"Harpies don't usually fly higher than those clouds, do they?" Jim said, scanning the sky as he addressed his group of soldiers. Most surrounded Jim, Maddie beside him, her sister Euryle standing slightly apart.

  Wisps of gray rolled lazily overhead, their edges tinted gold by the ashen sun. The ground shook as the volcanic eruption intensified. Nearby, the third helicopter lifted off, whisking its over-packed, grimy occupants to safety. All that remained was a handful of villagers standing around, eager for their turn to leave.

  "Most likely not—they wouldn't have a reason to," Phineus replied. He seemed especially calm. Right. He'd had previous experience with this. Maybe we will be alright after all...

  "Good." Jim's lips curled into a determined smile. "That means we can get the drop on them."

  "You mean we're flying high and then swooping down on top of them?" Maddie crossed her arms, her snakes fixing on Jim with intent stares.

  "Exactly," Jim confirmed. "I'll go over the details once we're on the way, but the element of surprise is on our side."

  "That's the plan?" Veronica fidgeted with her rifle. "Works for me. Just point me at 'em."

  "An opportunity to exterminate more of those wretched things," Phineus muttered. "The sooner, the better."

  "If it's all the same to you, I'm sitting this one out," Terry said, stepping back slightly. She ran a gentle hand over Vik's ruffled feathers; the griffon's sides rose and fell with exhaustion. "He's completely spent, and I need to look after him."

  Jim understood all too well—after flying here on their own, the duo had spent all the little energy they had left to rescue the boy. They would be safe in the village. He glanced at the weary griffin and nodded. "Got it. Stay back and keep him safe."

  Euryale turned to Maddie with a thoughtful expression. "Sister, what do you think?" Her golden eyes gleamed in the dim light, searching Maddie's face for any sign of hesitation.

  Maddie surveyed the group. "The plan is sound, but it only works if we move as one." She locked eyes with each teammate?. "We strike fast together. Don't let them take to the air. One misstep and they'll scatter — and our advantage will be gone."

  Everyone in the team looked at each other, the air shifting from doubt to determination.

  Jim turned to the rest of the team, his voice firm. "Everyone good with the plan?"

  The group exchanged glances before giving their last nods of agreement.

  "All right then," Jim said, gripping the strap of his rifle. "Let's load up and move out."

  With that, the group sprang into action, each step bringing them closer to the mission ahead. They hurried to the helicopter, loading up on ammunition and checking their gear. A few minutes later, they climbed in, and the Black Hawk lifted off, heading toward the ravine.

  Towering cliffs loomed on both sides, their jagged faces etched with deep crevices and streaks of mineral deposits. The sheer rock walls cast long shadows over the valley below, where a dense forest stretched endlessly, its emerald canopy broken only by a few plateaus scattered about.

  A narrow stream, glistening like a silver ribbon, wound its way through the rugged terrain, carving a delicate path through moss-covered rocks and tangled roots.

  Jim peered through his binoculars and fixed on something in the distance—a larger plateau than the others, barren in features, with figures moving about. "I think that's it," he said, handing them to Veronica.

  Veronica adjusted the lenses, nodding. "Yeah, that looks like the place."

  Jim addressed the pilot, "Can you take us higher? As high as you can."

  "Roger that," the pilot responded, pulling the Black Hawk into a steep climb.

  As they ascended, the harpy nest came into view—a tangled mass of branches, bones, and debris clinging to the rocky plateau. Tiny figures flitted about below.

  "Okay, everyone ready? You know what to do?" Jim called over the radio.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "Yes, sir!" the team responded in unison.

  "Euryale, Torres—you're up first."

  Euryale secured her submachine gun, clipping it to her vest. Veronica double-checked her rifle and locked in a fresh magazine.

  "I'm ready," Veronica confirmed.

  "Remember, get as many on the ground as possible, don't let them fly." Jim gave the signal. "Go!"

  Jim's heart pounded as he watched Veronica grab hold of Euryale, who wrapped her wings around her protectively. The pair rolled off the helicopter together, diving headfirst toward the nest.

  The wind roared past them as they plummeted. Veronica let out a howl of exhilaration. Euryale stayed focused on the landing zone. As they neared the ground, she flared her wings wide, catching the air and slowing their descent. Steering toward the least populated edge of the nest, she glided the pair into a smooth landing. Terry let go, raised her rifle and the duo opened fire on the unsuspecting mass.

