Astralyth Online

Madelyn took a moment to look around the Adventurers Guild, and her first impression was how vast the building felt. It had high ceilings, sturdy wooden beams, and large windows that let in plenty of light. But what really caught her attention was the sheer diversity of people inside.

Scattered around tables, gathered near quest boards, and chatting among themselves were adventurers of all kinds. Some, like her, were beastkin—fox, cat, bear and wolf-like features dotted the crowd. She spotted a group of elves, their long, pointed ears unmistakable. They moved with an ethereal grace, their presence almost otherworldly.

And then there were adventurers who looked even more striking—people with purple or red-tinted skin, their heads adorned with horns. They stood out in the crowd, a mix of humanoid and demon-like features that made her do a double-take. Madelyn stared in awe at the variety. Wow, she thought, feeling like she had truly stepped into a fantasy world.

Each adventurer seemed completely unique, representing a wide range of races and appearances she hadn’t fully expected. It made the place feel alive, vibrant, like it was the hub of an ever-evolving adventure. She couldn’t help but feel a thrill as she realized just how much there was to this world she was now part of.

Madelyn approached the receptionist’s desk, weaving through the bustling crowd of adventurers. As she got closer, she realized the receptionist was a bunny beastkin girl, her long ears twitching slightly as she worked. The girl looked to be around 20, though it was hard to tell. She had a gentle smile on her face as she greeted other adventurers, her presence warm and welcoming.

Despite the excitement of the guild, Madelyn still felt a bit anxious with so many people around. Her usual awkwardness crept up again as she stepped up to the desk. "H-Hi," she managed, her voice soft as she greeted the receptionist.

The bunny girl’s smile widened as she glanced up at Madelyn. "Hello! What can I help you with today, adventurer?" Her tone was friendly, and it helped ease some of Madelyn's nerves, but she still felt a little shy standing there.

"Ehm, my starting quest," Madelyn said, her voice still hesitant.

The bunny-eared receptionist nodded, her ears twitching slightly as she smiled. "Of course! Let me give you a quick rundown of how things work here."

She gestured toward the large board on the side of the room. "That’s the quest board, where adventurers can find jobs and missions. Quests are ranked by difficulty, from F rank—which is where all new adventurers start—all the way up to S+++ rank, the most dangerous and prestigious quests. F-rank quests are simple, usually tasks like gathering materials, hunting small low-level monsters, or doing deliveries."

Madelyn nodded, listening closely as the receptionist continued. "As you complete quests, you’ll earn rewards and experience, and your rank will increase over time. The higher your rank, the more difficult—and rewarding—quests become."

She then leaned in slightly, her voice dropping as if sharing a secret. "You can also create your own quests, if you want. Set your own rewards, and other adventurers can take them on for you."

Madelyn’s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? That’s... cool."

The bunny girl nodded with a smile. "And now, you’ll start at F rank, of course. You’ll receive your adventurer’s card, which allows you to officially accept quests and travel through the different cities in the region of Vulpenthos. You’ll need it to enter certain guilds and cities across the region, so make sure to keep it safe."

She reached under the desk and handed Madelyn a small, shimmering card with her name on it: Madelyn Fae – F Rank Adventurer. It glowed faintly, and Madelyn could feel its weight in her hand, a small but tangible connection to this new world.

"Here’s your adventurer’s card," the receptionist said, smiling brightly. "With this, you’re officially a member of the Adventurers Guild.”

Madelyn smiled as the adventurer’s card vanished into her inventory, tucked away in its own separate slot, not taking up any of the precious 20 she currently had in total. It was a small, efficient feature, and she appreciated how well-organized everything was in the game’s system. Turning back to the friendly bunny woman who had handed her the card, she gave a shy smile. "Thank you for the explanation and the card," she said softly, feeling a bit more at ease with the process.

Madelyn took a moment to steady herself, her tail swaying gently behind her as she considered her next move. The bustling activity around her was hard to ignore—other players were eagerly snatching up quests and chatting with NPCs, their confident strides a stark contrast to her lingering uncertainty. She bit her lip, hugging her tail unconsciously.

Turning to the quest board, she felt a flicker of excitement mixed with hesitation. Rows of quests were posted there, all ranked and ready to be taken on. She scanned through some of the lower-tier, F rank quests—gathering herbs, helping with deliveries, or hunting small creatures. They seemed simple enough, but a part of her wasn’t sure if she was ready to dive into one just yet.

