Spirits of the Past

As stated before, the sky is a place of magic. It's people are inherently magical - in life and in death. So it makes sense that their cemeteries are not just a painful reminder of death, but rather, a celebration of life.

"The scene was the same. Close enough to the Cities that it wouldn’t be too difficult to make the trip, but far enough away so that it wasn’t constantly being seen. A quiet, somber cloud that was large and deep and empty, despite how crowded it was. Really, it was a large group of clouds, tied together by a faint but substantial bridge of cloudmist, made possible by a special type of amthryllison dust."

Burial

It is something of utmost importance that Skydwellers are buried after their death - in fact, cremation is seen as a dishonor, and is only reserved for the worst of criminals. Not unlike funerals on the ground, the bodies are buried in a cemetery, though not in coffins. Instead, they are lowered into the grave on a sort of litter - though there is not top - which is intricately carved according to the age of the deceased. There is nothing sadder than a plain piece of wood during a burial.

Monuments

As time goes on following the burial, the cloud above the grave will slowly sprout upward into a sculpture detailing something important about the deceased's life. Some of the older ones depict heroic moments in battle. Others will show rescued animals, or large, open books, or the doorway to a business they had opened. At the base of each monument is the name of the deceased. The monuments made of different materials, have different colors, patterns, textures, and even smells. Each monument is unique and special

Memories

Skydwellers will often make yearly visits to a loved one's grave. Eventually the statues will erode away - they are somehow tied to memories. If no written record of someone exists, and if no one remembers them, then the statue will simply swish back into a normal cloud. This is why the obituary section of the Archives is so important - as is the remembrance of dearly departed.

Retirement

Because dragons have such longer lifespans, they do things a little differently. While some of them will get a full funeral, others will simply go into retirement. As dragons age, they lose some of their magic - not all of it, but enough to make it difficult for them to fly. They will then retire into special sections of the Dragon Kingdom, where the air is filled with enhanced magic that helps them live out their days in peace and comfort, alongside other retired dragons. These sections of the Dragon Kingdom can only be reached by an elderly dragon when they are well and truly ready for retirement. They will have a farewell ceremony, and, shortly after their departure, their magic (for they leave all of their own magic behind) will form their own statue. From then on, their surviving friends and family members will treat them as deceased, but with the small comfort of knowing that they are happy and comfortable.
Some elderly dragons choose to live out all their lives in the sky. This is a huge sacrifice, as it eventually becomes extremely uncomfortable to live in the sky as an Ancient (as they are called - mostly by the 'insensitive adolescents'). But, some of them do choose to stay behind, imparting their wisdom on the younger generations. However, most will retire - often soon after the death of their Bond. Additionally, no one has ever returned from the retirement haven. No one is even sure if it is possible. Surely it must take a lot of magic, and is extremely painful, so who would ever try it?

"Death is not something that we are used to." The words were spoken clearly, on a bright clear day, in a clear sky. The man's face was clear, as were his eyes.
And his tears.
"We live so long, have so much action - it comes as a shock when one close to us is lost." He cleared his throat - another clarity. Anna could've laughed; here she was, burying her beloved grandfather, and all she could think about was colors - or rather, the absence of them.
Just like her life would be, without Grandpa.