gone?"

"Just like that?" another soldier asked, his hands clenching into fists. "It's… it's a cruel joke."

"It's not a joke," someone else whispered, their voice hoarse. "It's a test."

"Of what?" barked a soldier, his face twisted with anger. "Of our loyalty? Our worth? It's madness. If we leave, we lose it all. If we stay, we become pawns."

The newly-revived giant shifted uncomfortably. He had been silent during their debate, still grappling with his new size and power. But now, he found his voice, his words thick with fear. "Does… does that mean I'll stay like this forever?"

The group fell silent, turning to Lyerin once more. The towering soldier's voice was small, almost childlike, despite his massive form. "I don't want to be like this forever," he whispered. "It… it feels wrong."

Lyerin's gaze was steady. "You won't," he said, his tone almost gentle. "Within a few minutes, your body will return to its normal form. The strength will remain, but the size is a temporary manifestation of your resurrection."

Relief washed over the giant soldier's face. He nodded, though he still looked unsettled. Around him, the murmuring began again.

"This is insane," said one soldier, shaking his head. "To be granted power and then have it taken away? It's like dangling a prize in front of us. How are we supposed to make sense of any of this?"

"Maybe it's a lesson," suggested a woman, her eyes thoughtful. "Maybe Lyerin wants us to understand what we're fighting for. What we can become."

"Or what we're willing to sacrifice," countered another, his voice harsh. "Because make no mistake—there is always a cost."

The discussions grew more heated.

Some argued that they should swear loyalty to Lyerin, even if only temporarily, to gain the protection and power of the Stonehooves Tribe.

Others balked at the idea, fearing what strings might be attached.

One soldier proposed that they try to strike a balance—remaining loyal to the government but gaining what they could from their temporary membership in the tribe.

The debate raged on, each voice more desperate than the last.

"Think about it!" cried one, his eyes wild. "In this world, it's not just about survival anymore. It's about power. If we can become stronger—if we can overcome any death—why shouldn't we seize that chance?"

"Because it comes at a price we don't even understand!" another shouted. "We're playing with forces beyond our comprehension."

Lucas, who had been listening in silence, stepped forward. The weight of command was etched into every line of his face, and his presence alone was enough to quiet the chaos.

"Enough," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "We're here now, under Lyerin's protection. We've seen what his tribe can offer. But we need answers. All of us do."

Turning to Lyerin, Lucas bowed his head respectfully. "Chieftain Lyerin," he said, his tone formal. "Might we have more time to understand what it truly means to be part of your tribe—even temporarily? We need to know what lies ahead."

Lyerin's eyes glittered, and he nodded slowly. "Time is a luxury we all possess in short measure, Lucas. But I shall grant you what little of it I can spare."

The soldiers exchanged glances, tension simmering beneath the surface.

Whatever lay ahead, they knew one thing for certain: they were no longer merely fighting to survive.

They were navigating a labyrinth of power, loyalty, and danger, with Lyerin at its center. And the path forward would test them all.

Suddenly, Lyerin would be annoyed and look at them, "This is pissing me off…"