Anomaly of Fate
Chapter 91: The Wakizashi

Chapter 91: The Wakizashi

The morning air of Caelestoria carried a crisp chill, threaded with the distant hum of steam engines and the rhythmic clanking of metal upon metal. Thin wisps of smoke curled from towering chimneys, dispersing into the sky as sunlight peeked through the layered cityscape.

After yesterday’s unforgettable event, Velren had gone straight back to the inn, exhaustion weighing heavily on his body. The moment he reached his room, he collapsed onto the bed, barely remembering to remove his coat before sleep overtook him. Now, as morning stretched over the city, he found himself back on the road, seated beside Nico in their carriage.

They had one last stop before returning to Elyndra.

***

The carriage rolled to a halt before a familiar workshop—Dain’s. Unlike their previous visit, where they had merely spoken outside the entrance, this time Velren stepped inside, pushing through the heavy iron door. The interior was just as one would expect from a renowned blacksmith’s workshop—dimly lit, with the golden glow of forge fires casting flickering shadows against the walls.

The air was thick with the scent of molten metal, oil, and coal, mingling with the rhythmic symphony of hammers striking steel. Rows of weapon racks lined the walls, displaying blades, gauntlets, and firearms in various stages of completion. Workbenches cluttered with tools and blueprints filled the space, each station occupied by a blacksmith engrossed in their craft.

"Whoa... this definitely beats Harven’s...’

Among the many artisans working within, Velren’s gaze eventually settled on a familiar figure. Dain stood near the back, sleeves rolled up, thick arms crossed as he examined a heated blade on the anvil. At the sight of Velren, he smirked and gave a wave.

"Kid, over here!"

Velren wasted no time, weaving through the workshop until he stood before the man. His eyes flickered toward the forge behind Dain, curious.

"Is it done?" he asked.

Dain let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head.

"Who do you think I am? Of course, it’s done!" His tone was full of confidence, as though the very idea of failure was absurd.

Velren tilted his head slightly.

"I don’t know... I barely know you, after all."

Dain snorted at that, wiping a bit of soot from his forehead.

"Fair point. But after today, you’ll remember my name whenever you wield this."

The reason Velren had come here was simple—he had given Dain a wyvern heart in exchange for a weapon crafted specifically for him. Yesterday, the man had told him to return in the morning, and so here he was, eager to see what the renowned smith had created for him.

Dain hummed to himself as he turned away, walking deeper into the workshop. The clang of metal and the hiss of cooling steel filled the space, but he ignored the surrounding commotion, focused entirely on rummaging through the organized chaos of his work area. Tools clattered, wooden crates groaned as they were shifted aside, and finally, with a satisfied grunt, he pulled out something wrapped in a thick cloth.

He carried it back to the counter and set it down in front of Velren with a solid thud.

"There we go," Dain said, unwrapping the cloth to reveal a weapon resting within its scabbard.

The first thing Velren noticed was its size—shorter than his katana but unmistakably similar in design. The scabbard was sleek, dark wood reinforced with subtle metal fittings, its craftsmanship as refined as it was practical. He brushed his fingers against it before he instinctively reached for the hilt, drawing the blade just enough to glimpse the steel beneath.

Black.

The metal was unlike any he had ever seen, deep and rich in color, as though it had been forged from the night sky itself. It held a faint sheen, the surface reflecting the light in a way that made it seem both solid and ethereal at once.

Dain leaned against the counter, watching Velren examine the blade with an almost knowing grin.

"That, kid, is called a wakizashi. Comes from the same foreign land as your katana, though unlike those oversized cleavers most folks here swing around, this one’s made for precision. A companion blade, meant to be used alongside a katana, but deadly enough to stand on its own."

Velren ran his fingers along the edge of the scabbard before sliding the blade out just a little further, once again drawn to the way the black steel seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. There was something different about it—something almost alive.

The blacksmith chuckled, clearly enjoying the curiosity on Velren’s face.

"Notice the color, do you? That ain’t normal steel, kid. What you’re looking at is the result of mixing a portion of the wyvern heart’s essence into the forging process. I didn’t use the whole damn thing—wasting a resource that rare would just be stupid—but I extracted a concentrated part of its essence and worked it into the metal."

Velren blinked, still resting his fingers on the hilt.

"Wait... you actually used the wyvern heart for this?"

Dain shrugged, his grin widening.

"What, you thought I’d just let something that valuable sit around collecting dust? That’d be a crime against the craft. A heart like that ain’t just a trophy—it’s got power running through it, remnants of the creature’s raw essence. Now, don’t get the wrong idea. It won’t be spitting fire or anything crazy, but it is tougher than ordinary steel, and it’ll hold its edge better than any blade you’ve ever used. You’ll feel it when you wield it—the way it reacts, the way it moves."

Velren frowned slightly. "But... is that even alright? Using something like that in a weapon?"

Dain scoffed, waving off the concern with a roll of his shoulders.

"Kid, there’s nothing ’not alright’ about making use of good material. You killed the beast, you claimed its heart. That makes it yours. All I did was shape it into something worth wielding. And besides, I only used a portion of it. The rest? Well, let’s just say I’ve got my own ideas for that."

He gave a cryptic smirk before nodding toward the wakizashi.

Velren’s fingers tightened around the scabbard as he took in the weight of his new weapon. The idea that the very creature he had fought—the wyvern that had tried to tear him apart—was now reforged into something that fit his hand so perfectly was almost absurd. A beast of raw, untamed fury, reduced to a tool for his use.

He wanted to laugh.

’Screw that big, mindless lizard.’

He gave it a few experimental swings, feeling the weight, the balance. It was lighter than his katana but carried a similar sharpness in its movement. There was a fluidity to it, a responsiveness that made it feel almost alive. Whether it was the wyvern heart’s essence or Dain’s expert forging, this blade was undeniably his.

Satisfied, Velren finally sheathed the weapon with a soft click. He held it for a moment, then turned to Dain, bowing his head slightly.

"Thank you. It’s a remarkable weapon."

Dain scoffed, waving him off with a casual smirk.

"Damn right it is. Just don’t go breaking it on something stupid."

Velren chuckled, adjusting the wakizashi at his waist.

"I’ll do my best."

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