was still there. He pulled out his tiny fragment of the Token that had turned black.
The guilt overshadowing his heart hadn't subsided. Staring at the piece of Token only reinforced it. How could he ask for anything now? He'd already had this chance. He'd had the token. All he did with it was cause irreparable damage.
He held the tiny black fragment up. If only he could go back and start over. He thought about what Moslin had said, that no matter what he'd done, he had the responsibility to look after his son. He could always ask for help with that. Not for himself. For Emret.
He thought about that. For Emret. He could ask for that. For help. He held up the Token. "Forgive me." He whispered. The black token flickered. "Help me. Help me with my son. The Token flickered a shade lighter. "Help me fight for him."
The Token lightened again. His heart lifted. He continued to plead. "Please!" The Token sputtered a tiny flash of light before turning dark.
He stared at it in disbelief. Something was happening.
"Raj! Come look at this!" Moslin called. She and Sinesh were kneeling in the dirt staring at the ground. He came up behind them.
They were staring at a bunch of insects who were crawling in an odd line. He'd never seen insects of different kinds crawling like that together. He'd seen ants form columns but not with other insects. Unless they were eating them.
"What do you think it is?" She asked.
"I don't know." He answered.
"Either they're all trying to get away from something or... Something is attracting them." She pondered.
He wasn't sure what she was seeing. They were bugs! Who cared where they were crawling?
A large frog hoped into the patch of dirt filled with bugs. Sinesh laughed with delight. "The frog!"
It sat there for a moment next to the array of edible bugs but didn't seem interested in eating them. Instead, it turned in the direction the insects were crawling and hoped off, disappearing into a large fern.
Sinesh laughed again and chased after it. "Come back little frog!"
"Honey." Moslin called after her. Sinesh didn't respond. "Sinesh!" Moslin scampered after her.
Handers was alone again. He took the Token out once more and focused on it, on his son, on finding him. Again, it flashed a short moment of blinding white light.
More insects gathered in the creeping column. All pointing in what could be interpreted as a line. An arrow of direction. But then again they could all be attracted by a dead animal.
Should he at least find out? The idea felt immediately ridiculous. Was this what he'd been reduced too? Following a path of insects in the dirt? Was this the best way to help his son? Was this the best he could do?
Running through the Petra camp he'd felt like nothing could've stopped him from reaching his son. The power was intoxicating. For the first time since he lost his son, he'd felt - in control.
And now? He had no idea how to find his son. There was nothing to fight. He could work his way back to the road outside the camp and follow the horse tracks. By now who knows what would be left of the trail. So was this really a valid alternative? Bugs?
He stepped forward. The insects seemed to be moving into a dense part of the underbrush. He lifted the branches out of the way and crouched under them.
There under the ferns and bushes the distinct line of all sorts of creepy and crawlies continued. A small salamander had even joined. If they were all heading towards some sort of food wouldn't they be coming from all directions?
Still this was embarrassing. He was a grown adult. He was intelligent, strong and healthy. Why couldn't he figure out a way to help his son himself.
He pushed the thought out of his mind. He had tried it his way. With his strength and cunning. He pushed as hard as he could. And all he ended up doing was pushing his son away.
Humiliating? Fine. If it helped his son. He pushed further into the dense leaves.
The insects grew thicker, the further he pushed. A small frog hopped in line next to the salamander.
"Handers?" Moslin called from behind.
"Over here." He answered.
"What're you doing?" She came up behind him, pushing aside the heavy underbrush.
Great, it was distressing enough that he was staring at insects, now he had to explain it? He tried to think of an excuse. "Uh..."
She noticed the swarm