Seido, the "Realm of Order '' was known as a place of peace and security. While less could be said about the realm's upholding of freedom, those virtues at least were often associated with Orderrealm.
In reality however, such perceptions were not entirely accurate. Much like Outworld, Seido was in the grips of a civil war that threatened to tear it apart. Hotaru's Seidan Guard, the enforcers of the realm's laws and of its ruling senate, waged their battle against Darrius's resistance movement.
This was how it had been for many years now. Seido, stuck in a conflict within itself and undisturbed by the tribulations of other realms, with the exception of their sworn enemy Chaosrealm, whose inhabitants the Seidan Guard often attempted to fend off and quell.
But things had changed. Hotaru's alliance with Raiden had brought Orderrealm into a larger universe. But it had done nothing to stop the realm's internal conflict.
Raiden had said he had other matters to attend to after their assault on the Brotherhood of Shadow in the Netherrealm. This had allowed Hotaru to return to his realm and his proper duties. His first course of action was to make sure Orderrealm's laws were being carried out to the letter even in spite of his absence. To that end, he went to visit Seido's largest and highest court, where all legal matters in the realm were ultimately settled. It was the ultimate symbol of the law, even more than the Seidan Guard itself. A monument to the senate's will.
Which made it the perfect target for the revolutionaries.
The attack had been scheduled in advance, making good use of the time that Hotaru and his best men and women had been away in the Netherrealm serving Raiden's wishes. Darrius was nothing if not tactical. He had already had his people scope out the court. They knew the place inside and out. It amused Darrius that such work could be done right under the Seidan Guard's nose.
The destruction of this court would be a mere prelude to the oppression of Seido's senate coming crashing down and a new, fairer government taking its place. There were going to be casualties of course, civilians included. In Darrius's mind, the ends justified the means. Besides, it was war. Losses were to be expected.
Hotaru was entirely oblivious to what was about to commence. He had just gotten done with the trial of three of his own Guardsmen found guilty of Public Intoxication. As usual, they would serve many years in prison for this crime. Of course to Hotaru, individuals such as this had little use for their time anyway. One had been sentenced to execution for attempting to make advances upon a woman in this state. Such chaotic thoughts could not be allowed for Orderrealm's society to remain stable. The oppression of the Senate and their terrible politics were so thorough, this man was thanking them for allowing him to be cleansed of such chaotic influences before he did more harm.
As if the freedom to make a choice was an evil worth dying to stop.
In the building opposite the court, Darrius was crouched on one knee atop the roof, looking over the court with a pair of binoculars.
Another member of the Seidan Resistance walked up next to him.
"Shall we begin?" they asked.
Darrius stood up and nodded.
"Do it."
Hotaru was making his way to leave the court, naginata in hand, always on the alert. As alert as any one man could be. Ultimately, he was still caught completely unawares when it hit. Explosions rocked the court, Hotaru and all the other Seidan Guard members stationed there went on immediate high alert.
"Where did those blasts come from?" Hotaru demanded to know.
"I don't know sir," said one of the Guard members. "It seems like the whole building has been rigged with explosives!"
"Yes, I can hear blasts all around us!" added another.
The next phase of the attack began shortly after. Resistance members began storming into the building, quickly engaging the Seidan Guard members within the court. Between the explosions and the battle, the once orderly court quickly descended into chaos.
Just as planned.
Hotaru was struggling to react to the situation. He was unused to such chaos, being a man of order. As he tried to direct the Seidan Guard's efforts, tried to bring some sense of stability to the situation, a bluish energy projectile was fired at him. The energy blast slammed into Hotaru, and knocked him to the ground. His armor protected him, but it hurt nonetheless.
Hotaru looked up, to see Darrius walking into the court with the confidence of a man just let out of prison. A smirk crossed his face.
"Hotaru you old fascist, long time no see!" he said to his longtime enemy with a familiar tone that made them sound like friends.
Hotaru climbed to his feet and glared at Darrius with immense hatred.
"You… you bastard. I should've known the Resistance's chaos would only remain in the shadows for so long," Hotaru said, every word laced with disdain. "I must admit Darrius, I never thought you possessed the audacity to attack the highest court in Seido!"
To emphasize his point, Hotaru impaled an attacking resistance member with his naginata, pulling the weapon out and beheading another.
"I have the 'audacity' to do whatever it takes for the revolution to succeed, Hotaru," Darrius explained. "And please, no need for insults. This is a business visit, nothing personal. Although..."
Darrius cracked his knuckles.
"Considering that you just killed two of my good fellow revolutionaries, I'm afraid you've just made it personal. A very poor choice, frankly."
"You would condemn me for putting an end to your agents of chaos?" Hotaru asked. "You are the one who launched this attack, Darrius. With no provocation, no right."
"Right?" Darrius repeated. "You want to talk about what I have the right to do? Let's talk about you, Hotaru. What right do you have to lord over the people the way you and your arrogant Seidan Guard do. Because the senate validated you? Just as they validate this mockery of a court. Tell me Hotaru, how many people have been sentenced by this court to imprisonment or worse for exercising the freedoms you deny them! People like your old friend Dairou! This place is a symbol of the senate's oppression and your blind enforcement of it, and for that it must come crashing down!"
