LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe - Chapter 386

Chapter 386: Flying
The girls exchanged puzzled glances, their curiosity piqued.

“A ride?” Corora asked, tilting her head. “What kind of ride are we talking about here, Lyerin?”

Lyerin smirked, raising a finger as if signaling them to wait. “You’ll see,” he said cryptically. With a quick gesture, he summoned his loyal Pig Orcs, who stood at attention as soon as they received their command.

“Into the cave,” Lyerin ordered, pointing toward the shadowy entrance. The Pig Orcs grunted in acknowledgment and marched forward, their heavy footsteps echoing against the rocky terrain.

The girls watched with wide eyes, whispering among themselves.

“What’s in that cave?” Maria asked, her voice tinged with both excitement and apprehension.

“Something dangerous, probably,” Fiona speculated with a smirk. “Knowing Lyerin, he’s about to pull off something ridiculous.”

“Do you think it’s another one of those beasts?” Sophia wondered aloud, adjusting her glasses as she studied the cave intently.

Before they could speculate further, the sound of frantic screeching filled the air, and suddenly, a swarm of massive bats erupted from the cave like a dark storm. Their leathery wings flapped furiously, and their high-pitched cries echoed against the cliffs.

The girls instinctively ducked, some shielding their faces while others simply gawked at the sheer size of the creatures.

“Bats?” Lydia exclaimed, half-laughing, half-startled. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Lyerin, however, remained completely unfazed. With a quick, fluid motion, he leaped into the air, his movements impossibly swift and graceful. One by one, he snatched nine of the bats mid-flight, each capture precise and effortless.

The girls watched in awe as Lyerin landed lightly on his feet, holding the reins of the now-tamed bats as though it were the easiest task in the world.

“These,” Lyerin announced with a flourish, “are your rides!”

The girls stared at him in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of disbelief and amusement.

“You want us to ride those?” Cornelia asked, pointing at the bats with a raised eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

“Absolutely,” Lyerin replied with a grin. “They’re fast, agile, and perfectly suited for navigating the skies. Trust me, you’ll love it.”

After a moment of hesitation, the girls exchanged uncertain glances before nodding. One by one, they approached the bats, each girl mounting her designated ride with varying levels of excitement and trepidation.

“Hold on tight,” Lyerin advised, adjusting the reins of his own bat. “And don’t worry—they’re well-trained. Mostly.”

“Mostly?” Elena echoed, her voice laced with sarcasm.

“Let’s just say it’s part of the adventure,” Lyerin replied with a wink.

As the bats began to flap their massive wings, the girls felt a rush of wind against their faces. The ground beneath them grew smaller and smaller as they rose into the air, the world below transforming into a breathtaking expanse of valleys, forests, and distant mountains.

Lyerin led the way, his laughter carried by the wind as the bats ascended toward the floating islands above. The girls followed closely behind, their initial apprehension giving way to exhilaration as they soared higher and higher, leaving the earthbound world behind.

The bats flapped their enormous wings with a strength that sent gusts of wind spiraling downward, lifting the group higher and higher into the sky. The sensation of rising through the air was both exhilarating and intimidating, especially for the girls, who clung tightly to the bats’ reins, their faces a mixture of awe, fear, and uncertainty.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Sophia cried out, her knuckles white as she gripped the reins. Her bat wobbled unsteadily in the air, clearly reacting to her nervous movements. “Lyerin! This thing is trying to throw me off!”

“It’s not trying to throw you off,” Lyerin called back over his shoulder, his own bat gliding effortlessly as he looked completely at ease. “You’re making it nervous with all that tension! Loosen your grip a little, and let it feel your calm.”

“Calm?!” Sophia shouted, her voice a pitch higher than usual. “I’m a thousand feet in the air on a giant bat! Calm isn’t exactly an option right now!”

“Breathe!” Lyerin instructed, gesturing with his free hand. “Take a deep breath. Trust me, it works. These bats are sensitive creatures—they mirror your emotions. Relax, and it’ll relax too.”

On another bat nearby, Fiona was having her own difficulties. Her bat suddenly veered left, nearly colliding with Lydia’s.

“Hey! Watch it!” Lydia snapped, tugging hard on her reins to steer her own bat away.

“I’m trying!” Fiona yelled back, her frustration evident. “This stupid thing won’t listen to me!”

“It’s not stupid!” Lyerin intervened, his voice calm but firm. “It’s intelligent—more intelligent than you give it credit for. Talk to it. Guide it gently, like you would guide a horse.”

Fiona gave him a skeptical glance but decided to give it a shot. She hesitated, then leaned slightly forward and spoke to the bat in a softer tone. “Okay, uh… listen to me, alright? We’re in this together. Just… go straight, please?”

To her surprise, the bat responded, straightening its flight path. Her eyes widened in astonishment. “Oh my gosh… it worked!”

Lyerin grinned, nodding approvingly. “See? They’re not just mounts—they’re partners. Respect them, and they’ll respect you back.”

Meanwhile, Emily was clutching her bat’s neck, her eyes squeezed shut. “Lyerin, I can’t do this!” she cried. “What if it dives? What if it flips? What if—”

“It won’t,” Lyerin interrupted reassuringly. “Emily, open your eyes. Look at the horizon, not the ground. Keep your balance centered and lean with the bat, not against it. You’ll feel more stable that way.”

Emily hesitated but finally opened her eyes, her gaze focusing on the distant floating islands instead of the dizzying drop below. Following Lyerin’s advice, she adjusted her posture, and the bat’s movements became smoother.

“Okay… okay… this isn’t so bad,” she muttered, a small smile creeping onto her face.

Further back, Maria was struggling to keep her bat from diving too low. “Lyerin! How do I make it go up again?” she called out, her voice tinged with panic.

“Pull the reins upward, gently but firmly,” Lyerin replied, demonstrating the motion on his own bat. “And lean back a little—your body language helps guide it too.”

Maria did as instructed, and her bat responded immediately, climbing higher into the sky. She let out a relieved laugh, her previous fear giving way to exhilaration.

Cornelia, on the other hand, was surprisingly quiet. She sat atop her bat with an intense focus, her hands steady on the reins as she experimented with subtle movements to guide her mount. “It’s almost like dancing,” she murmured to herself, a small smile forming as she grew more confident.

Lyerin glanced at her and chuckled. “You’re a natural, Cornelia. Keep it up.”

“Thanks,” she replied, her tone calm and composed.

As the group continued their ascent, the girls slowly began to find their rhythm. Each of them, after moments of trial and error, adjusted to their bats’ movements and developed a tentative trust in their mounts.

Lydia was the first to let out an excited cheer. “This is incredible!” she shouted, her voice carried by the wind. “I feel like I’m flying!”

One by one, the others echoed her enthusiasm, their initial fear replaced by a growing sense of wonder and accomplishment.

Lyerin, watching them from the front of the group, smiled with satisfaction. “See? I told you you’d get the hang of it. Now… let’s aim for the islands!”

The bats flapped their powerful wings, propelling the group steadily upward toward the floating islands that awaited them. The air grew cooler, and the view below became a breathtaking mosaic of clouds and distant landscapes, but none of the girls noticed—they were too engrossed in the thrill of their newfound skill and the adventure that lay ahead.