NOVPUB
Chapter 88: The Velstara Armory
Zayn wanted nothing more than to walk out of this mansion, or — if necessary — jump out the nearest window and flee into the evening.
But he couldn’t.
Not without the payment he had worked so hard for.
And now, instead of signing a quick receipt and collecting his gold, he was being dragged through a long, overly decorated hallway by the Duke of Velstara — an absolute mountain of a man who had taken a sudden interest in his supposed boyfriend.
’Fake. It was fake.’
Zayn shot a glare at Celestia, who walked beside him, way too cheerful about this.
"What’s that face for?" she whispered.
"That face," Zayn muttered, "is me realizing that I’m about to be handed a weapon by the father of the girl I’m ’dating’."
She giggled. "What’s wrong with that?"
"Who the hell just gives a stranger a weapon?"
Celestia shrugged. "You’re not a stranger, you’re my boyfriend."
Zayn resisted the urge to groan out that he was a Fake boyfriend.
The Duke, oblivious to their conversation, reached a massive set of double doors.
With a dramatic push, they swung open, revealing what could only be described as a madman’s personal armory.
Zayn’s jaw dropped.
The room was enormous — rows upon rows of swords, axes, spears, and other weapons lined the walls.
Some were normal, others gleamed with ominous runes, and at least one of them was floating in midair.
"Welcome to the Velstara Armory!" the Duke announced.
Celestia clapped as if this was some grand reveal.
Zayn just stared. "What in the actual hell is this?"
"A collection centuries in the making!" The Duke stepped inside, beaming. "Every weapon here has been wielded by a Velstara in battle."
Zayn swore he even saw a cannon.
"Go on, pick something!" Celestia nudged him.
Zayn sighed. "Fine. Let’s just get this over with."
He walked past several racks of swords, running his fingers along the hilts.
Some were too big, some were too flashy, some had way too many spikes.
Then, something called to him.
A weapon placed alone on a pedestal in the corner.
Unlike the others, this one had a glass-like blade, shimmering with a deep blue hue, as if liquid swirled within it.
The hilt was silver, wrapped in dark blue leather, and something about it made the air around it feel heavier. 𝖓𝔬𝖛𝔭𝔲𝖇.𝔠𝔬𝖒
"What’s this?" Zayn asked, reaching for it.
Celestia’s eyes widened. "Oh, that’s — "
The moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt, everything went black.
Zayn’s breath hitched. The room vanished.
He was somewhere else.
A vast, endless ocean stretched around him — except it wasn’t water.
It was pure soul energy, swirling in deep blues and silvers.
The "water" rippled as he stood there, weightless, floating.
Then, something moved.
A voice — no, a presence — spoke from the abyss.
"You are worthy."
Zayn’s heartbeat slammed in his ears. "Uh — "
Then, all at once — his soul energy erupted outward.
A deep pulse spread through the void, rippling through the ocean of energy, and suddenly —
He was back.
The armory returned, the lights flaring back into place.
Zayn staggered, barely catching himself, and the sword — no, the weapon — hummed in his grasp.
His soul energy wrapped around the hilt, the deep blue glow intensifying, traveling up the blade in mesmerizing waves.
Silence.
Then —
"What the hell was that?!" Celestia shrieked.
Zayn blinked, his breath still shaky. "...I don’t know."
The Duke stared, his mouth slightly open. "That... was the Soulwater Blade."
"Soulwater?" Zayn flexed his fingers around the hilt. It felt alive. "Why did it — ?"
"No one has been able to wield it in over two hundred years," the Duke said, voice reverent. "It rejected everyone. Until now."
Zayn squinted at the weapon. "So... what, am I cursed now?"
Celestia smacked his arm. "You just awakened a legendary weapon and that’s your first concern?!"
"Yes! Because every time I touch something remotely powerful, I end up being saddled with bullshit! I bet it has some ridiculous cost, like — like eating my lifespan or something!"
Celestia rolled her eyes. "It doesn’t eat your lifespan."
The Duke cleared his throat. "Actually... it does require a toll."
Zayn froze. "I fucking knew it."
Celestia nudged her father. "What’s the price?"
The Duke hesitated. "...It draws from the user’s emotions."
Zayn tilted his head. "My what?"
"The stronger your emotions, the stronger the blade," the Duke explained. "It responds to feelings of determination, anger, joy — any intense emotion."
Zayn frowned. "...So, basically, if I want it to be powerful, I just need to be really pissed off?"
"...Yes, but — "
"Oh, this is perfect." Zayn grinned. "I’m always pissed off."
Celestia snorted. "That’s true."
The Duke stroked his beard. "It’s remarkable. The weapon chose you."
Zayn sighed. "Great. Guess I’m stuck with it now."
Celestia nudged him. "Don’t act like you don’t think it’s cool."
"...It is kinda cool," Zayn admitted.
The Duke clapped him on the shoulder. "This calls for celebration!"
"I’d rather catch up with my party," he blurted out. "We were planning a raid."
The Duke paused, rubbing his chin. "A raid, you say?"
Zayn nodded quickly. "Yeah, big one. Super important. Can’t miss it."
The Duke smiled, eyes twinkling. "Ah, reminds me of my youth. I, too, was an adventurer back in the day."
Zayn perked up. "Oh? What rank were you?"
The Duke took a deep breath, gazing into the distance. "...I was D-rank."
Silence.
Zayn blinked. "Uh — "
"D-rank?!" Celestia shrieked.
The Duke huffed. "Adventuring was different back then! We didn’t have all these fancy skills and fancy weapons! We had to make do with grit and determination!"
Zayn looked at the literal legendary weapon hanging on the wall behind him.
Celestia sighed. "Father, you quit after one mission because a goblin threw a rock at you."
Zayn snorted. "A rock?"
The Duke turned red. "It was a big rock."
Zayn grinned. "So you’re saying a goblin one-shotted you?"
The Duke’s mustache twitched. "It was strategically thrown."
Celestia giggled. "He cried for two hours."
"I did not — "
"Mother told me you begged to go home."
The Duke cleared his throat aggressively. "ANYWAY." He waved a hand, signaling a servant. "Prepare a carriage for Sir Zayn."
