A/N:
I had uploaded this story once before, but I didn't like the writing I had done in it nor the plot of the story I tried to portray.
So, I sat down and started rewriting the chapter leading to this revised edition.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the Chapter One of the 'The Shadow Empress.'
Chapter One: Alex? Reika?
My eyes fluttered open, their weight feeling almost unbearable. My body seemed distant, worn out by fatigue. A cheek pressed against pointed glass fragments, and an unknown liquid dripped slowly down the back of my head, mingling with dust and what I feared was blood. Summoning strength from uncharted depths, I widened my eyes, struggling to focus.
The twisted wreckage of the car's roof came into view. Dented, crumpled fibres told a tale of violent impact. I turned my head to the left, heart pounding as I saw my brother, held in place by stubborn seatbelts, his body hanging limply.
"Charlie," I croaked urgently, yearning for any response. None came. Fuelled by adrenaline, I reconnected with my senses, feeling the pain and sluggishness overtaking me. A surge of emotions coursed through me as I gazed upon the heart-wrenching scene, silently praying that he was still alive.
My hands quivered as I reached out, grasping his small shoulder with all the strength I could muster. I shook him, desperation driving me to awaken him from his eerie stillness. No response. His form slumped, unaffected by my plea.
"Charlie?" My voice trembled, a raw mixture of hope and fear. "Please, Charlie." Tears threatened as my trembling fingers hovered over his nostrils.
The tip of my index finger barely brushed his lips, just below his nose. My heart raced as I waited in agonizing silence, hoping for any sign of life.
Seconds ticked by, each one a painful reminder of his unresponsiveness. His pallor deepened, the silence deafening. I shifted to his neck, my trembling hand seeking a pulse, a glimmer of hope.
Pressing against his pulse point, I willed life into him, praying for any reaction. But time slipped through my grasp, and his stillness persisted. Defeated, my arm fell to my side. A surge of guilt washed over me – a failure as a big brother.
Turning my gaze ahead, I saw my mother, unconscious over the dashboard, her stillness echoing my brother's. "Mom? Dad?" My voice wavered, the innocence of a child's plea hanging in the air, unspoken words begging for salvation.
Unseen forces kept them silent, the mangled wreck of metal and plastic a stark testament to the chaos that had unfolded.
We waited, suspended in a painful limbo, hoping for rescue, yearning for salvation. My gaze refused to meet another in the car, the weight of the scene too heavy to bear.
Emotions conflicted within me, the urge to flee from the wreckage warring with the duty to protect my family. Even in this dire moment, I couldn't escape the responsibility that bound us together.
Summoning every ounce of determination, I turned to the damaged side door. Miraculously, the handle held. With a determined twist, I yanked the door, its protesting creak a testament to the struggle. It gave way, crashing to the forest floor, taking me with it.
Pain seared through me as my shoulder absorbed the impact. I lay on the ground, a mix of pain and adrenaline coursing through me, my body's betrayal evident in fractured bones.
Nevertheless, I persevered. Shakily, I found my legs again, being cautious not to put too much pressure on my injured shoulder. I stood lankily, my vision growing slightly blurry as blood pulsed past my neck.
Another gulp of fresh air filled my lungs before I took a cautious step forward. I planted my foot firmly on the ground, surveying the darkness of the forest. Only the feeble moonlight managed to penetrate the thick canopy of trees above me.
A sudden snap of a twig to my right snapped my attention. Slowly, I turned, my gaze tracing the shadows. A man stood next to a tree, a tool in his hand, its identity lost in the haze of my mind.
"Help," I croaked, my voice strained. The man shuffled nervously, and I took another unsteady step towards him.
"Stop!" he yelled, his voice tinged with panic, freezing me in place. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled, but the words held no meaning in my foggy mind. All I needed was help.
"Please," I begged, my desperation clear, but he shook his head, repeating his apology like a broken record.
The night grew clearer, and for the first time, I saw his face. Tears streaked his chubby cheeks, his expression determined.
