Chapter 13 – Seraphina

Madelyn’s ears drooped as the realization sank in. Seraphina noticed immediately, her energetic demeanor softening. She stepped closer, a little unsure of how to comfort her new friend. "Hey, hey, it’s okay," Seraphina said gently. "I can, uh, give you a quick rundown of the tutorial if you want? No big deal."

Madelyn’s face flushed as Seraphina moved in closer, her heart racing slightly. She hadn’t expected the girl to be so quick to offer help, or to be standing so close. "Th-thanks," she stammered, feeling even more embarrassed, unsure whether it was the situation or Seraphina’s sudden proximity that was making her blush.

"No problem," Seraphina replied, her voice a little more cheerful now that she felt she could help. "Okay, so, where to start..." She paused, thinking for a moment before launching into her explanation.

"After I created my character, I was dropped into this cool little starting area—it looked like a Greek temple or something—and there was this NPC guide who explained all the basics. You know, how to move, access the menus, use your skills, and all that. Then, I had to practice with a weapon—simple stuff, just to get the hang of combat. I also learned how to manage inventory, equip armor, and use items like potions."

Madelyn listened closely, her ears perking up a little as Seraphina went through the details. It sounded like a standard tutorial, but the fact that she had missed all of it left her feeling even more unsure of her abilities.

"You didn’t get any of that?" Seraphina asked, her brow furrowing in concern again.

Madelyn shook her head. "No... I just kind of... appeared in the village." Not wanting to mention spawning in the forest.

"Huh," Seraphina said thoughtfully. "That’s weird. Okay, well, I can show you the basics right here, and we’ll keep it easy on this quest. You’ll pick it up quickly, I promise." She smiled, trying to be reassuring.

"Okay, so you’ve already got the basics of moving and using the menus down, so we can skip that," Seraphina said, waving her hand. "For skills, though, it’s a little different. It’s kind of like accessing the menus, in a way."

Madelyn raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"So," Seraphina continued, "you’ve got skills, right? You can check them in your skill menu. But when it comes to actually using them, it’s a bit strange at first. All you really need to do is think about using the skill, and your body sort of... half takes over, and half you’re still in control. It’s like your muscle memory already knows what to do, even if you’ve never done it before."

Madelyn listened closely, her ears twitching as she tried to wrap her mind around it.

"The more you practice using your skills, the more it feels like you’re doing it entirely on your own," Seraphina added. "It starts to feel natural. But at first, just focus on thinking about using the skill, and let the game guide your movements. You’ll get the hang of it, I promise."

Madelyn nodded slowly, the explanation making sense in an odd way. She just had to trust that the game’s systems would help her out until she had more experience under her belt.

"Okay, next is combat," Seraphina continued, clearly excited to explain. "So, you can use your skills in combat, but you also have standard methods—like if you’ve got a sword, you can just swing it. No skill needed for the basics, you know?"

Madelyn nodded, feeling a bit more comfortable now that Seraphina was walking her through it.

"But magic works a little differently," Seraphina added, lifting her staff to demonstrate. "For magic users, like me, there’s a separate menu that shows your basic ‘attack moves.’ It’s kind of like an auto-attack, but with magic. For me, I can throw small fireballs that way."

She twirled her staff for emphasis. "Just like with skills, you think about using it, and it’ll happen. But the more you practice, the more control you’ll have over how you use them. You won’t be throwing big spells around at first, but it’s great for basic combat."

Madelyn nodded again, her nerves settling slightly. The explanation made things feel a bit more manageable. So it’s about practice, she thought, relieved that the game had systems in place to help her along the way.

"And then there’s armor and inventory," Seraphina continued, glancing at Madelyn’s light armor. "But since you’re already wearing armor, I guess you’ve figured that one out."

Madelyn smiled, nodding. She was glad she wasn’t completely clueless.

"For items," Seraphina added, "it’s just as simple. You think about your inventory and what you want to use, and the system handles the rest. If you need a health potion, for example, just focus on it in your inventory, and boom—instant use."

Madelyn let out a relieved breath. "That does sound simple," she said, feeling a bit more confident now that she had a clearer idea of how things worked.