"Always trying to make a statement, Darrius," Hotaru recalled from almost countless previous encounters with the man. "Never understanding the true virtue and purpose of Order! We provide security! Our justice, this court's justice, is to protect the people! To create peace! The very same peace you so often disturb with this outlandish resistance!"
"You call this order? Call this peace? This is tyranny!" Darrius argued. "You put yourself on such a high pedestal Hotaru, but you and the senate you serve are really no better than despots like Shao Kahn or Shinnok. But hey, at least they had the courtesy to die!"
"Is that a threat, Darrius?" Hotaru questioned.
Darrius assumed a battle stance, the razor-sharp blades at the ends of his gauntlets ready to cut into the leader of the Seidan Guard.
"It's a declaration." Darrius corrected.
Darrius charged forward, with a speed that would catch most opponents off guard. Fortunately for Hotaru, he was quite familiar with how the resistance leader fought. Both of Darrius's blades came for Hotaru's shoulders, but he managed to block the attack using the staff of his naginata, making his best effort to push him back as well.
In spite of the struggle, Darrius wasn't done preaching his gospel.
"You do realize... that even if you kill me, this won't stop, right?" Darrius asked.
"What are you babbling about now?" Hotaru asked in return. "Your chaos and terrorizing of the people of Seido will end when I end you, Darrius. It is as simple as that."
A smirk crept across Darrius's face. The smirk he knew Hotaru just hated.
"You can keep saying all that if you want." he replied nonchalantly.
"Trying to guard your ego?" Hotaru questioned.
Darrius shook his head. Hotaru never really did get it.
"No really, go ahead. Brand me a terrorist, liken me to a Chaosrealmer, but you can't stop what I've begun. You can kill a man, but the revolution is an idea. You can't kill ideas. Even if I were to die today, tomorrow, or any other day, the revolution will continue until your oppression is defeated! I lit the flame Hotaru, and you're never gonna put it out!"
"Believe whatever you like, Darrius," Hotaru dismissed. "I will put an end to your disorder, including your precious 'idea'."
Hotaru managed to shove Darrius back after putting some force onto his naginata. Darrius was forced back by it, but by no means deterred. Immediately after, he spun around and delivered a kick to Hotaru's chest, causing his enemy to stagger back as well.
Hotaru resumed his stance quickly however, and went to punch Darrius in the abdomen. Darrius took the punch, never one to give up, and then slashed straight at Hotaru's throat with one of his gauntlets.
Hotaru moved back in the nick of time, receiving a light cut across his neck but nothing that would be fatal. Taking advantage of his relative proximity to his enemy, he went for a slash of his own, aiming at Darrius's right thigh and aiming to cripple his foe.
Darrius leaped out of the way, balancing himself on the naginata's staff like a circus performer before kicking Hotaru in the head and leaping off.
After stumbling backward, Hotaru wiped his face and spit out some blood. He moved his naginata so that the blade roughly aligned with Darrius's neck, and charged forward intent on removing the resistance's head in more ways than one.
Just before the blade could strike, Darrius moved to the side, grabbing the staff of Hotaru's naginata and using it as momentum to flip Hotaru onto the ground with a swift pull.
"Guess it's all over for you," Darrius taunted. "I think I'll even kill you with your own weapon. It'd be rather ironic, don't you think? All the revolutionary blood on this weapon, and the last blood it'll spill before going into my trophy room is yours."
Hotaru tumbled to the ground, but was quick to sit up. A little known fact about the leader of the Seidan Guard was that he was adept in a particularly potent form of pyromancy.
Where others manipulated fire, Hotaru utilized magma.
Thus, from his hand Hotaru summoned the fiery liquid, and shot it out in a stream at Darrius.
Darrius avoided the stream of magma by mere centimeters, feeling the burning energy even as it passed him and burned through a nearby wall.
With a distraction available to him, Hotaru charged Darrius and punched him several times, successfully knocking the resistance leader to the ground.
Hotaru allowed magma to coat his fist and prepared to deliver a punch that would undoubtedly be fatal.
"You were right about one thing Darrius," he said in rare agreement with his longtime enemy. "This is over."
Darrius smirked once more. "Oh Hotaru, always so certain…"
He moved his head just as Hotaru went for his punch, melting the ground and embetting his fist in the ground. Darrius then punched Hotaru in the face and back flipped onto his feet, kicking Hotaru in the process and flooring him.
Hotaru got up and grabbed his naginata, intent on continuing the fight.
Darrius simply shook his head as that grin crossed his face yet again.
"What do you have to be smiling about?" Hotaru questioned.
"You said it was over…" Darrius reminded.
"The revolution is far from over, Hotaru. But you are right about one thing. This ends for today. My work here is done. Your weakness is lain bare. The people will see that their supposed protector is nothing more than a coward, bested by a mere 'terrorist' and forced to align himself with powers from other realms. They will see this court burning and they will know that the winds of change blow in my favor. The battle is done, but the war is far from over. Far from over..."