"No one can know," he uttered aloud, chilling my blood. "I have a family," he reasoned, as if that excused his actions.
Anger surged within me, propelling me toward him. 'I had a family too, you monster,' I wanted to shout, but only an incoherent growl escaped my throat. I glared; each step more aggressive than the last.
His gaze trembled down to the tool he held, its jangling matching the tremors of his hand.
Dread washed over me as I realized his intent. "No," I croaked helplessly. Ignoring my plea, he swung the tool, its blunt top connecting with the side of my head.
My world spun, agony radiating through my head and neck. I crumpled, unable to clutch my throbbing head, my strength abandoning me.
The man advanced, leaves and branches crunching beneath his feet. He moved toward the car, a chilling chant on his lips, "No one can know." From his pocket, he produced a lighter, the click echoing in my ears as flames ignited.
Step by step, he approached the car, the lighter's glow casting eerie shadows.
I lay there, helpless, watching as he bent down and set the car's fuel line ablaze. Flames erupted instantly, his fear forcing him to step back.
The man's footsteps faded, retreating to the road. My focus, however, remained on the inferno before me. Tears welled in my eyes, my futile attempts to move closer to my family in vain.
A sudden, heart-wrenching scream pierced the night, my mind connecting instantly. 'Mom.' The realization struck that she was alive. The anguished cry echoed for a torturous minute before fading to silence. I bore witness to it all, the sound tearing at my very soul.
I waited as the fire inched closer; a scalding embrace I welcomed. Before it could engulf me, darkness overtook my vision, swallowing me whole.
I awoke in an unanimated void. Immobilized, devoid of sight, taste, touch, sound. Even the auxiliary senses were absent—the passage of time, the pangs of hunger—everything was muted.
Only my memories remained, playing on an endless loop. Memories of my own murder. The murder of my family.
Rage surged within me, a futile eruption against my own powerlessness. I was a mere spectator, condemned to watch as my family was consumed by the merciless flames.
Flashes of memories assaulted my mind, each one a dagger that stoked the inferno of anger within me.
"'Tragedy has the potential to be your greatest resolve,'" I mused, finding solace in the phrase I had coined within the void. Whether it had been plagiarized, I couldn't discern.
Time spent suspended within the void felt like an eternity, my memories, once a tempest of unending rage and sorrow, mellowed to tranquil waters of unwavering determination.
Determined, if I were to live again, to never be powerless. Once the initial rush of emotions ebbed, my more rational mind began dissecting my situation.
Here I was, an essence without form, suspended in the darkness. If my soul, my essence, was fated to remain here forever, it seemed a wasteful expenditure of energy. If there was one scientific principle that might hold true universally, it was that energy cannot be created nor destroyed. While the concept of energy's creation might veer into science fiction, the destruction of energy, or a soul, felt like an egregious waste.
Logic led me to a singular conclusion: this void was not the ultimate resting place for any soul. It stood to reason that I was not alone here, and thus, the void was more aptly described as 'Purgatory.'
If indeed this void was the enigmatic purgatory, the notion of reincarnation seemed less implausible than it had on Earth. If a limbo existed, the cycle of reincarnation would find its place.
As time slipped on by, my memories turned more obscure, like sand slipping through my fingers. Trivial details, like the breakfast I had on the day of my murder, faded.
The more time I spent within the void, the less the impact of those memories resonated. Emotions blurred, akin to glimpsing a television through a window.
Amid the murkiness, one thing was clear: hope remained. The hope of escaping this forsaken void, of experiencing life anew. The hope of summoning the courage to ask Elodie out once again.
Elodie remained the second most persistent thought in my mind after the tragedy. A girl with blonde, short hair, a medium height, a slender frame, and eyes as blue as the purest sapphire. A justified crush of many in our college.
Our paths crossed in class, and I resolved to ask her out, on the very day of the incident. Her response remained uncertain; she had needed time to consider. Perhaps a rejection loomed, though I never found out.
