Astralyth Online

Chapter 76 – Obstacle Course (Dancing Flame Edition)

Madelyn didn’t have to wait long for the others. Within a minute or two, the door to the girls’ changing room opened again, and out walked Sarah, a smug smile plastered across her face. Lillian followed close behind, chatting animatedly with Kim, who was adjusting her glasses and looking around the gym with her usual curiosity.

Madelyn did her best to compose herself, pretending she hadn’t been standing there trying to slow her heartbeat back down to something remotely normal. Sarah didn’t say anything right away—just gave her a quick wink as they fell into step together.

The gym was already half set up for class. A wide obstacle course snaked across the polished floor—low balance beams, soft hurdles, padded blocks to vault over, and hoops placed at awkward angles. It looked like some kind of indoor parkour course designed to test agility and coordination.

“Great,” Madelyn muttered under her breath. “Parkour.”

“Relax,” Sarah said beside her, bumping her arm lightly. “You’ve got fox instincts now, remember? You’ll probably do better than all of us.”

“I’d rather not stand out too much,” Madelyn whispered back, but there was a flicker of a smile on her lips.

They made their way to the benches lining the side of the gym, dodging a few mats and cones as they passed. Sarah plopped down first and patted the space next to her. Madelyn sat down with her hands resting in her lap, trying to stay calm while her eyes flicked toward the course again.

Kim and Lillian sat down next, with Kim immediately leaning forward, her usual curious glint shining behind her glasses. Her eyes flicked from the obstacle course to Madelyn, clearly connecting dots only she could see.

“So,” Kim started, adjusting her seat so she was facing her more directly, “you as good at this stuff in real life as you are in the game?”

Madelyn blinked. “Huh?”

“You know—parkour, dodging, flipping around like the Dancing Flame,” Kim said with a little grin. “I mean, you made that slime battle look effortless. Sooo… can you do all that cool stuff here too?”

Sarah snorted quietly beside her.

Madelyn shifted a bit uncomfortably on the bench. “Uh… a bit?” she said hesitantly, rubbing the back of her neck.

Kim’s grin widened. “That’s not a no.”

“Kim,” Lillian said gently, nudging her with her elbow. “She’s probably nervous enough already. Let her surprise us.”

“Oh, I’m not pressuring her,” Kim said quickly. “Just curious. I think it’s cool.”

Madelyn offered her a small smile, appreciating the enthusiasm even if it made her a little self-conscious. “Thanks,” she mumbled. “I’ll… try not to fall flat on my face.”

Sarah leaned in with a playful smirk. “If you do, I’ll catch you. Probably. Unless you’re, like, mid-flip. Then you’re on your own.”

Madelyn rolled her eyes.

As James and David made their way across the gym, chatting casually about how many points they'd score if this were an actual ninja competition, the teacher walked toward the group from the far side of the room. Her steps were confident, her posture straight, and even from a distance, Madelyn could see she carried herself with the kind of presence that made you instinctively pay attention.

She was tall and fit, with sharp features and shoulder-length dark hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. Her gym clothes were practical—black joggers and a pale blue sports shirt—but she somehow managed to make even that look polished. Her expression was focused, almost stern, but there was a gentleness in the way her eyes scanned the students that softened the impression.

As she approached, she clapped her hands once to get their attention. "Alright, folks, time to start warming up!"

Her eyes landed briefly on Madelyn, pausing just a moment longer than usual. She gave a brief smile. “You must be our new student. Madelyn, right?”

Madelyn nodded quickly, standing up a little straighter. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I’m Miss Grayson,” the teacher said, offering a warm smile now that she was up close. “Glad to have you in class. Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you your first day—unless you show off, and then I reserve the right to make you demonstrate for the class.”

Madelyn blinked. Was that a joke?

Miss Grayson winked.

The students began to stretch, the quiet murmur of conversation filling the gym as sneakers squeaked on the polished floor. Some were taking the warm-up seriously—Lillian was methodically stretching her arms and legs—while others, like James, were treating it more like a chance to show off a few dramatic lunges and pretend martial arts poses.

Miss Grayson moved around with a practiced ease, clipboard in hand, checking off names and making quick notes as she finalized the setup of the obstacle course. Every now and then she glanced back at the group, giving a brief nod of approval or calling out a reminder.

