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*Swish!

an arrow just flew over Aden's head to the harpy mingling behind a ransacked building. The arrow hit on a wooden wall. The harpy escaped with a mocking smile.

"That is the fourteenth arrow." Aden counted on the arrow released by the rooftop units. The rooftop unit seemed to have some fun releasing arrows toward the harpies, maybe they were also practicing their aim.

The Jinn sat leaning on the courthouse facade wall under the shade. He was eating his lunch. Beef Jerky with salty bread made by the baker's couple, Laura and Eugene, and a mug of cotton milk by his side.

Aden couldn't believe that somehow this courthouse had an abundance of cotton milk than wine in its cellar. Perhaps because this courthouse also used to house important guests from many states and dominions.

It was a slow day, the villagers who defended behind the barricade were also relaxed and casual. half of them even having lunch in the dining hall.

"They are out of reach and covered by walls." Hjalmar sat beside Aden. The Vjordic pirate talked about the harpies. He took a bite half of the salty bread in one chomp. Both were wearing padded metal plates and leather armor with winter mantle over it. Every volunteer got one after Ethan managed to break into the locked armory in the courthouse. The former Crown Enforcer managed to unlock the combination padlock to the armory.

Their leather armor was knee-length like a gambeson, enough to give them coverage protection against harpies's claws and talons.

"I think, these harpies are testing our defense. They are learning." Aden cautiously spoke. He was able to see through the harpy playful facade.

By the following morning, the harpies, having decimated the village the day before, now seemed to be in a state of cruel amusement and observation. Several of the winged creatures were seen casually perching on the remnants of a ruined house and a crumbling tower, their sinister cackles and snickers filling the air. Their behavior was a chilling display of their malevolence, as they seemed to be toying with the survivors, relishing in the fear and despair they had wrought.

Remarkably, the harpies purposefully avoided the courthouse, the defenders' last bastion of hope. Their calculated positioning kept them out of the range of the archers' arrows, and the remaining village structures provided cover, making it nearly impossible for the archers to hit their marks. Additionally, the harpies cleverly positioned themselves in the blind spot below the hwachas' target line, rendering the defenders' most potent weapon useless against them.

Despite the archers' efforts, their arrows failed to find their mark, as the harpies' agility and strategic placement made them nearly untouchable. Captain Willem, recognizing the futility of the situation, made the difficult decision to order the archers to cease their efforts, realizing that any further attempts would only result in wasted arrows.

The captain's decision to allow the harpies to roam freely, as long as they kept their distance from the courthouse, was a calculated one. He understood that engaging the harpies in their current position would only lead to further losses for the defenders and that preserving their dwindling resources was paramount. While the sight of the harpies perched on the ruined structures was a haunting reminder of the devastation they had wrought, Captain Willem knew that biding their time and conserving their strength was the only viable course of action.

As the harpies continued their sinister vigil, the defenders remained on high alert, their eyes fixed on the creatures that circled above. The captain's decision to hold their ground was a testament to his strategic acumen and his unwavering commitment to the safety of his people.

Aden finished his lunch, turned, and headed inside the courthouse.

"Where are you going?" Hjalmar asked.

"I'm going to see Captain Willem." Aden excused himself.

"Can you bring me something to drink?" Hjalmar asked.

Aden put up a suspicious face. "Seriously? in broad daylight?"

Hjalmar should know that drinking in a dire situation like this was dangerous. Even Old Man Jedd didn't drink during the day. corrected, in battle. the depraved old man did drink during the day.

Hjalmar smiled like a thief caught red-handed. "Well, fresh water would be nice."

Aden hurried toward the rooftop through the hallway, thinking about the harpie's attempts to test their defense. Captain Willem needed to stop the archers from wasting their arrows at the harpies, not only to preserve arrows but also to hide their true capabilities.

Aden hauled himself up onto the rooftop, squinting against the glare of the midday sun. A familiar voice rang out in protest, high-pitched and insistent.

"I don't want to fetch arrows! I want to fight!"

Aden turned to see Oliver, the small blond-haired boy, stomping towards him with a scowl etched across his cherubic face. Ignoring the calls of Marcus and Victor behind him, Oliver shoved past Aden, nearly toppling the older boy over.

"Whoa, easy there!" Aden steadied himself, gripping Oliver's shoulder. "What's with all the fuss?"

