The Story of Elysia and Raiden

Once upon a time, there lived two very different gods. One was so beautiful she lit up the night sky, her name was Elysia. Her silver hair and golden eyes were so spectacular that sometimes people shook with fear just looking at her beauty.
The other god was named Raiden, and he was so massive he shook the earth when he walked and his loud rumbling voice made the townspeople cower in fear and hold their ears. While both gods were both unmatched in their beauty and power, they were lonely.
Elysia was so lonely and sad that she tried everything to keep her mind off of how often she was by herself. She tried knitting, and baking, even Thai chi, but nothing helped, for she still had no one to do these things with.
And while Raiden was handsome and had many accomplishments, he wished to find someone that would not quake when he made the earth shake and rumble.
One day, Elysia was strolling about the forest thinking of how she longed for someone who would not be frightened by her radiance; when she bumped into Raiden. The two met each other's gaze and knew instantly that they were each other's true match.
Unfortunately, Raiden's overprotective mother saw this meeting as well and screamed in horror and jealousy. Raiden's mother Naida could not see how her son could love anyone more than she herself. So, Naida hatched a horrid plan to keep the two apart.
In the evening, when Elysia was sleeping, Naida snuck into her bedchamber and snatched the girl away. Naida kept Elysia in a dungeon so dark and dismal that not even Elysia's radiant beauty could brighten it, and so Elysia withered away until she was only a shell of her once magnificent beauty. Naida, satisfied with her work threw away the key and forgot about Elysia completely.
Although Naida forgot about Elysia, Raiden did not. He searched high and low for his love, but still he could not find her. Finally, Raiden went to the river where his mother sat and begged for her help. But though Naida was a jealous and horrid creature she could not lie to her beloved son, and she told him of what she had done to Elysia. Angry and horrified Raiden threatened his mother into letting Elysia go. Naida told Raiden that if he could prove his love and devotion to Elysia, she would set her free.
Naida proclaimed that Raiden must go on an epic quest to find the sword made of fire, and the shield made of ice. Then and only then, would Naida let Elysia- Raiden's one true love- go.
And so Raiden set off; over treacherous mountains, across rocky waters, and through forests filled with all manner of nasty things. But he would not be deterred. Finally, Raiden set foot on Siren Island, where the Queen of the sirens, the fearsome Queen Serena, wielded the fire sword. Raiden walked the steps to the castle where heavenly music was being sung. But before Raiden could be enchanted by the siren's seductive melody, he jammed cotton into his ears.
As Raiden knelt before the Queen, he surveyed the room, searching for the sword. The Queen laughed, for she knew his heart and could see his true goal. But Queen Serena loved a game, and so she offered a job to Raiden, as an assistant in the armory. Queen Serena intended to work Raiden till the bone, for she was certain he would never escape with the sword.
For half a year Raiden slaved away in the Queen's palace, all the while just dreaming of his one true love. One night, while the Queen was out and her handmaidens had gone to bed; Raiden spirited the sword away. But as he was just about to set sail, the cotton fell out of his ears and the siren's song invaded his mind. Soon, The Queen was standing before him, seething in anger.
But although Raiden willed the sword to point at the Queen, he noticed that he was really holding it against his throat. The Queen roared in anger and commanded Raiden to kill himself. Just as he was about to slit his own throat, Elysia's own song filled his mind and Raiden found the courage and strength to stab the Queen with her own sword and kill her for good.
As Raiden set sail for the mines of King Vahal, he thanked Elysia in his heart for her song.
When Raiden reached the doors of King Vahal's underground fortress, the King was waiting for him. More vicious and cruel than Queen Serena, the King set Raiden on an endless hunt for the shield in a room filled with jewels and treasure. The King was certain that it would take Raiden ages to find the shield if at all, and by then Raiden would be an old man and would not have the will to fight for Elysia.
Years went by, and Raiden was still searching desperately for the shield, at times he wondered if Elysia was worth it, and then he remembered her sweet smile and loving heart.
On a particularly exhausting day, Raiden was searching when Elysia came to him in a vision. She showed in a large tower of jewels, and underneath it was the shield of ice. But she warned him, that the treasure atop the sword was enchanted to be so cold that it would burn his skin.
Immediately after the vision had ceased Raiden rushed to the tower. Eager to find the last item he forgot about Elysia's warning and touched the treasure. Raiden roared in pain as his hand turned red and angry with the burn. Raiden ripped the shirt and wrapped it around his arm and shoulder. He plunged his arm into the pile and retrieved the shield.
Raiden raced to his boat in a rush to return home and rescue his love. When Raiden returned home, he rushed to his Naida. Naida had not expected Raiden to succeed and so she was livid when he came back with both the sword and the shield. Naida told Raiden that Elysia had died while he was away. But Raiden knew better, he called for Elysia so loudly that he shook the earth, the humans called it thunder, after him. Elysia woke with a start from her stupor and rushed to the door of the cell. Elysia's love burned so brightly inside of her that it broke the cell door clean off its hinges. Elysia rushed to Raiden, but Naida put herself in the middle. Raiden drew the fire sword and sliced Naida in two, where she burst into millions of tiny water droplets that fell upon earth.
Elysia and Raiden ran towards each other and made a crashing noise that resonated down in earth. Elysia was so happy as she kissed Raiden that streaks of hot light flashed in the night sky.
Now, every time a thunderstorm happens the people of earth know that Elysia and Raiden are embracing and completely and incandescently in love.