funeral

A few days had passed since then. Callum arrived in Veridion, and he and Lysander stayed in Asuriel's apartment as agreed upon, but she never stopped to see them. She didn't want to see Mr. Dain – it was hard enough dealing with her loss, and she didn't feel like being around the man for a single second more than necessary.

And it was time for Asuriel to begin preparing the small funeral ceremony for Elara.

Lysander helped by finding a peaceful grove on the outskirts of Veridion that Elara had taken pictures of several times. The aether was abundant but stable, and the greenery was thriving. It was the perfect place to celebrate the archivist's life.

Asuriel gathered all of the decorative materials she needed, including flowers. She got Elara's favorites: Simple but elegant white lilies and blue starflowers. Next, she found some aether candles and set them up throughout the venue. They burned with a soft glow and flickered like celestial embers.