As they made their way through the dense forest, the morning mist still clung to the trees, giving everything a damp, hushed stillness. The only sounds were the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the occasional bird call overhead.

Thorin adjusted his grip on his sword. “There have been reports of goblins venturing closer to town. That usually means a village has sprung up nearby.”

John raised an eyebrow. “A brand-new goblin village? And we’ve already killed a few of their scouts. Are you saying we should find and wipe out an entire settlement?”

Thorin gave him a flat look. “Did I mention they eat children?”

John sighed. “Okay, I get it.” He ran a hand through his hair, glancing at Kaia. “But it’s still just the three of us. That seems like a tall order.”

Kaia, ever calm, nodded. “It’s a new village, which means it should still be small. And we don’t need to kill everyone—just the men. The women and children will flee back to the older settlement once the fighters are gone.”

John exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “So, the three of us go full Viking on a goblin village.” He cracked a grin. “Alright, let’s get to work.”

Thorin knelt down, brushing his fingers over a faint imprint in the dirt. “See here? This is a goblin track. Smaller than a human’s, toes splayed a bit. Fresh too, probably from this morning.”

John crouched beside him, studying the track. “Okay, but how do you know they went this way and not back the way they came?”

Thorin pointed to a few bent blades of grass and a snapped twig. “Disruptions in the foliage. Goblins aren’t the most graceful walkers. You learn to read the way the ground shifts.”

As John followed along, he suddenly received a notification:

New Skill Acquired: Tracking

He blinked as the tracks before him took on a faint glow, making them stand out against the forest floor. “Well, that’s handy. I just received the tracking skill”

Thorin smirked. “Adventurers really have it easy. If you keep growing like this, I almost feel sorry for the other fighters in the tournament.”

They continued on, following the glowing trail as the tracks grew more numerous. Soon, faint guttural voices carried through the trees. Thorin raised a fist, signaling them to stop. Peering through the underbrush, they spotted a small patrol of three goblins—armed with crude weapons, their greenish skin barely visible through the dappled sunlight.

John grinned and whispered, “I’ve got an idea. I can grab that straggler. When I finish him you jump out in front and catch them off guard Thorin.”

Thorin nodded in response.

John circled around, creeping through the underbrush. His footsteps were light, barely disturbing the forest floor. As he neared the last goblin in line, he lunged, clamping a hand over its mouth and dragging it backward into the bushes. A muffled gurgle was all that escaped before he silenced it.

At that moment, Thorin burst from cover with a roar, slamming into the nearest goblin with his shield. The creature tumbled backward, scrambling to get up as Kaia raised her staff, muttering a spell that sent a small bolt of light streaking toward the second goblin, its movements slowed down to a crawl.

John leapt from the bushes, dagger flashing. The goblin he’d grabbed had no chance. He drove his blade into its throat before whirling to help Thorin, who was now locked in a quick exchange of strikes with the remaining goblin.

The last goblin, wounded and wide-eyed, looked up from the dirt just in time to see something horrifying—the three warriors, rather than finishing him off immediately, turning on each other. John slashed at Thorin, who retaliated with a punch, while Kaia struck John lightly with the butt of her staff before healing him. The goblin let out a panicked screech as they finally turned their full attention back to him.

With a final, brutal strike, the fight was over. And With it, notifications on skill growth flooded John's vision.

John wiped his dagger on the grass and crouched beside the bodies. “Let’s see if these guys had anything worth taking.”

They rummaged through the goblins’ belongings, collecting a handful of copper coins, some dried meat of questionable origin, and a few poorly made weapons.

Thorin shook his head. “Not much, but maybe the village will have something better.”

John pocketed the coins and stretched. “Well, that was fun. Let’s keep moving.”

***

As they walked deeper into the forest, John suddenly stopped in his tracks. “Wait a second… should we have questioned those goblins?”

Thorin froze mid-step and then smacked his forehead with a groan. “By Brandir’s flaming beard! We should have! Damn it, that would’ve made things a lot easier.”

Kaia sighed, adjusting her grip on her staff. “It’s fine. We’ll just interrogate the next ones before we finish them off.”

John smirked. “Right. ‘Before we finish them off.’ Sounds so heroic.”

Thorin chuckled. “You’re learning. Now come on, let’s find our next batch of victims—uh, informants.”

