Pushing the door open, Elias slipped back inside and leaned against it, taking deep, steadying breaths. The room felt suffocatingly small, but it was the only place he felt remotely safe.
A soft knock on the door startled him, and he tensed, his hand flying to his chest. The knock came again, gentle but insistent.
"Elias?" It was the cloaked priest's voice, calm and almost soothing.
Elias hesitated, then opened the door just enough to peer out. The priest stood there, his hood pulled low over his face as usual.
"Are you all right?" the priest asked, his tone light but curious.
Elias forced a smile, stepping back to let the priest in. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… couldn't sleep."
The priest chuckled softly, stepping into the room and glancing around. "The temple can be overwhelming for newcomers. It's not uncommon to feel uneasy."
Elias nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
