Submission (#6713) Approved

The rebuilding of the shrine would take a while but the offerings had been salvaged as best as they could and the community was aware of being careful while travelling through the area and had been advised to go out in pairs. Someone had the idea to all come together at the weekend to make plans for the new shrine together but Niyari sadly couldn't wait that long and had to leave for their mission. The party wouldn't wait for one guest and they definitely couldn't miss this... So with their things all packed, it was time to finally go.

Niyari had some finer clothes and accessories with them to blend into the other party people, that's why their usual light backpack was feeling a lot heavier. It made it harder to pack larger food and water rations so Niyari had chosen a route that would bring them through multiple cities with enough chance to restock their rations. Depending on how fast they were it as also possible that they could sleep in an actual bed every night and eat a warm dinner and breakfast and just had to pack something for lunch. It might cost a bit more but felt like it would be worth it, especially if they found rooms in taverns that offered free food together with the room to sleep in.

When Niyari got into the next town on their route it was already getting dark. The route would be tough to make with sleeping in towns every night but it could be possible if Niyari could keep this steady pace. As had become routine over the years Niyari immediately went to the black board near the town center to see what was happening. It was a great and easy way to get a feel for a location. Niyari could see the usual request and flyers for local happenings like the book shop hosting a sale but what caught their eyes was the paper with a bright red line around the edges that had been pinned straight in the center. The position plus the red edge to draw attention to it usually meant danger and this was true for this poster as well. Citizens were warned not to use the northern road leading out of the town and to use other routes if possible. Niyari clenched their teeth. Of course that was the road they had planned for their journey... The flyer just said that the problem was being dealt with but didn't give any more hints at what that problem might be. If it was something simple as old trees falling down and making the area unsafe or maybe a thief robbing unsuspecting travellers then Niyari wouldn't really have to worry. But both of these were reasons that would probably be stated on the poster. The former would be pretty easy to deal with, it would just take some time and work. And a thief would definitely be mentioned so that people knew to check their belongings more frequently. A thief could move after all and could come into town or use different roads to ambush. No, this was something different... Some animals in mating season that were territorial and didn't tolerate the presence of others? The more scenarios played in Niyaris head, the more grew a feeling of dread in their stomach. There weren't a lot of options left...

Despite having a bed, sleep was hard to come by this night. Niyari had looked at their map and tried to plan a different route that wouldn't require them to use the northern road. It was hard to find an alternative that would lead through towns and villages though and Niyari would have to spend a night in the open. This wasn't something they were usually bothered by but with their heavy luggage already and planning in the extra food... They didn't pack many tools for outdoors, they had been so sure they would be able to stick to the route and go from town to town.
So when the next morning came and breakfast had been served and eaten, Niyari went straight back to the black board to see if there were any updates. No such luck. The flyer was still in place, no mention if the situation had been resolved or had gotten worse. They let out a deep sigh and decided to just go for it. They were quick and perceptive. Niyari had spend so many years honing their skills to become the perfect invisible spy, it didn't matter who they had to escape from.

When they left the town over the northern road Niyari actually got stopped by a concerned Elnin and it took a lot of charme and persuasion to disperse any worries and assure the villager that Niyari knew what they were doing and they didn't need any help.
The road itself was spectaculary ordinary though. No traces of destruction or recent fights. In fact, after it got clear that the road itself was not the problem but that it had to be something near it, Niyaris eyes were wandering around the trees, making sure to check both on the ground and near the tree crowns. You could never forget about the advantage someone got from attacking from higher ground - Niyari had been said attacker far too often to just ignore these prime positions. Travelling towards North also meant that Niyaris eyes weren't getting blinded by the sun and there weren't a lot of places obscured by glaring light.

It wasn't the light that Niyari had to worry though. It was the shadows. Or rather something that looked like a big shadow but wasn't one. Halfway down the road between the village and the next crossroads something caught Niyaris eyes. At first they were ready for a wild animal but the shimmering dark wasn't a well kept fur reflecting the sun in different tones. It was something far more unnatural.
A small laugh escaped Niyari as they stopped walking. A humorless sound, more surprise than anything else. On the left side of the road was something alien and familiar all the same. A border to the overwilds. Another one. The dark curtain was like the evil twin of a rainbow, colorful but ominous. Some trees were only partly covered, a few branches sticking out while the rest had been devoured and hidden behind the border. Niyari both relaxed because they knew now what the threat on this road was and grew worried. At least Niyari wouldn't have to warn anyone about it this time, the danger had already been discovered by someone else. Niyari hesitated. They wanted to get closer and just... explore. A deep urge to confront their fears so they could overcome them. Now wasn't the time though... And not like this. Not with the light gear they had packed. The boundary was luring them in and Niyari stared for far too long before continuing down the road.