The swift, silent elimination of the goblin patrol had a noticeable effect on the team's morale. The palpable tension that had gripped them since entering Tallenwood eased slightly, replaced by a cautious optimism. They had faced a direct threat and overcome it, a small victory in a larger, more perilous campaign. But there was no time for celebration, no opportunity for self-congratulation. The Goblin King's army was still out there, a looming threat that demanded constant vigilance.

  Roland, ever the pragmatic leader, immediately refocused their attention on the primary objective. "We move," he said, his voice low but firm. "Quickly, but quietly. Jett, take the lead. We need to reach that boat before any more goblins stumble upon us."

  Jett, his bow once again strung and ready, nodded and set off at a brisk pace, his movements fluid and silent, his senses alert for any sign of danger. The others followed, maintaining a tight formation, their weapons drawn, their eyes scanning the surrounding forest.

  Despite their best efforts, the pace was slower than Roland would have liked. Caspian, while intellectually brilliant, lacked the physical conditioning of the others. William, though steadily improving, was still a novice in the art of wilderness travel. Their relative inexperience, combined with the need for caution, hampered their progress.

  Several times, Jett stopped abruptly, holding up a hand to signal a halt. He would disappear into the undergrowth, his movements barely disturbing a leaf, and then reappear a few moments later, shaking his head, indicating that the path ahead was clear, but these constant stops, while necessary, added to the growing sense of urgency.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, but was probably closer to an hour of tense, cautious travel, they reached the riverbank. The air grew noticeably cooler, carrying the scent of fresh water and damp earth, a welcome change from the oppressive stillness of the deep forest. A small, rickety wooden jetty jutted out into the gently flowing current, a testament to Herbert's fishing activities in the area.

  And there, moored to the jetty, bobbing gently on the water, was Herbert's boat.

  The sight, initially, sparked a surge of relief, a flicker of hope in the gathering gloom. They had reached their immediate destination, overcome the initial obstacle, avoided the main goblin force. But that relief quickly evaporated as they took a closer look at the vessel that was supposed to carry them through the treacherous Hammer Falls.

  "That's... it?" Caspian asked, his voice a mixture of disbelief and dismay, his eyes wide as he took in the sorry state of the boat.

  It was, to put it mildly, unimpressive. The boat was small, barely large enough to hold the five of them and their gear, let alone navigate a raging river. It was old, its wooden planks weathered and cracked, its paint faded and peeling. It looked like it hadn't seen a coat of varnish, or any form of maintenance, in years. Several barrels, presumably once used to store fish, were piled haphazardly in the stern, along with a tangle of fishing nets and other assorted gear, all covered in a thick layer of grime and the unmistakable stench of stale fish.

  The boat, while still afloat, and with no immediate signs of leaks, clearly wasn't in any condition to withstand the pounding fury of rapids. A few solid impacts, a collision with a submerged rock, a particularly violent surge of water, and it would likely splinter into a thousand pieces, leaving them at the mercy of the churning currents and the rumoured monster that lurked within.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "It's... seen better days," Julia said, stating the obvious, her voice lacking its usual confidence.

  Roland, his face grim, ran a hand along the boat's side, his fingers tracing the cracks and splinters in the aged wood. "It's barely seaworthy," he muttered, more to himself than to the others. "It wouldn't last five minutes in Hammer Falls."

  The weight of their predicament settled upon them, a crushing realization that their escape route, their lifeline, was little more than a floating coffin. The initial surge of hope that had accompanied their arrival at the riverbank evaporated, replaced by a renewed sense of despair.

  But William, ever the optimist, ever the problem-solver, refused to give up. His gaze, instead of lingering on the dilapidated boat, scanned the immediate surroundings, searching for… something. And then, he saw it.

  Near the jetty, tucked away under a makeshift shelter of woven branches and leaves, was a pile of materials: planks of wood, tools, a bucket of tar, and a coil of sturdy rope. It was a repair kit, a collection of supplies that Herbert had clearly intended to use to reinforce his boat, before the goblin threat had disrupted his life, had driven him to seek solace in the bottom of a bottle.

  A spark of an idea ignited in William's mind, a potential solution, a way to salvage their desperate plan. He turned to Julia, his eyes alight with a newfound determination.

  "Julia," he said, his voice urgent, "you mentioned enchantment magic, the ability to imbue objects with magical properties. Is there a spell, something that could reinforce the boat? Make it stronger, more durable?"

  Julia, caught off guard by the sudden question, blinked in surprise. "There is," she said, her brow furrowing in thought. "A Reinforce spell. It creates a temporary magical barrier around an object, increasing its resistance to damage. It's commonly used on weapons and armour, to enhance their effectiveness during battle."

  She paused, considering the implications. "But... the boat, William, it's far too large. The Reinforce spell is designed for smaller objects, things you can hold in your hand, or at most, wear on your body. To enchant an entire boat of this size… it would require an immense amount of mana, far beyond my capabilities. It would be impossible."

  William, however, wasn't deterred. He'd anticipated her objection, had already formulated a counter-argument.

  "What about just parts of the boat?" he asked, his voice insistent. "The front, the sides, the areas most likely to be impacted by the rapids? Could you reinforce those specific sections, one at a time?"

  He pressed on, his mind racing, outlining his plan. "And could you shift the focus of the spell quickly? From one section to another, as needed? If you had enough warning, enough time to react…"

  Julia's eyes widened slightly, her initial scepticism giving way to a flicker of understanding. She considered the possibilities, running the calculations in her head. The Reinforce spell, when applied to a smaller area, required significantly less mana. And shifting the focus of the enchantment, while demanding, was certainly within her capabilities, provided she had sufficient warning and could maintain her concentration.

  "It's… possible," she admitted, her voice hesitant, but also tinged with a growing excitement. "If I concentrate the spell on a limited area, the mana drain would be manageable. And yes, I could shift the protection, move the barrier from one section of the boat to another. It would require precise timing, and excellent communication, but... it could work."

  A small smile played on her lips, a flicker of hope in the gathering gloom. "It's a long shot, William, a very long shot. But... it's better than nothing."

  William, his heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and nervous energy, grinned. His crazy idea, born of desperation and a flash of insight, might actually have a chance.

  He pointed towards the pile of repair materials, the planks of wood, the tools, the tar. "Then let's get to work," he said, his voice filled with a newfound determination. "We're going to reinforce this boat, magically and physically. We're going to make it strong enough to survive Hammer Falls. And we're going to get to Lumenar."

  The task ahead was daunting, the odds stacked against them. But they had a plan, a glimmer of hope, and a team that was, despite their differences, united by a common purpose. The journey to Lumenar was far from over, but they were, once again, ready to face the challenges, together.