"Tch, he even has a last name?" a grizzled mining slave sneered as Aires introduced himself. The man's voice dripped with disdain, his ragged frame hunched in the dim cave.
"Should we beat him again?" another growled, cracking his knuckles.
"Stop!" the lady shouted, her voice cutting through the tension. She stepped protectively in front of Aires, her dirt-streaked face set with determination. Aires, still sore from his earlier beating, tensed, ready to defend himself.
"Haa, don't mind them," she said, offering a faint smile that softened the gloom. "They're just bitter."
Before Aires could respond, shouts echoed from the cave's entrance. "Time to work!" Guards in gleaming armor appeared, their presence commanding immediate obedience.
