Jade: Shadows of the Outworld by Jade Gretz

Jade cursed under her breath, the acrid scent of sulfur stinging her nostrils. She hacked at the air, dispelling the swirling red mist that clung to the desolate landscape of the Netherrealm. Gone were the sun-drenched courtyards and vibrant gardens of Outworld; replaced by a twisted parody of a world, where obsidian spires scraped a blood-red sky, and the very air seemed to hum with malevolent energy.

She had been lured here, a trap sprung by Shang Tsung, the malevolent sorcerer of this blighted realm. He had promised answers, a way to free Kitana, her closest friend and princess of Edenia, from Quan Chi's clutches. But instead, she found herself surrounded by a horde of snarling Tengu, grotesque winged demons with razor-sharp claws and a hunger for mortal souls.

Jade danced a deadly ballet, staff spinning in a whirlwind of emerald light. With each snap of her staff, a Tengu was sent tumbling back, its unearthly shrieks echoing through the desolate plains. But the creatures were relentless, swarming towards her like a tide of ravenous locusts.

Just as exhaustion began to gnaw at her, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows. Drahmin, a hulking Netherrealm brute with molten lava coursing through his veins, slammed his obsidian warhammer against the ground, the very earth shuddering with the impact.

This was no ordinary demon. Drahmin was a Kantos, a legendary warrior turned into a grotesque monster by the malevolent forces of the Netherrealm. His eyes, burning embers in the gloom, locked onto Jade. A guttural roar escaped his lips, a sound that promised a bloody and brutal end.

Jade knew this wasn't a fight she could win through brute strength alone. Drahmin was a titan, his every blow capable of shattering bones. She needed her agility, her cunning.

With a feint, Jade drew Drahmin's attention, then rolled beneath his thunderous swing. Coming up behind him, she unleashed a rapid series of staff strikes, aiming for the pulsating lava veins on his back. Drahmin roared in pain, but his rage outweighed the momentary sting.

He spun around, his warhammer a deadly arc of destruction. Time seemed to slow for Jade. She leaped, her emerald staff meeting the obsidian hammer in a deafening clang. The force of the impact sent her flying backwards, a scream escaping her lips as she tasted metallic blood.

Dazed, she looked up to see Drahmin looming over her, his warhammer raised for the final blow. But before it could fall, a guttural roar erupted from beyond the Tengu horde. A figure, shrouded in shadow, emerged from the swirling mist.

It was Noob Saibot, a shadowy wraith and one of the most powerful denizens of the Netherrealm. He moved with a spectral grace, his hand crackling with dark energy. Drahmin recoiled from Noob Saibot's presence, a flicker of fear in his obsidian eyes.

"This kombat does not concern you, Kantos," Noob Saibot rasped, his voice a chilling whisper that seemed to emanate from the void itself.

Drahmin hesitated, then with a final guttural growl, turned and vanished back into the shadows. Jade clambered to her feet, adrenaline masking the throbbing pain in her ribs. She glared at Noob Saibot, her staff held defensively before her.

"What game are you playing, wraith?" Jade spat. "You lure me here, then intervene when my defeat is imminent?"

Noob Saibot let out a sound that could have been a chuckle. "Your death holds no amusement for me, Jade," he said. "Shang Tsung overplays his hand. He believes he can use you, manipulate your loyalty to Outworld, your affection for your princess…"

The mention of Kitana sent a jolt of fear and frustration through Jade. She clenched her fists. "Where is she? What have you done to her?"

"Quan Chi… amuses himself with her," Noob Saibot said, his words dripping with malice. "But their games are of no consequence to me. However, your skills… they could prove valuable."

"Valuable?" Jade scoffed. "For what? Your own twisted agenda?"

"Perhaps," Noob Saibot conceded. "The Netherrealm stands at a precipice. Shinnok stirs, his ambitions reaching beyond this realm. But there are forces… even here, who wish to see him remain in the shadows."

Jade knew of Shinnok, the fallen Elder God who ruled the Netherrealm before Quan Chi's treachery. His return would spell cataclysm for both Outworld and Earthrealm. Yet, Noob Saibot's proposal reeked of

manipulation. Trusting a Netherrealm wraith was akin to making a pact with a rabid dog – unp
...(more at https://www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai).
For more supergirl, chun li, batgirl, tifa, lara croft, wonder woman, rogue and much more, please visit my page at www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai - Thanks for your support :)
https://www.deviantart.com/jadegretzai/art/Jade-Shadows-of-the-Outworld-1049945040