If granted another life, one thing I promised myself was to never falter in asking someone I liked to be by my side.
The span of time spent in the void was beyond measure. It could have been years, centuries, or even millennia—I couldn't discern. Time was irrelevant; counting the seconds grew tiresome after the first ten thousand.
Emotions slipped further from my grasp with each passing moment. Hunger, once a familiar sensation, now felt like a distant memory. The yearning for sustenance, for air, for water, all dissolved into an unfeeling existence.
I merely persisted in this void, much as I hoped other souls did, assuming my theory held true.
Before my usual train of thought could take hold, a glimmer of light caught my attention at the far reaches of my vision. My focus sharpened instantly. The light expanded, enveloping the void's horizon.
The growing brilliance, a pristine white light, gradually consumed me. I felt the gentlest of tugs on my essence, as if beckoning me towards a much-needed slumber. All thoughts ceased, and I surrendered to the comfort of the radiant light.
A cool breeze greeted me as I drifted into consciousness. My eyes remained closed, yet I sensed a thick, viscous fluid splattered across my body.
The breeze brushed against my skin, sending a shiver through me. Unknowingly, I let out a sigh of relief, a heavy weight lifting from my chest.
Though I couldn't yet fully sense my body, the familiar signs of infancy surrounded me. The struggle to coordinate motor functions, the sensation of being cradled in someone's arms—these sensations flooded my awareness.
And then, there it was, the most human feeling of all: hunger and thirst, unrelenting and insistent.
A sense of relief, foreign after so long, settled within me. As I drifted off to sleep again, a tranquil comfort washed over me. I had been reborn.
In this moment, the where, when, and why of my reincarnation didn't matter. What mattered was the pure joy of experiencing humanity once more.
I regained consciousness not long after, I presume. The sensation of being cradled in someone's arms still lingered.
With effort, I managed to open my eyes. The world around me appeared blurry, shrouded in a fuzzy haze. Yet, within the blur, a woman's face came into focus. She gazed at me intently.
I blinked, hoping for clarity. The woman was a vision of loveliness. Brown eyes glinted with a mix of pain and pride, framed by blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulder. Her lips were dry, cheeks sharply defined, and her chin delicate.
Her beauty was striking, and her small smile widened as our eyes met. It was a joyous expression, the kind that only a mother could wear. Fatigue that had once marked her cheeks now gave way to happiness and bliss.
A solitary tear formed in her eye, and her lips curled into a smile before she spoke. "Honey, it's awake." Her voice, though tinged with dullness, called out to what I assumed was my father. Fortunately, I had learned Japanese. Thank goodness for that.
Hearing Japanese filled me with comfort. It was reassuring to hear a familiar language, providing a glimmer of hope.
Though my hearing was still fuzzy, I could make out heavy footsteps approaching. A man with a brown stubble, spiky brown hair, and plump cheeks entered my field of vision. I tried to turn my neck for a better view, but my new mother's palm kept me firmly in place, likely because my neck wasn't yet capable of supporting the weight of my head.
The man's hand landed on my cheeks; his touch gentle as his finger traced their contours before he cradled my entire head. I was surprised at how small my head felt.
"Absolutely beautiful. My daughter!" He cheered, his smile growing wider. His hand continued to caress the back of my head with tenderness.
Turning to the woman, his smile mirrored hers before he leaned in for a kiss.
'Hold on a moment, before you two start planning my sibling's arrival, could you explain your last words? What do you mean by "daughter"?' I struggled to move, attempting to convey my confusion.
The two broke off their embrace, their smiles now slightly awkward. If only I could raise an eyebrow in puzzlement.
"Are you hungry, sweetie?" The woman cooed, drawing me closer to her bosom.
'Whoa!' My mind whirled, grappling with the implications.
