Some order with a side of some chaos

I wake up well rested and head to Lex. He is doing something with the crystals that formed in the purifier and hear him say.

- Perhaps this will work. No, it must work.

Then he notices me and I go chating with him. Soon after Aktor comes as well.

- So where are we heading today?

- It would be good to handle two demon princes in a one day, so let's go with demon princes of control and alcohole.

- Why do you think we can do bouth of them in a same day?

- They are twins like Rahasia and Kiat, but with more friendly manners. Or rivalry if you prefer.

- What are their names?

- Demon prince of control is named Set who rules the realm Workshop. Demon prince of alcohole is named Etan and the realm is Juhla.

- Set and Etan, got it. What should we expect from them?

- Set was made to find order in chaos, while Etan was created to take enjoyment out of chaos. Set you can probably convince by simply speaking facts. Etan on the other hand might challenge you to a drinking contests of some kind. You only need to go to Workshop and you can go to Juhla from there since there is a gate to bouth sides.

- Why would Set make a portal to someone who is completely opposite of him?

- Only Set truly knows, but my guess is that they did it because of their people. The dwarfs there like bouth sides equally and wish to travel between the two realms. Though the sentinels will keep watch over the gate and the order of the Workshop.

- I assume the sentinels are the guards of that realm.

- The are machines that have strick rules to follow and execute. They will rarely kill anyone since their presence will solve most problems in Workshop.

- That's dark.

- Wait until you see them dispose the bodies.

- I assume that Juhla is quite different.

- Yes, there is rarely guard around given everyone is almost always at least tipsy.

- Well then, we'll go talk to Siel'Kel and be going.

- You do that.

We go to Siel'Kel and they do their thing and we are off. We are then surrounded by many buildings and bunch of dwarfs. We were in some kind of city or something. We ask for guidance to where Set is and we got the rough idea. We trip takes couple of hours but we reached the front of the biggest building here. It was towering above all the other buildings. We then head inside and the two sentinels ask in a mechanical voice.

- What is your purpose here?

- We seek audience with Set.

- We do not identify either of you as guest to be expected. Your permission to enter has been denied.

- But we need to gain access.

- Denied please leave the premises.

We leave in defeat.

- What should we do?

- We just have to have a person of with permission to enter and we should be golden.

- But how do we find an person with permission?

- Simple. We go ask Etan to accompany us.

- You call that simple?!

- Do you have any other ideas?

- Well, we could try asking around.

- And what if they don't agree? We are strangers in foreign land and you expect them to just trust us?

- Well... you're right. Let's go with your plan.

We ask around to find the way to Juhla and we got dirrections. Couple of hours later, we manage to find the gate. Many people are going in and out of it and we follow the crowd.

Eventually we get past the gate and we see many buildings covered in forestation. There were many people drinking, as expected. We tried to ask dirrections, but most of what they said was pure nonsense. We decide to just look for the biggest building there is and we find one in couple of hours.

We go inside and we see a giant sitting and drinking among dwarfs. He was covered in symbols and was bragging about his wife. We try to go and talk to him and...

- Who are the little fellas? Come in and join up, I'm about to tell the story of how I beat Set once in cunning. Spoiler alert, I just winged it.

- We are here actually about Set.

- Oh, what does my brother has this time? Something dull I would imagine.

- We actually need to gain a fragment of destruction from bouth of you, and we need you to get us past Set's sentinels.

- So YOU are the ones big sis warned me about. No worries, I prepared for this. Wait a moment, I go check the back.

He stubles to another room and returns with bag.

- Here I don't recomend you open that. It's covered in vomit.

- How did you... You know what never mind that. Let's go to Set then.

- Come here for a second you two. Oh, and sorry everyone! I got some business to take care of before I tell you more stories!

We get closer to him. He puts his hands on our backs

- And SO!

We are suddenly infront of the same building where Set is supposed to live.

- Now then, you two chunks of metal, let us past to see my brother.

- Person identified, however two other people don't have permission to enter.

- What!? You mean I can't bring two of my guests with me!? You little... If you don't let them past I will smash you to a pulp!

- Guests of a VIP confirmed. Access granted, they may enter now.

- Good, let's go!

We follow Etan and go in. We go to a platform and we are transported to what I think is the top of the tower but we still are inside the tower. Just like in Taican. We then see a floatin ball of light coming towards us. Etan starts to speak.

- Hey Set! Long time no see! How you are doing?!

In a strict and slightly echoing voice, Set speaks.

- It's been 7 months, 29 days 23 minutes and 50 seconds when we last spoke. I am fine.

- You still are as stiff as always! Why don't you go to one of your bodies and talk to us then. It's always weird talking to you like this.

Set leaves and goes to the wall. Then the wall starts to spew out some metallic parts and forms what looks like humanoid shape. Though larger and hollow. Like a metal skeleton but not quite. And it has one glowing eye that keeps shrinking and widening for a while. Then it stops.