Oliver wrenched free, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'm sick of being treated like a child! All I ever get to do is gather the spent arrows and reload the boltcasters. I want to take the fight to those mangy harpies for once!"

Marcus ambled over, crossbow slung across his back, and clapped a hand on Oliver's head, mussing his hair. "Nah, he just wants to participate in the fight instead of fetching the arrows and bolt cartridges." He shrugged, the hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Victor joined them, shaking his head in fond exasperation. "Kid, you know the rules. No one under fifteen is allowed in direct combat."

"But I can handle myself!" Oliver protested, squaring his narrow shoulders. "You've all seen me practicing with the boltcaster. My aim is getting better!"

The rooftop fell silent as the sharp screech of a harpy echoed in the distance, sending a chill down Aden's spine. He exchanged a grim look with Marcus and Victor, their amusement evaporating.

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"Maybe next time, kiddo," Marcus murmured, ruffling Oliver's hair once more before readying his crossbow. "For now, stay here and keep those bolts coming. We'll need every one of them."

The kid went downstair.

Aden looked around. He searched for the captain. The captain was nowhere around. only the rooftop defenders and Corporal Knightly.

Yet no matter where he looked, he could not find him - until Corporal Knightly informed him that he was downstairs addressing the villagers in the hearth of the main hall. even with all the villagers huddled, the hearth was barely warm on the day of near winter.

Aden found Captain Willem in the main hall with the villagers.

"Cap—," he was about to call out when suddenly he caught sight of Indry, the attractive figure from earlier in the front yard.

"Captain! Captain Willem!" She was running frantically towards the captain in a state of panic.

"Hey, easy. what is it?" Captain asked her urgently. "What's happened? Tell me!"

"Jasmine...she's gone," Indry told him as she struggled to catch her breath.

Even in a moment of panic, she refused to address Jasmine as her daughter in Aden's presence. Aden couldn't help but smile inwardly. It was another point in his favor.

Her cheeks were flushed a rosy pink and her forehead glistened with sweat. Aden's gaze was fixed on her face, the way the light emphasized her delicate baby hair, and how a single drop of sweat trailed down the curve of her neck. He couldn't help but be entranced by her irresistible allure.

Captain Willem inquired, "Do you have any idea where she might have gone off to?"

Indry replied, "She had been talking about her beloved pet Fluffy all morning. I was with Laura and Agnes when I noticed she had gone missing. I believe she must have missed her pet so much that she went to our mansion to bring it back."

"I'll send some of my men out to fetch her," the Captain declared.

Captain Willem looked at Aden. "Ruhimi, you'll go find her!"

"Yes, ser!" Aden replied.

Captain Willem, Aden, and Indry deliberated the issue at hand. She was extremely anxious; her hands grasping onto Aden's arm as if he were a life raft. Keeping close to her side, he did his best to try and alleviate her worries.

After discussing the matter, the captain called on Maeda, the ronin, who stood his ground in the front yard. Maeda walked in. He bowed and presented himself to the captain. "Captain Willem, Maeda-de gozaru."

The captain told Aden that he should accompany Maeda for this extraction mission since they needed someone who could move around stealthily and both of them were the relatively short men among the response party.

Aden was also feeling a little hurt, being taller than average amongst the Wessen men. But he soon realized that in their party, he was now one of the shorter fellows.

Yet, the captain was right. Hjalmar, Victor, and the other imperial knights were all but tall men they would stand out like a sore thumb in the Turnburn neighborhood. The harpies would spot them easily.

While in the other hand, Maeda was also familiar with the neighborhood as he was tasked with the townsfolk evacuation on the first night they arrived in the village.

⁕⁕⁕

"Where are you going?"

Oliver's voice piped up from behind the double doors as Aden and Maeda made final preparations for their mission, checking their gear and weapons.

Aden glanced over his shoulder to see the young boy lingering in the doorway. "A little girl is missing," he explained, his voice low. "Most likely she wandered back to her house in the Turnburn neighborhood."

Buckling on his sword belt, Aden turned to fully face Oliver. "We're about to conduct a search and rescue mission to find her."

Oliver's eyes went wide. "Let me come with you!"

But Aden was already shaking his head. "No, you need to stay here where it's safe. This is a stealth mission - we have to sneak into Turnburn undetected."

"That place is crawling with harpies," Oliver pointed out, his small hands balling into fists.

"Correct," Aden said solemnly from beside Maeda. "Which is precisely why we cannot bring someone untrained along."