Should I start with a quest already? she wondered. Or maybe I should do something else... The day had already been long, filled with new experiences and overwhelming emotions. The idea of diving into another task was tempting, but at the same time, she could feel the weariness setting in. I’ve been in the game for a long time already.

She stood there for a moment, debating her options.

At that moment, a very energetic girl practically bounced up beside Madelyn, her excitement radiating like a burst of energy. "Exciting, isn’t it? This game is so freaking awesome!" she exclaimed, her words tumbling out rapidly.

Madelyn blinked, unsure of how to respond, but before she could even try, the girl was already continuing. "I’ve already finished a few quests, but ugh, the gathering ones are kind of boring. Not that there’s anything wrong with them if you like that sort of thing, of course!" She spoke quickly, barely pausing for breath. "So, what kind of quest are you going to take on? You look like a new player like me, got anything in mind? Oh, do you like combat quests, or are you more of a gatherer? What’s your class, anyway?"

Madelyn’s mind spun as she was bombarded with question after question. She hadn’t expected so much energy all at once, and she struggled to keep up with the rapid-fire conversation. She opened her mouth to say something but quickly found herself overwhelmed by the girl's endless stream of chatter.

Madelyn blinked, still trying to catch up with the girl's rapid chatter. "Oh, uh, I’m not sure," she stammered.

The girl tilted her head, clearly confused. "Huh, how can you not be sure? Oh, but if you don’t want to tell me, that’s fine too! No pressure!"

Madelyn stared at her, her mind distracted as something tugged at her thoughts. Why does she feel so familiar? The girl’s energy, the way she spoke—it was triggering something in the back of her mind, but she couldn’t quite place it. She was sure she had never seen the girl before.

Suddenly, a hand waved in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Uh, hello? I asked if you wanted to join me on a quest, and you spaced out," the girl said, smiling. "My friends aren’t online, and you seem friendly. What do you say?"

Madelyn hesitated, her heart racing. A quest, together? The idea was tempting, but the girl’s energy was a bit overwhelming, and Madelyn wasn’t sure if she was ready for that. But the familiarity tugging at her made her want to say yes.

Madelyn couldn’t help but think that the girl in front of her was undeniably beautiful, with long, elegant ears marking her as an elf. Her dark clothing hugging her frame gave her an air of mystery. Despite her hyperactive energy, there was a tugging familiarity about her that made it hard to say no.

Madelyn hesitated for a moment longer before nodding. "Sure, I’ll join you on a quest," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. After all, she didn’t have any other plans, and the idea of diving into a quest with someone else seemed like a good way to end her session.

"Awesome!" the elf girl grinned. "Let’s pick something fun!" Madelyn smiled nervously, deciding that after this quest, she would definitely log off and take some time to process everything.

"My name is Seraphina by the way," the elf girl said with a bright grin, her tone playful, almost like it was a wink to something more. "What’s your name?"

"Madelyn," she replied quietly.

Seraphina's eyes lit up. "Oh, that’s such a beautiful name!" she gushed, and Madelyn couldn’t help but smile shyly. "Thank you."

Seraphina's energy was contagious, and before Madelyn knew it, they were already scanning the quest board together. "So, what kind of quest do we take?" Seraphina asked, her eyes darting over the options. "Oh, how about this one? It’s just a simple monster-slaying quest. You’re not scared of spiders, right?" She flashed a teasing grin.

Madelyn blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Spiders?" she asked, a little nervous but willing to roll with it.

"Yeah, just a few little ones," Seraphina said, winking. "Nothing we can’t handle."

Madelyn’s cheeks heated up at the teasing, and she quickly responded, "Of course not!" Her voice came out a little sharper than she intended, but she didn’t want to seem nervous.

"Good, good!" Seraphina laughed, clearly pleased. "Then let’s go!"

A notification popped up in front of Madelyn as Seraphina invited her to join the party. Once she accepted, the system connected them in a way that felt surprisingly natural. Madelyn could sense where Seraphina was, even without needing to look, and instinctively knew how much health her party member had left. It was a neat system, and it made her feel a little more confident as they set off for their spider-slaying quest.

Seraphina paused briefly by the quest board and, with a quick tap, accepted the spider-slaying quest. A notification immediately popped up for Madelyn:

Quest Accepted: Clear the Spiders Infesting the Farmer’s Shed

A local farmer has requested aid in ridding his shed of a dangerous infestation. A large group of venomous spiders has taken up residence, making it impossible for him to safely store his goods. He needs a brave adventurer to venture into the shed, clear out the spiders, and ensure his livelihood remains intact. Beware—the spiders may be more aggressive than they appear, and their venom can be lethal. Return to the farmer once the shed is safe for a reward.

