I can't believe it! Wali spotted someone wandering in the desert the other day, and it turned out to be none other than Edmund Rockwell! I just about burst into tears when I recognized him.
Apparently, he heard that Nerva was holding me captive and sought to negotiate my release. That lead him to the cave, and eventually he wound up here. Awfully sweet of him to go through all that trouble for my sake!
Strangely, Wali claims that she saw a portal open up far away from her territory shortly before mine did. I guess that was Rockwell's, though Wali arrived at the scene too late to track him. Rockwell theorized that the portals may have taken us through time as well as space. Considering my present company, I'm inclined to agree with him.