Astralyth Online

Chapter 71 – Magic and Emotions

Madelyn had been at the mercy of her mother’s doting for a while now. Though she hated to admit it, it felt quite nice to sit in Emily’s lap and get petted. The rhythmic strokes through her fur were too relaxing, making her body melt against her mother’s warmth despite her lingering embarrassment.

She should have been mortified. She was mortified. But at the same time… it was kind of nice.

Her tail swayed lazily as Emily continued rubbing behind her ears, her fingers expertly finding all the right spots. Madelyn’s eyelids grew heavy, a contented warmth spreading through her. Maybe she could let this continue for just a little longer…

“See?” Emily cooed, scratching gently under Madelyn’s chin. “I knew you’d like this. You’re just my soft, fluffy little baby.”

Madelyn let out a small, half-hearted grumble, but it lacked any real protest. She was too comfortable.

Lyra, who had finally stopped laughing long enough to breathe, grinned as she hovered nearby. “This is the best thing I’ve ever seen,” she said smugly. “Maddy, I swear you’re like a puppy right now. Just basking in all the affection.”

Madelyn flicked her ear in annoyance but didn’t move from her spot. “Shut up,” she mumbled—or at least, she tried to, but what actually came out was a soft little fox noise.

Emily gasped. “Oh my gosh, you chirp too?! This just keeps getting better!”

Madelyn let out an internal scream. I am never going to live this down.

After a few more minutes of gentle pampering (which Madelyn totally didn’t enjoy, thank you very much), Emily finally relented with a soft chuckle. “Alright, sweetheart, I suppose I should let you change back before I smother you completely.”

Madelyn perked up, shaking herself from the sleepy haze she had fallen into. Right—she still needed to transform back.

Madelyn hopped down from her mother’s lap, shaking off the lingering drowsiness, and took a deep breath. She focused on the feeling she had the last couple of times she transformed back. She closed her eyes, willing her body to shift.

A familiar tingling sensation spread through her limbs, and when she opened her eyes again, she was back in her human form—well, mostly. Her fox ears still twitched atop her head, and her tail flicked behind her lazily.

Emily tilted her head, watching the transformation with open fascination. “That’s… quite weird to see, not going to lie,” she admitted, a small chuckle escaping her lips.

Madelyn let out an awkward laugh, brushing her hair back. “Yeah, tell me about it.”

Her mother smiled, then leaned back into the couch. “So, what are you going to do now, Maddy?”

Madelyn hesitated. Now that Sarah wasn’t there, she didn’t really know what she wanted to do. “Uh… I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I don’t really have any plans.”

Emily smiled warmly and gave Madelyn’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Well, if you need anything, just ask. I’ll start on dinner, and your father should be home soon as well.”

Madelyn nodded, still feeling a bit unsure about what to do with herself now that she wasn’t actively being teased by Sarah or smothered by her mother. “I think I’ll keep practicing my transformation,” she said, glancing down at her tail as it swished absentmindedly behind her.

Her mother chuckled. “Good idea. Just don’t turn into a fox again right before dinner, or I will be tempted to keep you as a lap pet and feed you.”

Madelyn groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Mom, please.”

Emily just laughed before disappearing into the kitchen, leaving Madelyn standing there, debating her next move.

Deciding she wanted a bit more privacy—and to escape any more of her mom’s doting—she made her way upstairs to her room, shutting the door behind her with a sigh. She flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

“Okay,” she mumbled to herself. “I need to figure this out.”

Lyra, who had been uncharacteristically quiet for a few minutes, fluttered down from her perch on Madelyn’s nightstand. “You’re actually taking this seriously, huh?” she mused, landing gently on Madelyn’s stomach.

Madelyn sighed, her fingers idly gripping the fabric of her blanket. “Well, yeah, of course I’m taking this seriously,” she muttered, staring up at the ceiling. “Everything going on with Astralyth Corporation, what Aeloria must be going through right now… I feel like I’m not doing enough.”

Lyra hovered above her, crossing her tiny arms. “Oh, come on, Maddy,” she huffed. “You’re sixteen. You’re barely figuring out how to control your magic, and yet here you are, trying to take responsibility for something way bigger than you.”

Madelyn opened her mouth to protest, but Lyra didn’t let her.

“Aeloria made her own choices,” Lyra continued, her tone firm but not unkind. “She’s an adult—a goddess, even. And yeah, I know you want to help her, I do too. You are helping her. But throwing yourself into guilt isn’t going to fix anything. You’re learning, you’re growing, and that is doing something.”

Madelyn’s ears flattened slightly as she considered Lyra’s words. “But what if it’s not enough?” she whispered.

