Abhishek Gangulee
Member
I've always been a big fan of the Mortal Kombat character Raiden (god of lightning) and consider him a true mainstay of the iconic video game franchise which now includes full-length films. This short-story about Raiden falling in love with a female swordsman and sorceress named Scarlet represents my interest in making Raiden both spiritual and warlike. It seems to me that pairing Raiden with others captures something essential about the mystical quality of this MK avatar. What do you think?
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Raiden had traveled all over the world after winning the ultimate Mortal Kombat tournament. He was searching earnestly for a way to balance his love of combat with his deep appreciation for peace and mystical spiritualism. Instead, he crossed paths with a beautiful red-headed female swordsman and sorceress from Nepal named Scarlet whose strange beauty captured his imagination and interest. Raiden wanted to know everything about Scarlet, but she insisted that if he knew more about her, he'd have to disclose his secrets and what made him so fascinated by both combat and spiritualism. Raiden decided to open up to Scarlet, but he knew that if he allied himself too closely to this beautiful woman, his rivals and adversaries would exploit his new lovebound vulnerability.
Raiden decided to build a secret hidden fortress in the mountains of the Himalayas for himself and Scarlet and named it Xanadu. He'd visit her there and make love to her and she'd be safe whenever she found him there. This fortress would represent all of Raiden's lifelong interest in placing spiritualism and love within the framework of universal intrigue and even war. Xanadu would be for Raiden (and Scarlet!) what the great castles of past kings were to the concept of secured dominion. Raiden's Xanadu became a haven of love and light for himself and Scarlet. They married, and Scarlet encouraged Raiden soon afterwards to return to his life of wandering combat and seek more medallions from the Mortal Kombat tournament so that honors acquired would ornament their fortress and palace of love and life.
Raiden accepted the challenge and proposed to the Mortal Kombat tournament god Kotal Kahn that there be another combat-tournament in the hot summer and that both female and male warriors would be invited. Raiden would be the honored returning warrior, and other favored warriors including Kitana, Sindel, Subzero, Xeno, Johnny Cage, and Baraka would be attending! Kahn asked Raiden what he was doing since he won the last Mortal Kombat tournament, and Raiden explained he was traveling and meditating, but he didn't reveal his new marriage to the beautiful Scarlet, thinking that keeping such a secret would safeguard Scarlet's person. Kotal Kahn however suspected there was something unusually and uniquely 'deep' in Raiden's complex heart and privately wondered if the god of lightning had somehow secretly (and finally!) found someone to delight. Was this divined love?
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{Raiden & Scarlet}

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Raiden had traveled all over the world after winning the ultimate Mortal Kombat tournament. He was searching earnestly for a way to balance his love of combat with his deep appreciation for peace and mystical spiritualism. Instead, he crossed paths with a beautiful red-headed female swordsman and sorceress from Nepal named Scarlet whose strange beauty captured his imagination and interest. Raiden wanted to know everything about Scarlet, but she insisted that if he knew more about her, he'd have to disclose his secrets and what made him so fascinated by both combat and spiritualism. Raiden decided to open up to Scarlet, but he knew that if he allied himself too closely to this beautiful woman, his rivals and adversaries would exploit his new lovebound vulnerability.
Raiden decided to build a secret hidden fortress in the mountains of the Himalayas for himself and Scarlet and named it Xanadu. He'd visit her there and make love to her and she'd be safe whenever she found him there. This fortress would represent all of Raiden's lifelong interest in placing spiritualism and love within the framework of universal intrigue and even war. Xanadu would be for Raiden (and Scarlet!) what the great castles of past kings were to the concept of secured dominion. Raiden's Xanadu became a haven of love and light for himself and Scarlet. They married, and Scarlet encouraged Raiden soon afterwards to return to his life of wandering combat and seek more medallions from the Mortal Kombat tournament so that honors acquired would ornament their fortress and palace of love and life.
Raiden accepted the challenge and proposed to the Mortal Kombat tournament god Kotal Kahn that there be another combat-tournament in the hot summer and that both female and male warriors would be invited. Raiden would be the honored returning warrior, and other favored warriors including Kitana, Sindel, Subzero, Xeno, Johnny Cage, and Baraka would be attending! Kahn asked Raiden what he was doing since he won the last Mortal Kombat tournament, and Raiden explained he was traveling and meditating, but he didn't reveal his new marriage to the beautiful Scarlet, thinking that keeping such a secret would safeguard Scarlet's person. Kotal Kahn however suspected there was something unusually and uniquely 'deep' in Raiden's complex heart and privately wondered if the god of lightning had somehow secretly (and finally!) found someone to delight. Was this divined love?
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{Raiden & Scarlet}
