25 Chapter 25

"Well, that certainly wasn't fun," I said, sitting up groggily. 

Looking around, I found myself lying in my own bed, which was extraordinarily strange. Everything after I had gone into Mind Down was completely blank. The only people that could've recognized that I am part of the Hephaestus familia are the ones I have seen in the familia. However, it could've been that they recognized the symbol on my falna and returned me back to the familia. There just wasn't enough information to be certain, and I assumed I would learn eventually. 

It was a while before anyone came to check in on me. I was still in bed when I heard my door open and then heard the footsteps of someone confidently approaching my loft. Sliding out of bed, I readied myself to act in case this was an enemy, though I saw no logical reason why it would be. Still, being a bit cautious couldn't hurt me. In fact, it would do the exact opposite, or so I thought until Tsubaki walked up the steps to the loft and jumped when she saw me lurking behind the bed. 

Suddenly, a cup of water, with the force of a bullet behind it, was hurtling at my head. My head barely ducked behind the bed in time before it was presented with the unstoppable missile launched my way. This time, I raised my hands high before rising from behind the bed to find Tsubaki staring at me incredulously. 

"Why were you lurking behind your bed like some sort of degenerate?" she asked heatedly, due to me startling her.

"I wasn't sure who had just entered my room," I said with a shrug, "It's better to be safe rather than sorry."

"If only you'd have the same mindset when it comes to magic use." She said, stomping up to me and lifting me by the collar of my shirt cartoonishly, "You're lucky that we had to return early due to someone sabotaging our supplies. Finn got to you right before a monster could. You'll probably need to go say thanks in person, lest I offend the Loki familia."

"So it was Finn who saved me? Then you carried me up here? Where is the Goddess?" I asked rapid fire, causing the woman to pause for a moment.

"Yes. Yes. She's in her office and wanted to meet with you as soon as you woke up." she said, placing me back on the ground. 

"Well then, I guess we should head out," I said as I grabbed some clothes from my inventory to change out of a pair of pajamas that somebody had slipped me into.

The excitement I felt must have leaked through into my voice as Tsubaki eyed me quizzically, "Is there something I am missing about this meeting?"

"I am going to level up," I said, causing her to look at me blankly for a moment.

"Already? You haven't even been an adventurer for a month, and you are going to level up. Why not raise your stats some more?" she asked.

"They are all maxed out," I said, nearly causing her to trip backward and fall down the stairs, not that it would even scratch a level 5 like her, "I passed out from Mind Down, completing what I believe to be an incredible feat great enough to level me up."

Tsubaki didn't even speak after that, clearly processing the information I had given her. I wasn't surprised to see that a seasoned adventurer like her found it mind-boggling that a newbie like me was able to level up in less than a month. Even the Sword Princess had taken a full year to reach level 2. Of course, I was a special case, and Tsubaki knew that well enough. After a few minutes, we changed the subject, and she told me stories about the expedition. 

"So, we had to end the journey early after the saboteurs torched our food supplies in some of the tents," she concluded as we arrived at the door to Hepheastus's office, "That's just another reason why your Inventory skill is invaluable, protecting the supplies,"

I nodded with her as she finished, and we pushed through the doorway into the office where Hephaestus was sitting, still in her dress. She gave me a pointed look that made it clear what her first few words were going to be to me. And boy, did she tell them to me, at a yell that I was pretty sure the guard on the other side of the door could hear clearly. It was the first time I had heard her raise her voice, but her face matched the color of her hair by the end of it, and she sat down heavily in her chair, putting a hand over her face.

I knew the only reason that she was yelling was that she cared, so I didn't take her words too personally. Being forced to enter Mind Down was extremely stupid of me. However, things worked out in the end, and as soon as I was level 2, I would choose Divination as my second psychic discipline. Once that choice was made, I was sure that it would be incredible rare that I would be put on the back foot. Of course, Divination isn't infallible, there isn't one guaranteed future that must come to pass.

 Every being has free will and can make any choice they wish at any point in their life. Divination allows me to see the myriad strands of fate and determine which fate is most beneficial for me, then try to ensure that my chosen fate comes to pass. Even then, that is only gleaming fate on a small scale which is child's play compared to trying to gleam years or moths into the future. Nothing is easy when using the power of the Warp, especially not future sight.

"Will you update my status?" I asked Hephaestus.

She gave me a look, but most of her anger and frustration had bled away once she was done repremanding me, "Yes, fine." she said with a big sigh.

I took off my shirt and sat on a stool beside her desk, exposing my falna for her to update, "I can't help but be a bit intruiged," Tsubaki said, breaking the silence, "What more supises do you have in store for us?" she asked before Hephaestus cleared her throat to silence her captain.

"You have some choices for Development Abilities, many that I haven't see before." she said, her anger completely gone now, replaced by curiosity and intruige. 

"What are they?" I asked curiously since I was sure that I got a few specialized ones due to my powers.

"Okay," she said, taking a breath, "They are Spirit Healing, Brawler, Mage, Sorcerer, Psychic, and Primaris Psyker. I can tell you what the first three are, but I can only guess at the last three."

"Six choices," Tsubaki couldn't help but blurt out, "That's some insane luck."

"Or skill," I mocked, causing her to roll her eyes.

Even as I joked, my mind was racing. I knew exactly what the last three were, and I truly had the whole alignment chart for psykers set out before me. 

Sorcerers are psykers who have been corrupted by or have sold their soul to Chaos. They are able to draw deeply on the powers of the warp with no fear of curruption or malign influence since they already are corrupted. They are still capable of burning their minds out if they use too much sorcerery though. If I was more of the evil or power hungry type then I would choose this, but I had no real interest in signing myself over to the gods of Chaos, even if it meant getting access to some insane new powers.

On the other hand, I could only assumed that choosing the normal Psychic option would roughly keep me on the neutral path that I was already on. I would undoubtedly get boosts to my powers, but probably no new abilities that would be gained with siding with either side of the spectrum. This was the safest option in my opinion since the other two would bind me to or with certain beings.

Lastly, there was the Primaris Psyker. The appearance of this ability confirmed some things that I had been wondering about, but didn't have a way to prove. Specifically, I was wondering if I can reach out to the Chaos gods, does that mean I can also interact with the God Emperor of Mankind. While not a much of a boost as becoming a Sorcerer, I would still gain some new abilities, while also getting a decent power boost as well. However, possible the biggest boon of this is that I will be massively shielded against Chaos.

It only took me a moment to decide upon my course of action, "I want Primaris Psyker," I said to Hepheastus.

"You sure?" she asked, "Do you wantnto hear about the first three?"

"Nah, I am sure about my choice," I confirmed.

"Alright then," she said, updating my status, then she began laughing loudly, "Of course there is more. What am I even supposed to expect anymore?"

She handed me the paper a moment later and I saw what she meant, I had a new magic emblazoned on my status.

- - - Status - - -

Name: Augustus Ahriman

Level: 2

Strength: I0

Endurance: I0

Dexterity: I0

Agility: I0

Magic: I0

Primaris Psyker I

 - Magic -

Psychic Might

Soul-Bound Arsenal

 - Skills -

Inventory

- - - Status - - -