Sanctuary II

The heavens opened as Amanda's coffin was carried through the North Eastern Cemetery. Roisin and Ashe walked alongside Ariel, holding her hands, as Keegan, Syl, Atlas and Dex carried her coffin.

Though Dex had hated Amanda, he had agreed with Roisin to do this for Ariel, though admitted he felt guilt, in not being able to heal her. The black umbrellas pattered from the rain in the skies above.

Everyone watched as Amanda's coffin was lowered into the ground. The funeral director asked if anyone wanted to say any words. Roisin stepped forward. Ariel's eyes widened in surprised.

"I'll not mince my words. Part of me hated Amanda for what she did, I imagine quite a few here feel the same, however..." Roisin paused as she turned to Ariel and smiled. "Without Amanda, I would not be here today, in front of you all. She risked her life to save me, and for that... part of me also liked her. She cared for me while I was at my lowest, she bathed me, brushed my hair and sang to me... at the end of her life, she was a very different person to whom she once was. I will miss you, strangely, Amanda" Roisin sighed, as she knelt down and tossed a rose on to the coffin, before turning around and hugging Ariel.

Syl also stepped forward, and took a deep breath.

"I had a complicated relationship, with Amanda. I endlessly taunted her, on our journey together, despite her telling me that she had changed, I never believed it" Syl sighed. "I regret that now, because, she saved my life, and she saved Roisin's too, she wanted forgiveness, and we never gave it to her. I still cannot bring myself to forgive her for what she did, but... I will miss her" Syl bowed his head, before stepping back.

Atlas stepped forward and knelt down to the grave.

"A few years ago, I was imprisoned along with Amanda, I had thought that one of us would have ending up killing the other. She had taken my sister's life, and for that I wanted hers. However, I found myself getting along with Amanda, oddly enough. We developed a strange kid of friendship, which should have been impossible given the circumstances. I suppose it shouldn't have come as a shock, given that me, Ruby and Amanda were childhood friends, I just wish that Amanda had stayed on our path instead of following the Empire" Atlas sighed. "Goodbye, Amanda" He smiled sadly, before stepping back.

Ariel took a deep breath and walked out into the rain, and stood next to the grave.

"I hated my Mother, with all my heart" Ariel began. "However, it was not always so, when I was a child, me and my Mother were inseperable, my father used to say that we were two peas in a pod. My wish is that things could have remained that way our whole life, but my mother was blinded by greed and power, and followed a dark path. A path that I could not follow. Our paths diverged for a good long while, and when we met once more, the only thing I felt for her was hatred. But my Mother was not the same as she once was, she had cast off the chains of power and wanted to earn redemption. It is not my place to say if she ever earned redemption, but, at the end, she earned back my love. I love you, Mum" Ariel smiled softly, as she looked down at the coffin.

The funeral director nodded and stepped forward.

"Let us all gather, to wish Amanda's soul well, on her journey to the next life, let her cast of the debts and riches of this life, so her soul may rise to the heavens, to join her family" The funeral director smiled. "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, goodbye, Amanda" He finished, as the rain poured.

Ariel stood out in the rain and looked up the sky, her tears hidden by the downpour.