Objective: Clear out all spiders infesting the shed. [0/20]
Reward: Gold, experience, and farmer’s gratitude.

Just as she processed that, another message appeared in her field of vision:

Quest Complete: Welcome, Adventurer!
Rewards:
10 silver coins
500 experience

Madelyn blinked, realizing she had completely forgotten about that initial quest. The rewards appeared before her eyes: 10 silver coins and 500 experience. She frowned slightly, not entirely sure how valuable either was. Is 10 silver a lot? And how much is 500 experience? She didn’t have enough context yet to know. The coins went into a second special part of the inventory, not filling any valuable space. 

Madelyn followed Seraphina out of the guild building. The thought of tackling the spider quest with Seraphina at her side made her feel more comfortable, though the idea of combat was still a bit intimidating.

As they walked through the village, Seraphina’s energy hadn’t dimmed at all. She turned to Madelyn with a bright smile. "So, have you been playing for long? I’ve only been playing the game for a couple days, all my friends got pods, so it’s been super awesome to have the chance to play with them together!"

Madelyn tensed slightly, her mind briefly flashing back to the fact that she had been avoiding her own friends since this whole situation began. "Oh, uh, yeah... same here," she said, trying to keep her voice casual. She wasn’t ready to dive into that conversation, especially with someone she had just met. But the guilt still gnawed at her, reminding her that she needed to face her friends sooner or later.

Seraphina glanced over at Madelyn with curious eyes. "Oh, and you just got your adventurer’s card after a couple days, huh? I got mine on the first day. Do your parents not let you play for long or something?"

Madelyn hesitated, feeling that familiar awkwardness bubble up again. "Oh, eh, no, that’s not it. Just... some other stuff," she replied, not wanting to get into any details. The last thing she needed was to explain the complexities of her transformation.

"Mm, okay," Seraphina said, not pressing further. "Anyway, I’m going for a mix between a rogue and sorceress. Like, isn’t that super cool? This game kind of lets me be both!" She bounced a little as she spoke, clearly excited about her 'hybrid' class.

Madelyn smiled, trying to match her enthusiasm. "That sounds like fun," she said, appreciating how much Seraphina seemed to enjoy the game. The mix of rogue and sorceress did sound interesting, she wasn’t sure if it fit Seraphina's energetic nature though.

As Seraphina talked about her rogue-sorceress hybrid class, Madelyn’s thoughts drifted to her own situation. She didn’t even know what her class was—it was still a glitchy mess in her status screen. Her tail twitched nervously, and her fox ears flattened slightly in response to her uncertainty.

I don’t even know how combat works in this game, she thought, her nerves growing. Seraphina seemed so confident and experienced, but Madelyn felt completely out of her depth. She hadn’t had a chance to try out any of her skills, and now she was seriously reconsidering this whole spider-slaying adventure. In fact she didn’t even know what her skills were, or if she even had skills to begin with.

The idea of heading into combat without knowing what she was capable of left her stomach in knots.

Seraphina’s energetic chatter came to a sudden halt as she noticed Madelyn’s mood shift. Her once-perky ears had flattened, and her tail swayed nervously behind her. Concern flickered across Seraphina’s face, and she slowed her pace, glancing at Madelyn with a worried expression.

"Hey, are you okay?" Seraphina asked gently, her voice softening. "You seem... I don’t know, a little off. Is it the quest? We don’t have to do it if you don’t want to." Her earlier excitement had faded, replaced by genuine concern for her new companion.

Madelyn’s heart raced. She hadn’t expected Seraphina to pick up on her mood so quickly, and now she felt even more unsure about how to explain her anxiety.

Madelyn hesitated, then admitted, "No, it’s just... I haven’t done any combat yet, so I have no idea how that works."

Seraphina’s eyes widened in surprise. "What? How did you finish the tutorial then?"

Madelyn blinked. "Tutorial?" she repeated, completely confused.

Seraphina tilted her head, looking baffled. "Yeah, you know, the basic starting stuff. Teaches you how to use your skills, weapons, items, menus all that? You didn’t go through any of it?"

Madelyn’s face flushed. "No... I didn’t get anything like that."

Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "Huh. That’s weird. Everyone gets a tutorial when they start."