Jett, who had been listening intently, his expression thoughtful, nodded slowly. "It's possible. Four goblins, caught unawares... we could do it. But it would require perfect coordination, absolute silence. Any mistake, any hesitation, could alert the entire army."

  Roland, weighing the options, his gaze shifting between Jett and William, finally made his decision. "We go with option two," he declared, his voice firm. "We take out those goblins, secure the boat, and assess the river. It's the best chance we have of reaching Lumenar quickly and safely." He looked at each member of the group, his expression serious. "But we do this carefully. We move as one, we follow Jett's lead, and we eliminate any threat swiftly and silently. Understood?"

  A chorus of agreement answered him, a mixture of determination and apprehension. The decision was made. They would face the immediate danger, gamble on their skills and their luck, and hope that their desperate plan would succeed.

  The issue with the first option, waiting, was the uncertainty. There was no guarantee that the Goblin King’s main army would even move. The longer they wait, the less likely they can even get to the boat. And with goblins already in the vicinity of where Herbert moored his boat, there is no guarantee that the boat would even be there when they get to it. The goblins could have destroyed it. If William’s analysis was correct, and the Goblin King was marching the army towards Lumenar, that means the closer they get to Lumenar, the more goblins they will encounter, as the main force would already be in the region.

  The issue with the last option, detouring, was speed. It would be almost impossible for a group of five to navigate the unknowns of Tallenwood forest and hope to be faster than the goblin army who are travelling on the established routes. Even if an army is slow, the well-established paths would be quicker and less of a drain on stamina than having to create a new path. If the party can’t travel quick enough, their mission to warn and convince the elves would be doomed, as the main goblin army would have already arrived.

  It was Julia who proposed the refined strategy, a plan that combined their strengths and minimized their weaknesses. "I might have a solution," she said, her voice thoughtful. "I have a spell, a Silence enchantment. It creates a localized area where sound is suppressed, muffled, almost completely eliminated. It's not perfect, and it doesn't last long, but it could give us the edge we need."

  She explained the mechanics of the spell. It required concentration and a steady flow of mana, but it could create a temporary bubble of silence, a zone where the clatter of weapons, the cries of the goblins, even the rustle of leaves, would be dampened, significantly reducing the risk of alerting nearby patrols.

  "If I can cast the Silence spell on the goblins," Julia continued, "Jett could take them out with his bow. He's accurate enough, and at that range, with no sound to betray him, he could eliminate them before they even know what's happening. William and I can support with spells, if needed, but the goal is to keep it quick, clean, and quiet."

  The plan was audacious, but it was also their best chance. It leveraged Julia's magic, Jett's marksmanship, and the element of surprise. It minimized the risk of a prolonged engagement, of a noisy battle that could attract unwanted attention.

  Roland, after a moment of consideration, nodded his approval. "It's a good plan, Julia. Risky, but good. We'll do it your way." He looked at each member of the group, his expression serious. "But we need to be precise. We need to be coordinated. We need to be silent. Any mistake could be fatal."

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  With the plan finalized, they moved with a newfound sense of purpose. Jett, taking the lead, guided them through the dense undergrowth, his movements silent and fluid. Julia, focused her mind, preparing for the delicate task of casting the Silence spell. Roland, his sword drawn, scanned the surroundings, his senses alert for any sign of danger. William, his own sword at the ready, felt a surge of adrenaline, a mixture of fear and anticipation. Caspian, the least combat-experienced of the group, stayed close to Roland, his eyes wide with a mixture of apprehension and scholarly curiosity.

  They reached a small rise overlooking the area where Jett had spotted the goblins. The four creatures were still there, seemingly engaged in a frantic search, tearing apart bushes, overturning rocks, their guttural voices carrying faintly on the breeze. They were clustered relatively close together, their backs to the approaching party, completely unaware of the impending threat.

  Jett, crouching low, gestured for the others to remain hidden. He then moved with unbelievable stealth, circling around the goblins, positioning himself on a slightly elevated vantage point, a small knoll that offered a clear line of sight. He nocked an arrow, drawing the bowstring back with practiced ease, his eyes aligning the shaft with the target, his breathing slow and controlled..

  Julia, meanwhile, began to weave her magic. She moved her hands in a slow, deliberate pattern, tracing intricate symbols in the air, her lips moving in a silent incantation. A faint blue shimmer began to coalesce around her fingertips, a visual cue of the gathering magic..

  William, watching Julia, felt a surge of admiration. Her control over her magic was remarkable, her focus absolute. He knew that maintaining the spell, even for a short time, required significant concentration and a steady expenditure of mana. He silently prepared his own magic, visualizing the Magic Missile spell.

  The air around the goblins shimmered, subtly distorted, as Julia completed the incantation. The Silence spell was in place.

  Jett released his first arrow.

  The shaft flew true, a whisper of death that struck the first goblin in the back of the neck. The creature crumpled without a sound, its body collapsing to the ground before it could even register pain.

  A second arrow followed almost instantaneously, striking another goblin in the chest. This one managed a choked gasp, a sound that was immediately swallowed by the Silence spell, before it, too, fell lifeless.

  The remaining two goblins, sensing something amiss, began to turn, their beady eyes searching for the disturbance. Seeing two dead bodies on the ground, they try to let out a scream of fury, but no sounds escape from their mouths. They try to escape, but they were too late.

  Jett fired a third arrow, and then a fourth, each one finding its mark with deadly precision. The goblins, caught completely off guard, unable to cry out, unable to warn their companions, died in silence.

  The entire engagement lasted less than ten seconds. Four goblins, eliminated with ruthless efficiency, their bodies lying sprawled on the forest floor, a testament to the combined skills of Jett and Julia.

  William let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his body relaxing slightly. He and Julia had prepared their magic missiles, ready to contribute, but their role proved to be as reserves in this instance. Julia, seeing her spell was no longer required, took deep breathes to relax.

  Roland, his sword still drawn, approached the fallen goblins, cautiously checking for any signs of life. He nodded, satisfied. "Clean kills," he said, his voice low. "Well done, Jett. Julia, excellent work with the Silence."

  He looked at William, a hint of approval in his eyes. "You all did well. We move quickly now, we are too close to the main army. We get to the boat, and assess our options from there."

  The victory, though swift and decisive, was a sobering reminder of the dangers they faced. They had overcome this obstacle, but many more lay ahead. The path to Lumenar was still fraught with peril, and the fate of their mission, of the kingdom, remained uncertain.