-- Aster --

I refuse to let that damn Siren win. Now, I only needed to figure out how to beat belief. If the vision I was shown when I hit thirty was to be believed then, the belief was where all our powers actually come from. It allows us to shape, and create the power we released into the air of this planet. It may have been a means to terraform but it became so much more. Why wouldn't the collected belief of millions interfere with the world around me? My skills are filled by my belief, and if enough people thought I couldn't do something, why wouldn't I suddenly not be able to do it?

The more I tried to figure out what to do to counteract this, the more a realized how deep the rabbit hole went, and that this was a lot worse than I thought it would be. The only real way for me to fix this was to somehow change the way everyone sees me.

I looked around the training area and was not very hopeful at what I was seeing. We were all on a short break and trying to relax. I found my friends were having trouble looking me in the eye. Except for Bay, the small stream of belief from her was really thin, oddly the same from Violet. Though hers seemed to be in pulses like she wasn't sure. The instructors on the other hand were growing thicker and stronger as time went by. It was so thick it was almost palpable.

I really need to get a handle on what my eyes could really do. At every level, I was learning more about the world than any one person should know. I really should not be able to see belief but with the amount of energy in the air, it must have made it visible. I don't know if I would be able to see it in An la Notre but here I could, but only if f I pass a ton of power through my eyes, and it was a delicate balance without destroying my sight. I could only do it for a few seconds before I was in danger of popping an eye again.

How does one change another's belief? I could just tell them...no they would never believe me. Not after all the evidence against me. I could fall away and show them, let them see my starlight mask. Then they would know I was the one who challenged the city and won. There would be no way for them to not have faith in me then. I did that I would have to make sure they couldn't record. The backlash would be a lot worse than I am prepared for. Hunters would know I was a shadow and would have to run wherever I was. Would that even be worse though, run from hunters? At least I could run...or would I? I couldn't know what they would air, on the show. If they only ever show the fumbling, I might reveal more ways for me to be tracked.

I decided against showing the mask and kept it as a last resort.

Maybe I can fight it with my own power. It was a terrible idea but I needed to try first.

"Breaks over," Kerria said with a growl.

I groaned...My body had already healed but my body didn't seem to remember that as I stood drawing my sword.

I did the only thing I could think of to fight the immaterial. I began to cycle power through, and around my entire body, opening myself to the power around me, guiding as a thin coating all around me, in an attempt to insulate myself. I had enough practice guiding the energy, that I could do this with minimal absorption, though I would only be able to hold it for a few minutes before, I would overheat.

Just shoving power at things seemed to be a solution to fend off a lot of powers. It was how we defended against all kinds of attacks, just creating a bubble of power that couldn't be penetrated. I was sure there was a much more elegant solution, but I was still very new to this and needed something now.

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With the break over Kerria began to "Train" me. But after so many days I was now convinced he just want to swing his sword at someone, or he just didn't care anymore to teach me anything. He never once gave me any actual pointers, saying the best way to learn was to do.

At first, everything was going well. I almost panicked when I felt the first vestiges of belief trying to interrupt me, but the force wasn't strong enough and I was able to power through without losing too much momentum. For the rest of the time, I was able to move without hindrance. I could see the shock in the old man's face, as I seemed to almost become another person, actually holding my own for once. Even pushing back slightly.

He narrowed his eyes and increased his pace.

But it wasn't long into the spar that I realized a serious drawback. I was finding myself constantly distracted by the bundles of belief trying to screw me up. I was still able to power through but it would cause me to do odd movements at times, thinking one of the forces was an attack, and dodge away from nothing. I was thinking I could get used to this, at least until I changed all their minds when I was hit by a particularly strong disbelief, that was able to make it through the field, causing me to literally throw myself on Kerria's weapon.

Fuck. This is going to be hell.

The rest of the training didn't fare much better the disbelief growing stronger and harder to fight off. My plan to show my real skills was not going well and what's worse was everyone was trying to be comforting.

"Aster doesn't worry too much," Bay said reassuringly.

"I saw you today. You're getting better" James commented.

I wanted to say something about how it was them causing me to screw up, but it would just sound like an excuse. I wasn't even sure if my words would blank or not. Even if they didn't I would probably just sound crazy. Like the thousand other things happening to me that even I was finding almost unbelievable. So instead of saying any of that, I only smiled sadly, "Yeah. Getting better."

"It's not for much longer," James added.

Letting out a long sigh, "I know. Just. I wanted to yell to say something, but at this point, "I'm just used to doing things on my own. I apparently don't do well in groups.

By the look on his face. I knew they just saw it as another excuse. "Yeah, well. You'll get a chance to shine during the wave." James' words were comforting but could see his doubt."

"Yeah," I said tiredly.

"Are you ok?" James asked

That was surprisingly thoughtful, I oddly perked up at the concern, "I don't know man it's starting to get to me."

James just shook his head, "I meant physically, you look like shit, and it's been getting worse every day."

Of course, that was what he meant, "Huh, oh that." That's The power all around us, that I'm constantly absorbing. The power I'm constantly flooding every cell in my body to prevent your belief from stopping me. Did he even see when I accidentally jumped too high and broke my ankle? No. I only smiled. "It's nothing. I think it's just the fatigue." I began to walk towards the elevator. I needed to be alone and the roof was nice.

As I was walking away, "They upped the patrols since your last attempt."

I had tried probed the edge of the barrier the other night out of curiosity, and found it solid. No one was getting in or out, without someone letting them. I had stupidly decided to talk a stroll around the barrier and when they saw me. They grabbed me thinking I was trying to escape. I was just curious about the barrier.

"I know." Did he really think I was running away?

"Just letting you know." How little faith do you have in me?

I made it to the roof and looked into the sky at what everyone called the crack. Apparently to everyone else it was white or filled with static. but to me. I could see beyond. Though from here I could only see the refraction of the stars, as I was high above the fog of power thin enough for me to see.

"Hey you never came back."

I jumped at the unexpected voice to see the boarder guy Mullein looking just the same as he did last I saw him. Tall, five o clock shadow, and his leather duster. His board was nowhere in sight though. "How did you get here?" I said stupidly.

"Come on you know how." He said with a wink. He must have used those portals of his.

Seeing him there. I suddenly had an idea. For the first time, I could see a path forward, and even then it was a dumb idea. I could no longer count on anyone anywhere, especially when they air that footage. I was going to have to take a different approach, and the way things were going, I was going to be too weak to do anything.

"I need your help"

Mullein raised an eyebrow and as I explained what I needed, his grin widened. It was going to be a long night.