They said that Magus could not die.
They said their Immortal Body and Spirit Soul would guarantee their existence.
Unfortunately, they were wrong.
All powerful Magus were proven insignificant in the face of a greater power.
Much less a Magus, even a Grand Magus would fall into the depths of despair if faced with the wrong opponent.
The one true fact was, when a Magus spirit soul was destroyed, so was their existence.
During the Academy Bloody Incursion, A total of nine humans and four elven grand magus had died in a span of less than six hours. The deaths of so many extraordinary figures couldn't help but make the hundreds of Magus who died on both sides seem insignificant in their entirety.
However, amongst the hundreds who died in this tragedy, one particular Magus received much more attention.
One who was the battle commander of the Magus Alliance's warship Dreadnought, and that recognition was due to the heroic deeds he had performed.
He had bravely led his Battleborn army on an assault against the elves, where they managed to distract and incapacitate the two elven warships. A truly extraordinary feat, for if left unchecked, the two warships surely would have led to the complete destruction of the Magus Academy.
The same magus was also the lord of the Terra Kingdom where more than 800,000 civilians took refuge during the tragedy to escape the death and destruction that was happening in the academy.
Coupled with the fact he had been a guardian and famous instructor of the Combat Institute in the past, the name Izta the Gilgamesh soared high as the hero that defended the Magus Academy.
On the fourth day after the tragedy, as soon as the Magus Alliance allowed it, the citizens of the Terra Kingdom mourned the loss of their Lord Protector. From dawn to dusk, the entire kingdom was filled with a solemn atmosphere.
During the mourning, all five of the Lord's wives stood in the Terra Palace next to a bronze urn where the Lord's ashes were kept. Thousands of people flooded the palace and its surroundings, all came to give their respects to the famous hero of the Bloody Incursion.
Standing on the other side were four figures: Grand Magus Fuxi and his adopted Merfolk daughter Naya, and two of the deceased's juniors who survived the tragedy: Emery Ambrose and Julian Kaesar.
Both stood in silence beside the urn as thousands of prominent figures came in and out of the place to give their respects. Nearly all of the instructors of the Magus Academy attended the ceremony, even a dozen great magus took their time to say their final goodbyes to the fallen hero.
The tide of people still did not subside as the day grew late. When night finally came, Magus Rosia ended the ceremony in her position as the first wife of the deceased.
Yuria, the youngest wife, approached the bronze urn and took it into her embrace in a respectful manner, before walking towards Emery. Staring at the junior of her husband, she smiled and spoke.
"For two thousand years, my master has always wanted to go home. I hope you will grant his wishes and bury his remains on Earth."
Hearing those words, Emery nodded his head in conviction. He then accepted the urn and kept it safely in his arms. When he finally raised his head again, surprisingly tears streaming down her cheeks.
It has always been his wish to help his senior get home, and now this was all he can do.
Seeing Emery's condition, Magus Rosia summoned the servants to take out all the wines in the palace. The drink was quickly to be distributed as she signaled for a final toast in memory of their Lord.
"Let's celebrate the parting of such a great figure." She said before raising her glass up in the air, followed by all.
"For Lord Izta Gilgamesh. A brave hero, great commander, magnificent ruler and proud husband, you will certainly be missed."
"To Lord Izta!"
What followed was a celebration that was possibly the greatest feast the Terra Palace had ever hosted. Those who came were welcomed to enjoy the exquisite cuisines and drinks prepared.
That night, both Emery and Julian did something they usually didn't do. They drank their fill in the hope it would wash away their sorrows. Alas, their minds were still filled with memories of their now deceased senior and anxiety for their three friends as Klea, Thrax and Chumo were all part of the missing 3,218 acolytes.
Downing another bottle of ale, Emery shouted into the night sky hoping earnestly for their safety.
"Klea, Chumo, Thrax, Wherever you are, Hang on, we will find you!"
The day ended with most of the guests turned unconscious, drunk on Terra palace courtyard.
As morning came, Master Barty Grouch, who was in charge of the Magus Alliance of the sector, arrived with his entourage on an official matter. He brought a distinguished medal [Medal of Honor] and a title award [Hero of the People] addressed to Lord Izta for his extraordinary deeds.
A medal and title that would grant the Terra Kingdom privileges within the Magus Alliance and would ensure the kingdom flourished in the thousands of years to come.
The only unfortunate thing was that even with five wives, the Lord of Terra Kingdom had no heirs. Still, with them being a magus who could live thousands of years, such a reward would be beneficial for the future of the kingdom.
The magister surprisingly also came with another medal for Emery, for his contribution which has been instrumental in saving the lives of thousands of civilians by moving them to a safe place.
[Life Saving Medal]
However, the medal only received a lukewarm reaction from Emery. It wasn't because he didn't appreciate the award, but because such things had no value in his mind at the moment. After he received the silver medal, he forced himself to speak to the figure in front of him.
"Magister, is there still no news? It's been four days. Have the alliance made any progress regarding the missing acolytes?"
Unfortunately for Emery, Magister Barty had nothing to say to him. Either there wasn't any news, or that he simply didn't have the authority to know about it.
"Please leave this matter to us authorities. I promise you that we are doing everything we can."
Seeing the figure of the magister leaving the place, Emery glanced at Julian and Senior Fuxi. With firm determination, he resolutely said, "Let's proceed with the plan."