Prologue: The Nightmares That Never Seem to Fade Part I

There was a crimson moon when we returned home. The red and white paper fan that hung over the front gate had kunai stuck in it. That signaled red flags in our minds. I stepped forward and my foot made a splash.

Strange. I don't remember it raining.

I turned my head to the sound of a body hitting the ground. Sasuke whose eyes were filled with panic trembled on the floor. His finger pointing at my feet. A crimson red engulfed my shoes, a couple of inches from it… A body, my father's: Ryu Uchiha.

"I need to go check on my family." Sasuke ran off talking to himself. "Itachi will know what to do."

I would have collapsed if I hadn't heard the clash of blades and a familiar scream. I ran towards it. As fast as I could. Please be ok. Please be ok. Please be ok.

The moment I arrived I was greeted by a blur of movement. The metal clang of kunai resounded in front of my home. My eyes couldn't keep up with the fight. When they stopped, I recognized my sister's long black hair and red eyes. Her usually perfect face was smeared in trails of blood draining from her eyes.

"So, this is the legendary Mangekyō Sharingan." The voice came from a man I didn't recognize. He stood in front of me, a towering figure in both body and presence. I couldn't see his face and it seemed he didn't notice me. Which meant I could win.

I did the hands signs that were drilled into me. My birthright as an Uchiha. I took a deep breath, rocked my head back, and shot forward. Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu! A large flame bloomed from my mouth engulfing the man going until all that was left was charred sidewalk.

"I… hah… I did it!"

"You did what exactly?" The voice came from beside me.

I turned to see an orange and black striped mask. It covered his face but revealed a single red eye. He had a Sharingan! There was a glint of light that came from his sleeve. I panicked unable to move.

"Don't you dare touch him!" My sister roared disappearing from the roof of our home, the force of her blink caused it to cave in.

She sent me flying with a kick. Pain erupted from my stomach when I landed in front of my home, now rubble. I wanted to close my eyes, but I heard her scream once more.

"Get out of here Yuki!" My eyes shot open and there she was standing with her katana coated in a black flame. It dug into the man, but he seemed unfazed. "I'll take care of him and join you soon, ok."

I understood what she meant. I didn't have time to hold her back. Whoever that man was he could stop an attack from the Shinigami Uchiha. I would only get her way and I knew my sister. She would never lose. I struggled to my feet in pain, but it was nothing compared to the pain she must be feeling.

"I'll go get help. So don't beat him before then. Everyone should get to see how cool you are." I smiled even though my face was wet. I started to move forward breaking into a sprint.

"I think not." The Masked Man threw shuriken at me.

My eyes widened. There were too many to dodge. I had no chakra left to burn them away. I shielded myself with my arms.

"Death Style: Sweet Embrace Jutsu!" A body in the image of my mother appeared before me covered in a black flame. It wrapped its arms around me. Shielding me from the deadly weapons. I stared in horror as it seemed to bleed. Its mouth moved and out came the words in a whisper. "Everything will be ok." It said. "I'm sorry." It continued repeating those words over and over as if it were trying to soothe me.

What did it mean by that? The fire engulfed my body, and it didn't burn. Instead, it was warm as if I was getting hugged for the first and last time.

"Your five minutes are up. Now die!" Those were the last words I heard before an explosion of black fire erupted from my sister: Yukino. I could barely see it. I was sure the silhouette of my mother was trying to shield my eyes from it all. Though, after a while, the figure crumbled, and I felt energized for some reason. Only to collapse on my knees crying as I stared at the crater where my sister used to be.

"Yukino! Mom! Dad! Anyone!" I cried out for an answer and surprisingly, I got one. From someone who should have been dead. A ripple in space above the crater opened. The man's mask was cracked, and his cloak had some scorch marks but other than that he looked unscathed.

"To think she timed me perfectly." He started to laugh. "But only fools sacrificed themselves."

Hearing him mock her made something come over me. To know she died for nothing brimmed my hatred to a boiling point. The love I felt for my family and the hate I felt for him intermingled. Then I felt a whirlwind of chakra surge from within me.

No, she didn't die for nothing. I refuse to believe that! The chakra she gave me. I won't waste it!

My eyes were clear for the first time since I had entered this hell. That Masked Man would pay. That traitor! Wind style: Swiftness. My body felt lighter as wind began to blow around my feet. Earth style: Sediment Post. A small rock formation in the form of a kunai grew from the ground and fell into my hand. I hadn't mastered it and I only knew a bit from what my sister taught me from her sensei, but I didn't care. Lighting Style: Lighting Blade. A blue static conducted around the kunai as it was made of metal.

"Oh." The Masked man stared at me; his eye narrowed. He didn't move from his spot probably underestimating me.

Good, I needed him to if this was going to work. I blinked at him as fast as my little body could. Using the wind to propel myself forward. I slashed at him. He stepped back dodging the blade with ease.

"Is that all?" He reached out for me.

I ignored him and let go of my kunai midair. Water style: Water Spitter. I spat out a stream of water at it. The lightning charge combined with the water charge erupted the rock kunai blowing it up into shards. The broken rocks sliced through my skin, but they also cut through him. A piece of his mask came off. I grabbed it and kicked off his face flying through the air. My sister had mouthed me something before she blew herself up.

"Live on. Little brother." She said.

It was why I planned to get away but not without a reward. I looked at the shard of his mask in my hand, then glanced over my shoulder. The masked man covered his face and vanished into a ripple of space. That Sharingan of his, those three daggers in his eyes. I'll never forget them.

I ended up crashing down in the middle of one of the walkways where I heard another familiar voice.

"When you have the same eyes as I do. Come stand before me."

It sounded like Itachi. Was he a part of this too? I struggled to lift my body up. I pushed my hands against the ground. My hands that were covered in cuts and blood, where just an hour earlier they were innocent. As I stared at them, I collapsed onto the ground. Was this seriously my limit?

Next came a thud next to me and the sound of someone convulsing. He screamed out and I recognized his voice. I needed to move but my legs wouldn't let me. I clawed at the ground dragging myself forward, one eye open, trying to reach him, but all I could do was watch as Sasuke panicked. He screamed for Itachi. Then he screamed for his mom and dad. Then he just stopped screaming all together his voice muted as he seemed to claw at his eyes.

"Sas…. ke…" I struggled to let my voice out.

Then I felt a presence next to me. Itachi stared me down his red eyes of three spiraling daggers merged together. His Mangekyō Sharingan active. "So, he let you live. Interesting." He turned away from me and dispersed into crows. Leaving me with the words. "Take care of him for me."