Lara Croft: Treasure Seeker's Grace by Jade Gretz

Lara Croft stood atop a crumbling Mayan temple, the wind whipping at her dark braid as she surveyed the scene below. Moonlight, filtered through a jagged hole in the temple roof, cast an eerie glow on the jungle canopy that stretched out like a vast green sea.

For weeks, Lara had been chasing a shadow – a cryptic trail of eclipses mapped onto ancient Mayan codices. It had led her here, to a forgotten temple hidden deep within the Guatemalan jungle, its weathered sandstone blocks decorated with grotesque carvings of celestial bodies and writhing serpents.

The air hummed with an unsettling energy, a low thrumming that vibrated through Lara's bones. It was more than just the anticipation of discovery; it was a palpable sense of dread. As she reached for the worn leather satchel holding the Mayan codices, a shiver ran down her spine.

Unfurling a fragile scroll, Lara traced the faded glyphs with a gloved finger. They depicted monstrous entities tearing at the fabric of the sky, their forms a nightmarish collage of tentacles, claws, and glowing eyes. Beneath the drawings, a chilling prophecy was written: "When shadows veil the moon's light, the Devourer rises, and the world bleeds darkness."

Lara's pulse quickened. The eclipse depicted in the prophecy matched the one she had witnessed a fortnight ago – an eclipse of an unheard-of intensity, where the moon was consumed not by darkness, but by an unsettling, pulsating red.

Suddenly, a tremor shook the temple. Stones tumbled from the crumbling walls, showering Lara in dust. With a heart hammering against her ribs, she scrambled to her feet, adrenaline coursing through her veins.

A guttural roar echoed through the jungle, followed by the sound of lumbering footsteps. Lara grabbed her dual pistols, the familiar weight a source of comfort in the growing darkness. As she crept towards the temple entrance, a wave of putrid stench assaulted her senses – a fetid cocktail of decay and something… alien.

Moonlight filtering through the trees revealed a horrifying sight. A hulking creature, its form barely discernible in the dim light, stalked towards the temple. Its obsidian hide shimmered with an unnatural sheen, vaguely insectoid in its design. Its multiple, glowing red eyes locked onto Lara, glinting with a predatory hunger.

Lara opened fire, the sharp crack of her pistols shattering the eerie silence. The bullets struck the creature, leaving smoking indentions in its hide, but causing seemingly no real damage. With a deafening screech, it lunged forward, its razor-sharp claws tearing through the temple entrance like tissue paper.

Lara leaped back as the creature surged into the chamber, its monstrous form filling the limited space. Fear threatened to paralyze her, but years of experience battling the unimaginable willed her to fight.

Dodging its snapping jaws and bone-crushing attacks, Lara fired her pistols relentlessly, desperately searching for a weakness. But the creature seemed impervious to her bullets. With a frustrated roar, Lara dropped her pistols, opting for a more direct approach.

Grabbing an artifact – a ceremonial spear tipped with obsidian – she charged towards the creature. Just as it lunged, she thrust the spear forward, aiming for the pulsating red spot nestled between the creature's multiple eyes.

The spear hit its mark, sinking deep into the flesh with a sickening squelch. The creature roared in agony, recoiling back as a foul-smelling black ichor oozed from the wound.

Seizing this opportunity, Lara scrambled onto the creature's back, clinging to its leathery hide. It thrashed wildly, attempting to dislodge her. Lara, holding on for dear life, maneuvered to the creature's exposed neck.

With a final surge of adrenaline, she plunged the obsidian spear into its flesh again and again, aiming for the pulsating red spot with every strike. The creature's screams grew more and more feeble, its thrashing turning into a pathetic tremor. Finally, with a shuddering groan, it went still.

Lara slumped back, gasping for breath. Her body ached, sweat plastered her clothes to her skin, but she was alive. Stepping off the creature's now lifeless form, she surveyed the carnage.

The stench of decay filled the air, a grim reminder of the battle that had just transpired. But amidst the horror, Lara felt a surge of a different kind of fear – a fear laced with a chilling realization.

This was just one creature. There could be more. Worse, the pro
...(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/Lara-Croft-Treasure-Seeker-s-Grace-1029422502