The Maven Knight (The Maven Knight Trilogy Book 1)

by Matthew Romeo

  My hastiness has definitely gotten the better of me again.

  Emerald streams of energy erupt from my fingertips with a quiet hiss and soar towards the ceiling. The sizzling power blasts through the open canopy and into the air above. It even looks like they’ll go into the sky itself.

  But I can’t control it. It’s still channeling energy. Panicking, I scramble to deactivate the glove, but the streams continue to fountain from my fingers. In a flash of motion, I hit the button under the bracer and the chamber springs open. The crystal is ejected, and the streams stop imperceptibly. I let out a sigh of relief, but I notice something odd. The ejected shard looks dimmer; its pulsating light seems weaker than before. I deduce that there’s only a finite amount of energy within these gems. The armor can actually drain them of power. Fascinating.

  I look around with slight trepidation. The event had been inaudible to the group. They still sleep as if nothing happened, aside from Devin’s snores growing louder. Relieved that I didn’t draw any attention, I relax somewhat. That’d be a tough scenario to explain to them.

  “Maybe you should try that outside next time,” a voice says, causing me to flinch with a start. It’s Abrax.

  The old man enters the firelight once again with a basket of eggs and pair of freshly killed serpents. Their limp bodies are as thick as my forearm and a meter in length. Their yellow and black scales look glossy in the light, and their mouths hang open helplessly.

  Abrax regards the creatures. “They make a fine replacement for bacon. It’s almost time for breakfast, and I see you’re working on an alarm clock.”

  I take off the gauntlet and set it down with visible unease. “What is this thing?” I ask with a look of shock. “It’s been mine for almost fifteen years, and I’ve never seen it do that!”

  Abrax chuckles lightly. “Romulus never had the gall to teach you? I’m surprised he stayed true to his vow.”

  My eyes dart to the old man. “You knew my father?”

  “Almost everyone in our Order knew him,” Abrax says rather fondly. “Romulus was largely liked by everyone too. Well… apart from Septem and a few others.”

  My mind instantly sparks. “Wait, you know Septem too?”

  Abrax looks at me darkly. “Aye, lad. Septem is a tough son of a bitch. Very powerful, very calculated. Dozens have met their end at his cold blade. He’s a man who despises the bonds of relationships. Hells, even when Romulus tried to act brotherly towards him, nothing but a bitter rivalry grew from it.”

  That explains it. The others told me Septem recognized me on the ship. Now, I understand why he looked at me with disdain. He knew I was the son of Romulus. My fists clench, and I feel my own enmity forming against Septem as well.

  Abrax sighs and switches gears, “But alas, he was a good man, Romulus. A bit dim at times, but he had more sense than I. How is he?”

  The question stings at my heart like a needle pricking a finger. “He died. Almost fifteen years ago.”

  To my surprise, Abrax’s eyes adopt a look of sorrow. He bows his head. “It’s been two decades since I last saw him. I’m sorry, lad. Truly.”

  I shake off the heartache, focusing on a lingering question. “What was his vow?”

  Abrax faintly grins through his thick beard. “He vowed to never have anything to do with magic again. For he wanted his son to grow up safe and without it.”

  Glancing at the armor, I ask more to myself, “Father—what did you leave me with?”

  Abrax kneels down and sits the dead snakes on the ground. Pulling a knife from his belt, he starts to cut meat slabs with finesse. “Stability,” he says simply, barely looking up at me. “That right there is one of the tools used by the ancients to establish order. This armor was the pinnacle of their science, but the power within the gems allowed them to become much more.”

  “I always assumed our ancestors were explorers, diplomats, and scientists. Not warriors,” I intone, sitting cross-legged. “These suits make it seem like they were sorcerers, and their technology must’ve been godlike to withstand the test of time.”

  Abrax looks up at me with a grave look on his face. “You’d do well not to venerate the past, lad. Many alive today have obsessed over the Domain and this Providence place. And they’ve forgotten what it means to be vicarious. For greed is the death of empathy.”