- Wish has been granted. Now state your business.

- These two are the ones big sis told us about.

- Yes, they seem to have the appearance of what sister Oblew told us couple days ago. You are here to get my fragment of destruction. Correct?

I speak.

- Yes, we need it to make sure the shades of destruction don't appear as often.

- Understood. Processing... Permission denied under code 013 and 281.

- What? But you are going to risk bringing destruction to the world.

- Code 013 states "Anything that can be used to bring more likelyhood to my purpose, shall be protected". And Code 281 states "If creator seeks to destroy the world, strengthen your own defences". Under those codes I cannot hand over the fragment of destruction, as it would violate these codes.

- But this is...

Etan starts to speak.

- Think of this as price for father not needing to destroy the world.

- Processing... Code 281 has been revoked. Code 013 still in power.

- You still on that? Have you even found a use of it yet?

- Yes, a power source for sentinel 3187-219C.

- Oh that piece of chunk. Have you still found a way to properly control it.

- Still under proses.

- Wouldn't it be easier to just build your own core for it that is easier to control?

- Processing... Opinion valid, code 013 has been revoked. Still it is important gift from creator, so reluctant to hand it over.

I speak.

- It just means a lot for you. It's the gift from your creator who you cherish. But sometimes you need to let things go.

- Processing... ERROR... Reloading... Unable to identify these elements.

- I just mean that you have emotional attachment to it.

- Emotion is foreign element to me. Processing... Can't build a proper responce.

- Think of this as relieving some pain.

- Pain is a foreing concept. Still I have data that seems to indicate that it is unpleasant feeling. Processing... Access granted. Bringing fragment of destruction in the top floor now.

A while passes.

*bing*

- Item has been delivered. Handing it to recipient.

A claw grabs the fragment and brings it on top of my hands. It doesn't let go though.

- Um... Set?

- ERROR... Processing... Bypassing safeguards... Passed.

The claw drops the fragment on my hands.

- Now you have what you came for. Does any of you need something else.

- I will go back to drinking. I've got stories to tell.

Etan vanishes. Then I speak.

- I would like to know more about you.

- Know more about me? I fail to understand why this is. Pleace elaborate further.

- You know, like why do you do things you do?

- Everything I do is for the sake of my purpose.

- Then what is your purpose?

- To bring everything under my control. One way or another.

- Do you think it's possible?

- It's not possibility, it's inevitability.

- How do you plan to do this?

- Simple, I just use brute force.

- But isn't demon prince's power limited to a sertain decree?

- Incorrect. While the demon prince's own power is limited, their army's power isn't.

- Wouldn't others be wary of you then?

- The other demon princes know of my purpose and are wary of me in a sense. Even Carbon has declared that when the time comes, he will submit without a fight. They know that it's inevitable that I will come and take control. It's only mater of when.

- You go do that. We're going to leave.

- You will? I shall be merciful to you when the time comes.

We leave and go bring the fragments to Lex.

- Oh, this one is covered in vomit. Fantastic, just throw it in the purifier as is and be done with it.

I do just that.

- On another note, I just heard that Set is ready for an invasion.

- That they sure are.

- Aren't you worried about it?

- Not at all. After all, they are the image Destruction saw me as. As is Carbon for Destruction's image of Creation.

- What do you mean by that?

- Set is image of my former self. A perfectionist. Destruction saw me as being of absolute control so he made set in my image. Set is just pure perfectionist. They wont do anything unless its executed absolutely perfectly. Do you know why their goal is impossible?

- Why?

- It is because they can't attack a single realm and expect no retaliation from other demon princes. That is why they aim to do the invasion simultaneously in every realm. Do you have any idea how much power they would need to do that?

- But they are building stronger and stronger machines. Aren't they eventually going to reach the point where they can invade?

- The space in their realm is the true limit. They may build larger and larger towers, but eventually they run out of space to place their machines. And then they need to deploy those machines somehow that would cost so much power. Even if they used all of their power, that can't open a gateway to other realms long enough to each of them at the same time. They will seek that power but never reach it. They will never be satisfied until they reach the absolute 100% sertainty of succeeding. Don't underestimate the rest of the demon princes. If Set is ever to attack, there would be massive counterforce against them.

- I see. I think I get it. I'm relieved now. By the way, you mentioned that Carbon is the image Destruction had for Creation. Explain that.

- Creation was someone who liked to experiment on his younger years, but as the time passed on he grew into an observer of things. Little bit like I am now but with even more subtlety. Destruction wanted to capture his youth in a form that would always want to know more about the material world. So he created Carbon. There also was bit of rivalry when he planned to create Carbon, since Destruction wanted to make a person who understood material world even more than Creation.

- So that is the basis of the guy who we are going to visit next.

- Oh, by the way, Carbon is polar opposite to the guardian, meaning they are bouth genders, while the guardian is neither.

- I see. I will get some sleep now.

- Rest well. There is still lot to do.