When their time is up. Guilt started to return, in trickles, slow but steady. Guilt, giving way to horror-- but Bariyan stifled it, sudden and violent, hanging his head and squeezing his eyes shut and drawing his shoulders together to keep it out. His fist closed over the medallion again, tight, fingers shaking.

I did what I had to. I sent him home, and I brought him back....

He'd made his decision. He'd made it here, now, this day, made it when he'd taken the medallion -- when he'd given up -- and now he would simply have to come to terms with it, himself.

Only then did he allow himself to unfold again.

"You will..." His hand drops, from the shoulder to Martin's hand, closing over small fingers. He gives Martin a look that is both grateful and hopeless. "...let me know when you want to go back, then? When you are ready."