You're my Dog in Life and Death

The River of Death

Chuuya took a step forward, then staggered as a sudden current surged around his legs, trying to knock him over and drag him down. The warm, stagnant water had suddenly become ice cold, and the dark reservoir had been replaced by an oppressive mist and a churning black river. 

"Where the heaven am I?" Chuuya murmured quietly, taking a step forward as the river coaxed him on. The cold was seeping into his bones, draining his energy and numbing his desire to fight. He wanted to just lay down and let the river take him where it wanted...

A strong hand grabbed Chuuya around the neck and lifted him off the ground and out of the water. He cried out as his flesh began to burn from the touch, and the sharp odor of hot metal assaulted his senses. His eyes watered as he feebly kicked his legs, feeling no strength left in his own body. 

"Dazai's pet," Said a voice, which crackled with power and grim malice. It was Nix's voice, and yet it wasn't quite the same. He couldn't turn his head to look, but he could feel that the demon's power had grown now that it was in its own domain. Chuuya was once again frozen with fear as that awful, intimidating presence rolled over him, making him feel sick and dizzy. He was barely aware of the iron collar Nix had fastened around his neck, even as the necromancer dropped him back into the river and turned to walk upstream. 

Chuuya turned around just in time to see a huge, shadowy figure vanish into the mist. Chuuya blinked, trying to take in what had happened. Nix was gone as quickly as they had come, and had vanished only a few yards upstream of where Chuuya was. Cautiously, Chuuya got up and followed. It was a fight to resist the current, but soon he felt the current lessen slightly, and heard Dazai's voice as if far in the distance. 

"What have you done to him?!"  it screamed, the muffled sound seeming to come from nowhere. Chuuya could only see the vast, black river, but he felt a slight warmth in the air just a few feet ahead. He tried to take another step, but the chain around his neck suddenly tightened, and he was unable to move forward any farther. 

"Where are you?" Chuuya yelled, looking around through the mist. He couldn't see Dazai anywhere; only the icy river stretching on forever. His entire body felt frozen, except for the burning handprint underneath his iron collar. He tugged on it, but the chain and collar wouldn't budge, even when he used gravity manipulation. 

What is this? What's happened to me? Is this the power of the bells? Chuuya wondered, looking around again. Unsure of what else to do, he followed the chain to its end, then reached down under the water to try and find where it was fastened. At that moment, the wily river's current surged stronger than ever, knocking Chuuya off his feet and trying to carry him away. 

"Ouch!" he cried, his legs scraping against rocks and the chain suddenly squeezing his neck as he struggled to regain his balance. 

"Fucking shit," Chuuya muttered, now soaking wet and even colder than before. He made his way up to the base of the chain as before, and made sure that his footing was solid before bending down to tug at it. His questing hand felt a ring that the chain was attached to; firmly embedded in the rock. To his surprise, he felt the chain extend beyond its fastening, hidden below the surface. He lifted it up, and saw that the black iron chain ran perpendicular to the current, its length unguessable as its end dipped back below the water. He pulled on the chain one last time, then dropped it in defeat. 

I'm trapped here, wherever 'here' is. Where is that bastard Dazai? He said that he would back me up if I called for help. He had plenty of time to get here, but he didn't. That fucker better have a good excuse, because when I get my hands on him-

Chuuya sighed, sinking down to his knees. It felt so difficult to keep standing in this strong river; to keep fighting back. "come... rest and let yourself be carried away," the river seemed to coax, but Chuuya couldn't obey. He was chained up like a dog, and on a short leash too. "Give in... let yourself go... you've already done so much, you deserve to rest..." Chuuya shook his head to clear away those thoughts. He would find a way back to Dazai; he had to. He needed to punch that bitch in the face.