“Make sure you’re actually stretching, not just pretending,” she said with a pointed look at James, who was balancing awkwardly on one leg while trying to show off.

Madelyn followed the others' lead, doing her best to go through the motions while keeping her mind calm. Her heart still thumped nervously—this was the first time she’d be doing something so physical in her new body outside the game, at school no less. She didn’t want to draw attention. She didn’t want anyone to notice anything unusual.

She caught Sarah watching her for a second out of the corner of her eye. Sarah gave her a reassuring smile, then returned to her own stretches like it was nothing. That little bit of encouragement helped more than she could explain.

Once the obstacles were fully arranged—vault boxes, balance beams, a short rope climb at the end—Miss Grayson blew her whistle. “Alright, everyone! Two lines, please. We’ll be running the course in pairs. It’s not a race—this is just to see how you move, your coordination, and where you’re at.”

Everyone shuffled into position.

Madelyn slipped to the very back of the line, hoping to go last. The fewer people watching her, the better.

James and another student were already arguing over who should go first. Of course.

“Come on, let me show you how it’s done,” James said, puffing his chest out.

The other student rolled his eyes. “You’re just gonna trip over the rope again.”

“Hey, that was one time!”

Miss Grayson gave them a look that shut the argument down instantly. “Both of you. Front of the line. You’ll be the first pair. Everyone else, wait until I call you.”

Madelyn breathed a little easier as the line slowly began to move forward. If she took her time, she could get through this without embarrassing herself—or revealing anything she wasn’t supposed to.

Still, her fingers tingled a little, a familiar warmth flickering in her chest. Her instincts felt alert, her body just slightly more responsive than she was used to. Like her body was urging her to move—to jump, to run, to go. A part of her, somewhere deep and instinctual, wanted to tear through the course like it was second nature. It was like her senses were already mapping it out, every hurdle and turn, every point where she could leap or duck or land softly on her toes.

But no. She had to be careful. She couldn’t draw attention to herself. Not here. Not now.

She snapped back to reality as James launched himself into the course with far too much confidence and far too little finesse.

“Watch the master at work!” he declared as he took off.

Madelyn didn’t even have time to groan before he completely overestimated his leap onto the first vault block, barely caught his balance, then wobbled dramatically across the beam with arms flailing. He managed to make it halfway up the rope climb at the end before losing his grip, trying to wave with one hand, and sliding back down with a thump and a sheepish grin.

“Still counts if I make it to the end, right?” he asked.

Miss Grayson just raised an eyebrow and made a note on her clipboard.

Next to her, Lillian let out a soft sigh—somewhere between exasperation and amusement. Madelyn glanced at her and caught the subtle upward curl of her lips.

“Show-off,” Lillian muttered under her breath with a fond smile. “He’s lucky his confidence is immune to gravity.”

Madelyn gave a quiet laugh in response, feeling her shoulders ease just a little more. She let her eyes return to the course. Her instincts were still simmering just under the surface, like a coiled spring waiting to release. Every movement from the two students ahead of her felt almost slow—like her mind was already ahead of them, picking the best routes, adjusting their posture in her head, predicting stumbles.

As James finished the course—somehow still faster than the other student despite his less-than-graceful performance—he jogged back over to their group with a grin that could power a small city.

“Boom!” he said proudly, throwing his hands up in victory. “Nailed it.”

Lillian rolled her eyes and gave him a playful stomp on the shoulder. “Show-off.”

“Jealous of my moves?” James teased, clearly unbothered by the playful shove.

Miss Grayson walked by just in time to overhear and, without missing a beat, said, “Lillian’s right.”

James blinked, his mouth falling open slightly. “Wait, seriously?”

“You had good energy,” Grayson said, jotting something down on her clipboard. “But if this were a real chase, your dramatics would’ve gotten you caught five times over.”

The group snickered while James clutched his chest like she’d mortally wounded him. “Cold, Miss G. Cold.”

They watched the next few pairs go through the course—some breezing through with practiced ease, others struggling over the vaults or hesitating on the rope climb. The energy in the gym was high, voices bouncing off the walls as students cheered for each other or laughed at minor missteps.

