Chapter 34. Rope Burn

The boy sits in the dark, unable to move. He feels creaking as rough ropes dig into his body. Each breath makes the ropes tighten their grip, squeezing more and more out, threatening to crush him. His head pounds and burns, and he can’t breathe. He can’t breathe. And nothing. The boy remains unmoving, not breathing.

He doesn’t even react as the ropes loosen and fall away. “Hey…” a voice distantly calls. “Enshin.” Who’s Enshin? Something else wraps around him, his pounding head gently caressed. He could smell damp stone, and he opened his eyes to a soft dimness. As he sits up, a balding man in brown robes asks, “Hey, how you feeling?”

His head continues to roar with dull pain and he closes his eyes as he lies down off to the side.

After a moment, Enshin sits up before he even opens his eyes and tries to speak, but his voice comes out as a hoarse raspy breath.

“Oh, hello,” Volo greets the Hunter. “Sleep well?”

Enshin brings a hand to his neck to feel the