Lyra sighed. “When your dad finds out more, we’ll be able to take further action,” she reassured. “We’re not just sitting around doing nothing. We’re preparing. And trust me, when the time comes, I know you’ll be ready.”

Madelyn swallowed hard, the weight of everything still heavy in her chest. But Lyra’s words made sense. She wasn’t alone in this. She had her parents, her friends, Lyra… and Sarah. And that had to count for something.

She nodded slowly, exhaling a deep breath. “Yeah… okay. I’ll keep getting stronger. I just—” she hesitated, gripping the blanket a little tighter. “I don’t want to lose anyone.”@@novelbin@@

Lyra’s expression softened, and she nudged Madelyn’s ear gently. “You won’t,” she promised. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

A small smile tugged at Madelyn’s lips. “Thanks, Lyra.”

Lyra grinned. “Now, enough of the deep stuff. Let’s see if you can transform without getting distracted by thoughts of kissing Sarah this time.”

Madelyn groaned, throwing a pillow at her. “Lyra!”

Lyra laughed as she effortlessly dodged the pillow, spinning midair with a cheeky grin. “Hey, you can’t blame me! It’s true, and you know it.”

Madelyn huffed, sitting up and crossing her arms. “I can blame you. And I will.” But despite her grumbling, a tiny smile tugged at her lips. Lyra had a way of making even the heaviest moments feel lighter.

Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and tried again, focusing on her transformation. She willed herself to push aside distractions, to clear her thoughts like Lyra had told her.

But once again, the moment she tried not to think about Sarah, everything about her came flooding into her mind.

Her bright green eyes, always dancing with mischief. The warmth of her hand in Madelyn’s, how natural it felt to walk beside her. The way she had held Madelyn so protectively in her sleep, even when she didn’t know she was doing it.

Madelyn sighed internally. Yeah… I’m really gone, aren’t I?

But if she was completely honest with herself, she didn’t care.

And as she focused on that warmth, on the comfort Sarah brought her, she felt something inside her stir—not erratic, not wild, but controlled. Flowing, like a river.

She wondered what else she was able to do.

She glanced at her hands, flexing her fingers slightly. So far, she had only been focusing on shifting between her forms, but was that really all there was to it? Aeloria was the goddess of life and nature. If I inherited anything from her, maybe…

Madelyn turned to Lyra, who was watching her with a knowing smirk. “What?” Madelyn asked, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re thinking about Sarah,” Lyra sing-songed, fluttering closer with an all-too-knowing grin. “I can feel it in the air.”

Madelyn’s face flushed a little, but she quickly shook her head, refusing to give Lyra the satisfaction of a reaction. “I’m thinking about my magic,” she corrected, sitting up straighter.

Lyra snickered. “Uh-huh. And Sarah just happens to be involved in that, huh?”

Madelyn ignored her, closing her eyes and focusing instead. She thought back to that night in Sarah’s arms, the way her body had instinctively relaxed in her warmth, the way her emotions had settled like a calm tide washing over her.

And then there were the blue lights—the ones that had appeared over the city after the storm. Were they really butterflies, fairies? Or something else?

She let her mind wander, not forcing it, not trying to grab onto anything, just letting herself drift in the feeling of peace, of comfort, of curiosity. It was almost like falling into a trance, a dreamlike pull that guided her deeper into herself.

Then, she heard Lyra’s voice, a little too wary.

“Eh… Maddy?”

Madelyn’s eyes fluttered open, and she blinked in confusion. The room looked… different. Not physically—everything was still where it had been—but the air felt changed. Warmer. More alive.

Tiny specks of soft, glowing blue light floated around her, drifting lazily like embers caught in a gentle breeze. They flickered in and out of visibility, their glow pulsing like a heartbeat.

Madelyn’s breath hitched as she watched the glowing blue specks drift around her, their presence strangely calming yet undeniably strange. She had no idea how she had summoned them, but she could feel them. Like they were connected to her in some way—extensions of herself.

“Fascinating,” Lyra murmured, hovering closer with curiosity. Her wings fluttered as she reached out a small hand, gently brushing against one of the glowing orbs. It shimmered at her touch, pulsing faintly before floating away again. “They feel like… well, like you, Maddy. I don’t really know how to explain it, but it’s like they’re a part of you.”

Madelyn swallowed, her fingers twitching slightly as she hesitated before reaching toward one herself. The light closest to her flickered, as if responding to her movement, but it didn’t vanish or shy away. It just… existed, waiting.

Lyra’s wide eyes met hers, excitement flashing across her face. “Oh wow,” the fairy whispered.

Madelyn stared at her, a flicker of concern in her expression. “What’s wrong?” she asked cautiously.

