Chapter 2: Knife and Cold Water

Chapter 2: Knife and Cold Water

Trying to compare the feeling of Cold Water and the touch of a knife's blade on the back of your neck might sound strange. But I can remember both feelings, especially if I think hard about it. Though, memories of the Cold Water are usually nicer. Let me explain...

When I was eleven years old, I used to help in my dad's bar, mostly cleaning tables. One calm evening, with only a few tables being used, I went to clean up after a group that had just left.

In the corner, there was a table for two. A man and a woman.

Both of them were from the Imperion race, which wasn't surprising. For some odd reason, we didn't get many humans in our bar. Maybe it was because we were humans too and they didn't like that. Even my dad usually avoided doing business with other "Terrans."

There was also a group of three at a table near the far wall. All of them were men, and also Imperions. As I was cleaning the empty table, I noticed there was no tip left and then heard a gasp from behind.

When I turned around, one of the three men fell face-first into his plate of Petrox leg with red peppers. I had made the sauce that day and my first thought was that I must have messed it up.

The other two men stood up, not looking worried about their friend at all. They started to walk towards the door and it looked like they were planning to leave without paying. I looked for my dad, but he was in the backroom.

I looked back at the table, trying to decide whether to help the choking man or stop the two men who were trying to leave without paying.

That's when I saw the blood.

"Girl?" In truth, I couldn't determine her age. Being an Imperion, she could be anywhere from a century to a millennium old.

Her clothes were black and grey, indicating she was of House Vorgan. Her companion, now making his way towards us, was also a Vorgan, as were the three from the other table. There wasn't anything unusual about that; most of our patrons were either Vorgan or occasionally Baku (each Imperion House was named after a creature from our world).

Her companion stood by her side.

"Your name is Viktor?" she inquired.

I nodded in affirmation.

"I'm Liora," she introduced herself. I simply nodded in response. She flashed a smile before turning to her companion. They paid their bill and departed. I returned to the grisly task of cleaning up after the deceased man and my father.

"Liora," I thought to myself, "I won't forget you."

Later, when the Huang Guards arrived, I was in the backroom. I overheard my father informing them that none of us had witnessed the incident since we were all in the back. But the sensation of a knife blade against my neck was something I'd never forget.

Fast forward to when I was sixteen, trekking alone through the jungles to the west of Avandryl. With the city over a hundred miles away, I was relishing the solitary journey in the middle of the night. The faint fear of possibly encountering a wild Pardus, a Behorn, or even, God forbid, a Dragon added to the thrill.

The sound under my boots alternated between a crunch and a squish. I made no attempt to tread lightly; I was hoping my noise would deter any beast that might otherwise deter me. Though the logic behind this doesn't make much sense to me now.