They continued following the goblin tracks, John taking the lead. Thanks to his new Tracking skill, the trail was practically glowing to him now, making it much easier to read the subtle signs. A bent branch here, a patch of disturbed earth there—it all painted a picture of movement through the forest.

“So, how did people track before glowing footprints?” John asked, shooting a grin at Thorin.

“With skill, patience, and experience,” Thorin grumbled. “You know, the hard way.”

“Sounds inefficient,” John said. “I bet you guys have some old-school ‘tracking wisdom’ like ‘lick the dirt to taste how fresh the footprints are.’”

Thorin gave him a flat look. “No one licks the dirt, John.”

“Right, right,” John nodded sagely. “You probably just sniff the tracks instead.”

Kaia laughed, but Thorin just rolled his eyes. “You joke now, but one day, your fancy glowing footprints might not work, and then you’ll wish you knew real tracking.”

“Fine,” John said, pretending to be serious. “Lesson time. What else am I looking for?”

Thorin pointed to a set of deeper tracks in the mud. “See how these footprints are heavier? They were moving slower here. Maybe resting, maybe keeping watch.”

John nodded. “Okay, so if we see that again, maybe that’s a good spot to—”

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

“—set up an ambush,” Thorin finished. “Exactly.”

John grinned. “Hey, I’m getting good at this! I’ll be a legendary ranger in no time.”

Kaia smirked. “If that happens, I want to be there when Thorin has to admit you’re better at tracking than he is.”

Thorin scoffed. “Not in a hundred years.”

John just winked. “We’ll see.”

As they pressed on, the tracks grew fresher. More goblins were up ahead. This time, they’d make sure to get some answers.

***

John crouched low in the underbrush, peering through the leaves at the six goblins moving in loose formation along the trail. Their crude weapons glinted in the dappled sunlight. This wasn’t just a ragtag bunch—there was a fighter with a chipped but hefty axe, a spearman in ragged leather, an archer with a shortbow, and three others armed with rusty blades.

He leaned toward Thorin and whispered, “Are we sure we want to take on this many?”

Thorin nodded. “Aye. It’s doable. We stick to the plan.”

John exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “Alright. One more time?”

Thorin pointed at the closest goblin. “I jump in and try to take one down immediately. The archer will fall back—your job is to make sure it doesn’t get the chance to pepper us with arrows.”

John gave a thumbs up. “Got it.”

Kaia whispered, “I’ll paralyze one, and after that, Thorin will keep the last three busy. If John picks off one, that leaves two for Thorin, and I’ll focus on keeping you both standing.”

John smirked. “Sounds solid. Let’s do it.”

Thorin gave a sharp nod. Then, without hesitation, he launched himself from the bushes, bellowing a war cry.

The goblins barely had time to react before Thorin’s massive sword cleaved downward, biting deep into the nearest goblin’s shoulder. The creature shrieked as it collapsed, mortally wounded, clutching at the gaping wound.

The archer yelped and turned to flee. John moved like a shadow, darting behind the goblin and driving his dagger into its back. The goblin gasped, its body seizing as it crumpled to the forest floor.

A sharp, high-pitched incantation rang out—Kaia’s voice. A bluish light pulsed from her staff, wrapping around one of the goblins like invisible chains. The creature went rigid, paralyzed mid-motion, its eyes darting in panic.

The remaining three goblins reacted fast, spreading out and circling Thorin. The spearman lunged first, forcing Thorin to sidestep as another goblin slashed at him with a curved blade. Thorin parried, but the third goblin landed a deep cut across his thigh.

John rushed in. “Hang on, big guy!”

The goblin spearman turned, thrusting at John, who barely twisted out of the way in time. He countered with a slash across its arm, forcing it to backpedal.

Meanwhile, Kaia chanted another spell, her hands glowing with soft golden light. “Heal!”

Thorin’s bleeding leg sealed itself just as he brought his sword up, intercepting another strike. Grinning, he bashed his opponent in the face with his shield, sending the goblin sprawling.

John caught movement in the corner of his eye—the spearman had regained its footing. It lunged again, aiming for his chest. At the last second, he dodged and buried his dagger into its ribs. The goblin let out a gurgling wheeze before collapsing.

