In the Shadow of the Crow {Itachi x Reader}

Prologue

A/N:  Trigger Warning. This chapter contains violence and a graphic post-rape description. Please take care of your needs first and message me if you have any questions or concerns.

She woke up in a dark cave. The spiritual realm had been empty, it had been a long, lonely walk back to her body.

The cave walls echoed the sounds of dripping water. Her palms and hips were raw with sand grained into her skin. Whatever she had been given made her head ache. A small beam of light shone through a crack in the cave. When she moved to stand, she felt it. The gravity of the sticky, white liquid oozing down between her legs. The pain of being violated and punctured. Her hands explored her torso. The blood had already dried. The wounds were closed, only the pink and raw scars were left. She looked to the sand where she had just laid, the pool of blood was expansive.

She let out a sigh of relief. She was alive – again.

This was her first resurrection. She would have liked to know how she got in this predicament; but, she couldn't remember a damn thing after leaving the bar last night.

Y/N Hijiri. Her clan was blessed – or cursed – with the power of resurrection. The catch? Insanity. Insanity of varying degrees. Only a few Hijiri clan members have ever lived to be 100 years old with perfect mental stability. That member probably only died once or twice. But, to be 100 years old in this clan meant most – if not all – of your friends were dead. Most Hijiri only lived to be about 40, with their last 10 years or so spent in psychological turmoil. After about 10 resurrections, the Hijiri member was really unable to function without being a threat to the clan or society as a whole. Fun fact, the Hijiri who went insane could only be killed by other Hijiri members. It was a kinder death and only a Hijiri would possess the weapon that would deal true fatality.

So, here Y/N was, in a damp cave. Raped, stabbed, left to die, and back to life. With her first resurrection underway, she wasn't sure if she should go grab a bottle of sake to celebrate or if she should hide under a rock and cry.

Which would make me most sane?

Probably crying. But, that wasn't Y/N's style. The last time she cried she was 13, when she was outcast from her clan. She didn't support the murder of her brother. Her outburst was seen as a disgrace by her village. She cried for days while trying to find a new home. She had encountered thugs and had almost gotten herself killed. The conclusion = emotions aren't safe. Especially when you were alone.

Y/N was 19 now and spent most of her time hustling. Pool, poker, you name it. She would be a vagabond until she could find the courage to face her clan. She wanted to return with a solution to her clan's curse.

Her chest heaved up and down. A tight knot formed around her heart. Her vision blurred. She craved a strong drink. It's what usually made the anxiety go away. But then again, it was what led her to be murdered in a cave last night.

Perhaps if she traced her steps, she would find out who her murderer was and give them the last fright of their life. A wicked smile crossed her face as she thought about the moment she would meet her killer. Surprise, bitch. Can you please hold my knife in your abdomen? Thanks.

Y/N dusted her palms and her hips off. Looking around the dim cave, she spotted her cloak on the ground. She wrapped it around her battered body and made her way out of the cave.

As she walked through the forest, her paranoia got the best of her. She wasn't too sure when she would start to realize the effects of her resurrection or if there would even be any. She had been ostracized from her clan before she could go through her first resurrection. There was usually a whole ceremony to help members get through this transition period. Of course, she knew it usually took multiple deaths to trigger the maddening; but, what if she was defective? What if she had died several times already and just didn't remember? Someone called out to her. No. She was in a forest, alone. What if hearing voices was the start of the madness? Again, she heard the voice. Closer this time.