It was a reckoning, a moment of truth and vulnerability that laid bare the sacrifices and complexities that had shaped their lives under her care.
Elder Criyca's voice finally wavered, her defense tapering off into a heavy silence. She stood before them, her shoulders slightly slumped, her gaze shifting between the young healers and Sophia.
It was a moment of reckoning, a cathartic release of a lifetime of secrets, regrets, and unwavering devotion that had defined the path she had chosen.
"I know," Sophia interjected, her voice cutting through the weighty atmosphere. "I know the magnitude of your suffering, but I apologize because you still have to endure that pain for even longer."
Her words were delivered with a calm and understanding tone, a reflection of the empathy she felt for Elder Criyca.
The room seemed to hold its breath, a collective sense of anticipation hanging in the air as Sophia's words resonated.