LEVEL EVERYTHING UP in my Eldritch Tribe

At the apex of the sky, high above the maze, dark silhouettes began to emerge.

The sun glinted off their sharp, metallic feathers, and as they descended closer, their true forms became more distinct.

These were not ordinary birds but humanoid creatures with wings as vast as those of eagles, their bodies covered in sleek, armor-like plumage.

Their eyes gleamed with the predatory sharpness of hawks, and their faces were elongated, with sharp beaks that curled slightly at the tips.

Their talons, formidable and razor-edged, glistened in the light.

Each figure wielded weapons, from jagged spears to gleaming swords, which only added to their imposing presence.

These were the Jaldir, a fearsome race from the distant world of Zordrix, known across multiple realms as the Skyclaw Brotherhood.

They were an elite faction of warriors who dominated the skies with their unmatched speed and superior aerial combat skills.

Their leader, Velros Skybreaker, soared at the forefront of their formation.

He was the epitome of their strength—taller than the others, his wingspan wider, and his feathers a shimmering mixture of gold and silver.

His eyes were cold, calculating, and keen as they surveyed the maze below.

Velros's sharp gaze settled on the center of the maze, where Lyerin and the others stood, surrounded by their seemingly chaotic formation of Raging Pigs.

The sight was enough to draw a burst of laughter from several of Velros's subordinates, who flew in tight formation behind him.

Their laughter echoed through the air like the caws of vultures circling their prey.

"Look at this," one of them sneered, his voice filled with derision.

"Humans! They've managed to survive using a maze of all things, hiding from the Minotaur and those pathetic Raging Pigs."

His tone was mocking, as though the very idea of humans constructing a maze as a defense was laughable.

Another Jaldir, flying slightly behind, chuckled as well.

"A maze? Truly? As if they think they can delay their fate with such a weak tactic. Those pigs aren't even attacking them. They're just lost, wandering aimlessly like cattle in a pen."

The laughter grew louder as more of Velros's warriors chimed in, mocking the humans below.

"They probably think they've outsmarted the beasts!" one cawed, his wings beating steadily as he flew. "All they've done is delay their destruction. We should be the ones to end this farce."

One of Velros's subordinates, a younger but eager warrior named Kaldir, flew closer to his leader, his eyes alight with anticipation.

"Lord Velros," he called, "should we attack? These humans are no match for us. We can tear them apart before they even realize what's happening."

Velros didn't respond immediately. His wings beat slowly as he hovered above the maze, his sharp eyes continuing to survey the scene below.

His thoughts were conflicted, his gaze calculating.

On one hand, these humans had clearly found a way to survive against the threats of the Minotaur and the Raging Pigs. But on the other hand, they seemed pitifully weak, hiding behind a simple labyrinth instead of confronting their enemies head-on.

His thoughts shifted to their earlier encounters.

The Skyclaw Brotherhood had scouted numerous territories across this strange world, observing how other representatives handled their survival.

Some had built fortresses, others had gathered armies, but none had seemed as defenseless as this group of humans huddled in the center of a maze.

The humans had no protection worth mentioning, no aerial defenses, and no formidable warriors among them—or so it seemed.

Kaldir, still awaiting Velros's response, pressed on. "They're just delaying the inevitable. Look at them. Hiding in that maze won't save them. We could finish this now, Lord Velros, crush them while they're vulnerable."

Velros's golden eyes narrowed, but he remained silent, contemplating his next move.

It would be easy to swoop down and annihilate the humans below, to tear through them like hawks tearing through prey. But was it worth the effort?

The Raging Pigs that had attacked their territory earlier had posed no significant threat.

They'd been easy to deal with from the skies, their brutish strength no match for the agility of the Jaldir.

Their goal here had only been to survey the area, to see how the other representatives were faring. Yet here they had stumbled upon a pathetic group of humans relying on primitive tactics.

"I don't know why we should even waste our time," one of the other Jaldir warriors scoffed. "This is laughable. Humans have no real strength. They're just trying to survive until the next attack. Pathetic."

Velros's lips curled into a faint sneer, his disdain for the scene below growing.

"You're right," he muttered, his voice low but filled with contempt. "They're delaying the inevitable. It's clear they have no power to fight back, and that maze... it's nothing more than a last-ditch effort to keep their enemies at bay."

He glanced back at his warriors, who were still flying in formation behind him, waiting for his command.

Their eagerness for battle was palpable, their eyes gleaming with the promise of bloodshed. But Velros wasn't as quick to act.

There was something about the scene below that nagged at him, something he couldn't quite place.

Why were the Raging Pigs scattered?

Why hadn't the Minotaur obliterated the humans already?

Kaldir, growing impatient with his leader's hesitation, spoke up again. "Lord Velros, with respect, if we don't act now, we'll lose the advantage. Let us take them out quickly. There's no need to hesitate."

Velros flared his wings, silencing his subordinate with a sharp look. "I'm not hesitating," he said coldly. "But I'm not about to waste our time on a pointless skirmish, either. Our goal is to assess the strength of the other participants, not crush weaklings. However..."

He trailed off, his eyes narrowing as he descended slightly, hovering closer to the center of the maze.

From this distance, he could see the figures of the humans standing at the heart of the labyrinth. Lyerin, in particular, caught his attention.

There was something off about the way he stood, too calm, too composed for someone who should be fearing for his life.

Velros's thoughts churned.

He remembered the goal, to kill the humans, but is this going to be really this easy?

Maybe the game hated them for being too weak.

An embarrassment!

These humans may have survived the Raging Pigs, but it wasn't out of strength or cleverness.

It had to be sheer luck, or perhaps the pigs had simply gotten lost in the maze. Either way, it was clear that this group posed no real threat. They were like cornered prey, waiting to be slaughtered.

With a single, powerful beat of his wings, Velros descended further, his warriors following closely behind.

As he neared the center of the maze, he landed gracefully, his talons digging into the earth as he folded his wings behind him.

The other Jaldir warriors remained aloft, circling the area like vultures awaiting the signal to strike.

Lyerin stood in the middle, with an unreadable expression.

The women around him glanced nervously between him and Velros, clearly unsettled by the sudden appearance of the sky warriors.

Velros strode forward with an air of superiority, his gaze cold and condescending. He looked Lyerin up and down, as if assessing the human's worth, before finally speaking.

"You must be the leader of this... sorry group," Velros said, his voice dripping with disdain.

"I've seen many pitiful attempts at survival in these games, but yours... this maze is nothing more than a delaying tactic. You've hidden yourselves well, but make no mistake. This is a temporary reprieve."

He stepped closer, towering over Lyerin with his wings partially unfurled, casting a shadow over the group.

"Do you even understand the magnitude of this event? You're playing with forces far beyond your comprehension. Your planet's survival rests in your hands, yet here you are, hiding behind walls like cowards. Do you think this will protect you? Do you think this maze will stop what's coming?"

Lyerin remained silent, his expression calm as Velros continued to berate him.

"You are the reason for your planet's downfall," Velros continued, his voice rising with righteous fury.

"You've entered this survival event without preparing, without the strength or strategy needed to win. You and your pathetic tribe are delaying the inevitable. You are weak. You are nothing."

The air grew tense as Velros's tirade came to a close. His warriors hovered above, waiting for the signal to attack, to bring this farce to an end.

But Lyerin, standing amidst the taunts and accusations, merely smiled. His eyes met Velros's, and in a voice that was surprisingly calm, he said, "You sound proud... as high as the heavens."

Velros blinked, taken aback by the response.

Lyerin's calm demeanor unnerved him, though he couldn't understand why.

For a moment, an uneasy silence descended from the higher sky, making the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.