Chapter 3689: Defensive Line (Part 2) Blue feathered wings came out of his back, transparent like glass but as sharp as razors. Yellow bolts of lightning were trapped inside the ice crystals and coursed from head to tail of the Emperor Beast, producing a blinding light. His knife-long fangs were exposed in a growl, giving him an unsettling appearance. “And me.” Lith straightened his back. “And me!” Aran mimicked his brother, making the scene more comical than threatening. “And me.” Leria jumped on Abominus’ back to look down at the guest. “Thanks, guys.” Rena chuckled, feeling flattered by everyone’s worry. “But I can take care of myself. You’re welcome among us, Salman, but never forget my husband’s threat. He becomes very fierce when provoked.” “I will, Lady Verhen.” Salman gave her a deep bow, feeling moved by the love her family showed her rather than offended by the lack of trust they showed him. ‘Trust has to be earned, and they would be foolish giving it away to someone with my reputation.’ He thought. ‘I’ll prove myself with actions, not words, until I deserve their trust.’ “Yes, yes, cross the line and we’ll bury you under the big tree in the garden and all that.” Zekell ignored the nonsense and took a good look at his guest. “Now that’s out of the way, welcome aboard, kid. I hear you are like Nalrond.” “A Rezar, yes.” Salman replied. “Which makes you handsome, strong, and a mage. The whole package.” Zekell nodded. “If you want to dip your toes in the water, you can start by working as a Healer at the temple. “You won’t earn much since it’s a volunteer job, but I or one of my assistants will always keep an eye on you and help you if you feel overwhelmed. The gods know if we need a competent Healer.” “I’m not as strong as Nalrond, and my magical talent is limited as well.” Salman admitted. “Nonsense.” Zekell shook his head. “Compared to a village healer, even if you had only one-tenth of Nalrond’s skill, you’d be Manohar compared to them.” “Thanks.” Salman felt embarrassed about ruining the compliment, but he had to ask. “Who’s Manohar?” “Where have you lived all your life? Under a rock?” Zekell laughed. “Never mind. You’ll tell me when you feel ready. Follow me. Let me show you your room.” “What about me?” Sirma, Zekell’s wife, cleared her throat in annoyance. “Oh, right. My bad. This is Sirma. Senton’s mother and my wife. She’s a great cook and nags a lot, but aside from that, she’s harmless.” Zekell patted his slightly round belly with a laugh to highlight how dangerous his wife’s cooking skills were. “Now to your room.” “Zekell Proudhammer, that’s not what I meant!” Sirma grunted. “Everyone made such a display of force to protect Rena from this tall, handsome, dangerous stranger. Don’t you have something to say to him as well?” The blacksmith blinked dumbly several times before connecting the dots. He looked at his plump, middle-aged wife and then at Salman. Without Lith’s treatments, time had not been kind to Sirma, and she could easily pass as the Rezar’s mother. ‘She already used my full name.’ Zekell pondered. ‘Being funny or honest will only make Sirma angrier. I need to play this smart.’ “Kid, if ever catch you looking at my wife the wrong way, I’ll call a Healer to fix whatever is wrong with your head.” Alas, his mouth moved faster than his brain, making everyone but Sirma laugh. “Because I’ll crack your skull open!” Luckily, years as a merchant had given him the wits to make up for his mistake. “Nice save, jerk.” Sirma grunted, knowing her husband too well. “We’ll talk about this later.” ‘Gods, why do you hate me?’ As Zekell rolled his eyes, a knock on the door answered his silent prayer. Sirma put her scowl away for later and welcomed their unexpected guest. “Brina, darling, it’s good to see you again. What’s the occasion?” The Proudhammers knew the baker’s daughter well. She was Tista’s friend and had worked as their housemaid for a while after Lith had fixed her right arm in order to get away from her father’s nagging. “I just wanted to visit my friends and bring you something tasty.” She carried a covered tray that spread a delicious, sweet smell in the hallway. “Also, I wanted to get the chance to meet the new guy everyone talks about.” Follow new episodes on the "N0vel1st.c0m". Brina was a petite woman with long golden hair and clear blue eyes. Her diminutive size only emphasized her curves and her kind, soft features. “Please, have a cream puff. I made it myself.” She uncovered the tray, offering a sweet to Salman while sizing him up and down. The Rezar looked around like a trapped animal, his eyes begging his hosts to believe he had done nothing to inspire such behaviour. ‘Don’t worry, it’s my fault.’ Lith sighed as he explained the situation with a mind link. ‘I told Brina how well Nalrond is doing, and I bet she’s here to get a second chance of her own. She’s hunting for a husband, and she believes she has found him.’ “Is it true that you come from Nalrond’s village in the Blood Desert?” Brina asked, unaware of the hidden conversation. “Yes.” Salman nodded and stuffed his face with the cream puff to avoid answering more questions. “And you are also a Healer?” She pressed on, ignoring the others. “Yes, but I’m not as good as him.” Salman tried to lower his value, unwittingly raising it further. “Wonderful! I mean, there’s nothing wrong with a quiet life.” Brina had rejected Nalrond because great powers also meant lots of danger. An average mage fit her bill, and having a Healer in the family was always a plus. “If you ever get hungry, my bakery is just down the road. Bye!” She left after highlighting her own charms and completely disregarding the rest of her hosts. “It seems our guest won’t stay here for long, after all.” Sirma laughed, rubbing her hands and already savoring a piece of jam bread along with the juicy gossip that was hers to share with her friends. *** With no news of Orpal’s further moves and no crisis looming on the horizon, Lith and Solus focused on their research, and so did everyone else. Mastering the Ears proved to be harder than any other piece of the Menadion Set. The Hands, Mouth, and Fury were straightforward to use. They supported their master’s will and skills by adding their powers to his own, requiring only a spark of focus to activate and control their effects. The Eyes took a toll on Lith and Solus whenever they had to analyse and record a powerful artifact or spell, but aside from that, the Eyes did everything on their own. The Ears, instead, provided Lith and Solus with a lot of information that it was up to them to elaborate. Where the Eyes recorded everything for later access, the Ears only transmitted what it perceived in the moment, tracking down the minutest energy fluctuations and leaving it to Lith and Solus what to make of them. Using the Ears was akin to practicing a martial art. The artifact revealed the currents of mana and world energy around them and found order in the apparent chaos of the multiple flows, yet it meant nothing by itself.