When Kim and Lillian were called next, Madelyn perked up slightly, watching with interest. Kim looked determined but cautious, carefully calculating every step. Lillian, on the other hand, was graceful and quick—light on her feet and surprisingly agile, like she’d done this a dozen times before. They reached the end nearly together, Lillian finishing just a second ahead.

“Nice job, both of you!” Miss Grayson called out, adding something to her clipboard.

Then her name was called.

“Madelyn and Sarah—you're up!”

Madelyn’s eyes widened in surprise. Wait—Sarah? She turned to her side, only now realizing she’d been in the opposite line from her girlfriend. She hadn’t noticed when Sarah subtly stepped into the other row. She planned this.

And of course, Sarah was already grinning, full of mischief, tossing her another wink like this was the most natural thing in the world.

Madelyn’s heart did a backflip.

Her legs felt wobbly as she stepped forward to the starting line beside Sarah, the two of them now standing under the bright lights of the gym, everyone else behind them watching.

Madelyn leaned in and whispered, “You planned this.”

Sarah gave her an innocent look that didn’t fool her for a second. “Me? Would I ever do such a thing?”

Madelyn gave her a flat look. “Yes. Yes, you would.”

Sarah just laughed softly, then bumped her shoulder gently. “Relax. I'll take it easy. You’ve got those fancy instincts now anyways, remember?”

Madelyn swallowed. “Yeah… right.”

She glanced at the course again. It was nothing too extreme—vaults, balance beams, a short crawl tunnel, some hoops to jump through, and the rope climb at the end. She could do this. She had to do this.

Miss Grayson raised her whistle and gave a short blast. “Go!”

Sarah dashed forward first, light on her feet, already leaping over the first hurdle like she’d been born doing it.

Madelyn hesitated for only a split second before her legs kicked into motion.

And just like that—she was moving.

She glanced to her side, catching a glimpse of Sarah vaulting over one of the low hurdles with practiced ease. But in that moment—something clicked.

It was like a switch flipped inside her.

Madelyn’s instincts surged, a spark igniting in her chest as her senses sharpened. Every edge, every angle of the course became crystal clear, her limbs reacting before her mind could even catch up.

Her feet hit the floor—once, twice—and then she sprang.

She vaulted over the padded block like it wasn’t even there, her body folding and extending mid-air in a fluid motion. She landed lightly, knees bending just enough to absorb the impact before she launched again. Her next steps carried her to the balance beam, but instead of slowing down to cross it carefully like everyone else had, she ran. Fast and agile, she sprinted across the narrow plank without a wobble.

Gasps echoed through the gym, but Madelyn barely heard them.

She ducked through the crawl tunnel and exploded out the other side with a twist, flipping sideways between two hoops instead of stepping through them. Every movement was fast—sharp—precise. She reached the rope climb, grabbed it mid-stride, and swung, kicking off the wall and landing on the platform at the end like a fox leaping onto a ledge.

She skidded to a stop, chest rising and falling as the rush faded, blinking as if waking from a dream.

A second later, she looked back.

Sarah was staring at her—wide-eyed, clearly stunned mid-jump. “Maddy—”

And then she missed her step.

Madelyn’s heart dropped just as Sarah slipped, one foot catching awkwardly on the edge of a foam block. Her arms flailed, and then she hit the mat with a thud, rolling once before coming to a stop.

“Sarah!” Madelyn shouted, her voice cracking with panic as she sprinted back toward her.

Within seconds, Madelyn was at her side, skidding to a halt on her knees beside her.

“Sarah!” she gasped, eyes wide with worry, heart hammering in her chest. “Are you okay?!”

Sarah was already pushing herself up on her elbows, wincing just a little as she sat back on her heels. “Yeah, yeah—I’m fine,” she said with a sheepish laugh, brushing hair from her face. “Just a couple of bruises and a bruised ego.”

Madelyn hovered close, unsure if she should help or give her space. “You scared me…”

Sarah looked at her—and then burst out laughing.

Madelyn blinked, stunned. “What?”

“You should’ve seen yourself!” Sarah grinned, eyes sparkling despite the fall. “You just obliterated that course. I couldn’t look away. You were like some kind of anime protagonist.”

“I—I wasn’t trying to!” Madelyn stammered, cheeks going bright red. “I just… it just happened.”

