Meanwhile inside the prison...
Kea and the survivors sat huddled together in the dim light. Their wrists were bound tightly with ropes digging into their skin.
"You need to do something!" one man whispered frantically.
"They might kill us for real," another muttered, voice shaking.
Kea raised his hands calmly to quiet them, his chin tilted up with smug confidence.
"Don't worry. We will be freed soon."
"Freed? How?" someone asked immediately.
"Did you forget who we are?" Kea replied with a small proud smile. "We are from the World Merchant Group. We have the backing of the Merchant Association of Ruthiana."
Hope flickered in the prisoners' eyes.
"Also the three Guilds of Ruthiana have our back."
"So what if he is strong... Even Master ranks are nothing but dogs with leashes under authority. And he is just a backwater Baron." Kea scoffed lightly. "A Lord of barren land."
"Uhh. Is that what you think?"
