Kawashita faced the unseen barrier with a frown. He placed one hand on apparently empty air and pushed.
"What are you doing?" Alae asked. She stood five paces behind him, fingering the cutter.
He didn't answer. He backed away and felt the pressure stop. The illusion, the restraints, were slowly letting up. Two days ago none of them could have even considered leaving the assigned pathways. Now, with an effort of will, at least he could do so. He squinted and saw a few patches of fog.
"See anything?" he asked.
"Nothing. What are you doing?"
"There's a wall or building here. We can't see it. But something is changing. If I concentrate, I can see it a little and feel it."
"Who are you trying to fool? You knew there was something here, you knew it the day we met. You planned it all from the beginning, to keep us out, keep us away from what we deserve. And then you arm yourself to kill us." She didn't bother to remove the sliver from her collar. She extended the cutter's field.
Kawashita looked over his shoulder at her and felt the slice across his arm. He held his hand against the blood and winced at the searing pain. He forced his watering eyes open and stepped back against the invisible wall. Alae gritted her teeth and moved in to finish her work.