  I glance over everyone in the group, my eyes falling on Devin and Vyck. Greed is the death of empathy. The words repeat in my head. I know those two have actively stated their self-centered goals and independence. But there seems to be some shred of decency in both. Despite their claims, they’ve stuck around us longer than I would’ve thought possible. They were even willing to follow my lead, though reluctant as it was.

  “Are you trying to make an analogy to those two?” I ask, nodding my head towards them.

  Abrax’s dark face hints at curiosity, despite his hard creases of age. “Perhaps,” he says mildly. “Is it an inaccurate analogy?”

  I rock my head to the side and adopt a look of uncertainty. “They haven’t necessarily disproven that statement about greed. But they haven’t lost all empathy. If I’m to have any success at leading them out of here, I have to believe in each of them. Despite what uncertainties there may be.”

  The old man gives me faint approval as he places a frying pan on a rack above the fire. “That’s a wise statement. But it’s also a naïve statement. They’re not the only ones capable of greed, lad. The others, and especially yourself, are susceptible as well.”

  I scoff at his statement. I grew up in a life of hard work, honesty, and compassion. There’s no way I’d ever give into the claws of greed. But I remain silent for a moment, a more important question lingering in my mind.

  “How does it work?” I ask suddenly, nodding my head to the bronze metal. “The armor. I get that the chambers can harness energy within the crystals. But the energy itself seems… something else entirely.”

  “It’s a form of magic,” Abrax grunts, flexing his fingers. The digits in his gauntlet glove show a faint glow of emerald. “While there is a science to the magic of the stones and armor, there are mystical properties that even I don’t understand. All you need to know is that the gems are full of a form of magic energy that can be channeled into Maven armor. It takes practice, but one can master how to control the energy properly—if they have all the tools.”

  Now there’s a title I’ve never heard before regarding our ancestors of old. The Domain is a comprehensive title, but this is something different.

  “Mavens,” I say with a tinge of eagerness. “That’s their name, isn’t it? Those who came before.”

  The old man nods his head, but his face remains blank. “One of the names of those who came before. Our ancestors were divided into many names and cultures. But the Maven Knights were the marshals of that society.”

  I pause to reflect on the information, only to think of a new question entirely.

  “Would you teach me how to use it?” I ask after a moment, looking down at the pieces of my armor. “Could I learn how to use the armor like a Maven once did?” I pause. “Like my father did.”

  Abrax looks into the fire with a solemn expression. “Those days are long behind me. After my last se’bau, I realized I’m not exactly a great teacher. More along the lines of a crazy coot who shouts out riddles and stories.”

  “Your last what?”

  “Se’bau,” he grunts, shaking his head as if to clear it. “That’s what novices are called in Maven training, and we adopted most of their traditions. And my last se’bau was—”

  He looks away from the flames in what seems to be shame. But he doesn’t finish his line of thought. Part of me is curious as to what transpired between Abrax and his former apprentice, but it’s not my place to ask. I want to learn about my armor’s heritage, and what it might mean to possess it. Why my father had it, and why he passed it along to me. I’m not sure where I could find someone else to teach me about the armor. Abrax is the only op
portunity right now, and I won’t let it slip away.

  The sky is becoming brighter, and I realize I only have maybe a few minutes to convince him before the group awakens.

  “Haven’t you ever had an ideal, Abrax?” I inquire, looking into the cackling flames.

  “Are we really having this talk?” the old man growls in annoyance. “I’ve met too many dreamy-eyed hopefuls in my lifetime and I grow tired of their speeches about ‘I had a dream to become this’.”

  “I’ve merely wanted to understand why my father left me this armor,” I continue through clenched teeth. “It’s the only thing I can call my own, and I deserve to know what it is. Haven’t you ever wanted something like that?”

  His dark eyes peer intensely at me before his focus shifts to the carcasses strewn before him. He says nothing for a moment, taking his time slicing more slabs from another serpent. After the first few slices, he sticks the knife deep in the flesh of the carcass in a burst of irritation.

