Chobi: The Lost Soul

The Story Begins

"Lydla!"

I look up from my garden as I hear my younger brother, Paten, call for me. The wind gently blows my blonde hair as I stand. The smaller teen runs to me, the childish look still in his sapphire eyes. He had only just turned 20 a few weeks ago, officially becoming a teenager. He tried his hardest to 'act like a teen' but he still had the joy of a small child. Though, he seemed like he needed a bit of assistance. He comes and latches his small hands around mine, looking up at me as he whines

"Rydalin and Cordin are fighting again... Mama and Daddy went out with the villagers though so you're the only one here to stop them..."

When he said 'fighting' he had meant arguing. Despite the two being older, and supposedly more mature, they were constantly at one another's throats. I sigh softly, and gently ruffle his golden hair under my fair skinned hand as we walk off from my garden and back into our tribe's village. As he leads me by my hand I can hear the argument softly in the distance.

"You should be acting more like a lady Rydalin, this is why no one comes to court you."

"You should shut your mouth Cordin, it's no wonder why all the ladies call you annoying, and small-brained, you think that a woman only has one place. But really, you just can't accept that you men don't have all the power."

I can hear them practically hissing at each other as the argument continues. Water and Fire, those were their elements, though that didn't cause their arguments. Cordin was rather... As Rydalin and others called it, sexist. He had very conservative beliefs, despite our tribe being very open to most things. Other chobi around his age blamed a few elders that had already passed on for Cordin's twisted views. They had been the ones raising him and teaching him all that he knew. Our parents were a bit young when Rydalin and Cordin were born. Resulting in them not knowing much on how to take care of children, so they received help from the elders. They hadn't known that certain elders were slipping such ideas into Cordin's head. The result was that he had turned to be an awful adult... Who ultimately couldn't get his hands on a girlfriend.

"You're just s sexist pig and you know that Cordin!"

"Sure, name calling Rydalin, how does that one work with the guys? I bet it gets them all over you. It's not sexist to think women have their own inferior places in the world."

"But Cordin it is." I interrupt, my voice calm as I approach my two older siblings, their identical pecan eyes widening as their shared gaze turned to me. "That's close to the definition actually."

"I- Lydla why are you here? Shouldn't you be tending to your flowers?" He seemed a bit surprised at my sudden appearance.

"Paten retrieved me from my garden, he told me that you two had begun fighting again." I can see Rydalin retreat a bit as she calms and crosses her arms, being a fire element made her lose her temper much easier than the rest of us. Cordin sighs "Well she started it!"

"I did not!" Rydalin retorts at the accusation.

"Enough." I say, stopping the two before they begun again. "It doesn't matter. Mother and Father would not want you getting into this again. I suggest that you both take time to cool down." Despite being younger I had a tone of an older sister. My voice was still rather calm despite it. I didn't want to sound rude, although I wasn't too fond hearing them yell at one another for no real reason. They nod and I watch as they part. It wasn't long until Father would step down and Rydalin would take his place. She needed to learn that she couldn't get into heated quarrels because Cordin decided to tease her. I sigh and turn, going to return to my garden, my ears perking up at a sound coming from the east part of the village. A horn, the one of a hunting group returning with someone who has fallen unconscious. I turn in the direction of the sound as my eyes fall upon the sight of alarmed tribe members holding someone's body. My hazel eyes widen and I gasp upon realizing who it was.

"Father!"

I yell out the name and my voice echoes into the quieter part of the village as I run in the direction of the other tribe members. My feet pounding into the ground as I dash towards the group carrying my unconscious parent. Rydalin and Cordin are behind me, having heard my yell alarmed them and caused them to follow me. I push past the other tribe members to get a look at him. "Father!" I yell again, trying to reach out to touch him as I roughly push past others. He looked pale, like the life had been drained out of him. Someone holds me back. It's Cordin. He's hugging me into his body. He then covers my eyes so I wouldn't have to see anymore. I turn and hide my face in my older sibling's chest. I shook with fear as I heard Rydalin run past us and yell, asking others what happened

"Shh, Little Sister it will be alright... Don't worry..." Cordin is gently petting my hair, this calms me slightly. He knew how to take care of me rather well due to Rydalin and him babysitting me when we were a bit younger. His tone was much softer with me than it was earlier. I cry softly into my older brother's chest as I stress over what could have happened. Our father was rather old, taking something like that..

It could very well kill him since he doesn't jump back like he used to in the older days.

Cordin is gently rocking me from side to side in his arms. "It will be okay Lydla... Don't doubt the gods... They know it is not his time yet... They will heal him..."

We could only pray that the gods allow him to stay with us. That they allow him to come back to us from medical treatment.

I pull away from Cordin and take his hands. "Brother.. Please pray with me... Pray for father's life.."

He nods quietly and we get onto our knees. Bowing our heads down to the ground before sitting up and placing our hands together in prayer. Other chobi notice our actions and join us. A circle forms around us as we pray quietly. Our mouths repeating in unison the prayer of life in the language of our ancestors

"Aqg gm bvsx nq ncqhm gcq efym soqym ncm ueqijh"

Now we pray to those who live above the clouds.

"Bemshm seeqg qiv eqrmj qam nq hnax sdqal ncm efyfal."

Please allow our loved one to stay among the living.

"Bemshm seeqg qiv eqrmj qam nq hmm ncm eflcn qk jsx slsfa"

Please allow our loved one to see the light of day again.

"Gm ncsaw xqi kqv xqiv oemhhfalh"

We thank you for your blessings.

We all stand upon finishing and disperse. Cordin and I go to see how Rydalin is doing. She was the oldest, and she always felt she had to take everything on her own. Upon seeing her our eyes widen. She's collapsed into our Mother's arms. I think this is the first time I've seen Rydalin cry like this.

"What happened? Has he..." Cordin can't finish his sentence. His voice won't allow it. Mother shakes her head, a sad glaze over the hazel eyes that matched my own. "No.. But.. He won't be waking for a long time..."

"This is my fault- I should have tried harder to keep him from going." Rydalin sobs into our mother's lap. She had known Father couldn't handle it and offered to take his place in the group but he insisted, despite his deteriorating condition as of late, that he had to go. He said Rydalin wasn't ready yet. Mother had been leading another group but hers had heard the call and she had turned back, leaving another in charge. "Rydalin... Shh my sweetheart... It isn't your fault... Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have known this would happen today..."

Rydalin's crying was like nails on a chalkboard. I couldn't handle it. Cordin noticed and sent me off to go find Paten. Who had either no idea as to what was going on, or knew too much about it.

I walk off to go search for my younger sibling. Wondering if he was crying alone somewhere... My poor brother. He was so young. It would be terrible for him to lose our father so soon...