Foolish hope?

'Is this really a good idea?'

'What if I'm wrong?'

'Juno fell into this trap much earlier than me, so what makes me think I can figure things out better than he does?'

Isera battled her own thoughts that continued to chip away at the meager amount of self-confidence she managed to gather. 

'Am I doing the right thing? Or am I just arrogant?'

Isera was perfectly aware of how this devilish plain affected her thoughts, but it didn't make it any easier to discard those self-deprecating ideas. If anything, it only made it harder for the girl to discern what was the influence of the plain... And what was her lack of self-esteem born upon her encounter with the elites of the elites who were all stuck at the barrier for years if not decades… 

Or if it was all just a cold and harshly practical analysis of her own position and situation.