It was after her boring household ‘lessons’ with Miss Fenn that Alenes found herself down by the river with her sleeves rolled up scrubbing dirty clothes, pots, pans, and the like. ‘No improvement in Cleaning and Cooking is worth being near that lady, she’s so rude!’ A quick glance around showed her what she already knew, but, well - she was hoping her village wouldn't be so stereotypical. Nearly everyone at the river cleaning was women, girls, or awkward teens trying to flirt. ‘Really, this is what the women do? Clean up the house, clean up the clothes, cook the food, and… that’s it? Well, I guess they oversee livestock as well. But cousin and I have none.’ It was utterly boring, and she couldn’t see how anyone would want to live like this, how they couldn’t try to strive for something greater. It was just unfathomable to her, just being okay living your entire life like this. ‘Probably indoctrination, not knowing any better, and well - not understanding what’s out there?’

Her eyes subtly darted around calling out time and time again in her mind ‘Observe!’ The results were well, sad. Not a single of the women she observed had a physical stat higher than 0.0, some of them even had lower movement and reflex than her! Not only that, but their willpower was mostly in the 0.1-0.2 range, with only a single 0.3 she found! Luckily - or perhaps unluckily if you take into consideration her own Psyker stat, she found ranges from 0.0, all the way up to one person even having 0.8! ‘Which means I still have 10x more Psyker potential than them. But… strange. I have a feeling the ‘8’ isn’t as high as I originally thought if I can already find someone nearing 1. But what is the number based upon, and for that matter - what are the rest of the stats based upon?’

Quest Gained: Find out what your Psyker stat is based upon.

Staring at the red and gold box for a moment, she hurriedly went back to scrubbing clothes, trying her best to seem like the sad, tired, and downtrodden child everyone expected. ‘That’s my first quest. But, it didn’t give me one for the other stats. So that means they should be clear and obvious, whereas the Psyker one is surprise, surprise - more esoteric? It makes sense considering my Status Sheet said that was the one stat that couldn’t be upgraded with Stat Points. If that’s the case, then Psyker shouldn’t represent a total ‘magic pool’ or however you want to call it but instead Potential?’

Switching to a pair of trousers, she continued on musing - both as a way to figure out more information, but also as a way to pass time. ‘If that is the case then one can assume the difference could also be that the other stats are more ‘linear’ whereas each increase in the Psyker ‘Talent’ grows larger and larger.’ A shiver went down her spine at that thought. ‘Then, in that case, I’m more than 80x Johnathan… or I could be less! Let’s just hope I’m less. But considering the quest still isn’t done - then I’m missing something. It must want me to know exactly what it's based on, but I could also be wildly off. I’ll have to think about it more.’

Swapping clothes again, Alenes went down a different line of thought, one perhaps more prevalent for the immediate moment. ‘What do I want to do in this life? Well, avoid getting turned into goo for the God Emperor - may his majesty never become one with me. Also, not killing everyone by turning into a Daemon. Or get clobbered by an Ork. Or a ‘nid. Honestly, pretty much everything that breathes. Also, considering the setting and the fact I’m a Psyker, I’d like to live a while. I died so young last life, I’d like to live long enough to get off this rock and see a few planets, and maybe even some solar systems. In order to do that though - I have to survive. The good thing is I know the God-Emperor is a thing so that settles things down too - well a bit less than a period of ten thousand years. Although, I'm pretty sure it's before the rift. I imagine as a Psyker, I'd know if that thing was open?’

She took a moment's pause to shuffle out of the way of a few women walking away chattering with themselves, a bundle of wet clothes in each of their baskets. ‘So I’m definitely dealing with the incredibly religious and certifiably insane Imperium of Mankind. So, how do I, as a Psyker on a planet that doesn’t recognize the God Emperor’s glory, and more than likely even the name ‘Imperium’ survive whenever they find the planet again?’

Her lips twitched as realization struck her. ‘I’m gonna have to Primarch this planet, aren’t I?’ It was an amusing way to phrase things, mainly so that she didn’t have to seriously think about what that meant. After all, she was a flabby little 8-year-old who could turn into a Daemon at any time, making concrete plans for world domination, enlightening the unenlightened, and you know - making sure her planet didn’t get glassed for heresy was a bit much right now.

