In the beginning, there was The One Being. An entity that comprised everything at all times in all places. This One Being split itself into smaller parts: The Elder Gods. They were simply extensions of the greater whole that would be continually hunted and re-integrated in games that would stretch on for ages only measurable in vedic cosmological spans. For example:
Were a man to take a piece of fine cotton cloth, and therewith touch in the slightest possible manner, once in a hundred years, a solid rock 12 kilometers high and just as much broad, the time would come when this rock would be worn down to the size of a mung seed. This period of time would be immense in its duration; but it would not be equal to even a single day in the relative existence of The One Being.
Whether by deliberate curiosity, or accident, one of these hunts proved ineffectual, and the Elder Gods were able to stave off their subsumption. Being part of the greater whole, they shared its power, and thus were able to split their greater counterpart into what would become known as the realms.
Within these realms, the One Being's existence was further split, smaller and smaller, eventually comprising all known life, structure, and concept.
The reunification of the One Being is said to be inevitable, an event that passes like a spoke in the grand wheel of infinity. But for now, the Elder Gods do everything in their power to maintain this fractured universe for the sake of all existence, including that of their own.
When Shinnok had rebelled, his goal had been to hasten the cycle's completion, to bring about the end of life, the end of existence itself, and this the Elder Gods refused to abide. However, the forging of Shinnok's amulet, representing the aspects of creation itself, had allowed him near victory over the Elder Gods. And while Raiden and Fujin were left with the sobering realization of existence's precarious state, the Elder Gods themselves could not conceptualize anything smaller than the maintained separation of the realms.
Ironically, the only thing beings of omnipotence and omnipresence lack are limitations, and these limitations are necessary to experience fully that which they have dedicated their existence to maintaining.
Thus, as Raiden approached the Elder Gods with humility and deference, he struggled to put into proper context that which he truly desired to know: As an eternal being in service to the Elder Gods, for what purpose was this mortal made to draw his attentions? For what purpose in the countless spans of life's epochs did this vexation now plague him? Even thinking such things filled him with a shameful hesitation, considering such thoughts petulant and beneath the Elder God's attentions. Instead, he settled on questions more pertinent to his given role since rejecting the responsibility of Elder God status...
"How was it this mortal proved capable of overcoming the Temple of Element's wards?"
A collective hesitation from the ethereal forms that surrounded Raiden caused him to swallow in reflexive embarassment. They knew this was not his true reason for seeking their council, but also understood that the answer to this question would make clearer the answer to his true inquiries.
In a cacophony of voices, the titanic spiritual forms that surrounded Raiden spoke in one cadence: "The keys to your wards were comprised of that which represents Earthrealm's energies. One whom already embodies those energies does not require the keys."
Stunned, this answer did indeed lead to a cascade of internal considerations that silenced the thunder god. He recalled the way the Jinsei had reached out to the woman, how she reacted, even through pain and exhaustion, as if meeting an old friend. While whatever foul spell Shang Tsung had inflicted upon her hid within her physical shell, her soul remained unblemished, untainted, and thus did not trigger any of Raiden's wards against nefarious intention or corrupted beings of evil.
Truly Shang Tsung's taunts had been deliberate, designed to shame him from ministering to the mortal woman. She had been fashioned into a Trojan Horse, one that would not have been effective had he simply remained by her side.
"How is it this mortal has come to possess such qualities?"
Again, a collective pause as Raiden avoided admitting his true intent. And again the voices of the Elder Gods replied, "All are fashioned from The One, thus all mortals are capable of embodying the aspects of their creation."
"But why is it none prior have been able to commune so effectively with the Jinsei?"
"Why are the leaves upon each Earthrealm tree not perfectly identical?"
This response struck the thunder god silent as he realized in hindsight the utter absurdity of his inquiry.
Raiden could feel the judgement of his elders upon him, and with great effort, humbled himself to finally ask that which he had feared from the moment he had begun noticing this bright flame of life so brazenly flickering before him.
"For what purpose have the attentions to this mortal soul been thrust unto me?"
Finally the Elder God's collective reply came immediately, as the true question that had been worn on Raiden's sleeve was presented before them.
"The purpose will be determined, and revealed, by your own decisions, Raiden. It is not for us to decide the significance of each event: Existence unfolds as it must."
Without words, the Elder God's forms quieted, and began to fade. The thunder god turned his eyes downward, taking a deep breath as he accepted the finality of their wisdom, though he did so without understanding.
Meditation, sutra chanting, and physical training in preparation for kombat were all constant activities within the expansive grounds of the Sky Temple. A truly massive structure, this dedication to the limitless power of Earth's storms had slowly expanded over the centuries to include beautiful grounds full of plumb, cherry, and pieris mountain fire trees and shrubs. The walks were also lined with wooden, gilded, and carved stone dedications to the elements, to great Champions of Earthrealm's past, and to the lords of the sky themselves in their various forms.
Flashing eyes and gnashing fangs bedecked a truly impressive carving of Raijin, one of the earliest depictions of the god of thunder by skilled human hands in this current age. Raijin's drums whirled about his person as he struck a defiant and bold battle stance, daring all those who would look upon him to test his might. Mirrored this gilded wood carving was Raijin's counterpart, Fujin, bearing similarly bestial and fierce features. The major difference being the line of drums replaced with a graceful, curving stitched-bag which captured the gales and breezes for use at the wind god's pleasure. Within and without these impressive displays strode the battle-hardened monks of Sky Temple, along with the scholarly priests, and spiritually faithful whom had gathered from deliberate pilgrimage and unknown call alike.
As a pair of monks engaged in the sacred art of kombat, paused to follow an intuition. Soon so too did a group of priests mid-recital of a sutra. Before long, a small procession found themselves all gathered just outside of the lowest level of Sky Temple's central tower. Commiserating before the massive stone doors, all understood that this chamber was the most sacred, and most well-secured chamber of the temple they had dedicated themselves to. Often Lord Raiden himself would disappear within this chamber to meditate or commune before his own pilgrimage to those he served: The Elder Gods themselves.
Thus, all who now gathered outside this space agreed that there must be some significance for their hearts to be drawn in such a manner, and arranged themselves in meditation surrounding the entrance, though they did so without understanding.