'Daisy?'
'Yes, your majesty?' she asked.
'Inform the top five apprentices from each school of GATE, MIND CONTROL, and ILLUSION, to come to an emergency meeting with me. I will be waiting for them in the War room,' he thought at her as he looked down at the magical table that depicted his kingdom.
The first wave from the north had already been dealt with, by his people, but he knew more would come, and so would these heroes from NURKONG.
'Right away!' she said, before breaking contact with him.
There were already a number of people in the room with him, waiting for him to move or say something, but he remained standing, deep in thought about the moves he was preparing for the coming battle. The table before him, that he seemed to be watching, was actively changing to reflect the repairs his people were making to the surrounding countryside, where they had been fighting. If they looked close enough, those around him could see tiny figures moving around.
"These heroes will return, and they will probably teleport in, as they did before," he began, causing the soft murmuring to immediately stop. His eyes still didn't leave the table, and he didn't move, as he talked to them. The last of those he had summoned, quickly took their seats.
"I am going to set up a divert teleport trap, that will send them here." He pointed to a spot on the table, and they all nodded.
"I want a combination of spells ready to go off, the second they are diverted. COMPLEX ILLUSION, ENTHRALL, and HALLUCINATION are all to be used. I also give you permission to use STUN, MENTAL STUN, CHARM, ECSTASY, SLEEP, DAZE, etc. from MIND CONTROL to deal with the heroes the best you can.
"For those of you from ILLUSION, you can use whatever you think would encourage them to fire on each other. GATE has permission to TELEPORT OTHER, or rig up bombs to teleport to them.
"There is no glory and honor in triumphing over them. These people were chosen by an evil god who wishes to destroy us and our loved ones. Having said that, I want them trapped not killed."
Everyone gave a start at that, many asking at once, why he would want such a thing. He raised a hand, still looking at the table, and everyone grew silent.
"NURKONG is a god of death. He would have first claim on their souls when they die. As soon as we kill them, he would grab their souls, bring them back, and throw them at us again. The second time would be far more difficult than the first. I'm going to capture them, so he can't reuse them.
"I don't want you to tell me what you plan, because then he will warn them of what we will be doing. I want each of you to think of what you will do, then keep it to yourself."
He finally looked up at each of them, with his glowing eyes. The rage was burning in the blue and gold so much, that they each flinched as if he were physically hitting them.
"We are fighting a god. These horrible pieces of filth that he has sent to harm us, will pay, but only so much as to stop the harm to us they intend, and to hurt him back. I intend to use FANTASY, the compound rune from MIND CONTROL and ILLUSION. They will see the futures they desire the most. They shouldn't even try to resist, and once it gets its hooks in, they won't be able to escape."
He saw them looking at each other, and went back to looking at the table.
"You are dismissed," he said softly, battling the rage that wanted him to find these abominations and destroy them. He was glad he had such a high will.
"Joseph?" asked Walter, holding up a red robe.
"Thank you. Stella?" Joseph took the robe and teleported them to the spot under the generator, where the dragon had rested.
"What are you planning?" she asked, eyeing the robe.
"I'm going to get Selena back," he said, stabbing his hand with some silver wire, and quickly enchanting it, drawing mana from the reactor to make it into enchanted silver before using SHAPE METAL to weave a level 3 RESIST FIRE rune through the fabric.
"Don't you have to resurrect her?" asked Stella, watching him work. It took less than five minutes with the reactor helping.
"Why? She's not dead."
"What?" Stella shook her head in confusion.
"Stella, FIRE can't create clothes, and I'm pretty sure he's not going to let her return naked, in front of people."
Stella opened her mouth, then changed her mind, and shut it again.
"FIRE loves her. He wasn't about to let her die. She might as well be a main character with plot armor. I doubt even NURKONG could kill her, without FIRE ending him."
"Joseph, sometimes even when I know the words coming out of your mouth, I still have no idea what you mean."
"Ask the readers. They know what's going on. I'm going to get Selena now."
Stella scrunched her eyes and looked around confused as he closed his eyes and traveled to the fire realm.
Listening to the sounds of flames all around him, he could hear shouting in the distance, and headed in that direction, as quickly as he could.
"OH! YES! THERE! I'M…!"
"AHHH! SELENA COME BACK WHEN YOU FINISH!" Joseph screamed, flinging himself away from the area just as quickly as he approached it, leaving the realm so quickly, flames flashed around him as he opened his eyes, causing Stella to jump in surprise.
"I did not want to see that," he said, turning a wide-eyed look at her.
"What?" she asked, not sure if she should have been alarmed that he left so quickly some of the fire came with him, or that he seemed to be in shock.
*Cough* Joseph's face was turning red.
"Selena and FIRE may need another few minutes…hours…hell she isn't ready to come back…uh…return yet. She isn't ready to return just yet."
Stella blinked two long blinks, before she coughed, too. The tips of her ears turned red.
"Oh. Ok then."
Joseph turned to the robe, and cast LEVITATION on it.
"Selena can use this whenever she decides she's ready to return," he said, floating it underneath the CAGED SUN. That seemed like the most likely place for her to return to. Right?