‘So step one. Figure out how to practice this Mental Shield skill, so I can try to resist Warp Corruption and Daemonic Whispers. Step two, train like hell physically and hope the system helps out. Step three, learn how to fight. Step four, drastically increase my Discipline, Prayer, and Willpower.’ She frowned, ‘Actually, steps one and step four are the same, same with steps two and three. A further addendum, I can merge part of the new step one with the new step 2. After all, Discipline and Willpower can certainly be enhanced through training. Final step… shock and awe? Actually no, the final step of this tentative plan can only be done when I’m strong enough that I can’t just be burned at the stake for being a witch by a random drunk dude.’

The beginnings of a plan formed inside of her mind, Alenes finished up on the last of her clothes, grabbed her basket, and slowly walked back home. ‘Honestly, more like a waddle, this is way too big for my height!’

Stood in the middle of the ‘everything’ room in the small house Johnathan and her shared Alenes hummed trying to figure out the best way to go about training. 'They won't just let me swing around a sword, so it's clear I need to focus on my body first. This would be easier if I knew for sure what each stat did. Willpower clearly governs the mind, but based on the name the main thing should be 'Will'. I can only really train that with physical training. I'm unsure how I would currently specially train Reflex, so I'll just have to let it naturally upgrade through the Movement training. Movement should govern speed, but does it also govern things like dexterity, the movement of your body in general? Would something like juggling help movement, or would that fall under Physical? Physical should clearly govern strength, but what else? Does it affect durability, healing factor, immune system, etc? If so - wouldn't that mean that the stats of other people can't be accurate, as it would govern too many things that wouldn't increase at the same rate, even with the Imperium's numerous gene therapy and technology enhancements? In that case, either the system is inaccurate - or, perhaps slightly horrifying, altered the material Universe. Albeit with some statements about the warp, it would be absolutely horrifying if it altered the warp as well. So definitely hoping it can at most alter the Materium, and not the Immaterium.'

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DING! Hidden Quest: Realize the Materium has been altered by a Class 1 Entity.

Status: COMPLETED.

Reward: +.25 Psyker, +1 Status Points. Accept now? The host may delay up to 24 hours.

Reading through the red popup in her vision, she took a sharp inhale at the reward. 'Fuck. Fuckkkk. I REALLY didn't need my Psyker stat to increase at all. But, everyone is out working the fields, training, guarding, etc - so... there's no safer time, is there? I guess the first thing I'm training is my meditation, and that's right now then.' With a few quick steps, Alenes marched into her room and plopped directly in the middle of her bed made out of straw. 'Alright, what kind of Meditation would be best here? Well, I'm going to increase my connection to the warp and how much of it my body can channel without going kablooey, so let's do five things each of my senses pick up, into focusing on what each part of my body feels.'

Her eyes darted around the room cataloging different sights, colors, and objects before they closed. 'What do I feel? The bed on my butt and legs. The air gently flowing by me. My clothes scratching against my skin. The tightness of my boots. Cold. A strange cold, one I'm unfamiliar with. It twists up my spine and around my brain. It feels wrong why do I feel cold? I shouldn't feel cold. Oh? It's gone!'

Progress with Combat Skill: Mental Shield made.

'I see... so that cold was the warp?' She did her best to remain calm, acknowledging what she felt and was currently feeling, before going on with each of her senses. Eventually, when finished she settled into long, slow breaths. With each breath, her conscious mind seemingly traveled along its path, trailing whimsically through her toes, fingers, limbs, and vital organs, before - she finally focused on her brain. She 'felt' the air seep through it with her breaths, then at some random point... 'Your Majesty the God Emperor, please protect this Citizen of your Empire as she faces the corruption of the warp. Please shine your Divine Wrath on the forces of Chaos, and your Psionic Might beat back those that lurk in the Immaterium. System, I accept the quest reward!'

The next second, her mind simultaneously exploded, yet also expanded. Senses, sights, feelings, and so much more grew in her awareness. She could see the duality of reality, the wiver-waver of space, and the warbling of time. The smell of feelings, and the taste of emotions. She could 'see' colors that didn't make sense; multi-colored, yet singular. Always shifting, yet the same. The world around her seemed to warp and waver, stretching and shrinking. Blood dripped from her nose as agonizing pain blared through her being. Yet, she was entranced. It was so utterly enthralling the way everything seemed to shimmer and bounce, almost like the waves of a great ocean. She stared at the blood that dripped from her nose, a multitude of colors sparkled throughout it, before it was with awe she watched as the blood rose from her skin. It hovered in the air, beckoning her to reach out, yet urging her to stay still. 'It's so pretty. Should I touch it?' The pain grew inside of her, but she was entranced as it started to wiggle and change mid-air. Its rainbow soul-luring blend of colors stretched and grew. Fangs and eyes appeared, wings stretched. It was with awe that she watched as it surged forward! It headed directly toward her ey- A beam of golden holy light, filled with the fury of a thousand suns blasted it apart.

