The Maven Knight (The Maven Knight Trilogy Book 1)

by Matthew Romeo

  Pin: meaning “mean” in Outspeak.

  Pits: a sinkhole-like area where excess salvage and junk are taken to be melted down. With the work being grueling and dangerous, pits are normally where slaves or prisoners are sent to serve their sentences.

  Providence: a mythical location said to be the last fortress of the ancient Domain governance. It is unknown whether or not this place is a bastion of treasure, an armory, or a weapon.

  The Pyrack: an expansive desert that expands from Z’hart’s eastern and southern regions. Sparsely populated with small towns and salvage pits, the Pyrack is a place where most choose to live far from the concerns of the three nations.

  The Remnant: an order dedicated to following the teachings and training of the Maven Order. Formed after the Ending, the Remnant trains new Maven Knights to reestablish them as the marshals of the New World.

  Se’bau (Sey-bow): a Maven title for “apprentice”.

  Second Rule: kryo magic can only be safely harnessed by Maven armor or weapons.

  Sey: meaning “them” in Outspeak.

  Shield: Form II of the kryo magic system. 25% to 50% kryo output is required for this Form. Shield can deflect Stream but Discus and Blaze will shatter the Shield due to concentrated kryo energy.

  Silon: meaning “be quiet” in Outspeak.

  Stream: Form I of the kryo magic system. Kryo output needs to be between 1% and 25%. Stream cannot break Shield, but if one is fast enough they can deflect or intercept Discus. All other Forms are unaffected by Stream.

  Suzerain (Sue-zeh-rain): a Maven title that refers to a “master”. In some Outlander dialects, the title translates roughly to "overlord".

  Tah: meaning “Cross” in Outspeak.

  Third Rule: never try to use kryo magic without a conduit.

  Tulock (Too-lock): one of the three nations in the southern regions of Pan’gea. With vast rolling plains and an overabundance of animals, the populations of Tulock are known for their industry in selling livestock. Constantly defending against Outlanders, Tulock is a much more aggressive nation than the other two.

  Tus: meaning “us” in Outspeak.

  Usta: meaning “we” in Outspeak.

  Vapor Bay: a colony of thievery, piracy, and debauchery just outside Z’hart’s northeastern border. A lakeside colony and outside the three nations, Vapor Bay serves as an ideal neutral ground for all people.

  Vod: meaning “must be” in Outspeak.

  Wek: meaning “awake” in Outspeak.

  Y: meaning “and” in Outspeak.

  Yen: meaning “pen” or “cage” in Outspeak.

  Z’hart (Z-art): one of the three nations based in the central region of Pan’gea. Dozens of underground caverns and vast mountains provide Z’hart with an ore industry. Due to seasons of constant rain, the soil is left too muddy and weak to produce crops.

  Acknowledgments

  I’M TRULY ASTONISHED. I’ve been writing stories for next to ten years, but I never actually thought I’d get one out beyond my desktop. Apprehension has been the biggest writer’s block for the past three years since I drafted this story. But here it is and it’s been quite the journey to get here.

  So first and foremost, I would like to thank you, the reader, for giving me this chance. Thank you for your time, patience, and attention through this first tale of The Maven Knight Trilogy. Hope you’re curious enough to see where this story goes.

  Next, I’d like to thank Amazon and Kindle for providing me the tools necessary to self-publish.

  But now, for the big shout outs.

  Thank you to my parents as well as my brother Zachary. You’re always being supportive and always giving me a spiritual reality check. I hope you found this tale better than that of “Roy” back in ‘10. Also, sorry that chapter about Marco didn’t make it in to the final draft. Additional thanks to my extensive family all along the East Coast.

  Thank you to my best buddy, and true king of the Brocean, Matthew Wyman. My partner in crime, my sparring pal, and my fandom brother. May Uthal the Barbarian and Argos the Swashbuckler forever dance to the music of sword fighting. My creativity is always fueled by our discussions and theories, hence why I bug you most days.

  Thanks to my good friends Eddie, Will, and John for their wicked senses of humor as well as their sound tastes in literature. Thanks to my friend Cody, for you expanded my boundaries when it came to finding inspiration for story and characters through our many, many venting sessions. To my friend Jen, thanks for all the feedback, brainstorming, and theorizing regarding what makes or breaks a great female character. For my friend and coworker Linda, thank you for pushing me to publish on Amazon, it’s something I’d never thought to do until you said something. Some shout outs to my pals Nick, Katie, Tanya, Wirth, Miles, and Charlotte. Our role-playing years back helped inspire me to hone character quirks, so I truly thank you.

  Finally, I’d like to thank Megan Farley for giving me the final kick-in-the-rear to get this published. My artist and pseudo public relations handler, you’ve driven me to act on my passion. You had faith in this story before we even scratched the surface of our relationship, which showed me how willing you were to trust me. I’ll never stop poking your brain for critiques. Love you mostest.

  Blessings to all and hope to see you again for Book 2.

  About the Author

  Matthew Romeo is the self-published author of The Maven Knight. He graduated from Randolph-Macon College in 2014 with a B/A in Communications. As vice president of the Broadcasting Club, he ran a podcast for science fiction and fantasy topics. His hobbies include: writing (obviously), drawing, martial arts, video games, tabletop role-playing games, and copiously editing his work. He lives in Richmond where he runs on coffee and pizza while writing the next novel.

  Instagram: @themavenknight