Even though Bariyan had not outright asked for help, Koltira had every intention of following through on his earlier promise. He would do what he could, though his efforts so far had yielded little results. True, he had managed some protection of both the boy and those he encountered, but this situation needed a permanent solution. He didn't know what that was yet, and he was trying not to contemplate the obvious.

Instead, he focused on what seemed useful--finding the child, finding Bariyan. He was relieved when he came upon the latter, albeit not very. The extent of the man's wounds was obvious at a distance, and horrific up close. Somehow the lack of blood made Bariyan's punctured body more unnerving; his exposed innards were all in place, but dry, clean and alien. If Koltira were not a walking horror himself, he might have been disturbed.

As it stood, he was just alarmed, more because of what the injuries meant than anything else. The child had to be close by.

"Bariyan!" he called. "Which way?!"