The Systems Challenge

Jonas looked around the corner to look at the goblins. He could only see one of the larger goblins with maybe five of the other regular ones. He waited a minute, but there wasn't any sign of the gray skinned one. Which wasn't surprising, since he only saw it that one time right before he returned to the rest of his team. Although, he did notice that they had torches that it looked like they planned on lighting when it got darker.

Jonas turned back to the rest of the group. "Okay, it looks like there's one of the larger goblins in sight and when it gets darker, they have torches I think they'll light up," Jonas informed them.

Elmo the squeezed next to Jonas to look around the corner. "Let's see," Elmo muttered. "Ah! There it is! View Stats!"

Elmo then was silent a few minutes and the rest of the team waited patiently. Jonas didn't see the need to rush things, although he did feel the press of time in regards to what he could only imagine was happening to the girls.

"I see," Elmo finally said, moving back away from the corner. "The larger goblins are called 'bugbears' and are massively strong and dumber than the regular goblins, but it seems they have the temperament of a toddler when they don't get what they want."

Kim chuckled, "Sounds like a man," she remarked quietly.

Jonas shook his head at that, pretty sure he wasn't going to ever change Kim's mind about men in general.

"So, how do you want to handle this?" Jonas asked. "Should I scout out ahead in the shadows and return after a bit and drink a mana potion? Or should we start the operation now?"

Kim thought for a minute, both Elmo and Elin waiting patiently for Kim to decide. "Let's wait for it to get dark enough for them to light the torches," Kim said finally. "That way there'll be more shadows for you to work with rather than what little we have right now." Kim then tosses Jonas a mana potion. "However, take that with you. We can't say how long a scouting trip will take and it might be the only opportunity we'll actually have. So, you should go with the intention of getting them out of there right away and only fall back if it looks like it's not going to work so well."

Jonas nodded as he put the potion in a small pouch that had come attached to his clothing. "Got it. I'll drink it once I feel I need to," Jonas replied.

That said, he settled in to wait for it to get darker. The wait giving him time to think. Time which he used to go over what he'd already determined to do, although now all the doubts that he'd managed to push away up until now began to eat away at his confidence.