Darrius placed his hands behind his back like a military commander, and stood motionless as an explosion created a massive cloud of smoke around the two. Darrius disappeared into the cloud, and like that, he was gone.
Hotaru attempted to search for Darrius in the smoke, but to no avail. When the smoke cleared, all that was left was the court now practically in shambles and dozens of dead around him, both Seidan Guards and resistance members.
As Hotaru took in the chaos surrounding him, several guards entered the court along with Dairou.
"We received word of an attack on the court," one of them explained. "General Hotaru, are you alright?"
"Yes," Hotaru assured. "My wounds are not severe. Focus on aiding survivors and hunting down any of those terrorists that might still be in the area."
Hotaru then turned his attention to Dairou.
"I am surprised to see you here, old friend." Hotaru said to him.
"Yes," Dairou acknowledged. "I have not been here since…"
"You were sentenced to imprisonment." Hotaru recalled.
Dairou sighed and nodded.
"I tried to speak in your defense at your trial." Hotaru reminded.
"It wasn't enough." was all Dairou said.
"Dairou, I-"
"Save your apologies, Hotaru," Dairou interrupted. "I did not join your crusade for the sake of sentimentality. We are not 'old friends'. You are a military commander and I am a contract hire. We share a common goal and you sign my checks. That is all."
"Very well," Hotaru responded, deciding not to press the issue much further. "If that is the case however, why come here?"
"You are still my client, Hotaru," Dairou pointed out. "I can't have you dying on me while I still have something to lose from it."
"A mercenary to the end." Hotaru said disappointedly.
"But one that has proven useful to you," Dairou countered. "You and Raiden."
"I had thought you shared some of our ideals as well." Hotaru admitted.
"I am a citizen of Seido, of course I see value in Order," Dairou replied. "Although I must admit, I am unsure of Raiden's methods…"
"Yes…" Hotaru agreed. "He seems to walk the line between Order and Chaos. I still do not know which truly rules him."
"I ask the same question of myself," Dairou affirmed.
"The line becomes blurrier with each passing day."
A similar line of thought ran through the mind of Darrius. Having already successfully fled his attack on Orderrealm's highest court, he was now focused on the next item on his itinerary. Once he found a place suitably lacking in witnesses, he awaited the arrival of three other resistance members. Mages.
In time, they came.
"Three minutes late," Darrius pointed out. "I expected better."
"We had to evade the Guard, sir." one explained.
Darrius laughed. "I was kidding! Do you honestly believe that I concern myself with how such tiny increments of time are used? Now c'mon, let's get this portal open. I have a meeting to attend."
"Yes sir!" the three acknowledged, before combining their magical energy to generate a portal to serve their leader's use.
Darrius stepped through the portal, experiencing some slight discomfort before finding himself in Chaosrealm. Something about travelling to this realm always made him feel off. He imagined any Orderrealmer would react similarly. Nonetheless, he had business to conduct.
"I must thank you again for not attempting to pre-determine a meeting spot. I could not bear to be binded in such a manner."
Darrius was taken aback at first, before turning to find his unlikely ally Havik.
"Sneaking up on me?" Darrius asked.
"Yes, no, maybe so." Havik responded, not actually answering.
"The attack on Seido's highest court went perfectly," Darrius explained. "The people will see the symbol of the senate's oppression burning, the weakness of the Seidan Guard is now on full display after they failed to defeat my warriors, and then there is the fact that I was able to step into one of most fortified locations in my realm as if I owned it."
"It sounds like you generated a splendid amount of chaos," Havik said approvingly. "I do wish I could've been there."
"I suppose chaos has its uses when you're trying to spread a message," Darrius acknowledged. "However, I'm afraid that you and your people joining the attack would have been tactically unsound."
"The frustrations of Hotaru's plans or yours. Chaos flows either way," Havik replied nonchalantly. "It is like a river, you see."
"You and I have different endgames, Havik," Darrius reminded the cleric. "I need to win the hearts and minds of the people if I truly wish to change Seido. Only then will I acquire the forces needed to take the senate by force. Openly associating with Chaosrealmers would sway public opinion against me and in favor of Hotaru and his band of sanctimonious so-called 'guardians'."
"Ah politics, such a chaotic affair," Havik said fondly. "However, if you would dare to restrict a man of chaos from aiding in your campaigns, I would like to know why. Of course, you are not required to answer."
"Havik, you're my ace in the hole against Hotaru's new allies," Darrius explained. "Raiden and these Earthrealmers. Your inherent unpredictability will work wonders on them."
"Why thank you." Havik said graciously.
"But the conflict within Seido is my fight," Darrius continued. "I will bring about Seido's new future, and I'm sorry if it conflicts with your goals Havik, but I will not let anything stand in the way of that."
"I will never understand why you Orderrealmers are so meticulous," Havik replied annoyedly. "Or perhaps I will, but it won't be soon. Nonetheless, there is something you may or may not consider, Darrius..."
"And what's that?" Darrius asked.
"Things always change when you least expect it…."