Meanwhile, the elderly woman, her spirit unbroken despite the rejection, watched from afar. Love and concern radiated from her weathered countenance, a silent testament to a grandmother's enduring devotion.
As the echoes of Elysia's departure faded into the distance, the elderly woman remained rooted in place, her heart heavy with sorrow and regret. Wracked with self-blame, she began to utter curses upon herself and her own fate, a lamentation that echoed through the solitary expanse of the lakeside.
"Curse this wretched fate of mine," the woman muttered bitterly, her voice tinged with anguish. "I should never have let Elysia venture to such perilous lands. It is my folly that has brought her to this forsaken place."