Lyra grinned. “Nothing’s wrong,” she assured, then pointed at the lights. “It’s just that when I touched one, I could feel

Madelyn’s entire body tensed as a deep blush spread across her face. “Wha—Lyra!” she sputtered, glaring at the tiny fairy.

Lyra snickered, doing a playful loop in the air. “I knew you liked her, but this? This is next-level, Maddy! These little lights of yours are practically singing about your feelings.” She spun dramatically in the air, throwing an arm across her forehead. “Oh, young love!”

The glowing wisps vanished in an instant, winking out like dying embers. Madelyn groaned, her face burning with embarrassment as she buried it in her hands.

"Great," she muttered. "Now my magic is exposing my feelings too. As if my ears and tail weren’t enough. This is just fantastic."

Lyra cackled, clearly enjoying every second of this, poking Madelyn’s cheek. "It’s adorable, really."

Madelyn swatted at her half-heartedly. "I hate you."

"No, you love Sarah," Lyra corrected smugly.

Madelyn groaned again, flopping onto her bed and pulling a pillow over her face. "Why are you like this?"

"Because I’m right, and you know I’m right," Lyra chirped, hovering just above Madelyn’s pillow. "And because teasing you is my favorite pastime."

Madelyn peeked out from under the pillow, her amber eyes narrowing. "Shouldn’t we be focusing on figuring out what these lights actually do instead of using them as some kind of magical mood detector?"

Lyra crossed her arms, still smirking. "Oh, now you’re interested in training again? Convenient timing, don’t you think?"

Madelyn groaned, rolling onto her side to face away from the tiny menace. "I swear, Lyra, if you don’t stop—"

Lyra fluttered just above Madelyn, her usual teasing smirk softening into something more serious. "Alright, alright," she relented, her voice quieter now. "It’s just… really good to see you like this, Maddy."

Madelyn peeked out from beneath her pillow, her ears twitching slightly. "What do you mean?" she asked, sensing the shift in Lyra’s tone.

Lyra sighed, landing softly on the bed beside her. "Well… since Aeloria and you vanished, I’ve been trying to reach either of you. And let me tell you, it wasn’t exactly a good time." She hugged her tiny arms around herself. "I was alone. I didn’t know if Aeloria was gone forever, if you were safe, if you even existed anymore. It was terrifying."

Madelyn sat up slightly, guilt settling into her chest. She had been so caught up in her own confusion and struggles that she hadn’t even considered what it must have been like for Lyra—lost, alone, not knowing what had happened to the two beings she was closest to.

But Lyra wasn’t done. She hesitated for a moment, then let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. "And the worst part? I was supposed to be your caretaker from birth."

Madelyn blinked. "What?"

Lyra sighed again, this time heavier, as if the weight of those words had been sitting on her for a long time. "Aeloria trusted me with you. You, Maddy. I was meant to watch over you, guide you, keep you safe." Her wings twitched, frustration flickering in her voice. "And I failed spectacularly. Instead of raising you, I spent sixteen years wondering if you were even alive. Instead of protecting you, I wasn’t even there."

Madelyn’s chest tightened. "Lyra, that wasn’t your fault."

Lyra hesitated, her tiny arms still crossed over her chest as she let out another sigh. “Maybe… but it feels like my fault.”

Before she could say anything else, Madelyn didn’t give her the chance to spiral further. She reached out and scooped Lyra up into her hands, pulling her into a hug against her chest.

Lyra let out a startled squeak. “Maddy—!”

“Thank you, Lyra,” Madelyn murmured, her voice soft but full of warmth. “For everything. For not giving up, for finding me, for guiding me to this pendant.” She reached up, brushing her fingers over the glowing gemstone resting against her collarbone. “For being my friend.”

Lyra stiffened in her hands for half a second before finally relaxing into the embrace. “Hmph,” she grumbled, but her tone had lost its earlier heaviness. “Well, yeah. Of course I did. What else was I gonna do? You and Aeloria are my family. I wasn’t about to give up on you.”

Madelyn smiled, squeezing her gently before pulling back. “And I won’t give up on Aeloria. We’ll get her back.”

Lyra huffed, then suddenly flitted out of Madelyn’s hands and into the air, her mood shifting back to her usual self in an instant. “Well! Now that we’re done with all the emotional stuff—” she spun dramatically midair “—let’s focus on what’s really important.”

Madelyn raised an eyebrow. “Which is…?”

Lyra grinned. “Your undying love for Sarah, obviously.”

Madelyn groaned, grabbing her pillow and launching it straight at the tiny menace, who barely managed to dodge in time, cackling all the while.