Joel went to the King of Pteleria and showed him the book he had found. After hearing that this farmer had found a way to kill the Masters, King Fenten praised him.
"Go, Pteleria will back you. Find these Soul Weapons and avenge us."
Joel bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
He left and began his search. Joel decided to start in Vurstan, since that was where the Ethereal Priestess was killed. He took a train southeast from Xitun to Quennia and asked at the gates for an audience with the King and Queen of Vurstan.
After being admitted, Joel walked into the throne room and presented himself.
"Your Majesties, I am Joel Pencrest. I come from Pteleria."
The King looked at the farmer.
"Why have you come here?"
"I'm afraid it's a private matter, concerning, well, everyone. It has to do with the Masters of Hell."
Wary, King Nicklaus, dismissed everyone else, leaving just Joel, himself, and his Queen.
"Speak freely."
Joel told them what he had told King Fenten. The royals looked shocked.
"The Masters can be killed?" Queen Eliza asked.
Joel nodded. "I request your permission to search through your country. I need to find the Soul Weapons, and I hope that one is here."
King Nicklaus and Queen Eliza conversed quietly between themselves before turning back to Joel.
"Very well," King Nicklaus said. "You have my permission."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Their Majesties nodded, and Joel took his leave. He searched the cities first, and then the caves in the Towering Mountains upon the northern border. To the east, he checked the border of Vurstan and Salencia. Nothing. In the west, he scoured through the iron ore mines.
Just as he was about to give up and go south to the border with Ilmoore, something flashed out of the corner of his eye. Walking over to the glint, Joel saw something mostly buried in the dark brown, dirt ground. Looking around, he didn't see any pickaxes or shovels. Using his hands, he dug up the object. Brushing the dirt off, his eyes widened.
It was a whip, shimmering silver.
His hands shook as he tightened his grip on the weapon.
Joel breathed, "The Soul Whip."
Standing up, he left the iron ore mines and returned to Quennia. Back in the palace, he presented the Soul Whip to King Nicklaus and Queen Eliza. Their eyes widened.
"It's true," Joel said. "It's all true. This is the Soul Whip, one of the elite weapons. It can hurt a Master. Together with the others, it can kill one too."
Their Majesties offered their help in finding the others. Joel thanked them, but said that the search was something that he need to do on his own. They said that they understood and sent Joel off.
He returned to Xitun and bowed before King Fenten and Queen Daphne. He showed them what he had found.
"Well done!" King Fenten exclaimed. "If you can find the others, there's a knighthood in it for you."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, but avenging my family is all I need. Finding the Soul Whip has given me hope. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find the others."
King Fenten and Queen Daphne nodded. Joel departed from Xitun and began his journey to Aramia, praying that one of the Soul Weapons was hidden in High Lord Zenthe's home country.
"And maybe there, I'll even find out more about the Ethereal Priestess's daughter with High Lord Zenthe."
The train ride over the burnt plains of Pteleria, heading west, was long. They passed through the militaristic empire of Wedallen and its capital, Tansbrooke, before finally heading south and crossing the border into Aramia. In Garsten, the capital, Joel met with the King and Queen, explaining his quest. They agreed to let him search their country, and Joel went out to look for the remaining three Soul Weapons.
After having no luck in Aramia, he went east to Ilmoore. The Emperor granted him access to everything, even the Royal Vault. In the Vault, he found something resembling one of the Soul Rapiers, upon closer inspection, it wasn't it. It didn't shimmer exactly like the Soul Whip did. Joel thanked the Emperor and Empress and left Ilmoore.
He only had two more countries to look through, Wedallen and Salencia. Joel knew that if he went snooping around Salencia, Princess Zahanna might be alerted to his quest. So, he headed back west to Aramia and north into Wedallen.
There, the military that ruled the country wasn't too happy with him snooping around, but they didn't stop him. Finding nothing there either, Joel returned to Pteleria disheartened.
He sat down at a bar in Xitun and ordered an ale. The bartender set down down in front of him.
Joel stared at it and sighed, "I've only found the Soul Whip. Where could the other weapons be?"