With John now free, he turned to aid Thorin, who was still battling two goblins. Thorin took a slash to his arm, cursing as he swung wildly in retaliation.

John lunged, tackling one of the goblins and driving his knee into its gut. The creature gasped, and John finished it with a swift stab.

Thorin, now facing the last goblin alone, roared as he swung his sword in a brutal arc. The goblin tried to dodge, but the blade caught it across the chest, sending it crumpling into the dirt.

Silence filled the forest, broken only by their heavy breathing.

John wiped sweat from his brow. “Okay… that was a workout.”

Kaia exhaled, casting another round of healing on them both. “You two are impossible.”

A familiar ding sounded in John’s head. He glanced at his interface. Level Up!

“Hey! Level six, baby!” he grinned, pumping a fist.

Thorin chuckled. “Well-earned.”

Kaia nodded toward the last goblin, still frozen in place. “We should tie it up before the spell wears off.”

John and Thorin moved quickly, binding the goblin’s hands and feet with rope. As they finished, the paralysis faded, and the goblin blinked rapidly, realizing its situation.

John crouched in front of it, dagger twirling in his hand. “Alright, little guy. Time to have a chat.”

***

The bound goblin thrashed against the ropes, snarling in its guttural tongue. Its beady eyes darted between its captors, fangs bared in defiance.

Thorin cracked his knuckles, looming over the goblin, like an executioner. “You will answer us, or you will join your friends in the dirt.”

The goblin spat something in its harsh language, defiant even in the face of death.

John held up a hand, stopping Thorin before things escalated. An idea struck him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wireless earbuds and slipped them in. As soon as he did, the goblin’s garbled speech transformed into understandable words.

“…filthy humans… rip your guts out if I—”

John cut him off, speaking fluently in Goblish. “You’re going to answer our questions, or we let the big guy here do what he does best.”

The goblin’s eyes widened in shock. Its mouth opened and closed, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.

“You… you speak the tongue of our ancestors?” it croaked.

John smirked. “That’s right. Now, here’s how this is going to work. We ask you answer. Otherwise…” He gestured toward Thorin, who flexed his fingers meaningfully.

The goblin swallowed hard, eyes flicking to the warrior. “I… I don’t want to die.”

John crouched, keeping his tone firm. “Good. First question: How many warriors does your village have left?”

The goblin hesitated, then muttered, “Maybe… twenty warriors. Chief is strong. He will fight.”

John nodded. “Location?”

The goblin reluctantly gave them directions—just beyond a rocky outcrop a few miles east. Hidden among thick trees, with a few huts and a watchtower.

“Patrols?” John pressed.

The goblin took a deep breath. “Two groups left. One morning. One night. You… already killed morning patrol.”

John exchanged a glance with Thorin and Kaia. That meant the village was currently unguarded.

With all the information gathered, John stood up. “Alright. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to head to the old village. The women and children will be moving there soon.”

The goblin’s face twisted in confusion. “You… you are not killing me?”

John leaned in close, his voice cold. “If I ever see you again, it will be the last thing you see.”

The goblin nodded frantically, scrambling to its feet as Thorin cut the ropes. Without looking back, it bolted into the woods.

Kaia folded her arms. “Letting him go was a risk.”

John shrugged. “Maybe. But it makes sure the survivors don’t just set up a new village nearby. Now, we focus on wiping this one out.”

Thorin grinned. “With their numbers and patrols, we’ve got a shot. We hit fast and hard.”

John rubbed his chin. “We should move at dusk. Take out the watchtower first, then hit the village before they can organize.”

Kaia nodded. “I’ll keep you healed and buffed. Take out the warriors and the chief, the rest will scatter.”

Thorin slammed a fist into his palm. “Then let’s get to work.”

With a plan in place, they set off, ready to bring ruin to the goblin village.

***

The three of them crouched just beyond the treeline, shrouded in the creeping dusk. The goblin village lay ahead, a ragged collection of crude huts and wooden palisades, the flickering glow of campfires barely visible through the gaps. A patrol of five goblins meandered along the outskirts, their movements lazy but routine. John counted them twice just to be sure.

"Five of them," he whispered. "Standard fare: one looks like a fighter, two with short swords, a shaman—probably got some kind of magic—and a scout."