  “Yeah,” he grunts, his eyes reflect a measure of melancholy. “I wanted something like that when I was young and stupid. But like all things you want, they end up slipping through your fingers. What you laddies fail to see is that what you want and what you need are two very different things. You say you want to learn about the Maven armor, but do you need to? I wanted to find Providence, but did I need to?”

  “Of course you need to,” a voice says tiredly.

  I flinch in surprise as I notice Sarina has woken up. By the looks of it, she’s been up for a few minutes. Her black hair hangs like curtains over her eyes. She yawns and stretches. Some of the others are starting to shuffle as well.

  “When you want to do something, you should go for it out of necessity.” Her voice is oddly thoughtful, and she combs her hair back with her fingers. “I have a need to find answers, so I will follow through with it. What does it say about your conviction if you choose not to follow your decisions?”

  “It’s not a matter of lacking conviction, Sarina,” Abrax sighs with a hint of depressed exasperation. “It’s a matter of strength in character. If you lack the proper will to strive for it, you’ll fall flat on your face. As I did.”

  “What do you mean?” she asks as she pulls her knees up to her chest.

  The old man looks gravely at us. “A story for another time, all you need to know is that I gave up my dream many years ago.”

  ◆◆◆

  My companions are all awakened by the increased conversations and the smell of eggs and grilled serpent. Vyck and Devin begin a series of martial stretches and poses upon waking up, no doubt to attune their senses. As we prepare to eat, faint conversation grows as some discuss the events of the previous day while others voice concerns for the future.

  I, however, am starting to focus on two things in the future. Learning about the Maven Knights and finding a way to stop the Roils. If what Abrax and Remus say is true, the Roils could consume everything if they aren’t stopped. Everyone in Erron’s Ville, everyone in the nations, will soon suffer.

  If Remus is right, Providence might be the key to not only stopping the Roils, but possibly discovering more about my armor. It’s foolhardy, but it seems like an opportunity that only comes about once in a lifetime. I need to take the chance. But I know I can’t do it alone.

  “While it’s certainly been lovely traveling with you shits,” Devin says, setting his plate down. “Vyck and I ought to part ways now that we’re almost out of the caves. You shits are alright, but it’s probably for the best that we all part ways. We’ve got supplies to acquire and gems to spend.”

  I grin at them. This might be my chance. A way to initiate the quest. And a way to keep them around. “We haven’t even discussed the opportunity of treasure hunting yet.” I keep my voice casual and vague.

  All attention snaps to me. Vyck’s eyes flash a malicious shade of eagerness. He tries to hide it, but I can read him better than he thinks. If treasure and reward is what fuels these guys, perhaps all they need is a bit more incentive. With their skills as mercenaries, we might need them.

  “Say what now?” Vyck asks, his voice failing to be nonchalant.

  I sit up straight, keeping my confidence apparent but in check. “Last night, Aida and Remus told us all about the opportunity to find a lost relic of the Domain. Now, I’m not a very learned man. But I’m willing to bet that all kinds of riches and artifacts might wait for plunder at an undiscovered location. Especially if it’s a hidden repository.”

  Vyck is already sold. His green eyes reflect his willingness to go on an expedition, despite the perils. His greed sometimes trumps his logic, just like my anger trumps mine.

  “Ey, don’t start with that shit again,” Devin says. He notices Vyck’s reaction as well and rolls his blue eyes. “What reason would we have for trying to find this… Providence?”

  It’s at this point Aida recognizes the game I’m playing. And I can see a faint smirk spreading over her thick lips. “For starters,” she says, joining the game. “Artifacts that are millennia old would be housed in there, and would probably fetch more than those crystals. Some say there’s a data mainframe that holds histories dating back a millennium to the Old World. There might even be actual treasure. You’d make a fortune.”

  “Isn’t it a bit insensitive to play the reward card?” Devin asks, insulted. His face scrunches with indignity. “What are we? Mercenaries?”

  “That’s exactly what you are.” Sarina points out rather taciturnly, taking a bite of the serpent meat. “I don’t think I’ve met anyone who’d pass up a treasure hunt. Especially you two.”