There seemed to be no respite for me. I had realized during my time in the void that there was a 50-50 chance of changing genders upon reincarnation. I could only hope that the overseeing deity had managed it, though it seemed they had a penchant for playing tricks.
Feeling a mix of chagrin and frustration, I looked at the two of them, taken aback by their suggestion.
"Perhaps not," the man said, his unease evident as a chuckle escaped his lips. "Yeah, perhaps not," the woman agreed, lowering me gently.
A soft plop sounded nearby, drawing their attention.
With a radiant smile, the mother beckoned to the source. "Come here, sweetie," she called. "Look, it's your little sister!" she announced.
A girl with auburn hair, blue eyes, and plump features came into view from above. I strained to take in her appearance.
Sensing my difficulty, the mother encouraged the girl to approach. The girl looked at her mother before taking a seat beside me.
With wide eyes filled with curiosity, she asked, "What's her name?" Her gaze remained fixed on me.
"Reika," the man answered from behind her. "Uchiha Reika," he repeated.
I froze. Uchiha? Seriously? Reincarnated into the world of Naruto? In one of the clans facing utter annihilation? And to top it off, as a girl?
The girl interrupted my thoughts with her own introduction. "Hello, Reika! I'm Uchiha Rhea, your big sister," she proudly declared, puffing up her cheeks.
'Rhea and Reika? Quite the pair.'
"Will she remember this?" Rhea asked her mother, her focus unwavering.
A smile graced the woman's lips. "Only if you remind her from time to time," she replied, and the girl nodded in agreement.
"I'll be sure to remind her every day," she innocently proclaimed, though having dealt with a child in my previous life, I suspected she meant it literally.
"I'll go next," my new father announced, leaning over Rhea, approaching me.
With a warm smile, he introduced himself. "I'm Uchiha Hideki, your father." A wet kiss met my forehead, followed by an affectionate ruffling of Ria's hair. His soft beard tickled but brought a small smile to my face as Ria playfully swatted at him.
I felt a slight shift from my mother as she adjusted my position in her arms. Looking towards Ina, she returned the smile. "My turn. I'm Ina Uchiha, your mother," she said, bending down to plant a kiss on my nose.
It was anything but wet, causing me to give my father a mock glare. 'How dare you sully me, you sloppy creature.'
The three of them looked at me, hope, and expectation shimmering in their eyes.
Before anyone could speak, Rhea embraced me. "She's so adorable," she murmured. Finally, the child was acting her age.
Without hesitation, the two behind her joined in, and a sense of warmth enveloped me. The embrace of family was comforting.
At the same time, an ache of emptiness settled within me. I hoped that Charlie and my parents had been reincarnated into a more peaceful world. The turmoil of the Naruto world mattered little to me. My intent was not to alter its course. My only goal was to amass enough power and wealth to escape the entanglements of the plot, maybe even leave the continent.
"You have many more family introductions ahead, Reika," Ina crooned from within the embrace.
As the three of them pulled away, Ina continued, "Don't expect everyone to be as huggy." Her joke prompted chuckles, Hideki sharing a conspiratorial glance with her.
Caught off guard, Ria looked from her mother to her father, her expression a mix of confusion and curiosity. The scene was priceless.
Understanding dawned on me. Not all Uchihas would be as welcoming as my own family. I needed to be prepared for that.
But for now, a whirlwind of thoughts surged within me. In the void, I had contemplated ways to attain unassailable power: pushing human limits, amassing an unwaveringly loyal army, and many more.
Yet, those strategies couldn't entirely offset the risk of sudden, gruesome death. Now, everything had changed. A new weapon lay at my disposal—an absolute power.
Chakra.
And I had every intention of wielding it to its fullest potential.
A/N:
Thank you for reading the first chapter of the Shadow Empress. Chapter Two is up on Patron.
Visit the homepage of Patre-on and add /poisonedwriter to the URL to find my page.
I hope you like the premise of this story and continue to read, review, favourite and/or follow the story.
Please be advised that the story updates will be slow, for now.