Kaia sighed. "I hate shamans. The last one threw fire."

Thorin cracked his knuckles, his voice low and eager. "Then we kill it first."

John smirked. "My thoughts exactly. We'll set up an ambush. Thorin, you’re the biggest and loudest, so you're on distraction duty. Get their attention, and soak up the hits. Kaia, stay back and keep us alive. I'll flank wide and take out the shaman."

Kaia raised a brow. "And what if things go south?"

John shrugged. "Then we improvise."

Thorin grinned. "Good plan. Let's ruin their evening."

With a nod, they split up. Thorin moved forward first, his heavy boots pressing softly against the underbrush. The goblins barely had time to react before he was upon them. His axe arced through the air, catching one of the sword-wielders in the side. The goblin let out a gurgling cry before dropping lifeless to the ground.

"Intruders!" The shaman shrieked, raising a gnarled staff.

John darted through the trees, closing the distance in a heartbeat. Before the shaman could summon whatever nasty spell it had prepared, John's dagger found its throat. The goblin let out a choking gasp and crumpled to the dirt.

"That’s one problem solved!" he called out.

The remaining goblins sprang into action. The fighter lunged at Thorin, their weapons clashing in a spray of sparks. The scout hung back, drawing a small, jagged dagger before moving in toward Kaia.

Kaia sidestepped the goblin’s strike, muttering a quick incantation as a shimmering barrier flared to life between her and her attacker. The scout’s dagger glanced off harmlessly, and she countered with a flash of white light that froze the creature.

Thorin, meanwhile, was locked in a fierce duel with the goblin fighter, their weapons clanging with each powerful swing. But he was grinning, reveling in the challenge. "You're good, but not good enough!" he taunted, slamming the hilt of his axe into the goblin’s face.

John was already moving, going for the scout Kaia had paralyzed. His instincts screamed a warning just in time—a sudden whistle through the air, followed by a sharp thunk as an arrow embedded itself in Thorin’s shoulder.

"Dammit!" Thorin grunted, stumbling slightly. He ripped the arrow free with a growl, his eyes darting toward the trees. "Archer!"

John followed the trajectory. A sixth goblin, unseen until now, crouched in the shadows, nocking another arrow.

"I got it!" John called, sprinting into the brush.

The archer was quick, loosing another arrow in his direction. John twisted at the last second, feeling the wind of its passage just inches from his ear. He closed the gap with a burst of speed, slamming into the goblin with full force. They tumbled together in a tangle of limbs, John coming out on top.

The goblin hissed, clawing at him, but John pinned its arms and drove his dagger deep into its chest. The creature shuddered, then went still.

"Not today," John muttered, wiping his blade clean on the goblin’s tunic before sprinting back to the fight.

Thorin had finished off the fighter, though his wounded arm hung slightly at his side. Kaia stood over the fallen scout, her dagger still clutched tightly in her hand. The battlefield was theirs.

John exhaled, catching his breath. "That was a little more exciting than planned. Everyone okay?"

Kaia shot him a look. "Thorin got shot."

Thorin shrugged. "Barely a scratch."

Kaia rolled her eyes but muttered a healing spell, and Thorin sighed in relief as the wound mended itself.

John chuckled. "Alright, let’s see what our green-skinned friends were carrying."

They searched the bodies quickly. The fighter had a well-crafted, albeit small, steel shield. John handed it to Thorin, who gave it an approving nod. The shaman carried a pouch of odd-smelling herbs, a crude wooden staff, and a small leather-bound book covered in strange symbols. Kaia immediately grabbed it.

"Could be useful," she said. "Might be spells."

John pocketed a handful of coins from the scout before moving on to the archer. He found a decent shortbow and a quiver half-full of arrows.

"I might hold onto this," he mused, slinging the quiver over his shoulder.

Kaia held up a small vial taken from the fallen scout. "This looks like a poison of some kind."

John grinned. "Now that is my kind of loot."

With their spoils gathered, they took a final glance toward the goblin village. Lights flickered in the distance, voices carrying through the cool night air.

"We should get out of here before they notice their patrol is missing," John said.

Thorin nodded. "Next we hit the watch tower."

John smirked. "Agreed. Then go straight for the chief?."

With that, they slipped back into the shadows, disappearing into the forest.