Seraphina smiled brightly. "See? Nothing to worry about. You’ll get the hang of it in no time!"

Madelyn smiled back. "Thank you."

"So, what are your skills anyway?" Seraphina asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Madelyn’s ears drooped instantly, and her tail flicked from side to side, a clear sign of her discomfort. Seeing the reaction, Seraphina quickly backtracked, holding her hands up in surrender. "Okayyy, I won’t ask!" she said, her voice softening with understanding.

Madelyn bit her lip before replying. "It’s not your fault. I’m sorry. I just... I’ve had some troubles with the game, and I haven’t really checked my skills yet."

Seraphina’s eyes lit up with excitement. "Ooooh, then it’s like super exciting, isn’t it?" she said, almost bouncing on her feet. "It’s like a mystery waiting to be solved!" She seemed more thrilled by the idea than concerned, her energy infectious despite Madelyn’s uncertainty.

"I guess," Madelyn replied, feeling a bit more hesitant than Seraphina’s enthusiasm warranted. Still, she focused on opening her skills menu, hoping to finally see what abilities she had.

A window popped up in front of her:

Skills:

Foxkin Instincts (passive): (Basic (combat) skills related to agility, dexterity, and heightened senses)

[GL!TC#D_ER!@R] (Unreadable, glitched error)

Human Disguise: (Allows the user to hide their foxkin traits temporarily)

Madelyn blinked at the skills, her heart sinking a little when she saw the glitch again. "It’s still messed up," she muttered to herself, staring at the unreadable class skill. But then her eyes lingered on the Human Disguise skill, and her mind raced with questions. Why would I need that?

Seraphina, noticing her frown, leaned over a bit. "What did you get?" she asked, curiosity lighting up her face.

"Ehm, nothing really," Madelyn mumbled, trying to brush it off. "I’ve got Foxkin Instincts, which... I guess has to do with agility and fox related skills? I’m not really sure yet."

Seraphina tilted her head, listening.

"And then there’s this... Human Disguise skill," Madelyn continued, sounding more confused. "I guess it lets me hide my foxkin traits, but I have no idea why I’d need that."

Seraphina’s eyes widened with interest. "Whoa, that’s actually really cool! I’ve never heard of a disguise skill like that before. Maybe it’ll come in handy for quests or something!" She grinned, clearly fascinated by the uniqueness of Madelyn’s abilities.

Madelyn smiled shyly, feeling a bit more at ease thanks to Seraphina’s boundless enthusiasm. Despite the confusion and uncertainty surrounding her skills, Seraphina’s energy was oddly comforting.

"Thank you," Madelyn said softly, her tail swaying a little less anxiously now.

"Hey, no problem!" Seraphina replied with a grin. "That’s what friends are for, right? We’ll figure it all out together."

Madelyn’s heart warmed at the mention of "friends," and the tight knot of anxiety in her chest loosened slightly.

But the relief was fleeting. The knot tightened again, and she shifted uncomfortably, her tail twitching as she wrestled with whether to speak up. Guilt gnawed at her for not being fully honest with Seraphina, especially now that they were starting to feel like friends. Yet, admitting something was wrong with her character felt like revealing too much.

"I... I wasn’t completely honest with you earlier," she confessed, her voice barely a whisper. Her ears flattened against her head as she clutched her tail for comfort, glancing nervously at Seraphina. "My class... it doesn’t show up on my profile. And one of my skills—it's just this unreadable, glitchy mess."

Seraphina’s eyes widened in shock, but her reaction wasn’t what Madelyn had expected. Instead of concern or disbelief, Seraphina’s face lit up with excitement. "What?! That’s soooo cool!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing on her feet. "Maybe it’s one of those super ultra-rare, unique things or something!"

Madelyn blinked, still uncertain. "You think so?" she asked, not fully convinced.

Seraphina noticed her hesitation and softened her tone, stepping closer. "Hey, I mean it. I know it sounds scary, but glitches like that in games can sometimes mean you’ve got something really special. Maybe your class is something super rare, like a hidden feature no one else has." She gave Madelyn a reassuring smile. "You don’t have to figure it all out right now. We’ll figure it out together, okay?"