Undeterred, Oliver pleaded, "But I'm great at sneaking! I used to sneak through the alleys in Havenmoor all the time. No one ever saw or heard me."

He fixed Aden with an imploring look. "Please, let me join you. I don't want to just fetch arrows and reload bolts this whole time."

Aden regarded the boy for a long moment, seeing the determination burning in those young eyes. It reminded him of his own restless youth.

With a sigh, he crouched down until he was at eye level with Oliver. "Is that why you left your post on the rooftop?"

Oliver met his gaze steadily. "Yes."

A wry smile played across Aden's lips. "You remind me of myself at that age - itching for my first real taste of battle." He rested a hand on Oliver's slim shoulder.

"When I was even younger than you, all I got to do was fetch water during skirmishes - filling canteens and buckets to refresh the soldiers and horses. It chafed something fierce having to stay behind the lines."

Oliver listened raptly, sensing a kindred restless spirit.

"And?" Oliver's eyes gleamed with anticipation, he was so eager to hear what was next.

"Well, nothing interesting happens if you ask. just so you know after some years I became a full Jinn and posted as cavalry. that was the time I realized how important battle squires for. we would die of thirst if no one fetch us water. and we can't abandon our post. we have to be ready. one of us break the rank and it will be done for."

"huh, I thought you gonna tell me some thrilling story." The blonde boy was disappointed. Aden crushed his expectation of a glorious act from a true Jinn—not from a fake Jinn he saw on the play stage.

"On the battlefield, everyone has their own role to participate. nothing less important."

After a bit of talk with Oliver, Aden and Maeda set off toward the Turnburn neighborhood, with Maeda leading the way. Having previously evacuated villagers from the area, Maeda had a keen sense of direction and was able to map out the neighborhood in great detail.

Unlike the chaotic and disorganized streets of Riverway, the streets and paths of Turnburn were arranged neatly, making it easier for the two to navigate.

As they made their way through the neighborhood, Aden and Maeda looked up and saw several harpies flying low overhead. The creatures were mingling around a mansion.

Undeterred, Aden and Maeda continued to sneak around, determined to find a way inside the mansion where Jasmine was supposed to be. They moved with stealth and precision, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of harpy nearby.

As they approached the mansion, they could hear the sound of harpies cackling and snickering, their sinister laughter filling the air.

They glanced up in awe to see multiple harpies above them. Aden could see clearly their perky tits hung freely while their nipples and their cunts covered in soft feathers just enough not to show their pussy lips.

These vulgar creatures were hovering around the mansion, some even joyfully taking a dip in the neighbor's pool. This was contrary to their typical ruthless behavior when they were attacking the village. The harpies flew magnificently and gracefully around the neighborhood, providing an astonishing view that could only be described as breathtaking.

But Aden and Maeda remained focused, their minds fixed on the task at hand. With a sense of determination and purpose, they made their way inside the mansion, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of Jasmine.

The mansion was eerily silent, its stillness only broken by the occasional creaking of a door. Disheveled furniture was strewn about, broken vases lay shattered on the floor, and harpy feathers were scattered everywhere.

They searched every room and every corner of the house cautiously not to make any sound to alarm the harpies nearby. Old man Jed warned them that harpies have heightened hearing sense.

But just as they were about to give up hope, they heard a faint sound coming from upstairs. With a sense of urgency, they made their way up the stairs, their hearts pounding with anticipation.

"There, in a small room at the end of the hallway," Aden whispered. He pointed to where Jasmine's room was supposed to be as Indry told him before. Maeda nodded in silence.

The two of them went inside the room. There was no lock in the door and there were signs of harpy presence in the room. some feathers ripped fabrics, and ripped beds.

"Jasmine?" Aden called in a hushed voice.

"Uncle?" She replied softly from inside the wardrobe. Jasmine revealed herself out of the wardrobe. Her eyes were wide with fear and desperation. She held Fluffy's collar stained with blood.

"I thought you were the bad winged women." She was wiping out her tears, sobbing.

Aden and Maeda rushed to her side, their hearts filled with relief and joy.

"It's okay, we are here now." Aden comforted the little girl. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," She answered with a glad face, hugging Aden tight.

They led Jasmine out of the mansion, sneaking away as they were in. The harpies were still circling overhead, they had to be careful. Aden and Maeda remained focused, their minds fixed on the task at hand.

Aden held her hand. He didn't want to lose her.

⁕⁕⁕