  The harpies froze in confusion, eyes wide with shock. Veronica swept her rifle from left to right in short, controlled bursts, each one dropping a winged figure. Euryale—less precise but no less deadly—held down the trigger of her submachine gun, spraying fully automatic fire into a mass of creatures. Feathers exploded into the air as harpies screeched and fell lifeless to the ground

  "Shepherd Three-One, immediate area is clear of hostiles—bring her down!" Veronica called into her mic, dropping an empty magazine and slamming in a fresh one. Without missing a beat, she resumed firing, picking off any nearby harpy still moving.

  "Euryale! Push forward! Helicopter incoming!"

  Euryale nodded, stepping forward, her submachine gun roaring as she cut down more creatures. The high rate of fire drained her magazines quickly, forcing her to reload often.

  The helicopter kicked up a whirlwind of dust and feathers as it came in low. As soon as it neared the ground, the rest of the team leapt out, weapons blazing.

  Phineus was the first to fire, flicking off the safety on his machine gun. The deafening bursts echoed through the ravine as bullets shredded through harpies in the distance, cutting them down in droves.

  Maddie notched an explosive arrow and took careful aim at a tight cluster of harpies on the far side of the plateau. With a steady breath, she loosed the arrow and watched as it arced through the air, striking the ground in the middle of the group. A deafening blast erupted, sending debris and feathers flying. Two harpies were torn apart instantly, their legs severed from their bodies, while another was flung screaming over the cliff's edge, disappearing into the ravine below.

  The battlefield was a storm of gunfire and chaos. Jim's squad fired relentlessly, cutting down harpies as they swarmed around them. Some of the creatures screeched and took to the sky, swooping toward their attackers. One managed to crash into Euryale, knocking her onto her back. As it reared up to tear its claws into her, a massive snake tail wrapped around its torso, lifting it into the air and slamming it hard into the ground nearby. The harpy flailed and scratched at the coils, struggling to break free, when it saw Maddie's eyes staring down at it—petrifying it in place.

  With the immediate threat dwindling, Maddie turned her attention to the hostages. Near the center of the plateau, among piles of bones and torn clothing, stood a group of twenty frightened villagers huddled together. Their eyes were wide with terror, their bodies pressed close for safety.

  She slithered toward them, her serpentine lower half gliding smoothly across the dirt. Waving a hand, she motioned for them to follow. The villagers shrank back, uncertain—their fear of harpies mixing with their fear of her unusual form.

  "Do not be afraid," she said firmly. "Come with me if you wish to live!"

  The villagers hesitated, exchanging skeptical glances. After a long moment, one of the older men gave a reluctant nod and stepped forward. The others followed, cautiously at first, then quicker as Maddie turned and led them toward the helicopter.

  Jim ran over to assist, waving them forward and offering his hand as they climbed inside. The Black Hawk's rotors kicked up a storm of wind and dust as the last of the villagers boarded.

  Maddie turned to Jim. "That's all of them."

  Jim nodded, then called to the pilot over the headset. "Take us back to the village. We gotta cram everyone into this thing as fast as possible!"

  "Roger that, sir," the pilot responded.

  The Black Hawk lifted off from the plateau, its powerful blades churning the air as it veered away from the harpy nest. Below them, the last few remaining harpies flew off into the air, their screeches fading into the distance as the team carried the villagers to safety.

  Veronica shifted in her seat as she inspected her rifle. "Sir, is there enough room for all the villagers and us in here?"

  Jim finished wrapping a bandage around Maddie's upper tail, which had a slight gash. "I don't know, do you remember how many were in the village when we took off?"

  Phineus removed the ammunition belt from his machine gun. "I think it was about twelve or so."

  "We got another fourteen with us."

  "Damn. Okay, we're going to be packing it really tight, but we got to make this work, and fast! When we hit the ground, grab as many villagers as you can and get 'em in here!"

  "Yes, sir!"

  The helicopter descended, touching down near the other, which was already on the ground with a large crowd gathered outside. The evacuees were quickly divided into two groups and rushed aboard, crammed in as tightly as possible. Time was running out.

  "All right, everyone squeeze in! Sit on top of each other if you have to!" Maddie shouted. Despite the groans, everyone complied. The larger people took the seats while the smaller ones and children sat in their laps. Vik lay between the two rows, facing the others as people crowded on top of him. The shoving didn't last long—all eager to leave. The helicopters were massively over capacity.

  Jim turned to the pilot. "Can we take off?"

  "Only one way to find out!" came the response.

  "Good enough! Let's go!"

  The last helicopter revved its engines—louder than ever before—struggling to lift off as lava rushed beneath the wheels, scorching the rubber off one tire just as they rose into the air.