Madelyn’s heart warmed at Seraphina’s supportive words. She wasn’t sure if her glitched class was something special or just a problem, but hearing Seraphina’s optimism made her feel better. "Thanks," she muttered shyly, feeling a little less alone in her uncertainty.

"Don’t worry about it," Seraphina replied, nudging her lightly. "We’re friends now, right? We’ve got this!"

As Seraphina bounced around happily, excitedly guessing what Madelyn’s glitchy class and skill might mean, Madelyn couldn’t shake the familiar feeling tugging at her mind. It was like a déjà vu, a strange sensation that she knew Seraphina from somewhere. The way she talked, her energy, her infectious enthusiasm—it all felt so familiar, like they’d met before, though Madelyn couldn’t place how or where.

"Maybe it’s some kind of secret transformation class?" Seraphina speculated, her eyes lighting up. "Or, ooh, what if it’s a class that adapts to what you’re fighting? That’d be so awesome!"

Madelyn tried to focus on Seraphina’s endless ideas, but that feeling kept nagging at her. She glanced at her, watching her excitement, and the connection stirred something deep inside her. Why does she feel so familiar? Madelyn thought, her ears twitching as she tried to make sense of it. The feeling was almost comforting, like being around someone she trusted—someone who was close to her. But the answer danced just out of reach, and she couldn’t quite figure out why.

Seraphina didn’t seem to notice Madelyn’s inner turmoil, too busy rattling off more wild theories about what the glitchy skill and class might mean. "Or maybe—maybe it’s some hidden goddess thing, and you’re destined for something epic!"

Madelyn laughed softly, her nerves easing. Even if she couldn’t place the familiarity, Seraphina’s excitement made it hard to feel too stressed. "I guess we’ll have to wait and see," she said, still smiling despite the lingering feeling that something deeper was at play.

As they approached the farm, where their spider-slaying quest awaited, Seraphina’s usual energy was still in full swing. "You know, if you don’t want to fight, I can take care of it," she offered with a grin, clearly excited for the challenge. "I don’t mind doing all the work."

Madelyn shook her head, feeling a mix of determination and nerves. "No, I want to try," she replied. "If it doesn’t work out, I’ll let you take over, but... I need to see if I can handle it."

Seraphina’s smile grew even wider. "That’s the spirit!" she said, clearly impressed with Madelyn’s resolve. "But seriously, don’t stress too much. I’ve got your back."

Then, without warning, Seraphina tilted her head, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "By the way, your ears and tail? They totally give you away, you know that, right?"

Madelyn blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

Seraphina laughed. "They show everything you’re feeling. Like, when you get nervous, your ears droop, and your tail flicks around like it’s trying to decide what to do. And when you’re happy or excited, your ears perk up, and your tail sways all cute-like." She grinned. "It’s kinda adorable, honestly."

Madelyn felt her face heat up as her ears twitched slightly in response. "I... I knew they showed my emotions a bit, but not to that extent," she admitted, her tail swaying behind her.

Seraphina grinned. "Well, now you know! They’re like a giant mood sign for anyone paying attention." She laughed, her tone playful but not unkind. "It’s actually pretty helpful for me, though. I can tell when you’re worried or excited, so I know when to jump in and help."

Madelyn smiled shyly, feeling a little embarrassed but also comforted that Seraphina was paying attention in such a supportive way.

That familiar feeling tugged at Madelyn again, the sense that she knew Seraphina from somewhere. It was gnawing at the edges of her mind, but still, she couldn’t quite place it. The way Seraphina moved, her voice, her energy—it all felt like a missing piece of a puzzle Madelyn hadn’t quite solved.

Then, without warning, Seraphina reached out and gently grabbed Madelyn’s tail, running her fingers through the soft fur. "Oh wow, it’s even softer than I thought!" she said, completely oblivious to the jolt of realization that shot through Madelyn.

At that exact moment, Madelyn’s mind clicked everything into place. The boundless energy, the playful teasing, the way Seraphina couldn’t seem to stand still—it was all so obvious now.

"S-Sarah!?" Madelyn blurted out, her eyes wide with shock.

Seraphina froze, staring back at her with the same wide-eyed expression.