Miss Grayson jogged over, kneeling briefly beside Sarah. “You alright?” she asked, her tone kind but assessing.

“Yeah, just slipped. Nothing broken.”

“Alright, take a seat for a bit, just in case.” Then her gaze shifted fully to Madelyn. “And you—” she gestured vaguely to the obstacle course behind her. “Do you normally leap off the vault with a full twist in the air and land like a cat on a balance beam barely six inches wide?”

Madelyn blinked. “I… didn’t mean to?”

The teacher let out a breath that was half laugh, half exhale of shock. “That kind of move is very dangerous, Madelyn. If you were off by even a little, you could’ve twisted your ankle—or worse. And the way you launched yourself off the wall? I thought you were going to go right through the ceiling for a second.”

Madelyn’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment, her hands wringing nervously in front of her.

“But,” Miss Grayson continued, her voice softening slightly, “it was incredibly skilled. Seriously. Have you done gymnastics before? Or parkour? Trained for competitions?”

Madelyn quickly shook her head. “No, not really… I mean, I used to run a bit but—nothing like that.”

Miss Grayson stared at her for a moment longer, clearly trying to decide what to make of that answer. “Well… you’ve got some raw talent then. A lot of it. But next time? Maybe try not to scare your teacher into thinking she’s about to fill out an injury report.”

“I—I’ll try,” Madelyn mumbled, flustered but secretly a little proud.

The moment Miss Grayson stepped away, the other students started to crowd around Madelyn like bees to honey.

“Girl, that was insane!” one girl said, eyes wide. “Where did you learn to move like that?”

“Seriously,” added another, “you did a full twist and didn’t even wobble when you landed. That was, like, movie-level.”

“Did you do parkour back in your old school or something?” someone else asked, clearly impressed.

Madelyn felt her face flush. She backed up a little, hands raised timidly as she tried to fend off the growing number of compliments and questions. “I—I didn’t really train or anything,” she said quickly. “I just… kinda zoned out.”

Kim had made her way over as well, adjusting her glasses with a knowing smirk. “Zoned out and turned into a living highlight reel. You’re a mystery, you know that?”

Madelyn let out a nervous laugh, her ears burning. “I really didn’t mean to stand out.”

“Well, you definitely got full marks,” Lillian chimed in, giving her a gentle nudge. “Miss Grayson was smiling when she was writing your score down.”

Eventually, the crowd thinned as the students were dismissed for the day. With the adrenaline fading, Madelyn quickly ducked back into the changing room. She peeled off her PE clothes and slipped into her normal clothes again, her heart still pounding—not from exertion this time, but from the attention. She wasn’t used to it. At all.

She was changed in record time and out the door just as quickly, practically fleeing from the locker room before anyone else could try to talk to her again. She made her way into the hall and leaned back against the wall, letting out a long sigh of relief.

A few moments later, the door to the girls' changing room opened, and both Lillian and Kim stepped out, chatting and laughing together. Lillian spotted Madelyn and waved.

“See you Sunday, Maddy!” she called, smiling warmly.

Kim nodded enthusiastically beside her. “I’ve already started a list of shops I want to check out.”

Madelyn gave a small, grateful smile as she waved. “Looking forward to it.”

Almost on cue, the door to the boys’ changing room opened across the hall, and James and David emerged, slinging their bags over their shoulders.

“Later, Maddy,” David said with a relaxed nod.

“Yeah, see you next week Dancing Flame!” James added with a grin, giving a small salute before the two of them turned to head out.

Just a second later, Sarah stepped out of the changing room, her golden hair slightly tousled and that ever-confident smile tugging at her lips. She spotted Madelyn and walked over, sliding her backpack on smoothly.

“Told you,” she said casually, as she reached Madelyn’s side. “Fox instincts.”

Madelyn gave her a look. “Remind me never to listen to you before PE again.”

Sarah chuckled and bumped her shoulder gently. “Come on. You were awesome.”

The two of them fell into step together, walking side by side through the halls and out the front doors of the school. Once outside their hands brushed once, twice—and then naturally laced together like they always did now.

Madelyn swallowed, nervous again for an entirely different reason.

Because now, it was time to go to Sarah’s house. And meet her mom.