  I sniffle a laugh as Vyck and Devin both take offense. “Who says we’d want to go just for the treasure?” Devin retorts with a tinge of sincerity.

  “Mercenary or no,” I say loudly to maintain focus. “Wouldn’t this be more worthwhile than a life of freelance? Do you really want to wander aimlessly forever? That doesn’t seem like a life with guaranteed luxury.”

  The two say nothing for a long moment. To my surprise, their expressions reflect serious thought. Even if they aren’t just out for the money, they also recognize this once in a lifetime opportunity. The chance to make a difference.

  “I know I’m going to regret this,” Devin sighs. His fingers run through his black hair. “But if we do this, we’re not soldiers. We’re not bound by oath or honor or etcetera. We go when we want. We leave when we want. Clear?”

  “Are you sure, Devin?” Vyck asks, even though his eyes scream with fervor. “What if it’s a fluke?”

  “It may be,” Devin replies quietly back to him. He pats his partner on the shoulder. “But the reward outweighs the costs, for now. Plus, it might do us some good to uncover old Domain relics. Hells, we could become wealthy museum owners in our retirement.”

  “I’m in too,” Vivían pipes up. Her red hair is disheveled, but she still radiates beauty despite it. Her duster is rolled up beside her, and her shirt certainly accentuates her features. “I’ve been dying for some action lately, and this seems like a great opportunity.”

  “We were already going,” Aida says as she pats Remus on the shoulder. She sniffs happily. “Copycats. We’re in too.”

  A strange energy comes into my chest, and I feel like I can do anything. My heart races, and I get the sense that this is what charisma feels like. Being able to show strength of conviction, and uniting others. Even if our personalities clashed, or our goals weren’t synonymous. But my high is evened out when I look at Sarina. I grow nervous about asking her, especially after what she’s been through.

  “Sarina?” My voice is quiet, but not lacking certainty. I have to remain strong for this to work, but stay compassionate. “I know it’s not on your priority list, but will you join us? We could use someone like you.”

  Sarina looks at me earnestly before saying, “I’m not sure if I’d be of much use. I can’t fight, I can’t hunt, and I can’t navigate. Plus, I’ve got a lot of ordeals to sort out on my own. Might not be worth it to
have me tag along.”

  “But you know Z’hart,” Vivían says rather plainly. “You know its people. If we ever needed help from within their cities, you’d know exactly who to contact. In my book, that’s just as important as being able to hunt.”

  Vivían is right. Sarina probably knows lots of people in the lower reaches of Z’hart. People that might provide information or supplies, and wouldn’t charge outrageous prices. But there’s something else I see that makes Sarina important.

  She has a hidden magnetism about her. The others will listen to her. Especially when we were in the tunnels and Well. They’ve shown trust in her judgment, and it will likely carry over in the future.

  “Sarina,” Aida says after a moment. “I know what you’re looking for, and I know we’ll find the right answers if we do this together. You don’t have to do this alone.”

  “Bring— Assholes— Justice—” Remus grunts with a cunning smirk.

  Vyck snorts a laugh as Sarina looks at Remus with a weak smile. “Alright, I’m in.”

  “If I might interject…” Abrax says suddenly, his voice suppressing irritation. Our heads turn to regard the old man who sits cross-legged. His silver-haired head is bowed.

  I can sense an aura of misgiving from him. “There’s three things. One: You all won’t make it a week out there without supplies and a guide,” he continues. His tone is begrudging, and he cracks his knuckles. “Two: The only supplier-guide around these parts is me. And three: You’re going to need this supplier-guide’s help if you’ll have any luck. Providence may be a myth, but I’m not about to let you all spend your lives for nothing.”

  “So you do care about the ideals of young people,” I say with a smirk.

  Abrax stares at me incredulously. He wrinkles his nose. “Also four: I really hate you young people.”

  The final knell has sounded. Our journey is greenlit; the fates have been decided. Dreams of adventure I’d had in Erron’s Ville are coming true. The chance to live for more than I’ve been given. To seize what destiny offers. While I know it’ll be dangerous, a spark of adventurousness has formed within me. And it is not going to be extinguished.