Alenes gasped, bloodshot blue eyes opening wide as a mixture of tears and blood leaked from them, a barrage of church-bell-esque rumblings coming into being with her wakening.

Psionic Potential Increasing by 0.25, connection with Warp Increasing.

Progress with General Skill: Prayer made.

Temporary Blessing by ??????? Activated.

Progress with Psionic Skill: Warp Manipulation made.

Progress with Psionic Skill: Witch-Sight made.

Progress with Psionic Skill: Energy Projection made.

Progress with Psionic Skill: Warp Resistance made.

Progress with Combat Skill: Mental Shield made.

Progress with General Skill: Pain Tolerance made.

Potential Demonic Invasion crushed by ???????

Temporary Blessing expended.

One Status Point Rewarded.

She stared at what could only be called a log of messages floating ominously in front of her, and once more like so many other times today, a shudder wracked her body. 'Th- thank you God Emperor. System, increase my Willpower.' After her thanks were given, with a sigh filled with pain, yet relief, her eyes fluttered closed and she fell into her bed, mind slowing down as unconsciousness took her.

Status Point used, willpower increased to 0.7 from 0.6

Sometime later she came to consciousness and groggily waved away the alert. It took Alenes a few moments to regain clarity yet, when she did a small gasp escaped from her lips. 'Everything is so much clearer.' Not from a visual perspective - no, from a mental one. Ideas flickered in and out of her mind, and yet with a simple 'flex' of her will, they were far more easily batted away. 'This is amazing, I wonder?' Her eyes closed, and in the total void of her vision, she focused on an idea. A simple apple. Yet, when she focused on it - inside of her mind's eye it appeared. It's red ripe coloring, the slight bend to it's stem, that not quite circular shape. 'It's so much clearer! Before I could never imagine the color with the shape, yet - it's so easy.'

A grin appeared on her face. 'It truly does work, and it's not like those systems where you can't feel a difference! Then I wonder... what would the difference in other stats feel like?' For a brief moment, she yearned for it, yearned to get more status points, just so she could feel a rush of power, of improvement. But... 'I feel your chill Daemon!' It was with her enhanced clarity that Alenes felt the coldness that tried to seep into her brain like a parasite. Urging her to get more, grasp for more. 'Begone!' Eyes still closed she imagined a great bonfire inside of her mind that chased away the cold, its warm crackles flickering, shadows being chased away. In mere seconds the seeping insidious cold fled from her brain, and her mental bonfire slowly died down.

Massive Progress with Combat Skill: Mental Shield made.

'That... is that what it's going to be like? Every moment? Every time I feel great emotions they'll try to twist it. Always having to wonder, is it me that's feeling that, or them?' Her eyes snapped open, and determination swelled within her. 'You wanted me to use all my status points to enhance my body, to try them out on my body - but that would be stupid. I'm young, and growing. My body is untrained. Heck, I don't even have 0.1 in Strength yet. No - no. I won't do that. I won't be impulsive like that, my willpower will be sharpened, and my body will grow - but it will be on my own terms, not of the spawn of Chaos.' A heavy breath escaped Alenes as she stood up from her bed. "Enough of this, let's clean myself up, and then... well, then I establish my routine. After all, with my training, I also want to rank up my Discipline, which should help with everything in life, but most importantly my current problem."

Luckily, some tears and holding a leaf to her nose should be more then enough to convince everyone that she had a nosebleed. 'Curious that lying isn't a skill, after all - I'm quite decent at it.'

Indeed, it was exactly as she thought. A few tears, a small lie, and no one questioned her bloodied face. Having gotten back home after far too many hugs, determination filled her bones. Alenes was determined to set a hard, grueling, yet secretive training schedule. Alas, not that she would ever regret it, but she was a girl - so secrecy was necessary until she could BAP! People upside the head for looking down on her.

It was while doing this secret grueling training schedule, primarily focused on strength and dexterity-based exercises she could do inside her home, that a long, painful, yet enlightening week passed.